Moving On To Justo Rufino Barrios Zona 21

Well here I am once again and definitely an awesome week. So as you all know I had changes the last week which was awesome. Did I mention we were going to get two new zones from the Central Mission? Well now I`m in one of those which is cool because before I would have never been able to come here. 

The area is called La Justo but if Dad wants to look for it on internet or anything you would put "Justo Rufino Barrios Zona 21". It`s really just one street 33 avenida and another area called La Vasquez but it`s definitely bigger than my last area. And we live in the last house on the farthest end of the avenida so we walk a ton because until today we can`t use the bus because we don't have a card. 

I should also tell you that I'm training. Me and my companion Elder Anderson are the new missionaries here and now there are 4 in the area. We had to split it. I'm definitely going to be working super hard here which is awesome but it's tough because I'm not used to that......haha oh well no complaints. It`s tough though cause I still don't know where any of the members live and as of now we don't have a ton of investigators. The missionaries in this zone are super hard workers and super obedient so I'm loving it right now. I'm expecting to see a little more success here than my last area. This week we really just got to know the area and contacted a TON. The members that I know too are SUPER cool and really willing to help us. 

Glad to hear Curtis liked the Encampment and I hope you guys all have a good week this week. Also glad to hear Briana is enjoying being at home and everything. Really the time is fast here. I almost have 13 months. Crazy right?

Alright I better go. Super ready to work and have a good time here. Just know I'm all good here. I hope you guys have a good week and I miss you. Don`t do anything that I wouldn`t ok? Alright bye and enjoy your life. I'm enjoying mine!

A Rough Week But Things are Looking Up

Members and others at a recent baptism

So let`s see this week...

What has happened? Well yes I found out last night I have changes (transfers) tomorrow! I did it. I survived. I have absolutely no idea where I'm going to go but everyone keeps telling me I'm going to train. I would actually love that so we'll see how it goes. Also I think I would like to go outside the cap this time again but really after the divisions almost our whole mission is inside. But whatever, wherever I go is where I'm supposed to be. 

This week was the hardest of my life. Don't worry about it though I`m good. (For privacy reasons, we have deleted the remainder of this section.)

Let`s see really this week as far as investigators and stuff was awesome. We still didn't have a whole ton of lessons but we taught some good ones. Yesterday in church Arturo was confirmed and remember how our attendance last week climbed to the 60`s? Well this week thanks to so many less actives and investigators in church we had 89 people!! Cool right? That`s how much there was every week here when I first got here. Definitely hoping after I leave they can keep this area running. Man I'm going to miss the people here. Seriously I'm going to miss a few baptisms here. But hey I'm just happy that I've been able leave this area better than I found it. 

Also Edwardo came to church again and loved it. He also grabbed a tithing envelope so he can pay it next week. How cool is that? Investigators paying tithing! Haha so other than that this week was normal. We taught maybe 12 or 13 lessons so still pretty low. It`s really probably because the area is so small. Maybe from our house to Walmart. Yeah we can walk it in 10 minutes.

Ok no more time. I'll stop rambling now and let you get back to whatever you were doing. Crazy Briana is home. What's your email now Briana? I can add you to the letters if you want. My birthday is coming up too. I'll be 20! Weird.............You sent me a package right? ;) 

Miss you guys and hope you have a good week. Have fun with the rest of your summer Curtis and I'll talk to you all next week to tell you where I am! ¡Adios! Les amo.   

"The Drought Is Over"

So good news this week. Yes the computers actually work so I can actually write. Also finally this week we had a baptism!! Cool right? 

So __________ came to church again and we were able to baptize him yesterday. He came an hour late to his baptism though which definitely freaked me out. I was thinking another baptism was going to fall. (A lot of that is the culture. Time is less important in Latin American countries than it is here.) 

Also this week we were able to put a baptism date with __________ and I have no doubt he will be ready. He is super excited and he basically put his own baptismal date. But yeah the bad part is if I have changes I won't be here to see it cause it´s on august 10th. I'm really thinking coming up this area is going to have a few more baptisms. After six months here finally we'll have baptisms...and I won't be here to see it haha. But hey that´s not what matters right? So I don't care. They just have to be baptized. 

So this week was pretty good besides all the stress. We had divisions twice which was nice. We taught a couple more lessons this week which is cool. The goal for lessons every week in the mission is 20. Really that´s not a lot here either which is way I'm kinda disappointed with only like 6. but this week we had like 12. The thing is we teach more to less active members cause there are so many here. Also this week the asistencia climbed 14 from last week with a whopping 65 people. We had a ton of less actives come for the first time in awhile and 3 investigators which is more then we've had in a long time. Did I tell you guys about _______? He got a Book of Mormon from a member and in a month read up to Mosiah. He now is progressing pretty good and yesterday he came to church on his own after telling us he couldn´t! He loved it too. So yeah this week we're hoping to put a baptismal date with him.

Ok so I hope you like this letter better than last week´s but yeah I'm running out of time. Seriously I´m loving life here even through all the trials. 14 more months? Man that´s it? Times super fast. 

Briana I hope you enjoy going home but I hate to break it to you, I´m still here HA!!! Talking with a lot of people from different faiths this week has helped me realize how blessed we are to actually have the true Gospel here on earth. But hey that´s what everyone from every faith says right? But without doubt I've found that Christ´s church and authority are in this church and all the other people, while good people, are trying to do what is right but they just don't realize what we really have here. It´s the true church. I won't apologize for that. And seriously the truth has made me free as it says in the Bible. I'm a happy boy :D. Ok goodbye family. I hope you have a good week

Elder Layton

It Really Just Matters That They Do It

Hi! Here I am!

Ok also this week I really don't have a lot of time at all so we'll see what I´m able to say. The coolest part of this week would have to be we finally raised about 400 quetzales for Edwin and Maria so he can finally go to El Salvador and get his papers. we're not exactly sure when he can go but it should be this week or the next week. 400 quets is about 50 dollars so it´s enough to use on travel. Hopefully they'll finally be able to get baptized and married. Either way though they will do it probably after I have changes. I really don't have a lot more time here and it doesn't look like I´ll ever see a baptism in this area. that´s ok though cause it really just matters that they do it.

This whole week we really didn't have a lot of success. We maybe had 8 lessons the entire week. Even when everyone tells us they'll definitely be home something always seems to come up. So yeah that´s really all the time I have left. Happy 4th of July!! Oh and Happy Birthday Grandma!!!

Hope you all have a good week.

P.S. The cousins are definitely in my prayers. Especially Michael. Keep me updated on what happens and I hope they'll all be ok.

Adios