Week 85- Gather them into the Garners!

_{MARCH 2, 2015}

_Friends,

_{You could say this has been the busiest week of the entire mission. We're "busy missionaries" as President Hansen would always say! We were able to tour the entire mission and participate in 4 Zone Conferences with President Hansen. The conferences were focused on 3 Christlike Attributes: Faith, Obedience, and Diligence, and the importance of having a "firm foundation" in Christ (Heleman 5:12). We were privileged to be trained by President Hansen, the mission presidency, and to give a training on the principle of Obedience ourselves at each conference. Each conference was edifying and inspirational, but especially the last of the 4. President Hansen's last in the mission. His love for the missionaries is so apparent. I am so easily able to feel the love of Christ, through him. I will miss him immensely.}

<sub>The night before President Hansen left, he stayed in a hotel downtown so the mission home could be deep cleaned for the new President. He invited us to come over and visit in his room that night after our appointments to talk about a few things. It was some mission business, but also an amazing opportunity for him to bear a powerful testimony of the importance of staying close to the Lord throughout our lives. Such an amazing opportunity to get to be so close and one on one with such an amazing man.

Throughout the zone conferences, President would continually quote Alma 26, which says:

 5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

 6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

 7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.</sub>

_{Of the many things I have learned from President Hansen, it's of the importance of the Temple. The "garner". If we will make going to the Temple regularly a priority, we will not be able to be beaten down by the storms of life. True happiness will come to us when we live worthily of and use an active Temple Recommend regularly.}

_{President and Sister Spendlove (New mission president) got into the mission on Saturday. They are awesome. We had the opportunity to stand in the circle as President set apart his 2 councilors. An amazing experience. We spent all Saturday and last night meeting with them to help them get caught up as much as possible as pertaining to the mission and missionaries. I know the Lord was behind, aware, and in charge of the many changes in the mission recently. He has been anticipating it for a long time. There are so many things that just happen to line up perfectly so things could work out. I has greatly strengthened my testimony in knowing that the Lord knows how to run things, and does.}

_{Things are staying busy. Transfers are next week. We're be touring the mission again this week with President Spendlove so he can attend all the zone meetings in the next coming days. I'm loving the work more than ever right now. The Lord has been merciful in molding me into something much more than I thought I ever could be. I am eternally grateful.}

_{Stay close to the Lord, and He will bless you.}

_Love,

Elder Carroll

 _{"Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand." - How Firm A Foundation, Hymn #85}

Celebrating my birthday with 

goodies that my mom sent me!

 My man Darius! (Recent Convert)