We Have to Keep Pushing Forward

Buenos Dias,

Vamos a la playa!!! Oh oh ohhh oh You've probably never heard that song before. We're going to the beach to bbq and play soccer. I finally got the package!! THANK YOU! It was the best ever. I felt loved. I haven't had the time to play any of the songs you sent me though...but one day.

This week was a hard one.

Yesterday a lot of the investigators didn't come to church. We challenged some of them that fell for the 17th of Oct. I was kind of bummed yesterday too when Oliver didn't come to his confirmation. There's a first time for everything. John, Dalma, and Angel who are all siblings and their cousin Paula were all confirmed. So 15 Baptisms for September but only 14 confirmations. I feel blessed but I know that we need to work even harder than we did this week for October!

We had interviews with President this week. He gave me Mosiah 23:15-22 to read. He talks to me using the scriptures I think. I studied it and everything and I'm trying to apply it. It describes that Alma had success when he put his trust in the Lord. I only hope that I can continue trusting in my Heavenly Father.

I learned this week that maybe our commitments need work. It feels so overwhelming to commit so many people at the same time and visit each one every day but I know we have to just keep pushing forward. President was really happy about the success were having and told me to keep growing.

It looks like my usb lost the pictures it had. Luckily I have backups. But I need to make more now. Ill try sending pictures soon.

Thanks so much for everything!!!! Oh yeah! Christie! Congrats on being a mommy. That's crazy. I guess that makes me an Uncle! I think that's a tear in my eye. Bueno, I love you very much.

I'd just like to share a little bit of my testimony.

I love the gospel and I know it's true. The mission has been the best part of my life. Better than video games, better than American food, better than girls. Of course I miss those things but not really. I want to serve the mission for another 12 years like Ammon did in the Book of Mormon, but they might send me home before then.

I know the profet Thomas Monson is called of God just like his counselors, the twelve apostle, and other leaders in the church. I know that Jesus Christ is the Key cornerstone of The Church of ]esus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Book of Mormon is true si o si. There's not even room to doubt from the physical evidence, and the spiritual confirmation and the promise of that book is something hard to explain but I know by the power of the Holy Spirit that the Book of Mormon is true.

Joseph Smith was a true profet with more fruits than almost any other profet I know of.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

ps.

I know that going to the beach today will bring joy to my heart, as well as the BBQ. I know that playing soccer on the beach is true. And.... nos vemos hasta pronto... bueno, proximo lunes. Send pics if you can. I love getting them.

Chow,

Elder Layton

Beder's Baptism

Dearest Famila,

We baptized a boy named Beder (8 years old) on Saturday. Awesome!!! It could have gone better. We started late because we didn´t have another witness....but other than that it was great. We sang and I bore my testimony at the end to Beder´s parents, both non-members, that the Church was true and that Beder´s decision would change his life. We´re going to baptize his parents now.

Elders Layton and Hoton. I lifted the pictures from this post from Elder Rhoton's family site. Hopefully, they won't want them back. They fit right in here.

A Beautiful Peruvian sunset in Pucallpa.
This week has been crazy. The Zone Leaders are preparing a wedding for the 31st now because they missed a appt. With the municipalidad. Yeah.....so people not married here is a problem so my comp and I are working right now to marry 9 people.

It´s crazy how the Lord´s helping us too. A couple days ago the stake president told us we can get financial help for the people to get married, which has always been the main problem for the people. They need to get a physical from a doctor and go to a notary. The great thing is our stake president told us members in the stake can help us out with those two things too. !!!!!!!

Btw, Those boots aren´t boots here because they´re not up to my knees. Yesterday....funny story, we were running between appointments, and it was dark out, dogs were chasing us, and I didn´t see a mud hole. The first step from foot came out of my shoe, the second step the other, so I was standing there in the mud in my socks...... people were laughing, but we got two great contacts out of it.

One of the streets of Pucallpa.

We randomly contacted an older couple the other day, bore our testimony´s and they came to church!!!! Oh man, I was so excited. That almost never happens. The Lord is really helping us.

LOVE,

Elder Layton

We're Here to Help People Have Spiritual Experiences

I spent a day and a night earlier this week with my zone leader Elder Brock because they were doing visits with my companion Elder Paz. I learned a lot. Really about how to teach. We're not here to give the people information. We're not here to tell people how they need to live their lives. We're here to help people have spiritual experiences, and to accept the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know Christ lives and that this is his gospel. I'm more sure of that than anything else I know.

This week was great after that really clicked in my mind. Every principle in our lessons I really tried to relate to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I noticed a huge change in how people responded to how we taught. First of all I felt the spirit. Second of all, I knew that our investigators could feel the spirit. Saturday night we had a lesson to follow up on the commitments of our investigators. Their names are Lois and Teresa, middle aged, and married! We felt the spirit so strong when they said that they had done what we asked them. Read, prayed, pondered. They still didn't know everything for sure, but our testimonies helped.

Yesterday they came to church. We had six investigators at church yesterday which was our goal. All of them are progressing, and all of them can have baptism dates. This week we're going to focus on setting those dates so they can be baptized this month.

Other than that, we're playing dodgeball today with the zone. So far in my mission I've been bitten by a dog, a cat, a parrot, stung by a bee, and had fleas. You would think I was trying to touch em.... yeah, no. They come out of nowhere. Oh yeah... that beetle was pretty dang big... probably an inch and a half?

(This picture was posted last time and a young man in our ward wanted to know how big it was - see the comments from last post.)

Since I've been here in Peru during the Christmas season I've found that it's really the same as anywhere else. Presents... Santa Claus..... Christ. But there's one obvious difference. There were definitely llamas in the first nativity.

He's right you know. Here's the proof.

!Elder Layton Ya Puede Testificar En El Espanol!

The photo to the left is of Elders Layton and Ridge. Elder Ridge is Elder Layton's second companion in the Provo MTC. One thing I really appreciate is getting all of these pictures out in front of the temple. It has to be one of the best parts of being in the MTC...going to the temple every week.

There are more photos posted in the photo section as well. Click the link at the right to view them.

Again the MTC is swell. We've had really nice weather here, except it's poured a couple times. That's okay though. All the sidewalks are covered. I don't know what we're going to do in Peru when it pours and we have nothing to walk under...I've been here two weeks too long. I really want to start eating monkey brains and snake and Guinea Pig. Compared to the cafeteria food here, that sounds delish! Just kidding.

From the perspective of one very biased and opinionated parent, I love this photo. Elder Layton and Elder Ridge both have a very kind look on their faces. Kindness is an element of charity, and is so necessary for a missionary to be successful. May the love of God grow in Elder Layton and in all missionaries everywhere.

Yo se que Jesucristo es mi redentor. Tengo un testimonio muy poderoso concerniente el Evangelio restaurado. Jose Smith fue un profeta de la restauracion. Me encanta mi mision. ha ha. (I know that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer. I have a very strong testimony of the restored gospel. Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration. I love my mission. ha ha.)

Well that was just a few things off the top of my head. I love you. Sorry my letters are so short, Pdays are one of our busiest days. Write back soon! Tell Andrea that she's not distracting me at all. I'm focused. I miss her a lot but it's good.

This picture is of Elders Layton and George. We assume that Elder George is one of the new Elders that Elder Layton referred to in his last letter. If so, he is probably headed to the Lima Peru North Mission as well.

The room is Elder Layton's (and three others) living area while at the MTC. It is very typical of where most LDS missionaries begin the best two years of their lives.

The MTC Experience and the Big Deal

Excerpt from a letter from Elder Layton to Eric (younger brother)...

And no, I'm not mad that I'm not going down to Peru. (He was delayed at least one week - see previous post.) I get a companion that knows how to work hard so that's a blessing and plus I would be in the MTC down there anyway, it's no biggie. Prepare for your mission now. It's hard. (...great advice for anyone preparing for a mission!)

Funny...my thoughts of the MTC some 25 years ago were very similar and two-fold. One, that it was hard. Two, that it was incredible. I'm very happy that he enjoys being there, and that he recognizes that it's a challenge (it means he's doing what he's supposed to be doing).

Excerpts from the family letter...

The whole thing with Jose was awesome. I'll look for him.

Also, my new companion Elder Ridge totally looked at Landon Rich's blog all the time so we talk about him all the time. His mom already talked with Landon's mom, so of course Elder Ridge has a huge bottle of garlic pills. We both want to be companions with Landon Rich. He's a big deal.

It looks like Elder Rich may have a fan club. You can find the blog of Elder Rich here. http://richmission.blogspot.com/