Be a Missionary All Your Life ~ Part Two

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish. 

This post focuses on a Brigham Young University (BYU) Devotional in March 2007, and it is called "Be a Missionary All Your Life" by Elder Quentin L. Cook. This post is part two, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional.

Elder Cook has mentioned the following; "Third: Do not be discouraged because missionary work is hard.

... Missionaries experience this kind of rejection every day. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve, in speaking about how hard missionary work is and has been, said:

I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?

Fourth: Be a good example and take every opportunity to share the gospel.

Paul counseled Timothy, “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” It is not enough to preach the gospel. One must also live the gospel. Very often people are receptive to being taught because they have had a positive experience with a Church member.

... The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve are the missionary committee of the Church and oversee all aspects of missionary work. President Hinckley became president of the Church 12 years ago yesterday March 12, 1995. Under his prophetic guidance a great deal has been accomplished. Let me give you some numbers describing what has happened during those 12 years:

• Approximately 387,750 missionaries have entered the mission field, which represents almost 40 percent of the missionaries who have ever served in this dispensation.

• About 3,400,000 converts have been baptized, which is the equivalent of more than one-fourth of the total current membership of the Church.

• The total number of missions in the Church has increased from 303 to 347.

• The number of converts increased by almost 30,000 in 2006.

• Retention as measured by sacrament meeting attendance, priesthood ordinations, and tithing faithfulness has increased significantly.

"Missionary work is not just one of the 88 keys on a piano
that is occasionally played; it is a major chord in a compelling melody
that needs to be played continuously throughout our lives if we are to
remain in harmony with our commitment to Christianity and the
gospel of Jesus Christ."

I am very enthusiastic about where we are at this time in missionary work. But, as President Hinckley always counsels the Brethren, “We can still do better.” Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service was first introduced in October 2004. 

.. He called for the missionaries to learn the doctrine and teach the principles by the Spirit in their own words and avoid rote recitations of the discussions. ... I was deeply touched when President Boyd K. Packer, acting president of the Quorum of Twelve, speaking of Preach My Gospel, said, “It was designed beyond the veil and put together here.” Over 1.4 million copies of Preach My Gospel have been acquired by members of the Church. 

I hope you will all become familiar with this great missionary guide. It will help strengthen you to live worthily to receive sacred temple ordinances. For you young men, it will help prepare you for mission service. For you sisters, it will help you apply doctrine in a future role as a wife or mother, and, if you choose to serve a full-time mission, you will be prepared to preach the gospel.

There are great blessings, including eternal joy, in helping to bring souls unto Christ. Among the blessings of being a full-time missionary are the lifelong relationships you develop with missionary companions. ... Other blessings of serving a mission are having the opportunity of being nurtured under the guidance of a mission president who has been called by inspiration; developing gospel knowledge and study habits that will serve you well throughout your life; and achieving the enormous strength that comes from doing something that is very challenging. 

Having increased faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the restoration of His gospel is a most significant blessing. But the most important reason for going on a mission and being committed to missionary work throughout your life is because it is doctrinally what the Savior has asked us to do.

The last chapters of Matthew, Mark, and Luke; the last two chapters of John; and the first eight verses of Acts contain the only New Testament accounts of the risen Christ. Suppose for a minute that you had been a disciple of the Savior during His life here on earth. Suppose you had believed His teachings. Can you imagine how wonderful it would have been to actually behold the risen Lord? ...

There may have been other things the risen Lord taught that were not recorded, but the overwhelming message in each of the accounts was to preach His gospel. The next-to-last verse in Matthew is a good example: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

We could go to almost any part of the Book of Mormon for the same message. Think of Alma and his lifelong commitment to bring souls unto repentance even when he was the head of state. What about missionary work in this dispensation?

... Every missionary is called to serve by the prophet and assigned to a field of labor by one of the Twelve Apostles. As I see missionaries all over the world including here in North America teaching investigators in so many languages, it is inspiring to reflect on D&C 90:11: For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power.

Missionary work is not just one of the 88 keys on a piano that is occasionally played; it is a major chord in a compelling melody that needs to be played continuously throughout our lives if we are to remain in harmony with our commitment to Christianity and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

My specific challenge to each of you is to make a commitment to be a missionary for the rest of your life. ... If you look at your group of friends back home, there are many who would respond to the gospel if you would have the faith to share the message of the Restoration with them. 

What we desperately need is for member-missionary work to become a way of life for the Savior’s mandate to share the gospel to become part of who we are. I pray that this generation of leaders here at BYU, along with your colleagues across the world, will follow the Savior’s counsel and the prophetic counsel of all of the prophets of this dispensation to preach the gospel throughout your lives. ..."

If you would like to read the Devotional either now or in your own time, here is the link below.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/quentin-l-cook/missionary-life

Stay Tuned until next time.

Be a Missionary All Your Life ~ Part One

 Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish. 

This post focuses on a Brigham Young University (BYU) Devotional in March 2007, and it is called "Be a Missionary All Your Life" by Elder Quentin L. Cook. This post is part one, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional.

Elder Cook has mentioned the following; 

"... Many of you are recently returned from full-time missions. Many of you will soon be full-time missionaries. I hope all of you are committed to being lifelong missionaries. Some feel this is a difficult time to do missionary work. ... As I tour missions, many missionaries memorize the Standard of Truth. It conveys in a concise way what must be accomplished. 

As I recite it, I invite those of you who know it to say it with me: No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.

Who is going to help achieve this? You and your generation! I believe with all of my heart that we are on the threshold of the most significant missionary success to date. ... The gospel truly changes people’s lives.

... Listen carefully to the requirements for baptism as set forth in D&C 20:37:

All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

These two accounts emphasize the great joy that comes into the lives of new converts. People all over the world are seeking permanent happiness. ... Happiness has little to do with material wealth. Nor does permanent happiness come from entertainment or fun and games. Instead of being diversions from an otherwise productive life, these pursuits have become all-consuming to many people.

Contrast this with those who prepare for baptism with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. ... We all face problems and challenges. The rain falls on the just and the unjust, but those who accept the gospel and live righteously have a wonderful promise in D&C 59:23: “But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.”

Peace in this life does not come from merely pursuing worldly objectives. Eternal life, especially exaltation, does not come from pursuing merely worldly objectives. Our challenge is to share the joyous, eternally significant gospel with our brothers and sisters so they can find peace and happiness and exaltation.

With this in mind, how can we be effective missionaries?

First: Be a missionary all your life.

President David O. McKay taught that every member is a missionary, and it is as true today as when it was first declared.

President Gordon B. Hinckley has said it this way: “Great is our work, tremendous is our responsibility in helping to find those to teach. The Lord has laid upon us a mandate to teach the gospel to every creature.” ...

Second: Overcome feelings of hesitancy or inadequacy.

The account of the first missionary to serve outside of North America in this dispensation is inspiring.

... Almost everyone who attempts missionary work feels inadequate in some way. The idea of such a mission was almost more than Heber could bear, but his faith and obedience prevailed. He stated:

However, all these considerations did not deter me from the path of duty; the moment I understood the will of my Heavenly Father, I felt a determination to go at all hazards, believing that He would support me by His almighty power, and endow me with every qualification that I needed; . . . I felt that the cause of truth, the Gospel of Christ, outweighed every other consideration. 

Just think of the challenge of being a missionary and opening a new country without members, church buildings, a mission home, or any funds. Despite these feelings of inadequacy, Elder Kimball worked hard and was very humble. He and his companions were very successful."

Stay Tuned until next time. 

Adjustment Suggestions into Reality After Missionary Service

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish. 

This post is focuses on for all returned missionaries who serves from full time missions, church service missions and for those missionaries who has came home and finished their missions early. 

I have been considered that I am a returned missionary from serving as a Temple Ordinance Worker in Brisbane LDS Temple from December 2018 to July 2019 by my current stake president. Although I did not serve a full time mission and I did not serve a church service mission. 

I know that you probably thinking why would you do a post that focuses on adjustment suggestions into reality after missionary service whe. you have not served a mission yourself. Well if you were thinking about that question, the answer is I would like to help any kind of returned missionaries either from serving a full time mission or from serving a church service mission as know as serving from home, to know what some suggestions that I have for them that would help them to adjust into reality after their missions. 

If you have ever learned and developed new skills and habits during your mission, I would like to encourage you to continue applying those skills and habits into your lives. A new skill can be learning the mission language successfully. A new habit can be doing scripture study daily and personal prayers daily. 

From doing scripture study daily and personal prayers daily, it can help invite the spirit into your life and feel guidance by Heavenly Father of what he would like you to achieve each day. 

If you have served into a location where your mission was in a different time zone than your local time zone, I would encourage you to keep yourself busy, productive, and do your best to adjust to your local time zone first to not think about too much about your mission time zone. Although if you have gotten jetlag, let yourself to get into the routine and not think about too much about your mission time zone.

I know that missions can be tough about finding opportunities to get to go to the Temple. Therefore, I would like to invite you to attend Temple sessions as often as you can. It should be a good feeling to going to the Temple after so long of not going to the Temple. 

Institute classes are always a great way to create and meet new friendships. Institute classes are also great way to encourage yourself to participate in class discussions by sharing your experiences from your mission, and from you sharing your experiences from your mission can always inspire and helpful to someone who has not yet served a mission to make a decision and want to go on a mission one day. 

I know how busy life gets after coming home from serving a mission when life gets in the way from studying a career, or working a full time job or getting married and having your own family, but it is always wonderful idea to stay in touch with people that you choose to keep in contact with after your mission. It would be a wonderful idea to stay in touch with the investigators that you have met in all of your areas, the converts that you and your companions have converted, the church members that you became great friends with, the friendships that you have made during your mission, and the companions that you had during your missions. 

"Welcome Done thou good and faithful servant."

When that time comes that you are ready to apply for employment again, there are always an option to find out if you can go back working at the same job that you were working prior to your mission, and you can always pray to have the spirit to be guiding with you of to where to apply for a job.  

You can always find effective ways of serving others. You can always serve others by fulfilling your callings that you have been called after your mission, you can always do your ministering to your brothers or to your sisters that you were given by the list who to minister to. You can always help to provide rides to elderly church members in your ward to go to church with you. 

Young Single Adult activities and events are always great to making new friendships. Please try to do your best to not being shy and get out of your comfort zone. Young Single Adult activities and events are also great way to catch up with friends that you haven't seen since before you have left for your mission. 

If you're ready for marriage within the first several years of being home from your mission, you can always seek around to go on dates and get to know bunch of people. I know it would be a good idea to praying and fasting to Heavenly Father to ask him if that is the person you're supposed to marry and if that person would be your eternal companion. 

I know that there are some past General Conference talks that mentions about post missions and I think it will help you of some ideas what to do after your mission other than these suggestions that I have mentioned above.

Stay Tuned until next time.

Preparing Yourselves for Missionary Service

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately three minutes to read from start to finish. 

Are you preparing to serve as a missionary for full-time mission? Are you preparing to serve as a missionary for young church service mission? Do you see yourself serving a mission one day?

This post focuses on a April 1985 General Conference and the talk is called, "Prepare Yourselves for Missionary Service" by Elder Ezra Taft Benson. I would like to share with you the part that I liked what he mentioned and I hope you will learn something new. 

"FUTURE MISSIONARY 
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF
LATTER-DAY SAINTS"

Elder Benson has mentioned the following; 

"Let me suggest four ways that you young women can prepare now for your missions"

First, prepare yourselves physically. 

A eighteen mission today requires good physical health. It requires that you keep your body clean. In your early teenage years, when temptations come to you to take things into your body which are unsuitable, have the courage to resist. Live the Word of Wisdom - no smoking, no drinking of any alcoholic beverages, and no drugs. Keep your body pure.

Stay morally clean.
This means that you keep a clean mind. Your thoughts will determine your actions, and so they must be controlled. It’s difficult to control those thoughts if you submit yourself to temptation. So you will have to carefully select your reading material, the movies you see, and the other forms of entertainment in order to have good thoughts rather than unwholesome desires.

Second, prepare yourselves mentally. 
A mission requires a great deal of mental preparation. You must memorize missionary discussions, memorise scriptures, and ofttimes learn a new language. The discipline to do this is learned in your early years.

Establish now the daily practice of reading the scriptures ten to fifteen minutes each day. If you do so, by the time you reach the mission field, you will have read all four of the standard works. I urge you to read particularly the Book of Mormon so that you can testify of its truthfulness as the Lord has directed.

Third, prepare yourselves socially. 
A mission requires that you get along with others. You must get along with your companion, who is with you twenty-four hours a day. You must learn to meet people and be gracious and practice good manners. One of the greatest assets that a person has in life is the ability to make friends. When you make a friend of a person, you can teach him the gospel.

Fourth, prepare yourselves spiritually.
A spiritual person obeys all the Lord’s commandments. He prays to our Heavenly Father, and he gives service to others.

Yes, young women, prepare now. Prepare yourselves physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. Always be obedient to authority. Start a savings account for your mission if you haven’t done so already. Pay your tithing, and seek a testimony of the gospel through study and prayer."

If you are preparing for your mission, I definitely would recommend you to read the whole talk either now or in your own time. The link is below.

www.lds.org/general-conference/1985/04/preparing-yourselves-for-missionary-service

Stay Tuned until next time.