We danced on the beaches of Africa

Dear Family,

       So sorry that I didn't get an email out last week! I got on the computer, read your email, then forgot to email President Weed first so I went to do that, and in the mean time the power went out so I didn't get to send one out... Sorry about that! But, I'm sending one this week so all is well :) And the Memory Card I have right now is weird and it wont read on the computers here like my other one would. I won't be able to send any pictures till I get that one back that I sent there... Or I can buy another one here. I dunno I will figure it out. But as of right now, the pictures that you got will have to do for now! So try and send that card back asap. Thanks :)

     The past two weeks have been pretty good! Elder Shumway and I have a lot of fun together. When we split it is going to make me sad. But I know that I will like my other American too hopefully! He said that you always love the American you live with because the Africans are always the same... Haha. But we have a lot of fun together. We have been cooking by ourselves this past week for meals and it has been no good... We have eaten rice or macaroni with tomato sauce every night hahaha neither of us know how to cook! It's okay though I think that we are going to start eating with the other missionaries again. They get mad because we never cook, but then they get mad when we do cook because it always tastes gross! We came to the conclusion that we will just help them when they cook! So we will see how that works out. I'm sure I will learn a lot as I go through and have to learn to cook for myself. 

     This week Elder Shumway and I were looking at this African music place that is across the street from us and we were just like, "dang, like I wish they had just some good old country music so we didn't have to listen to the crappy annoying music they listen to in the apartment." And what did we find in Benin Cotonou West Africa? "An Evening with Don Williams" CD!!! Can you believe that!? So I was just all over that and bought it for a dollar, and it's awesome. I absolutely love it. I only listen to it when I do my laundry though. It is amazing. It was like seeing a mirage in the desert except it was real... Something like that.  I figure you guys know who he is. A lot of people have remade his songs like Good Old Boys Like Me and This Must Be Love. I love it. So yeah that's pretty cool and random.

     I went to go get some money out of my Mountain America account and it said that it was the wrong pin... I didn't want to keep trying because I didn't want it to lock. So if you could send that to me, that would be awesome. I thought that it was ****, but that didn't work. And I know my one for my Wells Fargo card for sure. It's not an emergency, but when you get a chance get that pin for me! We do have milk and butter for those mixes... I just didn't know what it was called haha. So there is no harm there :) 

Cleanest Apartment!

     Cool story... So the whole entire mission had a competition to see who could have the cleanest apartment. So I was all like, "Oh yeah bring it on" So last p-day we spent all day cleaning the apartment. When the Southams came to judge it, they said that they were blown away. In their three years of serving here, that was the cleanest apartment that they had ever seen!!! 
What up Africa!? 
So yeah I am pretty happy with myself... And my apartment. It felt good. But then it just went back to normal after a day haha. They don't understand how to keep things clean and clean up after themselves. They just clean once every Monday. I have explained to them many times that we should just keep it clean throughout the week we wouldn't have to clean so much on P-day. But they don't understand... It's all good though :) Ca va am I right???

     My companion and I ate at a members house this week... Yep, I have now officially eaten my first meal of insects!!! I don't even know what they were! It was some sort of caterpillar bug thing. I didn't know what it was at first. I just thought it was green sauce with fufu. So I got a whole bunch of it and ate it. I thought to myself, "that's probably not the best thing I have ever tasted in my life.." Then I realized after I looked closer at what it was and about spit it out... I contained it in my mouth somehow and swallowed it down. It was gnarly! I took a picture of it so you'll look forward to that! You'll know what it is when you see it... Haha it's nasty.
 

     Today was our p-day with the Southams. We ate pulled pork sandwiches. (Not as good as dads...) Haha. But they were still way good! Then we were on the way back to our apartment and I was telling them how I have never been to or seen a beach before in my life. When I said that Elder Southam flipped the truck around and we went and spent about an hour at the beach!! It was so cool! It was kinda scary though. There were like big waves and a ton of water it was kinda scary haha I didn't like it. It is Easter here all weekend and they celebrate it a ton! There were people dancing and they were telling us to come and dance with them and Elder Southam was like, "yeah for sure!!" Hahaha so we went and danced with these black people on the beaches of Africa! I got some sweet funny pictures and videos! You're gonna love it! There were a ton of people there and they were saying that there are never that many people but because it was the holiday there were a lot. So that was way super fun!

     The language is slowly progressing. There will be little sprouts of when I learn a ton, and then dry spells where it stays the same... So it's just kinda slowly just surely! If you would have told me that I would be able to talk like I can now in just 4 months, I would have called you crazy. So I know that the gift of tongues is real. I have a strong testimony of that. We were teaching an investigator and I was using words that I didn't even know. I kind of hesitated when I used them, but they seemed to understand everything that I was saying. So I know that the Lord will bless me when I need to say something and communicate. There was one investigator that we thought was ready for baptism, and we saw him smoking with his friend . My companion just acted like we didn't see him and went to walk right past him because he was embarrassed or something haha but I said hi and set up another appointment. We will have to give him a talking too. Other than that, the work is going super good.

     Again, sorry that I didn't get an email out to you last week. I'm sure that won't be the last time. Just know that if anything happens to me let it be  minor or major, the assistants  will let you know or the couples. So don't worry about it! But yeah I was sad that I didn't get to spend Easter with you! I guess you guys didn't go out to Lors this year? I dunno. Okay well I hope everything is well and you guys have an amazing week. I love all of you so very much!!!! Bye :)

 Love your son, Elder Landon Dean Layton

Questions...

1- How are you and your new companion getting along?

     -Pretty good! He is really quiet. He doesn’t talk much. 

2- What is his name?

     -Elder Tshionyi. Pronounced CHOWNEY

3- What was Easter like for you yesterday?

     -Was just like every other day... Haha. Kinda depressing. Elder Shumway said that's about how every holiday is.

4- Did your pillow come in the mail yet?

     - Haven't seen a pillow yet...

5- Do you live above the church?

     - Yeah we do! So we don't have to walk to church which is nice.

6- How are your contacts holding up?

     - Contacts are doing really well! I think I will be solid with those.

7- Still wearing your retainer? ;)

     - Every night still! I don't wanna have jacked up teeth...

Dear Dad,

     Thank you for your emails! I always love hearing from you. It sounds like the Priesthood session was really good. It's weird that I wasn't there to go with you! I bet it was fun to go with Sam though. I'm not totally sure when we will get a copy of the talks, but I am excited for when they come! I think that I have gained a greater knowledge of how important conference is and the talks the prophets and apostles give us. It'sliterally divine revelation from God to them, to guide us in our everyday lives! I am excited to read about the Priesthood though. That's something that has always been interesting to me. And you have been a good example of that! You don't even have to say that. I've learned more from you than you may know! I know that the priesthood is a powerful thing and an amazing blessing for those that have it. I'm sad that I wasn't there to go with you and then get something to eat! Those are always some of my favorite memories doing that. There will be many more to come though! I'm pretty sure that they will be there when I get back ;) How is work going and everything? Everything going good there? Let me know! I love you so much and still talk about how cool you are to everyone when I get a chance! Thank you for being such an amazing example to me.  I've come to the conclusion that after I'm all old and stuff, and turn out exactly like you, I will have had a successful life. So that's what I'm shooting for! To be the great man that my dad is. Thank you for everything that you have done for me. I love you tons! Have an amazing week and keep working hard! 

Love your son, Elder Landon Dean Layton

*Below is a collage of some pictures that were taken one Sunday afternoon while Dean and Landon were wrestling! Then Dean held Landon down while our dog Lucy licked in his mouth! Ewww