The Orchard Hills Ward
Sacrament Meeting
August 15, 2010
The Divine Call of a Missionary
Introduction:
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters. What an honor it is to share the pulpit with Elder Corey Jackson at his “Non-Farewell”, as he advertised it on Facebook. I am so blessed to have the privilege to share my thoughts about him and this great adventure he is about to set off on. I have been asked to speak regarding “The Divine Call of a Missionary”.
Testimony:
I have a testimony of God the Father and His love for us. I know He sent His Son to earth to atone for our sins so that we may return to live with Him someday. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is restored and taught on this earth today. I know that with this knowledge comes a great burden and responsibility to share that knowledge with all that I can. I know that the divine call to serve as a full-time servant or missionary, issued by a prophet of God, is one of utmost importance and allows the servant the rare opportunity to devote 100% of their life to serving Him and spreading His good word. I know that I continue even today, to be the benefactor, as well as many others, for my service as a full-time missionary in Beautiful British Columbia. I am so grateful for the opportunity to experience the Divine Call of a Missionary.
Why Serve?
I understand the concept of serving a full-time mission may be a more foreign concept where I grew up in Southern California than it may be here in Utah. Like Corey, I prepared myself to serve a full-time mission by obeying the commandments, studying my scriptures, praying and attending missionary prep classes, all the while balancing or juggling two jobs, a family life, dating and having fun. When I received my call to British Columbia, I was excited, nervous and anxious to serve my Heavenly Father. The day could not arrive quickly enough. Of course, in preparing to serve, I often had to decline participation in certain activities, trips, school programs, etc. As I explained why I could not do this or that and shared my mission call with others, the question quickly came, “Why?” Why Serve?
Truth be told, I did not plan on serving a mission until the latest hour of my nineteenth year. I have always known the church was true. I mostly found it easy to live by the standards set by the church and, again, living in California, I sometimes stuck out like a sore thumb. In high school, friends always commented on how unique me and my other LDS friends were. Several were drawn into our circle of friendship and six of those friends, soon thereafter, joined the church. It came natural to me to share that which brought so much happiness in my life. As time drew closer to mission age, I was convinced I did not need to serve a full-time mission. I was anxious to move on in life, go to college and then pursue the almighty dollar. I was sure Heavenly Father was pleased with my service at home and that I could continue to serve in that capacity.
My bishop encouraged me to pray about the matter and I did so. After a few pathetic attempts at prayerful consideration, I read two scriptures that changed the course of my life for good. The first scripture, which is also quoted in my Patriarchal Blessing is Jacob 2:18-19. This seemed to address my misaligned priorities. The second was found in Luke 12:47-48. I knew then that the Lord’s will was that every worthy young man should serve a mission. Having known that, and having been given a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, required me to do His will and to share what I had been given. To not serve would be to knowlingly choose NOT to do His will and would surely display a lack of gratitude on my part. Upon praying again, I immediately knew I should serve. So when I was asked “Why serve?” The answer quickly came, B”ecause God had shown me much love in my life and I in turn needed to share his love with others.”
A Rare Occasion:
There are many good faiths and religions today that encourage service and provide many opportunities to serve their fellow men. With that said, our church is unique in the sense that there are few like ours that have a lay ministry, or one where nobody is paid to serve or teach or administer. We are given opportunities from our youth until death to serve in several capacities, none more or less important than the next. I personally, have served in the Deacons, Teachers and Priests Quorums. I have taught Sunday School, Primary and worked with Scouting and the Young Men’s program. I have served as a Ward Clerk, Executive Secretary and as a Counselor to the Bishop in a YSA Ward. I currently serve in the Elder’s Quorum and there will be more opportunities to serve in other ways; This I am sure of.
Each calling is unique to the dynamics of the class or area or duties. Though they all have two things in common. First was that they required sacrifice, time and commitment. Second, they require the ability to fulfill them to the best of our ability, all the while balancing and maintaining life, managing a career, attending school, participating in sports and hobbies, dating, or building a family.
For most of us, there will only be one rare occasion in life where we have the opportunity to serve our Heavenly Father with 100% of our being. Only once where we can dedicate our entire energy, soul, capacity, and potential…in whole, our life to the service of our Heavenly Father. This is why the calling of a full-time missionary is so divine. Corey has committed the next two years of his life to serving God. Not just any two years, but the two years that many have dubbed to be the most important. For the next two years, he will not have a job or career. He will not worry for money. He will not concern himself with the opposite sex. He will not date. He will not focus his energy in sports or hobbies. He will have limited contact with his family and friends. For the next two years, Corey will eat, sleep and drink the Gospel in and will share that Gospel with those in Mexico that are willing to hear it and he will do nothing more. As it says in D&C 4:2, “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.” A full-time mission is the rarest of opportunity to entirely put off the world and serve Him without hesitation or distraction. For this reason it is so divine.
There is another unique characteristic of the call to serve as a full-time missionary. Each calling extended in church service is done so after prayerful consideration and should be received as if the invitation to serve came from Christ himself. This call may come from a Stake Presidency, Bishopric or other priesthood or auxiliary leader. Corey, who signed your call? A living prophet of God approves each and every call to serve. Elder Rasband in his talk, “The Divine Call of a Missionary” explained the process by which a prophet of God calls a missionary to service. It involves humble supplication, and a relationship with the Spirit that guides. Elder Rasband explains that President Eyring knelt in prayer and sincerely pleaded for “perfect faith” in knowing where each missionary should be assigned. This is a sign that the call to serve is truly divine and of utmost importance to our Heavenly Father.
Of course, Stake Presidents, under the direction of the First Presidency, set Elders apart to serve. I recorded that day in my journal on March 5th…some time ago. “President sat me down and laid his hands upon my head, along with my Dad and the Bishop. In the name of Jesus Christ I was set apart as a disciple of Christ to serve God totally for the next two years. It was a long prayer, and much was said. I can’t quite recall the words he used, but at this moment, I still remember how special I felt to be receiving the blessings and call I did.”
Qualities Divine:
Elder Rasband said, speaking to the young men of the church, “At this time in your life, a mission call from the Lord, my young friends, is the most important work that you can do. Prepare now, live righteously, learn from your family and church leaders and come join with us in building the kingdom of God on earth. Accept your divine appointment in so great a cause.” Such a divine call requires equally divine preparation. In D&C 4 it lists the characteristics of those who have desires to serve God in this work; “And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.”
I am sure the apostles Peter and Andrew must have embodied these qualities when Christ approached them in Galilee with the call to follow Him; “And He saith unto them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men’”. I know they embodied these qualities as the scriptures note that “they straightway left their nets and followed him”.
Elder Rasband states in his talk that “missionary work is the lifeblood of the church and the lifesaving blessing to all who accept it’s message”. How important must missionary work be to the growth of the church to refer to it as “the lifeblood”. How much more important is missionary work to those who will receive the gospel through it’s efforts. Due to the importance of this work, it is by the Spirit and divine authority that missionaries are called. As such was the case when Heber C. Kimball was called to serve by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph said to Heber while in the Kirtland temple, “Brother Heber, the Spirit of the Lord has whispered to me, ‘Let my servant, Heber go to England and proclaim my gospel and open the door of salvation to that nation’”.
What a heavy burden that must be...to be laden with the responsibility to share the gospel with an entire country?! To make the gospel of salvation available to those who need it and have not yet heard nor accepted it. With great burdens and great commitment (along with the Spirit of course) come great rewards. Corey, you will surely witness in others' lives the life changing ways of the Gospel of Christ. Also remember, that you will also be planting seeds that will grow into trees you whose shade you will never sit under. While your service may not yield immediate results or seemingly small results, understand that those seeds will not only grow into great trees of faith, but forests and for years to come, others will be the benefactors of the seeds of your service.
As we read in D&C 18:15…How great shall be your joy. To me that simply says, “Your joy shall be so great that words cannot explain”. Having served a full time mission, I have had a glimpse of that joy and can somewhat understand the exponential influence our service can have. Because I did serve, I have seen those that I have taught serve missions of their own. I have even had the opportunity to witness one sister that I taught serve a full-time mission in my hometown. How great was my joy then? In fact I had the opportunity to sit in on several discussions with a young man she and her companion taught and was blessed to escort him to the temple before he served a mission of his own. How great was my joy then?! This is simply the beginning of my joy. I am so anxious to one day see the scope of effect I had while in the service of my God. The blessings of a missionary’s service are unquantifiable…at least not in the here and now. I am sure in the hereafter we will be have a greater understanding of the impact our service had. How great then, will our joy be? I cannot imagine.
Testimony:
I am grateful to have served in such a divine calling and I am the better for having done so. Two things I attribute much of my success and happiness to are First – my Mother and Second – my mission. I have witnessed amazing blessings poured upon my family as I served. I have seen the life changing effects the Gospel of Jesus Christ has on those that embrace it. I have felt the Spirit as I taught of His love for His children and His plan to return to Him someday. I continue to be blessed for my service today and I constantly express my gratitude to Him for the opportunity to do so.
I am so thankful for the brief opportunity I had to serve in the Young Men’s group. What a great group of young men we have in this ward. They remind me so much of the guys I was blessed to associate with in my youth. They have been taught well and will do many good things. It is amazing to try to imagine the influence for good they will have on the world. I would encourage each of them to make a goal now, if they have not already done so, to serve full-time missions. It is my prayer they will. I have always been so impressed with Elder Jackson. He is a kind soul and many in Mexico will feel of Christ’s love for them through him.
I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is real. I know the church is true. I am grateful for this knowledge and for the realization that God knows me. I love my wife, and daughter and want them to know that I have a testimony of Heavenly Father’s love for us. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Thank you Bishop for the opportunity to speak that Sunday. Corey, good luck. Who am I kidding...luck has nothing whatsoever to do with it. I wish you success and know that you will do well.
