Drive By Shooting

My dearest family,

So today we had transfers. I really thought that I was going to be staying in Anaheim with sister Longoria but she got transfered out.

Sister Minert is my new companion  and she came out the same time as hermana Longoria. Eric did you ever meet her in the MTC? Sister Henrie got her visa on Wednesday and is on her way to Spain right now. 

This week was great and super busy. Our area just grew a lot because the borders changed and I guess we have many of the Elders investigators now. We have been teaching the _______ family and they are doing really well. The dad really wants his whole family to listen to us and always has them come in when we come over. We have been very blessed to be able to teach a lot of families recently. 

This week we had zone meeting which was so good!  The assistants basically just talked about how we can help the missionaries and this mission. They also focused a lot on teaching families and working with the members in the ward. I am excited for this transfer and for the exchanges that I will get to go on with the sisters. We didn't have any new Spanish sisters come in this transfer but there were a bunch of English ones. It is so cool that so many sisters are coming out now! 

Well this week we had a ward activity that the missionaries were in charge of. The Elders did the lesson and we did the activity. We couldn't think of anything to do and didn't have much time at all and somehow we decided to play balloon volleyball with the families. I was worried that it wouldn't turn out, but they ended up loving it. It was sooo funny to watch! We had about 10 balloons and all of the members were really getting into it. I wish I got it on video because it was so funny!! 

Last night we went to a street that most of our investigators live on, and I guess right before we got there, someone drove by and was shooting at the apartments. There were a bunch of kids and teens outside, but luckily I don't think anyone ended up getting hurt. There were police everywhere and everyone told us to get out of there because they thought the guys might come back. As we were driving away we heard some more shots which was scary but I really hope everyone was OK  That's the street that all the interesting crazy stuff happens on... too bad we are teaching so many people there...haha! But no worries we are safe!  I love being here and know that this is the Lords work. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and am so grateful for the Atonement in my life. Thanks for everything, love you all! :)

That is soooo amazing to hear that Kelsey is going on a mission!!!!! I can't stop smiling because I am so happy for her. It is such a life changing experience and she is absolutely going to love it! She will make an amazing missionary too. I can't wait to hear where she is going!! :) Also, Christina and Erica Marley are going too!! That is so awesome!!!! That's pretty cool that Christy and her husband are moving into our ward. They are going to love Bend! :) Mom, fast tract sounds good. I think that would be smart to do. I bet I could get a little job there too and work before I go. Also that's funny that you got Just Dance. We are totally doing that together when I get home. :) You are going to be my companion and I am going to follow you everywhere. I hope that's OK with you. :) Sister Poulson is staying with us tonight and she leaves the mission to go home tomorrow morning. Sister Breitenstein is here on more transfer and she is companions with a 65 year old lady this transfer who only speaks Spanish  Cool huh? They didn't want to close the area because there are so many sisters coming next transfer so they just had her come in for a little bit. Well, that's about all the news this week! Love you! :)

Why Recent Converts are Such Good Missionaries

That is so great that we had so many baptisms in our ward recently. We have had a lot in our ward too, but that's because we have 11 missionaries in one ward right now. That is so awesome that Katie's friend got called to this mission. She will absolutely love it! I can't wait to meet her. 

Mom, to answer your question about transfers, we have them next Monday. I know that I have said this before, but I am pretty sure I will be leaving this area this time. I hope not, but I have a feeling that will happen. So yes there is a good chance that I will be with different sisters for Christmas. I know that whatever happens with be great though.

We have had such an amazing week, and have seen so many miracles in this area. We had a lesson earlier this week with ______ and he was asking us if it was really hard when people don't want to listen to us. We told him that it is hard and sad. As we were talking about this, _________ (an investigator we have been teaching but hard to make appointments with) walked in  and headed toward his bedroom. He looked back at us with a really guilty look on his face because he knew that he was one of those who have been avoiding us a little bit.

Hermana Budge looked at him and said "triste". He looked like he felt so guilty but then he started laughing a little so we all started laughing. He grabbed his Book of Mormon from the room, came over and sat down, and we taught him the Plan of Salvation. The lesson went really well and he could feel the Spirit. We invited him to church and he said he would come which was a miracle because the last time we invited him he said no and then said that the only way he would come is if we came to his church too. He was trying to convince us to come with him. But we were so excited when he said he would come. _____'s friend said that he would come too. Well, they showed up late, but ______ walked into church with ________, and ________  and __________ even brought a friend named __________ too so there were four of them! We are going to teach _________ (__________'s friend) this week which I am really looking forward to. They loved church and were all participating in the classes so it was awesome! 

Last night we had an amazing experience. ________ doesn't have a phone so it is hard to find him, but he is over at _______'s house a lot so we decided to stop by last night to see if they were there. We walked in and ___________ was sitting on his side of the table with his gallon of juice and _______ was sitting on the other side with beer. We had planned to teach Samuel 1 Nephi Ch. 8 because his friends have been giving him a hard time about meeting with us, but we ended up talking about the word of wisdom instead. The lesson went really well, and afterwards _______ stood up, took the bottles of beer, and poured them all down the sink.

He said that he is not going to drink anymore. He is so awesome, and has so much faith! It was really cool to see how willing he was to follow the commandments when he knew that is what the Lord wanted him to do. I am very grateful to be teaching him. 

______  (the recent convert) is the best missionary in the ever. He tells everyone to come to his house and listen to us because he knows how much the Gospel has blessed his life. Recent converts have such an amazing desire to share the gospel, because they really understand what they have, and they have been able to see how their life was before and how it is now. I wish every member would have that same understanding and desire to share the Gospel. I know that this is the work of the Lord and that He wants every single one of his children to receive the blessings that come from the Gospel. I know that the church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and through him, our weaknesses can become strengths. I love this Gospel, and I love being a part of this work!

Oh one more thing... ________ always makes us eat when we come to his house, even if we tell him that we just had dinner... well this week he made us eat cow stomach... OK I didn't think I was a picky eater, but that was gross. Haha! But hey, it was a good experience I guess...

OK that's all. 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

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! :)

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!

Called to Be a Representative of Jesus Christ

This week has been so great! Hermana Hunter moved up to the advanced class and now my companion is Hermana Andreason. She leaves in 3 weeks for Guatemala so I am going to get two new companions. Hermana Andreason is a lot of fun. She reminds me so much of Erica Marley!! They have the exact same personality, it's so funny!

This week for devotional Elder Nelson came. It was awesome! Our district president said that it was probably a rumor that the prophet was coming which was too bad.

This week we continued to teach our investigator Martin. He accepted a date to be baptized finally and we are teaching him again tonight. We are getting new investigators soon.

Spanish is hard but it is slowly coming. On Sunday we walked to the temple and this morning we got to go through. I love the temple so much and am so happy that we get to go each week.

The food here was really good the first week but it gets old pretty fast. We get gym time almost every day. The soccer fields are closed so we are supposed to stay in the gym. I played basketball one day but usually end up playing volleyball. I always accidentally kick it though.

Haha! I really like my district, we do almost everything together. The two sisters that I will be companions with when Hermana Andreason leaves are headed to Arizona and I will be with them the rest of the time. Most of the Elders in our district are going to Anaheim. I think there are at least 5 of them. It will be nice to know people on the plane ride over there. I love being here SO much! I am probably going to live here forever if they let me. But seriously I am so happy and I love the spirit here. I am so grateful that that I have been called to be a representative of Jesus Christ and wear his name wherever I go.

Please tell the Hallmans that I love the bracelet so much! And mom, I wear the watch every day. They don't really have clocks around.

Thank you sooooo much for the package!! We have dinner at 4:30 every day and sometimes I get get pretty hungry at night so the candy was great. Feel free to send more! ;) Thank you for all of the letters! I am going to try and write back to everyone soon! Tell Sean that he is in trouble because he said that he was going to write more than anyone and I haven't heard from him at all. Curtis and Eric write too! How about for FHE? Miss you all so much, love you!