1-18-2011

Friends,

It is amazing being here in the MTC. I absolutely love it! The Spirit here is just so powerful and undeniable! Since the moment I got my nametag until now I haven't been able to stop marvelling at it! It is just so mind blowing to think that I am actually here. Sometimes I still forget that I am serving a mission and just think that I am at EFY again or something, but then I look and see a companionship walk past me and realize that I am actually here and I am actually doing this. I love it here and love everyone here. I have heard probably about 100 times since I have been here how we missed Elder Holland by just one day! He came and spoke here last Tuesday night and people keep telling us how amazing his talk was!

Just a little bit about what is going on here. My companion, Elder Fisher, is an amazing guy! I love him to death and have learned a lot from him! In my district there are 6 Elders and 4 Sisters, which is very lucky for us that we have sisters! They do an excellent job at keeping us focused whenever we get off task during our study times, which happens at least once a day! In my zone, when I first got here there were three districts in my zone, but one zone left for the field yesterday! So now it is just my district of Elders and Sisters going to either the Texas Dallas Mission, or the California San Bernadino Mission, and the other district is all serving in the Bangcock Thailand mission there is also a district of just one elder and he is also serving in a Thai mission. My Branch President (President Calder) is such an amazing guy and I have already learned a ton from him! He is very inspiring and is just altogether an amazing guy! I can't wait to see what all I am going to learn from him! Definitely a lot! My teachers are Brother Davis and Sister Woahn. Sister Woahn hasn't been here since friday but she is an awesome teacher. Brother Davis I think knows the scriptures more than anybody I have ever met! We give him any scripture or phrase and he can quote it word for word and tells us the reference chapter and verse! He is such a powerful teacher and I respect him so much! All together, this is probably the best experience I have had my whole life and I can't wait to get out and serve the people of Dallas Texas! I love you all!

Love Elder Riley James Layton