I Hope They call me on a Mission

A familiar refrain . . .

I hope they call me on a mission . . .

(Most photos are from our recent Zone Conferences, Leadership Training or recent transfer day)

A favorite line from a favorite song that inspires excitement even amongst the smallest of primary children.  And truly for many LDS youth missionary preparation begins from the earliest years spent in the Primary organization of the Church.

But what happens when everything you ever learned in Primary, the Young Mens organization, Young Women's, and Sunday School isn't everything one needs to be ready to serve?

President Gordon B. Hinckley emphasized the importance of having good mental and physical health while serving a full-time mission.

"This work is rigorous . . . it demands strength and vitality.  It demands mental sharpness and capacity" . . .

President Hinckley certainly knew what he was talking about.

Physical and Emotional Preparation

Missionary work is a call extended by the President of the Church to those who are worthy AND able to accomplish it . . .

Good physical and mental health are essential.

Not all missions in the world are created equal.  In some ways . . . you could say - it's the missionaries against the elements.

The heat, cold, sun, rain, sleet, hail, rocky roads, insects, dirty water, no water, no electricity, hills, rivers, streams, mountains, rain forests, snakes, ants . . . each part of the world presents it's own particular challenge.

Here, as in most locations in Central America missionaries do not have the use of cars or bikes . . . an additional burden or challenge to be on their feet, walking and carrying their back or shoulder packs throughout the long days . . . day after day . . .

The effort required is actually much more than one would ever imagine.

Heavenly Father Blesses his Missionaries

Without a doubt, Heavenly Father blesses his missionaries!  Clearly, he desires to bless each of them so they can do their best to teach and testify of the Savior and his gospel.  But each missionary has a part to play as well in maintaining both physical and emotional readiness and good health.

It seems to be that whatever ailment or physical or mental challenge that a missionary brings into the mission field only becomes more aggravated, more challenging and more difficult under the physical challenge of a difficult and arduous work.

Therefore it is super important to enter the mission field with as much physical and emotional strength as possible.

"There should be an eagerness and a desire to serve the Lord as His ambassadors to the world.  And there must be health and strength, both physical and mental, for the work is demanding, the hours are long, and the stress can be heavy" ("Missionary Service," First Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan 2003)

The Lord has asked us to serve with "all your heart, might, mind and strength" (D&C 4:2).  Young men and woman planning a mission need to be sure to take good physical care of both their bodies and minds.   The opportunity to serve challenges many young people to seek and maintain both physical and emotional strength throughout their teenage years.  Avoiding risky behavior that may threaten life or limb, avoiding unhealthy eating habits  . . . while working to promote healthy sleep and work patterns, good personal hygiene, exercise habits and a healthy diet lead to the likelihood of adapting well to missionary service.

The Real Purpose of Missionary Work

We would do well to focus on the real purpose of missionary work and the need for a healthy mind and body in order to accomplish that purpose.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasized the importance of daily care for our bodies both before the mission and during missionary service.

"Many people . . . have difficulty finding the time for sufficient rest, exercise, and relaxation.  We must schedule time in our daily calendars for these activities if we are to enjoy a healthy and balanced life.  Good physical appearance enhances our dignity and self-respect"

(Just lucky this year . . . everyone is getting flu shots for Christmas along with their

ice cream sundaes! Yippee) 

"We are not asking for perfection . . . the work of the Lord is done by ordinary people who work in extraordinary ways . . ."  Yet every person can change and improve.  If you're planning missionary service . . . now is the time to begin healthy habits in preparation.  Begin now to implement healthy habits into your daily activities!

Understand that a mission will likely include many of the same challenges we face in regular life . . . but even more so!  Finding time to exercise, preparing and including healthy foods into a busy schedule . . .

Prepare and Counsel Early with Bishops and Stake Presidents

If a young person has challenges with an emotional illness such as depression, anxiety, or obsessive compulsive behavior . . . now is the time to seek professional treatment and counseling before considering missionary service.  It's important to enter the mission field completely stabilized for a period of time, and functioning independently of parents or medical guidance.  Such guidance will likely not be available once you enter the mission field and are involved in the rigors of full-time service.  Our Heavenly Father gives each of his sons and daughters particular challenges that we may grow my conquering and overpowering them.  Use that determination to increase self worth and work towards service of our Heavenly Father, either as a full-time missionary or through the many other avenues available to give back to those around us.

Counseling early with your bishop and Stake President is an important part of your missionary service preparation.

There may be individuals who are honorably excused from full-time missionary service.  There are many ways to render meaningful service compatible with any physical or emotional challenges you are working to overcome.  Family history centers, temples, welfare projects, or service in local hospitals, care centers, shelters or other places are valuable and much needed.

The Work isn't Over until it's Over . . .

Missionary service doesn't end when the mission ends . . . one must continue to maintain good health and emotional habits to enable them to continue serving throughout their lifetime.  Each member will have many opportunities wherever they may find themselves to share a message of the Restored Gospel, to lead, to teach, to reach out to another . . . and lift them up . . .

Helping another to find the light of the Savior is frequently the best medicine, physical therapy or counseling one can provide for another and in turn increasing one's own health and well-being.  Sharing the gospel brings joy no matter which part of the world, far or near, at home or abroad, it's the best spiritual therapy for the soul, as we lose ourselves in the service of the Lord, we find ourselves on the receiving end of more blessings than we can imagine.

The message is the same for all . . . wherever we may find ourselves called to serve . . .

Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.

Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.  (D&C 4:2)

Continue Reading...

Women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

There's no going back now . . .

Things will be forever different in the Church, referring of course to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . . .

The influence of women in the Latter-days is going to change the face of the Church and likely the world.

There you have it, my prediction for the future.

I will add immediately, that this change is not going to come about in many of the ways you are thinking right now.  I am not at all referring to the current events and issues of the day as to the outspoken few who are asking, or demanding rather, greater exposure and rights, including the Priesthood, for women in the Church.

No, that is not at all what I am talking about here . . . .

The Church is changing . . . and it is changing subtly each day according to our Heavenly Father's plan.

What exactly is our Heavenly Father's Plan?

This sensation that I am referring to began approximately two years ago, at this Autumn time of year, immediately after the President of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson gave his now famous "Welcome to Conference" talk and immediately caught everyones attention by announcing a change in the missionary service age qualifications.

He already had everyone spellbound listening for the anticipated new temples to be announced.  What everyone didn't see coming were his next remarks . . .

"I am pleased to announce that effective immediately all worthy and able young men who have graduated from high school or its equivalent, regardless of where they live, will have the option of being recommended for missionary service beginning at the age of 18, instead of age 19. I am not suggesting that all young men will—or should—serve at this earlier age. Rather, based on individual circumstances as well as upon a determination by priesthood leaders, this option is now available."

 . . .  "we have also given consideration to the age at which a young woman might serve. Today I am pleased to announce that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age 21." 

"We affirm that missionary work is a priesthood duty—and we encourage all young men who are worthy and who are physically able and mentally capable to respond to the call to serve. Many young women also serve, but they are not under the same mandate to serve as are the young men. We assure the young sisters of the Church, however, that they make a valuable contribution as missionaries, and we welcome their service." 

A Mighty Change . . .

Amazing . . . and that is where the mighty change in the Church as far as the influence of women in the Church is going to come from . . . and it came from our Heavenly Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ who we believe stands at the head of His Church, and directs the workings of His Church, through the voice of his prophet . . . even the current prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints growing missionary program now includes 20,000 young single women, voluntarily, without thought to Priesthood duty, leaving home and family to share what is most precious to them . . . their testimonies of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the love our Heavenly Father has for all people.

After that change in October 2012, missionary applications jumped from an average of 700 a week to 4,000 a week — and more than half of those applications came from women.

Since the early beginnings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth by the prophet Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830; missionaries have had a profound and lasting influence upon the strength, growth, leadership and the influence and blessings of the family unit throughout the Church.  Try to imagine where they Church would be today without it's powerful missionary program.

What can we expect to see . . . 

Now prepare to see the exponential growth that will once again occur in the influence for good in the Church and throughout the world as these 20,000 young women begin to return home with their increased gospel knowledge, communication skills, efficient study and planning habits, and powerful testimonies and witness of our Savior Jesus Christ.

The principle that I love most about this phenomena, is that it is being done in the Lord's way, and in his own time and according to his plan. 

The Lord is strengthening the Church from within by increasing the strength of the women of the Church.

Bringing experience back home . . .

As their missions come to an end, each sister will head back home with an incredible repertoire of abilities they've gained through their missionary service . . . self-confidence, foreign language skills, financial budgeting, self-disciple, independence . . . and most of all a deeper, more rooted in the foundations of the gospel, testimony of the gospel principles that they teach and study everyday.  They will have seen these principles at work, blessing the lives of those they teach and changing their own hearts each day of mission life.

As they return home, these abilities will help them succeed in whatever course they choose to pursue . . . education, marriage, mothers in the Church, careers, service, teachers.  And in each and every role that women today assume, which are many and varied, their mission experience will have a profound influence.  

One of the challenges of missionary service for any missionary is knowing that in many instances, they will never see their internationally serving brothers and sisters again after their missionary service ends.  Many precious companionships serving side by side for many months, conquering daily challenges, will hopefully be maintained through the convenience of modern technology.  But they will leave their new converts, and reactivated members, companions, and leaders behind as they return to their homes and lives outside of the mission field.

Causing a mighty change of heart . . .

I enjoy watching the companionships bond with one another . . . sisters of many different colors, races, backgrounds, styles . . . all coming together to serve their Heavenly Father.  They laugh at shared experiences, common mistakes made, adapting to make do with what little the Lord has provided them here in the field . . . think cold water bucket showers, toilets that don't flush, dinner every night from a microwave, uncomfortable beds, the greasy lingering aroma of OFF insect repellant at the end of each day, the insects (actually they have been blessed with an abundance of insects!). 

I watch them share belongings . . . those who have more always sharing and leaving behind whatever they can for those who have less.  

Missionary rules dictate that although we have many lovely beaches in the mission, there is no swimming, no wading, no enjoying the beautiful waters of the Honduras coastline.  There is no television, no movies, no radio and no Internet, except where approval has been granted by the Mission President.  Only inspirational music is allowed, and only books and study materials from the designated missionary library are authorized.  

Yet, all these apparent challenges seem to lead them to an amazing maturity and increased blessings of the Spirit.  They really become the hands of our Heavenly Father as they reach out to each other, their ward members, neighbors, investigators in kindly service. 

It isn't easy!

It isn't easy . . . many struggle, and just as one obstacle is overcome, another is presented by the adversary on almost a daily basis.  Yet almost all remain approachable and friendly each day as they leave their homes and begin to contact all that they meet.  

I have been amazed to see even the most timid survive and thrive!  It just feels my heart to overflowing when I see the amazing growth of character that takes place as they overcome the fears that they initially arrive with.  They have learned to be cautious in potentially dangerous situations, yet feel and seek their Heavenly Father's protection.  

Even though they are much younger than us and usually arrive in good health . . . I am impressed with their dedication and stamina.  They can run circles around us as their daily scheduling can be grueling, with the heat of the day, and the rockiness (literally!) of their paths. 

More Like the Savior . . .

And at the end of the day . . . when they are obedient to mission rules, Heavenly Father's laws . . . heed the whisperings of the Spirit . . . they develop Christ-like attributes and become more and more like the Savior each day.  When they do all these things . . . the numbers of baptisms, while important, in bringing many to a knowledge of the Savior, are not the determining factor in their missionary success . . . it's what they will take away from their experience . . . 

Of course, it's not necessary to serve a mission to learn life's experiences and blessings and develop the attitude described here . . . but there's no doubt that it certainly "hastens" the process.  That's what we are about, that is our business . . . to "hasten the work of salvation", to move our Heavenly Father's plan ahead at an unprecedented pace.

There's no doubt that this is what is going to change the Church from the inside out . . . that will strengthen the position of women in the Church . . . and change the roles of women in the Church for future generations to come . . . Women who know that it's not all about them . . . women who serve unselfishly and put the focus on others. Women who go about cultivating the Spirit in their lives, in their homes and with their families and those who surround them.

It is a wonderful time to be a woman in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today, of that I can testify.

Continue Reading...