Spanish Is Pretty Hard But I Love It

MTC district

Hola! This week has been another great one. I love this area! My companion's names are Hermana Vilches and Hermana Breitenstein. Hermana Vilches is the one that is fluent with the language. She knew Spanish before her mission. They are really helpful with the language.

Spanish is pretty hard but I love it. There was one day this week where I was talking in Spanish all day and I knocked on one door and said something to them in Spanish. I was so used to speaking Spanish that I didnt realize that they answered me in English and I kept replying in Spanish and he kept talking in English. The conversation probably sounded really funny. My companions were laughing at me the rest of the day. So funny. :)

So this week I extended the baptismal invite for the first time. It was the first lesson that we had with him and it went really well. When I asked him he sat there for a couple minutes thinking about it and then he said that he would, but first he wants to know for sure that this is true. He has been reading his scriptures and praying so I know that he will find his answer.

Hermanas Vilches, Breitenstein and Layton

We are working with a lady that set a date to be baptized on the 26th of this month but it all depends on of she gets married or not. She really wants to but her boyfriend doesn't quite yet. She knows that the church is true and she has a really strong testimony so hopefully they will get married before the 26th.

We had my first zone conference this week. It was awesome. We heard from my mission president and his wife. It was a really great experience! They have amazing testimonies.
I am starting to get to know the people in the ward a lot more. They are great! The little kids are the cutest! On Sundays we stand by the door and greet everyone coming in and sometimes the little kids will just run up and give me a huge hug. It's sad that I'm not supposed to hug back but their hugs still make my day.

I don't have a ton of time but I want you to know that I know that the Gospel was restored to the earth and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. I love teaching the first lesson and especially the first vision because it brings the Spirit into the room so strong. I love the gospel. I know that it can bring so much joy into our lives. Don't be afraid to share it with people. Find names that you can give to the missionaries in the ward. That is the best way to do missionary work! :)

Oh and a question that I think you asked last week that I forgot to answer... I was told that most likely I will be serving in all Spanish speaking areas. The only reason why they would move me to an English area is if they really needed drivers. A lot of the missionaries from out of the country can't drive. The mission president really likes to keep you where you have been called though so my companions said they really do not think I will serve in an English area. I guess there is a chance that I could though.

I love and you miss you all so much. Tell Aunt Karen that there is a letter on the way. It takes me forever to write back especially now that I am out in the field. Tell Grandma, Grandpa and Sean that I love them so much!!! and the Vegas family too! :) Gracias!

Orange County

Hola! My first week in the mission field has been great! My companions are both awesome and help me out so much. I am assigned to the Orange city area at least for my first 12 weeks. There is a 12 week training program for missionaries now that I am doing which helps out a lot with the language.

There are a bunch of different steps you take each week. Last week I was supposed to extend the baptismal invitations and all of us were supposed to take turns contacting people. This week I get to lead the first lesson when we teach it. It's really good because it pushes me to really pay attention and be involved when we teach.

I love the area a lot. The people here are awesome. I love them so much already. Almost everyone we talk to are Catholic and right when we say anything about Jesus Christ they open right up and want to talk to you. It's so crazy. The people here like to learn but it is hard to get them to keep their commitments, and it's really hard to get the to actually come to church which is really important.

Church was great but I could not understand very much at all. One of the few things I understood was "Now our new missionary Hermana Layton will come up and share her testimony." Hahaa! So funny. It didn't surprise me though because we had dinner at the first counselors house the night before and he didn't think I could understand him when he told my companions that he would have me bear my testimony, but I could. Haha!

The members are great and they have us over for dinner almost every night. Usually the Mexican food is really good but there was one night where they fed us pig skin and something else really strange. We have a BBQ outside of our apt, so when we don't have an appointment to go to we like to go outside. The weather is great during the day but cools down some as it gets later.

One of my companions really likes cooking. She loves making us breakfast. She's made pancakes, french toast, eggs, and biscuits and gravy since I've been here. Then my other companion and I do the dishes. Today we have a zone activity and guess what we are doing! All of the Elder wanted to play soccer!! Wooo! So excited since I couldn't play when I was at the MTC. I love being a missionary. It is hard sometimes but so worth it! :)

I love you guys and tell Sean that I felt so bad that I couldn't talk to him on the phone. Love you all so much!

Adios! :)

Last MTC Letter

Hola! This was such a great week!!! I am really going to miss it here.

I just spent most of my day packing. I leave at 5 in the morning Tuesday to meet at the travel office and then head to the airport. I don't think my plane leaves until 8 something though. I'm nervous, excited, and don't really know what to expect.

Guess who came for my last devotional... Elder Holland! I have been so lucky. I've been able to hear from Elder Holland twice and Elder Nelson twice. No one had any idea that he was coming so there weren't lines to get in. I sat in the middle about half way back. We were singing a hymn when he walked in and everyone stood up. At first I didn't know what was going on and I was so excited when I saw who it was. There were ushers in the front holding up two fingers meaning that there were two seats open up there. I waited a few minutes and no one went up so I looked at my companion and said, "lets go!" I ended up sitting in the third row right in the middle. I was so close! He talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and how important it is to use when we are teaching.

One of my favorite parts was when he talked about how we are God's investigators. When I want one of my investigators do do something like read more from the Book of Mormon on pray more, that is what Heavenly Father wants of me. Just like we don't want the investigators to fall back, Heavenly Father doesn't want us to fall back. It's so important to continually be progressing. I have a lot of notes from his talk and wish I had more time to share them. It was very powerful though and made me want to be so much better then I am.

Have I told you that I LOVE being a missionary? Anyways, not much time left, but please please pray for the people in Anaheim! I love them so much already.

I think it Gabe's Birthday. Please tell him happy birthday for me! Also happy birthday to Sean on Tuesday! I am going to send him a letter.

Lets see, about the call card. I will figure it out, so don't worry about sending me one. I can call in the airport for a few minutes only if there is time. I will do my best though! Oh, and I got a Spanish hymn book! wahoo! Our Branch President's wife spoils us and she said once we leave she might call our moms for us. :) One night she brought us Cafe Rio and we had a little party. haha. Shes great.

This week in church I am playing "Let us All Press On" on the piano with Hermana Newton and our district is singing for our goodbye song.

Love you familia so much! Adios! :)

First Talk in Spanish

Hermana Hunter

Hola! This has been another great week in the MTC. I cannot believe I only have a week and a half left!

Each week we are supposed to write talks in Spanish and they don't tell anyone who is speaking until they announce it in church. The week before this one they called an Elder up to speak and when he got up there he said "If anyone saw me writing really fast before I came up it wasn't because I was procrastinating, it was because I wanted to make some changes." The branch president with a loud voice then said, "If you are not ready then Hermana Layton will be happy to come up and speak for you." It was funny at the time because I knew that he was kidding. But guess who he decided to call up and speak this last week!

Yep, I gave my first talk in Spanish. It was actually a really good experience and good practice.

Friends Headed to Korea

Yesturday I got to be a host for the new missionaries that came in. I was a host for a girl who was going to Japan on her mission. It was fun to be able to show her around and tell her how awesome this place is. It doesn't seem long ago at all when I was the new missionary. Time flys!

This morning we went to the temple again. When I got there a lady asked me if I would do one of the names she had with her. It was pretty cool. I absolutely love the temple! I can't wait to go to the one in my mission. When I get home I want to go through Salt Lake! I love my classes and all of my teachers. It is so crazy how in tune with the spirit my teachers are here. There were a couple of times while they were bearing their testimonies that they said exactly what I needed to hear at that time.

Like I said last week, I know that Heavenly Father loves us. The church is true. Missions rock!

Eric, I am so proud of you for getting into BYU. Smarty pants. You liking the new job? Tell me about it! Mom said that you look really cute in that tie dye. ;) Dad, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I was thinking about you yesterday and wanted to send a happy birthday email so bad... I wrote a card earlier this week but just barely sent it out this morning. I hope it was a great day for you! Tell Dallin, Michael, and Allyston that they are going to love BYU Idaho. It is such a great school, and so much fun! Congrats to Brooke! I bet BYU is just as awesome! :) Love you all tons!

Adios! :)

Hermana Layton

I Know That Heavenly Father Answers Our Prayers

Hola! This has probably been the most amazing week of my life. I feel like a completely different person then I was a week ago. I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers because I got a clear answer to mine. The answer might not come when we want, but I know that if we have faith and are patient that it will come on the Lords time.

Showing off her vertical

Last week on Friday night we were supposed to be having class, but it turned into a testimony meeting. I cannot exaplin the spirit that I felt. That night every person in the room including the teachers and every single elder was in tears. I wish there were words to explain it. That experience changed me. There are not words to describe what I felt but I absolutely know without a doubt that my Heavenly Father loves me. I know that this church is true and I can't wait to share this with those people in Anaheim. Maybe they wont be able to understand much of what I say but as long as the spirit is there they can know for themselves the plan that Heavenly Father has for them. His love for us is real. It is amazing how he blesses our lives.

Briana's MTC District Showing Where They're Heading

On Sunday we listened to Elder Bednar's talk that he gave at the MTC during Christmas. It was so good! He talked about how the natural man turns in when Jesus Christ turns out. I have learned how important it is to focus on others. Jesus Christ is our perfect example.

Being here on a mission is the best decision I have ever made. I have never felt closer to my Heavely Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. One of my new favorite scriptures is Mosiah 3:19 :)

The prayer for the fireside went well. I wasn't nervous until I stood up to give it and realized that there were 2000 plus people staring at me and a bunch of cameras zoomed in on my face.. and my face was on the huge screens. Haha. But it really wasn't that bad. Afterwards Andrew Lamunyon came up and we got a picture together. I didnt have my camera but he took one with his. I also saw Brad Marley on Sunday but neither of us had our cameras. I think I'll see him again though. Also after I gave the prayer, an Elder Layton came up and asked which wife of Christopher Layton I was from.

Christopher Layton

He said that he was from the third. Haha... dad do you know? (We're from Sarah Barnes, his fourth wife.) Also I think I forgot to tell you that I met a older lady when I first got here that said she was related to Christopher Layton. (When you have ten wives and sixty four children, things like that are bound to happen a few generations later.)

It has been cool that I know the MTC Mission President. It all started because my new companion had been at the MTC before so when she came back she had to meet with him. So I got to know him then and then he just happened to sit by us at lunch. Now everytime he walks by he talks to us. 

I am so glad to hear that Alyvia's surgery went well. Give her a little kiss for me when shes home. Miss you all! A couple of pictures for you and letters for the boys will be coming soon! Love you all! Adios!

Getting Out of Her Comfort Zone

I am over half way done in the MTC. I fly to California on March 6th.
 

I cannot believe how fast time goes by here! It has been another great week. I need to figure out how to get the time to slow down. I will definitely miss the MTC when I leave.

I think Heavenly Father has been teaching me to go out of my comfort zone. Last Sunday there was a missionary conference, and the MTC President spoke. He said that he wanted to invite a few missionaries up to bear their testimonies. He made a list of a few people that he had met and called a couple of them up to bear their testimonies. He said that if there was extra time he would call another missionary. Luckily they ran out of time, because later that day I was walking by and President Brown said "Sister Layton, you were next on my list." Then he said, "next time!"

Great...I was thinking of how nervous I would be to speak in from of all the missionaries in the MTC. I thought I got out of it, but that same night the Branch President asked if I would say the prayer at the missionary fireside on Sunday. I guess I didn't get out of it... :) I haven't said a prayer in English in over a month. Hopefully I can remember how. Hahaa!

On Saturday our zone leaders asked the Hermanas to do a musical number in Sacrament Meeeting. Hermana Newton and I played the piano and the other two hermanas sang. Since neither of us actually play the piano, we both just learned one hand and then played it together. It was funny. I dont have any musical talent but for some reason they have been having me conduct the music in Sacrament Meeting. Im used to it now though.

Next Sunday I am also giving the prayer in Sacrament Meeting in Spanish. I'm not really nervous for that though after everything else. It has been good for me to have so many opportunities to get out of my comfort zone because I know as a missionary I will have to do it all of the time. I can't believe how much I learn every single day here. I love it!

Thank you everyone for the letters. I am trying to write everyone back soon.

I don't think Brad is in this MTC... I'm pretty sure he went to the one in Brazil. I could be wrong though (Brad Marley is in the Provo MTC). Curtis is in trouble for officially passing me up!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for the package. I got it today. :) My companion said thank you and that it made her day.

 

I have learned to be so patient!

 

I loved Erics letter and Curtis's Valentines card! :)

 

That is so nice of Brother Bone! :) (Brother Bone creates the ward bulletins and put a huge plug in the bulletin for members to remember their missionary. He's too good.) What is his address? I want to send him a thank you card. I was wondering why Sister Bonkosky sent me a package full of cookies, but now that makes sense. That was so nice of her! Please tell her thank you. I will send her a thank you card too.

 

Well familia, miss you!! Eric and Curtis, MISSIONS ROCK! :) Paz. Love you all! :)

The Gospel is Amazing and I Wish Everyone Could Experience It

It's been another amazing week at the MTC! I have so much that I want to say, but not a lot of time.
First of all, thank you Aunt Angie, I loved your packege! Thanks for all of the letters too. My family seriously spoils me! I love you all and pray for you often.

Sisters Layton and Hunter

I saw Ricky again. I saw him walking outside and  I yelled "Ricky!" without thinking and a group of missionaries gave me a weird look. It would have been weird to say "Brother Pullan" to my cousin. Haha!

Before the devotional on Tuesday we were eating lunch and the MTC Mission President came and sat by us. He gave us a little bit of advice for our missions but then he went off on a ton of marriage advice. It was so funny, and none of us really knew what to say.

For the devotional Elder Nelson and Elder Holland came! There were also 8 others from the 70 there and 11 past MTC presidents. It was the 50th anniversary of the MTC. We were planning on skipping dinner to get in line for the Devo two hours early but everyone had that same idea. The lines were already packed when we got there.

There was a long line in the back for everyone who was singing in the choir. The choir got to go in earlier then everyone else so that they could practice. My companion and I stood at the end of the choir line so that when the choir went in we were first in that line. We ended up getting great seats!

Elder Nelson dedicated 5 new buildings in the MTC. There have been 680,000 missionaries who have served in this MTC! It was awesome to hear them speak! I feel so blessed to be here.

The Gospel is amazing and I wish that everyone could experience it in their lives. Don't be afraid to share it. Pray for missionary opportunities, and you will have them whether they are big or small. D&C 60:2 says "But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man."

This work is so important. You do not have to be on a mission to share what you know. I love the Gospel and I am so grateful that I can be here to share it with others. 

Love you all! :)