Progressing Nicely at the Mexico City CCM

Hey friends and family!

Man, the MTC here in Mexico is so incredible! The Spanish here is crazy and I already feel like I am learning so much after just two weeks of being here. 

The temple last week was so amazing and it was extremely beautiful. The whole session was conducted in Spanish but the temple workers gave all of the missionaries English headsets, so that was pretty awesome. 

Mexico City Temple

It was neat to see not only the beautiful temple, but also some of Mexico City to and from the temple. 

Last week I mentioned being put in a trio with Elder Higley joining Elder Hill and I. That same night we were told that we had to move into a house because the apartment complex's only have two beds per room and Elder Higley couldn't sleep in a room by himself. So we had to pack up all of our stuff the next morning and move into house number 1, the VERY furthest house from everything we do. But it's all good now. We are all situated again and just leave our house a few minutes earlier each day.

Their are 4 other sets of elders in our house. Also, we find cockroaches all the time... But we don't even spend that much time in our house except at night so it is ok. 

Elder Layton at the Mexico City Temple

Anyway the people here are sooooo nice! I also love my teachers, Hermana Cabral and Hermana Lozano. They are awesome. 

We have a lot of ¨progressing investigator¨ lessons with our teachers acting as investigators. They are really fun. 

I have Moroni 10:4-5, the missionary purpose, Joseph Smith's First Vision and the baptismal invitation all memorized in Spanish. 

The Christus at the Mexico City Visitor's Center

I just love it here because I feel super productive with my time and and learning so much each day! Something else that happened this week was we met two Seventies! 

One was Elder (Netzahualcoyotl) Salinas ( who was probably the most enthusiastic and motivating speaker I have ever heard) and the other ones name, I won't try to write because I will butcher it. But they were both very uplifting and I learned a ton from them. 

One more thing about the MTC is that is rains like every evening and just floods. There are lots of big thunderstorms. I am just very glad my ties and shoes are waterproof, and plus I have an umbrella. But I am so glad to be here and to learn spanish. It is amazing as a missionary of the Lord, how many more blessings that I recognize each day. 

Love, Elder Layton

P.S. In the CCM, anyone can send mail to me each day through MissionaryPackageMX.com. The post office prints the mail each day and puts it in our mailbox, which is 6C, and I collect it for our district every day.

First Week at the Mexico City CCM

Hey everyone!

The MTC is awesome! But WOW soooo much has happened this week... 

CCM Grounds with a Glimpse of Mexico City in the Background

So that first night I didnt even get to bed until at least 1:00 AM, so I was pretty tired that first full day on wednesday. Thankfully, my luggage came the next night, so that was a relief! I was put in a temporary trio with Elder Cutler and Elder Whipperman on Wednesday morning until I got my real companion, Elder Hill. He is a really good tennis player, and is from New Mexico. 

District Photo

My district is super awesome, and so are all of the leaders here. The CCM teachers and leaders are some of the nicest people you would meet. On the first real night, on Wednesday, we met our branch president, and I was made a district leader! So I definitely feel more of a responsibility to be exactly obedient and an example to my district. But now I need to prepare extra lessons and go to extra meetings, which is pretty difficult considering we are so pressed for time here. Anyways, it is a blessing and opportunity that I have to be better. 

The spanish has been absolutely crazy too! On thursday night, our second day we taught our first lesson to a fake investigator. Now we do that nearly every day. It is really hard and frustrating at times when you cant fully express yourself, but hey that's immersion, and that's how you learn. 

The Dorms

Every day we have been learning so much, and I love feeling so productive all of the time. Our first Sunday was incredible. Although it is funny because we all have to prepare five minute talks each week in spanish, and we don't know who will be speaking. So they announce who will speak right in the meeting. We call it the hunger games reaping haha.

But that night, we watched a church movie, called The Testament. I have seen it before, but this time it hit me so hard. The spirit was overwhelming, and I felt a love from the Savior that I have never felt so strongly. After that, our district went back to our classroom, and talked about what we watched. The testimonies and comments that were said about the movie were all so amazing, and most of our district couldn't hold it together. 

Anyways, sorry that I couldn't write on Monday. Our P Day is today, on Thursday, and we didn't get on last week since it was only our second day. And today we also get to go the the Mexico City temple!! I am so excited, but also worried that the session will most likely be conducted in spanish haha. So I can let you know about that next week. Oh and something else big happened this week- One of the missionaries in our district was sent home yesterday because of some issues he had to work out. So his companion, Elder Higley was put into a trio with Elder Hill and I. But we all really get along and I am excited to have him with us. Also, last night we found out from Elder Higley that he is the new Apostle, Gary E Stevenson s nephew!! So that is pretty crazy. 

The food here is super awesome and it is extremely beautiful in Mexico. I am really looking forward to what lies ahead!

Elder Layton 

Set Apart

Elder Curtis Dean Layton was set apart today at about 7:45 PM by President Rau. He is now officially a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We returned home and had our final family scripture study, consisting of D&C 18:10-17 and 2 Nephi 2:6-9. "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth..." (2 Ne 2:8). We concluded with a father's blessing.

Tomorrow morning we will drop him off at the airport at 4:30 AM. He then heads off to Salt Lake City, Utah and then to Mexico City. He will be trained in the Mexico City MTC. Some 6 weeks later, he will head to the Uruguay Montevideo West Mission for his service.