The Best Decision I Have Ever Made

Sisters Layton and Schofield

That's so awesome that Eric was in my same zone!! Best teachers in the MTC! I cannot believe that he is headed to Guatemala. We have people in our ward from there and they were very excited when I told them that my brother was going. He will love it. I heard that there are really big spiders... that's why he went there and not me! :)

Ok, so this week has been crazy. I thought for sure that I was leaving this area because we knew that there were going to be changes with all of the spanish sisters. We got transfer calls Saturday night and they are actually splitting my area in half and I am taking the north half and Sister Breitenstein and her companion are taking the south half. I think I will just plan on staying here my whole mission! :) I was really sad at the thought that I might have to leave. We will have 4 sisters in our district now! That never happens. The half of my area that I will be working in has some good potential and most of our investigators are there, but the other half has our most progressing family. I'm glad that I will still get to see them at church but will miss teaching them. I know that sister Breitenstein will take care of them though. :) 

Anaheim, California Mission Sisters

Sister Schofield is going back to Anaheim and my new companion is sister Poulson. I am so sad that I was only companions with sister Schofield for one transfer. It was definitely my favorite transfer of the mission so far. I learned so much from her. Sister Poulson will be great too though. She is from Colorado and is going to BYU. Her major is history teaching. She came out with sister Breitenstein, so only has three transfers left. 

That's awesome about Michael's mission call! I love how many missionaries are coming out lately! He will do great! 

Mom, did you go to the women's conference? If not, you should watch it! I am getting really excited for conferences coming up this next weekend. I am grateful that we can listen to our living prophet and apostles. We taught Pati about Prophets this week and she thought it was really cool. She said she want's to come watch!

It is so amazing seeing the change in her from the time we started teaching. She is so great! Our new ward mission leader has been so great and helpful with the missionary work! He is getting the ward excited about doing missionary work. I am looking forward to this new transfer and am so grateful to be out here!

Cooling off with the district on a P day

Dad you said in your letter that you wondered about all of the things I'm not telling you like anything negative. Haha... There honestly not much to say and really nothing to complain about. The language is hard but it's okay because I always have a companion if I get stuck. The hardest part of the mission is watching people not accept the message and not keep their commitments, but there are others who do accept and do keep their commitments and that is one of the most amazing things to see out here! Another thing that is hard is saying goodbyes to my companions, but hey, I'll see them all again so what is there to be sad about? Haha. Don't worry I'm not hiding anything negative. 

I love the mission more than anything. It is the best decision I have ever made coming out here. I know I am supposed to be here. I cannot believe that in a few days I am at my halfway mark. Crazy! Make the time slow down!! :/ Anyway, I have to go. Love you all so much! Tell Michael congrats for me. Oh and also tell Matthew congrats for his baptism. I don't know if I said that before but I meant too. I am proud of him. 

Have a great week!

She's Still Not Married - Really

I love reading Eric's emails and think it is so cool that we get to share this experience together. I can't wait until we are both out in the field at the same time! It is crazy that he leaves the MTC so soon. The rest of the mission will only get better. :) 

This has been such a busy week. My companion is sure teaching me how to work hard, shes the best! Transfers are next Monday and I have a feeling that I might be leaving this area, especially because I have been here my whole mission. I am still the youngest Spanish speaking sister in our mission but we have two new ones that are finally coming next week.

This week we had many great lessons. We are teaching xxxx, and she talked her mom into listening to us too. Both of them are great! Her mom changed her work schedule so that she can come to church on Sundays. We hadn't even asked her to do that yet and she did it on her own. They both want to be baptized and were talking about it once we left and xxxx's little brother who is 9 heard them. He asked his mom if he can be baptized too. He is planning on coming to the lessons from now on so that they can all prepare together. I love seeing the people we are working with progress and change and seeing how happy it makes them. I think one of my favorite parts of the mission is being able to see the change when people accept the gospel into their lives. 

We had another great lesson with one of our single adults. Her sister who is 20 sat in the lesson with us and it went really well. They didn't see the importance of baptism again since they have already been baptized into the xxxx church. She has received an answer and knows that the Book of Mormon is true though. We have explained the restoration and the authority many times, but this time basically told them straight out that the xxxx church doesn't have the authority to baptize. We asked them to pray to know if they should be baptized again into this church. We have never been so bold, but I think they finally understood and agreed to pray about it. They both want to come to church on Sunday, and said that what they have learned from us makes more since than the xxxx church. I just hope they really do pray about and come to church because I know that they will feel different here. 

A couple of nights ago we were talking to people as we were on our way back to the car. We started talking to three guys standing outside and taught them a quick lesson. After, one of the guys looked at me and he was talking really fast. I thought he asked, "Are you married?" But he really said, "Do you believe in marriage?" I said "no". Lets just say it was really awkward and I am thankful for a companion who fixed what I said! Haha! 

Eric I'm glad you liked the package. I'm so proud of you!

Anyway, time to go play soccer with my zone! Woo! Have a great week! Love you all so much! :)

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! :)

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! :)

First Letter

Hola mi famila. I dont have a lot of time to write. My P day will usually be on Thursdays. I seriously love it here at the MTC! It is crazy how much I learn each day. It feels like I have been here for a long time and it hasn't even been a week.

The very first night I got here I was sent with the first group of girls that walked by. They were from Thailand. We went to a devotional that night and then I went to class with them. I could not understand anything! It was pretty funny.
The first day that I went to my spanish class, the teachers wouldnt say anything in english. I didn't understand most of what he was talking about but it is getting a lot easier to understand now. When we told him we couldnt understand, he said that we were called by God and He wouldnt send us here if we couldnt do it. I have already learned that I have to be patient and I know that it will come.

My companion is awesome. She has taken four years of spanish at BYU Idaho so she knows everything that is going on in class. Today we found out that she is moving up to the advanced spanish class here and she will be leaving the MTC in three weeks instead of nine. I will find out who my new companion is soon.

The prophet is coming to the MTC January 31st!!! I am so excited!

Friday was our first day teaching our investigator in espanol. I was so glad to have a companion who knew what she was talking about. Haha! Today we taught him again and he said he would commit to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. He also said he would come to church and he wants to bring his kids. Anyways I am almost out of time. I know I am supposed to be here. I love and miss you.

Dad thank you for the letter. Tell everyone to send more letters!!!!!! Adios

To the MTC

 We dropped Briana off at the Redmond airport yesterday morning just after 11:00 AM. Briana's good friend Kelsey Briggs and her parents were there. Kelsey's on her way back to BYU Provo and they were able to travel together. After spending some time in the lobby, it was time for her to move through security and on to the plane. So she and Kelsey went through while Brenda and I stayed in the lobby. That was our "goodbye".

Below is a picture I snapped as she made her way through the security area.

Kelsey was so considerate. She texted Brenda when they arrived in Salt Lake City, and then from Salt Lake City to Provo as they continued on the shuttle. We knew where she at just about every point. We were even able to talk with Briana on the phone one more time.

Later that evening we received a text message from Ricky Pullan, Briana's cousin who is an instructor at the MTC and a BYU student. He sent the picture below. They are with Alexa Pullan and Chris Layton, also BYU students. We also heard that Briana was going to be able to listen to Elder Uchtdorf speak later that evening. Pretty good first day, huh?