"I got hit with the spirit super hard... It was instant tears."

This darling little girl that was at church! I just had to take a 
picture of her... Her name is Winner!

Dear Family,

     So you better mark the 22nd of September on your calendar..... Because that is the date that we set for Innocent to be baptized!! Yaaaahhhh! Finally! After so much persistence and talking and teaching and leaving and coming back and talking more then teaching more and saying no, finally accepted a baptism date! You should be so stoked... Because I am super excited! I have waited, it seems so long for him to be baptized, and now he is! I just thought that I would start out with that. I will talk about it more later on! I just wanted you to know! 

     Anyways, thank you for your letter! I always love hearing how your week was and the stuff that went on. And I cannot believe that this Friday will be my 9 month mark. Elder Montross and I were talking about how I will already be at my 15 months left mark and I couldn't even wrap my head around it! Because I remember when I first got here living with Elder Browning and him just hitting his year mark and that seems just like yesterday! How insane is that? I swear I will be home before I know it... That will be such a weird day. It is almost like West Africa has become my home... Everything here just seems so normal to me now. For example, we went to get something to eat today and while we were eating a crazy, huge, naked black man came walking down the street, wearing literally nothing, and started going number two... I don't even know how to explain it other than that. But I first when I saw this naked man I didn't think anything of it. Then my mind actually started to process what was going on and it was so odd! It didn't even phase me! It makes me wonder how much I have come accustom to, and don't even realize anymore. Interesting how that happens... But yeah time is flying by super quick. Can't help but think about that song, "you're gonna miss this". 

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days
Hadn't gone by this fast

These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

      Because I totally know that I am. I can't deny it. I know that there are some times when I want to be back home, and of course you think about home often, but I don't think I really understand how much I will miss all of this until I am leaving. That will be so odd for sure.

     It sounds like your week was full of fun stuff! And when I say fun stuff I mean football... At least for what you had told me. That is good that Bountiful is doing so well. Good to see those boys working hard. That is super funny that all 4 of their captains are Poly's! Haha that picture made me laugh. And Jordan Hayes is looking like a super stud. Tearing it up out there. I bet he had a blast trampling those "kids up north" as Coach Well used to call ‘em. That is awesome. And Ben is starting to move around and everything! That is exciting! (3 little girls just came to the cyber and are still staring at me as I type... Like still I don't know what to do or if they want to talk to me or what.) He is growing up super fast! I remember holding the little tike in my arms in the hospital. (They are gone now...) He will grow up to be just like his dad! Strong, burly, don't take no stuff from no one, kinda guy. I can sense it! (don't worry Sam I got your back.) It will be a trip to get back and see him so grown up. I also loved the picture that Kylee sent me of the month by month pictures! I wish my parents loved me enough to do that when I was little... I guess it is never too late to start. 

"Elder Ndaye (far right) and myself (far left)
after church!" 

     

So I guess I will talk about my new companion! Like I said last time, his name is Elder Ndaye. He is from Congo and he has just over a year left on his mission. He is a SUPER cool companion! He is very humble and is a super good cook! Even though I don't eat with him I just remember how good his food was when I was in Gbegamey with him. We work really, really well together and we have already set 2 baptism dates, hopefully 3 soon, and we had more amis to church this last week.. We are working hard! Moreso that is... And effectively. I am super excited to continue working with him. Walking around the sector hasn't been a problem at all! A lot easier than it was the first time that this happened. There was only one time this past week where I wasn't sure where we were and we ended up walking for about 2 hours till I knew where we were. That wasn't so good... But it turned out okay! Might have even contacted some people along the way so all is well. No problems there. The teaching in the sector is going well. We have done a lot of door to door and found of promising amis that way! We are teaching a friend of a member and she came to church this week! Her name is Makoko. She is progressing really well and I have a good feeling about it! Turns out that her and Innocent have known each other since they were in grade school! Luck? I think not! It is all in the blueprint right there. 

     Cool experience in the sector; We were walking back to the apartment from our sector and we heard someone call our name over. He was pointing this book at us and we decided to go over and talk to him. Turns out that the book he was holding was the Liahona the magazine, and he was a temple worker in Ghana! He introduced us to his friend after a while just getting to know each other. His friend speaks English and French, but it is just easier to speak French to them it seems like. So took his phone number and make an appointment with him for this week. While we were talking to him, I gave him a booklet about the Plan of Salvation, and started to explain it to him. But I kept getting this feeling to talk about the restoration. I continued to explain the Plan of Salvation, but again, I got this feeling to "explain the Restoration." So I decided to follow that prompting, and the exact moment the words "Joseph Smith" came out of my mouth, he looked up at me like I just yelled something, and I got hit with the spirit super hard.. It was instant tears. I don't know what was different this time, because we talk about the restoration every day. But for some reason this time it just hit me like a ton of bricks, and I know that he felt the same feeling that I did. He was super happy and anxious to hear more and we are going to teach his this Tuesday. It was such a strong testimony builder to me that our unique message is something that everyone has to hear, and the spirit was for sure testifying of it at that moment. I think that it is little moments like that that really grow our faith, and even better our understanding about the importance of a restored gospel. That made it in my journal for sure! I will let you know about his progress and hopefully he won't have any problems that get in the way. His name is also Innocent haha go figure. But yeah I am excited and anxious to teach him. 

     This Sunday, I also taught Elders Quorum! I was kinda nervous about it, because you know how those Elders get sometimes. Always asking provoking questions and getting into deep doctrine... But it turned out perfect and went smoothly! It was Chapter 17 of The Teaching of George Albert Smith. Something about the strengthening power of faith. I don't know how it translates to English. But it went really well! it was a good learning experience for sure. I was also supposed to give a talk on prayer but we ran out of time having two confirmations to do at the start of sacrament meeting, so I didn't have to do it. Didn't faze me... Haha. The missionaries are always staying busy here! Which is a good thing. All in all, the work is going really well and I am stoked to keep it going! Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. You don't know how much it all means to me. Have a good day, and an even better week! I love you all and miss you so much! Keep doin' what you're doin'! Can't wait to hear back next week!

                      Love, Elder Landon Dean Layton
Questions:

1- How is the new companionship going?
     - Amazing! Loving ever single bit of it!

2- How do you spell the "city/place/village" where you live?

     - Our Branch is in Souza-Netimé. Our apartment is in Gbenyedzi Lomé, Togo. I doubt you will be able to find it on google maps... Haha

3- Have you received your package yet we sent?
     - Not yet! I am anxiously awaiting its arrival though! :)

4- What are among some of your favorite meals to eat?
     - I cannot lie to you, I have perfected my spaghetti recipe... It is delicious! So I eat that a lot. Along with Rice and Turkey and Chicken! A lot of bread in my diet here... Sometimes that is what a full meal consists of. Just bread. Depends on how tired I am.

5- Do you eat 3 meals a day?
     - I try... Usually tiny breakfast. Loaf of bread and some chocolate milk. Lunch is usually my big meal. And dinner is usually left overs from lunch or just a little something I cook up. I am usually wasted and too tired to cook at night...

6- How close are you to the ocean/beach?
     - We can get to the beach, which is in our sector, in about 20 minutes by foot! We walk out there sometimes and it is really pretty! There are a lot of HUGE cargo boats that are always out in the water. It is pretty cool! except for the Ocean scares me.. Haha I don't like it.

7- Is there anything you could use for your birthday? There is a lot in the package we sent but...anything else you could use or want? 
    -To be honest I can't really think of anything specific that I need. I can assure you that anything that you send to me will be awesome!!!

Pictures:
1- Elder Ndaye (far right) and myself (far left) after church!
2- This darling little girl that was at church! I just had to take a picture of her... Her name is Winner! Haha.