She Could Feel Something Different When We Came to the Door

Hey fam!

It was so great talking to you all on the phone for Christmas! It's still weird that Curtis has such a deep voice... I thought I told him not to grow up while I was gone. 

Christmas was great out here on the mission. Definitely different than being home with the family but it was good.  When we woke up in the morning we opened presents, did all of our studies as usual with a break to call home, and then my companions and I went caroling and visited part member families which was really good. Mom, my companions did like the Oregon Ducks shirts and I think they fit everyone. They say thanks! 

Hmm... what happened this week.. Yesterday was missionary Sunday.  Before I came to the area, the ward mission leader was asking the missionaries who wanted to give a talk and they said that transfers were coming up and so they decided that if a new missionary came into the area, they could be the one to give the talk. Well guess who came in! Yeah, I was the lucky one. They ended up asking one of the other elders too and we talked about missionary work. Did you have missionary Sunday in your ward too? 

Sister Schofield got off of the mission this last transfer and her family all came back to visit so they were at our ward on Sunday and it was so good to see her and to meet her family. She is one of the best missionaries I know and taught me so much out here! 

We did a lot of finding this week again. We are teaching a boy who is 14 and he loves the gospel. He wants to get baptized but his parents won't let him. His parents have listened to the lessons and have testimonies, but are not willing to change right now and they want to wait until their whole family can get baptized together. They are also super busy and we can never sit down with them all together. We talked about temples this week though and the mom lit up and started asking a bunch of questions and it was a really good lesson. We also found a lady _________ when we were knocking doors and she told us that she could feel something was different when we came to the door. We taught her later and the lesson went really well. She left town though and wont be back for a couple of weeks so that's too bad. We have some other good potentials and a lot of appointments set up for the week so I am really looking forward to seeing what happens with those. Well there is really not much more that happened this week love you all! :)

~Hermana Layton

Staying in Orange!

Sister Layton with a young man who clearly has exceptional taste

Hello my dearest family,

Sorry to hear that Obama won. That is too bad. Eric, your letters make me laugh!! 

Well, ready to hear where I am going for transfers?! I am staying here in the City of Orange again!! Wahoo! :) That will make it at least 9 months here. 

Sister Poulson and I are training the new sister together. Her name is sister Budge and she comes in tomorrow. We will be picking her up at Four. I am really excited! 

We went to the training meeting this week at Presidents house and learned a lot about how we can be good trainers. We will be starting the 12 week program with her which means two hours of companionship study instead of one. I think she is from Utah somewhere near Salt Lake City. I am looking forward to getting to know her this week. 

Well, funny thing that happened this week. Remember how I told you guys I'm never going to get pulled over? Well, I didn't know you could get pulled over on foot. Haha! We were on a street where the crosswalk was far down and so we waited until there weren't any cars and ran across. Then I looked over and this motorcycle cop comes around the corner and put his lights on, he said, "Stop right there girls!" Then he said you girls don't speak Spanish so you don't have an excuse for not reading the signs. I should have started speaking Spanish and acted like I didn't understand him, but I didn't think of that until after. Oh well. I guess we wont be J-walking anymore. 

Well this week we had zone conference and Elder Kopischke from the Seventy spoke. It was about 6 hours long but it was so great! President and Sister Bowen spoke as well. :) 

As for [Brother X], he told us that he was going to come to church no matter what again this week and didn't show up. :( We even called him before and he said that he coming. We still haven't talked to him about why he didn't come but it was so sad! 

The District on P Day

Last night we knocked into a former investigator and he told us to come in and talk to both him and his daughter. We made a return appointment and he said that he was going to have his wife and son come as well. He has been to church before and said he liked it.

It is always hard to find a whole family to teach here so I am excited to come back and teach them. 

Well, not much more happened this week. I love you all! Have a great week! :) Oh one more thing, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD! :) Oh yeah, and I taught my companion how to do the rubix cube and so we are probably doing it in the talent show for the ward party this week.

Curtis that is awesome that you got to go shooting! You look different and older. :'( Remember I said not to change.

(We no sooner received Briana's letter than we got another quick note from Eric, who is leaving the Guatemalan MTC tomorrow morning. He said this:

Hmmmm well good job getting pulled over Briana. That´s pretty great. Did you get a ticket or anything or just a warning? Apparently all the cops here are corrupt and they don´t ever pay attention to stuff like that so I should be safe. I probably jay walk all I want! Pretty cool. Well I don´t even know if they have crosswalks here. Well it´s great here with or without crosswalks. Oh yeah apparently pedestrians here have no rights like in the states so You just have to hope you aren´t hit by a truck or something. That wouldn´t be very fun at all.) 

(Later in the day, we got a second email.)

You get two emails today, Happy anniversary!!!

Well, my companions computer wasn't working earlier and so she didn't get to email. So here we are again. I forgot to tell you about those pictures that I sent earlier. We went to a huge trampoline gym for our P day activity last week. They had a big foam pool that you could jump into from the trampolines and other random stuff. The last picture was the P day before when we carved pumpkins and played soccer. As you can see, I wasn't in the picture. It was because I was out playing soccer.

It was so fun! We always have the best zone activities. Today we went to the Book store because my companion needed something there. We had gift cards from a member for a restaurant right next to it. We thought that we would go use them since we were in the area. Well, before we got inside this guy ran out of the restaurant and said "Hey sisters!

My boss wants to buy you lunch." We went in there are they were having a big business meeting. It turns out that most of them were LDS except for a couple and then they were all trying to convince the others to listen to us. He bought us lunch and then they had to go. One of the guys there said that his brother is in Eric's mission but I forgot to ask his name. There was also a guy who's girlfriend lives in Bend but the name wasn't familiar. When I was in the Bookstore the girl working there said that she just got home from her mission in Arizona and it was the same mission as my friend. Well it turns out that she knew him and was in his same district for a transfer. Such a small world! Hmm..

I don't know what else happened this week. Have any of the cousins put in their mission papers yet? When will Michael and Dallin leave again?

LOVE YOU ALL. :)

I Like This Room, I Can Feel the Spirit in Here

 Hola mi familia!

Last Tuesday after I emailed we went to the temple. I love it there and was very grateful to have the chance to go! After the temple our district went to the park for the rest of our P-day to feed the ducks.

No Turtle Races

We started feeding them, and a bunch of turtles would swim up to eat the bread. We caught some of the turtles and were going to have turtle races but we ran out of bread so they stopped coming. It was lots of fun! 

This week we were on a street headed to a lesson and the guy had just gotten home from work and was cleaning up so they asked us to come back in 15 minutes. We decided to go find some of the potentials that lived on that same street. As we started walking towards one of their houses a lady ran over to us and said,

"Wait! Are you Mormons?"

We said yes, and she told us that she has been looking for us. She used to meet with the missionaries, and would go to church all the time but moved and lost contact with them. She said that she couldn't find missionaries anywhere and so she went to many different churches but none of them were the same. She was really excited that she found us and wants to start coming back. Well this week we found out that she has to move again, and wants the missionaries to come visit her there. Also, when we were teaching her I had a random thought that she looked like one of my old investigators so I asked if they were related, and she said that it was her mom! Haha crazy! It was cool to be able to meet her and see the desire that she had to learn and come to church. 

Making Caramel Apples

This week we also taught [Brother X] a few more times. We had a lesson about the Sabbath Day and he told us that he was going to come to church and that he knew he needed to. Well, sadly he didn't show up. He said he was out of town and got back too late to come. It was really sad though because this is the third week in a row that he said he would come but then didn't. We have been praying a lot for him and I hope we can help him see the importance of church. 

This week I had a couple of cool experiences. The first one was a couple of days ago. I went on exchanges to Anaheim hills and they had their Halloween party that night. They had members in all of the classrooms handing out candy to all of the kids. The kids were all really excited and running around. There was one room off to the side that had a church video playing and it was a lot quieter. A boy who was probably about 5 or 6 years old walked in and sat on the chair for about 15 minutes while the rest of the kids were running around getting candy. Then he stood up and walked over to us and said, "I like this room, I can feel the spirit in here." That was so amazing to me that this little boy could recognize the spirit, and that he liked being there because he could feel it. 

Another experience that I had was last night. There was a member in our ward who was in the hospital. Her husband who is not a member, couldn't be there with her for most of the time because of work. We went to visit her and started singing hymns with her. During on of the last songs, her husband walked in the room and started to tear up. I know that he was able to feel the spirit. 

Yesterday was the wards primary program. Remember how Curtis used to sing really loud...Well there was a girl in the ward who reminded me of that. It was so cute!! I love those kids! The primary program is always my favorite!

The Cute Snake

This coming week we have the Halloween party for our ward. Its going to be after Halloween, but that's normal for my ward. haha! At the Halloween party when I was on exchanges there was a lady with a huge snake and she let me hold it for a while. It was so cute. It kinda freaked me out though when it's head started coming closer to my face. I think I want a pet snake when I get home (or probably not).

So yeah, exchanges were fun. I am super grateful to be speaking Spanish and to be in my area. We went tracting in Anaheim hills and it was really sad! It is a very rich area and the people were not very nice. At least here the people are super nice and talk to us even if they don't want anything to do with our message.  Anyways, that's about it for this week.

Eric! That's so awesome that you are the AP! I can't wait until you are out in the field! You are going to love it! Sounds like your Spanish is coming along really well! You probably will pass me up soon! :) Good luck!! You are always in my prayers! :) Love you all! :)

The Power of the Spirit

I loved reading Eric's email. He is going to be an amazing missionary!

That is cool that Brother Snyder is one of his teachers. Brother Snyder would come in our class a lot and help us out. He is an amazing teacher. Eric is lucky to have him! I can't believe that my little brother is on his mission. I am so excited for everything that he will experience! I know that I say this a lot, but the mission is life changing and there is no where I would rather be. I am glad that Eric seems to be loving it as much as I am. :) 

This week was another great one. We had one of the most amazing lessons that I've had yet on my mission. We talked about the Plan of Salvation with a family and the daughter (18 years old) had really good questions. After the lesson we asked them how they felt, and the mom didn't say much but then the daughter started sharing her testimony. She talked about how she knew that the Book of Mormon was true and was so grateful that we were sharing this with her. She told us that she had the feeling and that she knew it was the spirit because she felt really warm and peaceful. She said she knew that it was an answer to her prayers. Before we left we invited them to church and the mom said she didn't know if they could come but then the daughter said, "no mom, I have a feeling that we need to go."

Her prayer at the end of the lesson was also very powerful. The spirit was really strong in the room and the daughter recognized it. The mom and dad didn't want to take her on Sunday and so we found a ride for her and she came to church! We haven't had the chance to talk with her much about it after but we have an appointment with her tomorrow.  

We had another investigator come to church who is also 18. We are teaching her and her mom, but her mom never comes to church because she works Sundays. She stayed after to watch a baptism and she told me that she thought it was neat. She says that she likes coming to this church because it's different then any other church shes been to. She says that she feels different here. It so cool to watch people change as they accept the gospel in their lives. 

This week we had zone conference and this coming week we have another sisters meeting. I'm looking forward to it. :) Also, our recent convert just had her baby!!! It's her 4th boy. We are going to go visit her tonight and see the little baby! :)

OK, I made it up. Curtis is definitely tanner than me. I can't get tan! Ha ha. I don't burn either it's weird.  Last week we found out that the bike ride was 14 miles. It was such a good work out. The Elders rode their bikes back so they went twice as long as we did. We got spoiled and had members drive us home. :) 

Love you all so much! :)

She Came!

Dearest family,

We had a another great week our here in California! :) We have started teaching a friend of one of our members this week. We love member missionaries! She has problems with depression right now and really wants to change her life around. The hardest commitment that we have with our investigators is getting them to church. We invited her, and she came! We were really excited. We have an appointment with her again tonight, so we will see if she has been keeping her other commitments like reading and praying. 

This weekend was pretty crazy, El Obispo called me Saturday night and asked me to give a talk the next morning since it was the 5th Sunday. Did you have a missionary Sunday in your ward too? Two of the Elders spoke as well. I was nervous when I was preparing because I didn't have a lot of time and it was in Spanish, but it actually went well. He asked me to speak about loving the people who I serve. I talked about the story in the Book of Mormon of Ammon serving the king and how the king had a change of heart. I also talked about our Savior who was the perfect example of loving and serving the people, and I shared some personal experiences. We also got to teach the young women too! We spoke about missionary work and hopefully got them excited to share the gospel with their friends. 

Last Monday night we were tracting and we found this guy who said he had been praying for someone to come tell him what to do with his life. We taught the first lesson about the restoration of the Gospel and he started to tear up. We explained to him that feelings that he was having were the spirit testifying that these things were true. He told us that he was going to read the Book of Mormon in one week and was so excited. He kept saying that this was an answer to his prayers. We are worried though because he doesn't have a lot of time to meet with us at all, and he told us that the people he's living with are very Catholic and do not want him looking into another church. He said he couldn't meet for our last appointment, but rescheduled for this Saturday. We are praying that he will remember this feelings that he had. I know that he felt the spirit, but at the same time I know that Satan is working on him too.  I know that the Gospel will change his life for the better if he lets it. I am so grateful to be out here doing this work. I am so blessed to have the knowledge I do about the Gospel. I love being a missionary!!

Eric, thats awesome that your going to the temple soon! It's the best! Curty, stop getting tan. I am trying to get tanner than you but I don't think its working. And that's sweet that you got to play the bugle, you're a stud. Mom, thanks for the package. I got it last Monday after we emailed so I couldn't thank you for it yet, but it was the best!!! Oh, and I haven't heard about the gang riots. Oh dad, you should get a www.mormon.org profile. It's a good way to share your testimony, help others with questions that they have about the church and be a missionary. Mom you can too if you want. 

Love you all so much! :) 

Bye bye.

It Really Is Life Changing

At a Ward Party

Hola familia!!

This has been such a crazy day and week. I do not have much time to email but I will try to get everything in. We moved into our new apt this Friday and it is in a different complex as before. I feel really spoiled as a missionary because it is very nice. I am happy to be away from the cockroaches! 

We have a gym but are still waiting on permission from the president to see if we can use it. It would be really nice though. They have a computer room, so now we dont have to drive half way accross our area to email.. and they let us print for free! woo! So dad I didnt have time to read your email but I printed it out so that I can read it today! 

We also have a washer and dryer in our appartment which saves us so much time. I love it. But who knows I could easily get transfered soon and have to move again. Haha. 

The first night that we moved into our apt. the fire alarm went off in the compex and we went outside with about 100 other people and just waited and watched firemen run around the building to make sure everything was ok. I think someone might have just pulled the alarm though cause there wasnt a fire. We were thankful that our apt didn't burn down the first day we got there! This Sunday we taught Relief Society. It went well, but it was a very different lesson than the ones we are used to teaching. We talked about missonary work. :) 

Our investigators are doing well but it is so hard getting them to church. We are trying to find out more ways to help them. This week I have started reading Jesus el Cristo. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

Sister Layton with kids in the Ward

He knows absolutely everything we are going through and understands us. It is amazing that we can be forgiven when we make mistakes. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be out here serving my Heavenly Father. There is nothing else I would rather be doing. I am so excited for Eric and all of the cousins who are preparing to go soon, it really is life changing and I love every single minute of it. 

I wish I had time to write more today but we have to go. Next week I should have more time but it might be early in the day. Oh, and tell Curtis that when we went over for a dinner appointment there were a few little kids there and I saw a rubix cube on the couch. I did it and the girl freaked out. I thought of Curtis cause he has been asking me if I have been able to do it to any kids yet. :) I love you all! :) :):) :) :)

~Hermana Layton

I Feel Him Helping Me Each Day of My Mission

Hermanas Layton y Breitenstein

Hola familia!

Today was transfers and has been a crazy day. Sorry if I don't have as much time to write. Hermana Vilches went back to English speaking and I am with Hermana Breitenstein again. I am so excited!
This week we had exchanges. For the first one I stayed in our area and another Spanish speaking sister came with me. I spent another day in Newport Beach in an English speaking area and was able to go to a baptism with her. I love the feeling of watching someone get baptized, it always reminds me of when I was baptized, and makes me want to be so much better. It was at the chapel right by the temple, so afterwards we were able to walk around the temple with one of her investigators. It has been fun to be able to see different areas in the mission, but I am glad that I won't need to do exchanges every week now. They are fun, but can be stressful.

Did you know that missionaries in Cali all drive Mercedes?

Last week our investigator was able to get baptized on Tuesday and confirmed on Sunday. She was the same one that just got married. She is so amazing and such a great example to her family and friends! Her husband still doesn't want anything to do with the missionaries but he likes to come to the ward activities. Their family always helps us out and always bring different friends to the ward activities. They are great!

I am happy to be staying in this area. I just love the people here. I know that this is where I am supposed to be. I know that Heavenly Father knows each person that we are working with individually and He knows me individually as well. I feel Him helping me each day of my mission, and I know that I would not be getting very far without Him. I love the Gospel and love being a missionary! :)

When you're from Oregon, pumping gas is a new experience

That's so cool that Ariel got her mission call. She will do great! That is also awesome that she will be in the MTC with her brother. OK, I am not saying this to take your guess, but I was just telling my companion in the car ride over here that I was going to change my guess to Germany before I read that that is what you were thinking. That's where I think Eric will go. Haha... and for the states... Kentucky?

And to answer Grandma's question, we get letters on Mondays after we email, during our zone activity. And actually anytime we see our zone leaders they can give us our mail. They are in our district so we see them quite a bit. Wednesdays are district meetings so we get mail those days for sure too.
Mom and dad, thank you so much for the package. I got home from an exchange after a long week and when I saw it, it just made my day. Mom I love the outfit of course. :) Curtis always has the best letters. Love him so much. I pray for you always. Eric, the mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me and you are going to love it! :)