WEEK 42 "Imma be a Dad in Porto"

WEEK 42 "Imma be a Dad in Porto"

 October 8, 2018

 Hey everyone! First things first, shoutout to Domechop (Aidan Garry)! Happy birthday, even though it was yesterday! Proud of that guy as he's off to serve the people in the Philippines! Second thing, looks like I'm going back up north! Just in time for winter hahah. I'm going to the city of Porto! The main city of the mission that I was called to! But I'm for sure excited, I'll be going there as a District Leader and I'll be training another missionary and he's from Wyoming who is 6 foot 8! His name is Elder Jardine. I'm excited for the chance to be a dad! When you train a greenie (New missionary) you are called their dad of mission, or mom if you're a sister. So yeah imma be a dad! But this means I'm sayin bye to Carregado. Carregado will always have a special place in my heart, for me it is the area in which I actually learned Portuguese and grew up spiritually on the mission. I won't forget Carregado, the members, the people on the streets and my great friend Filipe! I'll miss Carregado for sure, such a great little town! And I'll also be saying bye to my homie Elder Moreira! We had a great transfer and he's a great bud! I didn't get to speak in English for 6 weeks and that was an awesome thing! But let's go to my last week in Carregado...

2 de Out, The last District Counsel, and what was actually my last time in Santarem.. at least for a little while. It was a great time, and over the transfer I made custom sweaters for my district, we all looked super fresh and you can see us below in the pics haha. But yeah it was a good time. But then in the night when we returned we basically just got shut down! Classic, but still a good time.

3 de Out, We had plans to pass by a bunch of people, if everything worked out we woulda taught 9 new people! Buuut plans didn't work out and either those people shut us down, or couldn't make the appointments. Too bad.

4 de Out, Sick day! In the morning we went to Filipe's house to talk and explain about General Conference! Then we ate lunch with him! We ate cod fish. It's a Portuguese Classic dish. Super good. And in the night we went to have dinner at a member's house. They live in Salvaterra Dos Magos which is inbetween Carregado and Santarem. So our whole district went for dinner! The members Claudia and Gustavo made sushi and some Thai noodles. I can say it was the best meal of my mission, one hundred percent. And the rule was we could only speak english in their house because they always like practicing. So it was freakin awesome to do that. They also have 5 Bassett Hounds, it was fun to play with them. Super fun day in general! 

5 de Out, We weekly planned in the morning for the week that I won't be here haha! But Moreira's staying, so it's good we still did it! Then we went to work and taught a 75 year old woman. That was a good time hahah. The highlight was dinner because I got this triple decker burger that was unreal. I had to get it before I left Carregado.

6 de Out, General Conference (Saturday Session)! Number 2 of 4 on the mish! Started the day by teaching a woman, Mariana, from Mozambique! The lesson was awesome and we answered a bunch of the questions she had about religion in general! After that we went and taught a woman Adidelica from São Tome! She said she went to our church before and felt warm inside. We explained how that was the Holy Ghost. That went great! The we watched the first part of General Conference at a member's house. Jefferson and Leticia! Super cool members from Brazil. Then I got a call from the Mission President saying that I would train and be a District Leader in Porto! I was super surprised but still excited! Then Elder Moreira and I watched the last part of General Conference in the church. Good day!

7 de Out, HBD Domer. Basically was a day of conference and saying bye to the members who came to watch conference at the church! Elder Moreira recieved his transfers and he will stay here in Carregado with another Brazillian. Basically was the day, lots of good talks!! 

Cool story is that Cape Verde will be getting a temple!! Cape Verde is a bunch of islands off the coast of Africa that speak Portuguese. There are a lot of Cape Verdians living here in Portugal and they are some amazing people. Like Irma Tina, she is from Cape Verde and she gave me food every day here in Carregado! The church is super strong there and it was very hard to go to the temple in the past... but now they're getting a temple!

Scripture.. Moroni Ch10 V29. If you do your part and show your faith this is what God will do for you.

Moroni 10:29  And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.

Challenge of the week, For every day this week pray on your knees (in a different room other than your bedroom). I can say that if you do this you will recieve blessings, and you will see a difference in your every day life.

Well my time in Carregado has come to an end. It was a solid summer here haha! I'll miss this little town, but I'll for sure visit it again some day. As I said, it's the place where I really learned Portuguese and grew up spiritually. Thank you Carregado.

Elder out

Mamba out 

parks.layton@myldsmail.net

Mailing Address:

Parks Stewart Layton
Rua Jorge Barradas Nº 14-C
1500-370 Lisboa 
Portugal


Last pic of the District


 The District sweaters (designed by yours truly)


 Best dinner of the mission



Gustavo and Claudia


  My little African Caillou 


The burger


Jefferson and Leticia



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