Gaining Testimonies

Landon and his district leader, Elder Sohler

May 5, 2014

Hello Everyone!

It's a pleasure to be writing you today. I really love sending these emails out because it gives me the opportunity to reflect on my week. Every week out in the mission field is good in its own way. And this helps me recognize the successes that we had!

Overall, this week was uneventful. Like seriously, we had like four just "nothing" days. Tuesday was just nothing. We made some goals and didn't really accomplish anything. Like not even an Active Member Lesson. Three of our meals this past week were drop of meals. PIZZA. Three days in a row haha. That's okay. I'm just happy when we don't have to make our own food.

Wednesday was District Meeting. We didn't do anything else because we ended up spending the rest of the day with the English Elders. Thursday was weekly planning. This usually takes around four hours or so because you're making specific plans for the next week. But we actually ended up giving a blessing. Being a mere ten miles from the hospital, we get a lot of calls to go give blessings. So I did the anointing and one of the English Elders gave the blessing. It's always nice to be able to use our Priesthood, especially on the mission.

Friday we....well I don't remember. Which brings me to this point. I don't have my planner with me because......I have a new one! I've been out a whole transfer (6 weeks) already. Can you believe that? Time really does fly out here. Friday night we got a text from the District Leader that Neil L. Anderson, yes, Neil L. Anderson was coming to speak to us! So President Bernhisel mobilized the mission to be able to get up to Knighdale (east of Raleigh) to hear him speak.

I really enjoyed listening to him. He's a great speaker, and absolutely an Apostle of the Lord. Three Seventies were also there. Elder Piper (from Atlanta!), Elder Carter, and Elder Martinez. They were great too. I love how the Church is really cracking down on these Feminist "Ordain Women" people. One thing that Elder Carter said was that "the full power of the Priesthood is obtainable only when men and women work together." He then went on to share some of Elder Oaks' talk from this past conference. It just blows my mind that these women would feel oppressed in our Church. I mean, if you have a testimony, then why question the Doctrine? It's the Lord's Church, and He'll make the decisions.

But anyways....that's just a tangent. What really stood out to me was the words of Elder Anderson. He talked a lot about the "Enabling Power of the Atonement" and how we should be using it every day as missionaries. Elder Bednar explains this really well. There's a talk he gave last year called "In the Strength of the Lord." I would definitely recommend that one. Elder Anderson also talked a lot about the role of the Book of Mormon in conversion. If Investigators, and we, don't have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, then we are not converted. It's so important that the people we teach out here know that the Book of Mormon is true before they get baptized.

And that was my week. Skyping on Saturday was really fun! Guess what...My family looks EXACTLY THE SAME! I never would have guessed haha. Everything seems to be good at home.

Thanks for all your prayers and all your emails! Thanks for not forgetting about me! I really do enjoy your emails. They help keep me going out here.

Have a fantastic week.

Con Amor,

Elder Landon Carroll

Landon with his district