Wasn't Conference Awesome?

Jericho Road

I'm so glad you got the pictures! I was worried that you might not get them. And dad that's funny about the Jericho Rd. sign! :) (FYI, Jericho Road is the name of an LDS musical group. Briana sent us this picture last week.)

Wasn't conference awesome?! I hope Eric was able to watch it in English. I was able to, and I think I was able to enjoy it more that way. I can't believe that sisters can go out at 19 now! That is so crazy!! 

Right when he said that, I thought of Brooklyn.  I was thinking about her all day since she told me that she's been thinking about a mission. Brook, I think you should do it! I couldn't imagine my life without these experiences. I think that so many more sisters will serve now, and I think the missionary work is going to grow a lot. 

I loved the talk by Elder Holland, and how bold he is. I thought the whole conference was really good and I really enjoyed the music. I wish I could go back and watch it all again. :) 

Hermanas Layton y Schofield with a local sister

We've had a good and busy week. I love working with sister Poulson. It's always sad when my companions get transferred out of the area, but every time a different companion comes, there is always so much to learn from her. It's been weird since they split the area but it's good too. We are finding more people and spending less time driving across that area to appointments. 

Mom, you asked about the sisters areas. Well, we have three. They had spanish sisters in Garden Grove, Anaheim, and here in Orange. When our area got split into two they gave the Garden Grove area to the Elders and so now the only Spanish sister areas are both halfs of the city of Orange and Anaheim. Maybe one of these days I will go to Anaheim, but if not, I won't be disappointed. I love it here! :) 

Las Hermanas

Anyway, there is not a lot to say this week. We found a lot of people, we had a lot of really embarrassing and awkward moments (that's just part of being a missionary), and got a lot done. I got to meet Hermana Breitenstein's new trainee. There is a good chance that I will be companions with her someday. She came out already knowing quite a bit of Spanish because she took Spanish classes before her mission. She is going to be a really good missionary. Sister Schofield is also training a new missionary right now in Anaheim. I can't wait to meet her. It's weird not being the youngest Spanish sister now.

Anyway, hope all is well back home. Love you all so much!! :)

I Love Serving a Mission

I am so excited to hear that we have sister missionaries in our ward!

What are their names? There was a girl in my ward from BYU Idaho who got called to the Eugene Oregon mission. That would be crazy if she was serving in our ward! The sisters lunch was great, I got to meet all of the sisters in the mission. There were about 20 to 30 of us.

The Spanish speaking sisters are all awesome. I will most likely be companions with some of them eventually so it was fun to get to know them. I was talking to one of the Senior missionaries there and we figured out that she knows Grandma and Grandpa Layton from a long time ago. I think she said that her daughter went to primary with dad. Do the Tarrys (Terrys?) sound familiar?

I loved general conference. Lucky we were able to watch it in English so I was able to enjoy it. I love listening to the prophet and apostles! Elder Holland and Elder Uchtdorf were my favorites.

This morning we were able to go to the temple. I love the temple so much, I can't wait to go back. This next week we have a temple tour for our investigators so we get to walk around it.

Tomorrow we have a mission conference. I am so excited for it! I will get to see all of the Anaheim missionaries who were in my district in the MTC. Also our mission president said that this conference will be a life changing experience but he won't say why. I'm sure I will tell you all about it on Monday. Mom, you asked about how we get around. We have a car and I will most likely have one the whole time I'm out here.

The weather has been really nice. There were a couple of days where it rained, but the last few days have felt like summer. Pray for the people here and that we can find those who are ready for the message of the Gospel. I love being out here and serving a mission.

Thank you so much for the package! I love it so much!!! The outfit fits perfectly. I will have to send pics of it on Monday if I can.

Can you please do me a huge favor and thank a few people for me. I will try to write them a thank you card if I have time but lately I haven't had much time to write letters at all. The Nennemans sent me cookies and letters and it absolutely made my day.

The letters made my day and the cookies were really good. :) Sister Bonkosky sent me cookies again. She is so sweet! :) Then I think the other package was from sister Matthews and Sister Petzinger. They had the achievement day girls write cards and and sent a few other things. Could you please thank those people for me. They all just made my day. And of course the package from my wonderful fam. Thank youuuu so sooo much! :) My companeras say thanks too. :) Can't even tell you how much I love you all! :)

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! :)

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! :)