Brothers and Sisters, Missionary Work
is defined by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19-20 when he declares unto his
apostles “Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”. Therefore, missionary work, simply put, is helping
others to learn and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. This missionary work
can be carried out in many different ways, including setting a Christ-like
example to those around you.
Today I wish to speak on
how each of us can carry out missionary work among the youth of the church. As
quoted by Elder Holland “There is no battle more crucial and evident “than
that being waged for the minds and morals, the personal purity of the young.”
Satan knows that the youth are the future of this Church, that they are our
future Bishops, Teachers, Quorum and Class Presidents, that they are our Future
Missionaries. But in order for us to win this battle for the purity of Youth we
must follow the instructions stated in Mosiah 18:9 to “stand as witnesses of
God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in”.
By doing so, we support and encourage the youth of our generation to prepare to
serve as member and full-time missionaries; We help those who will come after
us to flood the Earth with The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and the
wonderful blessings that it has to offer us.
Parents obviously have a
key role in preparing their children to be our future missionaries. Harold B
Lee said “The most important of the Lord’s work that you will ever do will
be the work you do within the walls of your own home.” The example that
parents set for their children therefore is the most influential example that
children will have in their lives. It is this example that will set the course
that the youth of this church are to follow, for better or for worse. No wonder
the role that parents play is referenced so periodically in the Scriptures.
The Family: A Proclamation
to the world states “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in
love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and
to teach them to love and serve one another [and to] observe the commandments
of God.” By doing so, parents perform Missionary Work among their own
children and prepare their children to perform missionary work among those of
the world.
*** “Young men are sowers. Young women are sowers. Who trains
and guides these sowers? Who points out to them which is the right grain to
place in the sower’s bag? Who teaches them how to place the sower’s bag on
their shoulders? Who teaches the young sower going out into the field for the
first time whether the season is right, or how far to scatter the seed? Hopefully,
a caring father, a loving mother, teachers and quorums, or other loved ones
will guide their footsteps.” David B Haight
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So how do parents rear
their children in love and righteousness? To begin with, parents must be
unified in the teaching of their children. This unity can be developed by
“companionship study” of the scriptures, by “companionship prayer”, and as we
work as a companionship to achieve common goals. Preach My Gospel pg 178 says “The
Lord has commanded, “Ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my
gospel, two by two” (D&C 42:6). Your teaching will be more powerful...
if you and your companion work together in unity... Support your companion by
offering a second witness to the truths of which he or she has testified.
Follow your impressions when the Spirit prompts you to say something.” As children see the
unity that has been developed among their parents, they will have a greater
desire to follow the counsel and direction that their parents have given them.
They will see that their parents are guided by the Holy Ghost and that the
counsel that they receive from each individual parent will not vary from the
counsel that they would receive from their other parents or from that of their
Heavenly Father.
Elder Holland, in
talking about those who are being taught by missionaries said “These
[children] are not lifeless objects... They are children of God, our brothers
and sisters, and they need what we have. Be genuine. Reach out sincerely. Ask
these [children] what matters most to them. What do they cherish,
and what do they hold dear? And then listen. If the setting is right you
might ask what their fears are, what they yearn for, or what they feel is
missing in their lives. I promise you that something in what they say
will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear
testimony and about which you can then offer more.” Brothers and Sisters,
as you show sincere concern for your children they will see that you love them,
that you want what is in their best interest, and that you will always be there
to help and guide them on the path through life. You will have more
opportunities to teach them to follow the commandments of God and the Gospel of
Jesus Christ as a whole. Your children will be prepared to preach the Gospel
because they will have seen and felt the love of Christ in their lives and
desire to share that same love with those around them.
*** “The interpersonal relationships between missionaries are among the choicest
blessings we receive as the result of missionary service. The friendships and
the positive influence of one missionary upon the other can be eternal.” James M Dunn
Next, Parents are to
provide for the physical and spiritual needs of their children. I am reminded
of the story of Alma the Younger. His father obviously carried out this act of
providing for the needs of his son when it is stated that he and his people “did walk uprightly before
God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to
their needs and their wants.” However, for the time being, Alma the Younger did not pay heed or
appreciate the counsel of his Father, for he went around destroying the Church
of God and leading many souls unto destruction. In this act he, and his
friends, were visited by an Angel. Later, while recounting this experience, Alma
the Younger states the the Angel said unto him “the Lord hath heard the
prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy
father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be
brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come
to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his
servants might be answered according to their faith.” We all know the story of Alma
the Younger. We know that he repented of his ways, that he began to follow the
counsel of his Father. But most important of all “Alma began from this
time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the
angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing
to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the
word of God... And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing
many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer.” (Mosiah 18:29 ;
27:14,32,36) This is the result of a loving parent providing proper and
complete spiritual nourishment for their child. The simple prayer of a loving
father was exactly what Alma the Younger needed in order to change the course
of his life and give selfless missionary service for the remainder of his time
on this Earth. Each of us has the opportunity of providing this same outcome
for our children as we carry out daily family prayer, daily family scripture
study, weekly family home evenings, and other family activities.
A Similar story of
lifelong missionary service as a result of proper spiritual nourishment comes
from the story of Enos who said “Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he
was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it... and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning
eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.” Here we can see that the Father of Enos had spent much
time bringing him up in the ways of the Savior, teaching him his duties and
responsibilities as a Priesthood holder. We see that Enos was conscious of the
time and effort that his Father had dedicated to his spiritual nourishment. And
as a result, after his conversion, Enos says for himself, “I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi,
prophesying of things to come, and testifying of the things which I had heard
and seen... Having been wrought upon by the
power of God that I must preach and prophesy unto this people, and declare the
word according to the truth which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all
my days, and have rejoiced in it above that of the world.” (Enos verses
1,3,19,26) Brothers and Sisters, the
spiritual nourishment you provide for your children will extend far beyond the
lives of your children. It will extend to those who your children encounter as
they place their lives in the service of their God. The missionary service you
provide now, to your children, through proper care and nourishment, will effect
countless generations to come.
I remember my Mom
sending me a letter a few months ago. She told me that my Dad had given her, as
a Mother's Day present, a book titled “The Proper Care and Feeding of
Husbands”. Although she wasn't particularly thrilled with the gift my Dad had
given her, (and actually wanted to throw it out) she found, several years
later, that this book was actually very beneficial to her progress as a wife
and mother. We similarly have a book that can help us to become better
missionaries, Mothers and Fathers, Sons and Daughters. It could be titled “The
Proper Care and Nourishment of Children, but in reality is called “The Book of
Mormon”. Do not waste this precious resource that you have been given as a gift
from your Heavenly Father. It will provide the guidance that you need in order
to Provide for the physical and spiritual needs of your children. Read it
Daily, as individuals and as families. This alone will greatly increase your
ability as a spiritual and physical provider for your family.
*** Regardless of needs
or problems, all people are best helped as they accept and live the gospel. You
will be able to adjust your teaching as you listen to the promptings of the
Spirit... Make sure that you ask enough questions and listen carefully to their
answers so you have a firm understanding of how quickly and how well the
investigator is learning and applying the doctrines you are presenting... Trust
in the promise that the Spirit will give you “in the very hour, yea, in the
very moment, what ye shall say” -Preach My Gospel Pg 177
*** Elder Russell Nelson
told me once that one of the first rules of medical inquiry is “Ask the patient
where it hurts. The patient,” he said, “will be your best guide to a correct
diagnosis and eventual remedy.” If we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder
what to say. It will be given to us—by the Spirit and by our friends. -Elder
Holland
It is the Duty of Parents
to teach their children to Love, Serve and Keep the Commandments. The
Proclamation to the World: The Family, says “Successful marriages and families [and
missionaries] are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer,
repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome
recreational activities.” (Proclamation to the World)
These principles were taught to me very well by my
own parents. One example of this that comes to mind is the service that my
Mother asked me to provide to a neighbor named Denise Termini. Here is some
background on her situation.... Lives alone....Cancer..... Shoulders...... I remember
the countless opportunities that I had to give her rides to Church each Sunday
(and when she could not attend church, to bring her the Sacrament), an
opportunity that she had not had the privilege of having for most of her later
years due to medical issues. She has since passed on, but has left a lasting
sense of love, compassion, and service in my heart, which is something that I
greatly wish to carry on to my future children. I am grateful for the
opportunity and encouragement that my Mother gave me to provide service for
Denise and I know that those experiences have been a blessing to me during my
missionary service. They are experiences that I can look back on and say “My
service means something to someone. No effort is wasted. Don't give up now, even
when doors are slammed in your face, or you are run off a porch, or you are
threatened for the service you wish to provide. Your hard work, the love you
share and the desire you have to share it, your service, means something to
someone”. I know for myself that this is the result of a loving father and
mother who taught me to Love, serve, and keep the commandments of God.
Brothers and Sisters, I
know that as you similarly teach your children the standards that have been put
forth by our Heavenly Father, that your children will “Wax strong in the
knowledge of the truth... [become men and women] of a sound understanding [who
have] searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God”
and become as the Sons of Mosiah who “had given themselves to
much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the
spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and
authority of God.” (Mosiah 17: 2-3)
I know that as we Rear
children in love and righteousness, provide for their physical and spiritual
needs, and teach them to love, serve, and keep the commandments, that they will
become successful missionaries in times to come. As you continue to teach them
“Their faith, happiness and expression will be sufficient to awaken the
interest” (Elder Holland) of those whom they will teach. As Elder Holland said
“We can all do more to transmit this tradition [of missionary service] to
those who come after us”, for, As Joseph Smith stated, “After all has
been said, our most important duty is to Preach the Gospel” (Joseph Smith).
I want to leave you with one last quote from Preach My Gospel
from the section “No Effort is Wasted”.
When people choose not to investigate the restored gospel, your
work is not wasted. Your consistent efforts in serving and teaching as many
people as you can is one way God prepares His children to eventually receive
His servants. He often reaches out to His children through you. Even when
people do not accept the opportunity to learn the gospel, your service and
words are evidence of God’s love for them and may plant seeds that future
missionaries and members of the Church will harvest.
When people do not
accept the gospel, do not be discouraged. You have raised a warning voice. You
have given them a clear choice. Disciples of Christ feel sorrow when people
choose not to repent, but they maintain a vision of who they are and what they
are doing. They continue to diligently move forward.”
Testimony =)
