The Mad Monkey, A New Companion, and More Succcess

Hello!

(We read on another missionary Blog that one of the monkeys left with the pensionista in Pucallpa had died. Worried that it might have been the one that Elder Layton left, I did some checking...not the same monkey. It turns out that Elder Layton's monkey is alive and well...other than the fact that it won't let anyone hold him. Below, Sean gives us his theory as to why the thing is so disagreeable.

To start out I'd just like to say that first off, my monkey is angry because he just feels lonely and scared because I've been away from him so long. Of course he's still alive and healthy because he eats well, thank goodness. I heard he needs a passport to come home with me... how much is a monkey license anyway?

This week has been great. I'm tired but in a good way. Actually I'm just tired of sitting down typing stuff. Today we have to do a report of all the converts in the zone for 1 year which will take a long time. It's my first time doing it, because the last time they did it was in September. It's fun!

Yesterday my companion and I talked in church along with the missionary Joel Vasquez that just got home. I talked about prayer and my companion about repentance.

On Saturday we had two baptisms!!! Martha and Jhonny!!! Martha was really happy. It took two attempts to baptize her but she left the water beaming. Her whole family was there and they all were way happy. She's an older woman but she does have a boyfriend that lives in another part we're teaching. He has to get divorced first before they can get married.

Jhonny Guzman on the other hand has had his eyes set on getting baptized for a couple weeks now. He also knows that he's going to serve a faithful mission in a couple years. But I've also given notice during our lessons with him that he has his eyes set out on something else. A girl. Not just any girl. The daughter of our bishop! It was actually the constant texts he was getting during our lessons that sparked my interest. Anyway, it was very "precious", 'cause after the baptism she went over to congratulate him and they shared a nice long hug together. But I'm glad he was baptized for the right reasons.

My new companions name is ELDER GARNICA!!!! His brother's also in our mission, but he's ending along with my companion Elder Rodriguez. I knew his brother very well. I was in the same zone as him many times. But the Garnica that`s going to be my companion i don't know very well. He's cool im sure! So that's all I know... of course I'm staying here in INDEPENDENCIA!!!! This month we have a goal to beat this zones record. Independencia's overall record is 33 confirmations as a zone in one month.... which of course is extremely low for the mission, but I know we can do it.

Well, that's all the time I have to write. I would like to add a thought....but maybe I could just add an invitation. That's better. Read your scriptures. Say your prayers.

Have a wonderful week!!! I love you Mom, Dad, Nana, Eric, Curtis, Grandpa y Grandma Chiechi/Layton, Uncles/Aunts, Cousins, Nephew (Christies baby), and all my great friends!

Sincerely,

Elder Layton

Letters From a Missionary

So our other children received letters from their brother today. They were dated April 13, 2009, so that's not too bad. Here are a few exceprts.

To Curtis:
The mission is fun. I've learned that studying the scriptures is actually one of the best pastimes ever. You'll learn how to read better too when you read the scriptures. That's how I learned Spanish.

We have an investigator named Sintia. one day when I was on divisions we went to her house and I felt impressed to sing "Praise to the Man". We sang it normally...we were about to start the lesson. She asked, "what's the song that talks about the pajaritas?" (little birds) I remembered Joseph Smith's first prayer, and knew that's what she was thinking about. We began to sing it, and she started bawling! Curtis, I know the church is true. She's getting baptized on April 25th after she's known about the Church forever, almost her whole life.

Keep choosing the right. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is true. We're children of God. Remember, give Eric the monkey claw if he tries to beat you up.

To Briana:
We are busy busy. Everything goes just right when we're obedient. Briana, I've had so many experiences I can't even say them all, even if I had an entire day. My last change in Pucallpa we left our Pension, Hermana Rubi. It was sad because she's one of my favorite people in the world. Yeah, that's right. I even left my monkey.

Jesus Christ didn't want to suffer for us when He felt the pains of His INFINITE atonement, but He submitted to the Father, and completed His Messianic mission, and made it possible to overcome death, both physical and spiritual. Nana, we're blessed. Always be obedient.

To Eric:
Iquitos is great! You would ove it. It's different than you think. There aren't monkeys running around or animals everywhere. All the houses are made of cement or wood and generally in the more populated places the houses are all together. There's not really anything called a yard.

The average person working hard here could make $325 a month. That's just an estimate from listening to people. The average person here in Peru has a T.V. and good speakers, a couple tables, pictures, beds, the occasional hammock.

The average cement house is cement, including the floor. Once in a while someone will have a computer. Only the richest homes have glass in the windows. Normally it's rebar with blinds made from sheets.

He Answered Our Prayers

Queridos Familias y Amigos Mios,

It was so great to hear from my family!!!!! I hope you know I was sick when I called so that's maybe why I didn't sound my best. Actually my companion was sick all Christmas day. Pretty much Christmas was just great though!

Thanks for everything!!!
Right now we're getting close to some new baptisms which I'm very excited about. We had 6 investigators come to church again and 3 of our investigators have dates set for January. It shouldn't be very hard if we just keep doing what we're supposed to be doing.

President mildy rebuked us in his Christmas letter and really told us that the lack of baptisms in the month of December (honestly I don't know how they went, but we didn't have any) was because of the small things we need to overcome like obedience with exactness, trusting the Lord, teaching effectively. We can always do better as missionaries every day.

One of the kids we're baptizing is named Cesar Jr. He's ten. His sister is a member and his parents can't be baptized yet because we're helping them get married. We just got a permission slip from him on Saturday and he has more than 6 asistencias (he's attended Church more than 6 times) so he's set. I was so grateful on Saturday when we taught him. Always when we tried to teach him before he honestly couldn't concentrate, and told his parents he didn't want to be baptized. But then for some reason he completely changed. He sat there, understood, listened, and told us that he was ready to be baptized. YES! Really, the Lord answered our prayers. It´s been hard for me to go through this entire month without helping someone make their first covenant.

The monkey's doing good. A rat bit it's tail while he was sleeping so he has rabies but no worries, our pensions daughter is its mom and she took Andy in right away to get all its vaccs. Haha. It has an official vaccination tag with his name on it and everything.

Today we're playing futbol. Too bad I waste all the Natives. No, just kidding. They're all way good cause it's the thing to do down here. My companion's really awesome. He's quiet and doesn't like to pay for stuff but hey, I'm sure it´s hard to live with a gringo. I'm his first gringo companion so he's holding out really well. When he bears his testimony I can feel the spirit. That's what's most important to me. He has a great conversion story too from a strong Catholic family so that definitely helps out cause I'd say 50% of our investigators are Catholic.

Honestly I don't want to leave this area. Just saying that is probably going to get me sent off somewhere different, but whatever. We find out next Monday our change. There's nothing better than the mission. Thanks for all the love this Christmas, really, from everyone. It felt like home. Man... I really need to write everyone. I think I'm going to wait until I'm out of the jungle because it's so expensive.

(It costs a significant portion of his entire monthly budget just to get one letter out of the jungle. He's mentioned several times how he feels terrible about ignoring everyone. So if you've written him and haven't heard back - that's why. He'll get to you - thanks for the letters and understanding.)

Padre, usted puede enviar sus cartas a mi en espanol, debido a porque estoy fluido en esta idioma. Yo quiero ver como esta su espanol, para que puedo ver quien es major en en el espanol. No se precupe. No voy a rub it in your face. Probalamente usted es major. Gracias padre por todas sus cartas espirituales. Me encantan esas mas que todas. Estoy leyendo del Libro de Mormon en Espanol en voz alta.

Funny - I knew this day would come. I just didn't think it would be this soon. He's basically challenging me to write to him in Spanish so he can see who's Spanish is better - his or mine. I don't think he'll have too much difficulty winning that battle six months from now, but I think I've still got him. He does say (in half English, half Spanish) not to worry - he's not going to rub it in my face. He also says that he's been reading the Book of Mormon out loud.

Your Missionary,

Elder Layton