Missionary Work

I was asked to give a talk in our church a couple of weeks ago. It had been a few years since I had been asked to speak so I was a little nervous. I was asked to speak on missionary work and encouraged to take a direction that had not been touched on recently, so I chose how missionary work had affected my own personal conversion. I stayed up late the night before trying to put my feelings on paper, and then on Sunday another speaker ran long so I was asked to sum up my 12 minute talk into a brief 5 minutes. I decided I could at least share my full unedited version on here, reckon I didn't perfect it for others to read so I'm sure it's a little rough in spots but that's ok. This is what I believe. This is who I am.

{To find out a little bit more about what I believe}

When I was asked to speak on missionary work, I agonized over the fact that I didn't have much to share because I am severely lacking in personal missionary stories and experiences. My husband then kindly reminded me that everyone knows people get asked to speak on the things they need to work on the most, so I guess that was his nice way of telling me that he thinks I’m a bad missionary too! Fortunately I’m being given every opportunity to improve through this talk and our current calling as ward missionaries.

While I was pregnant, I sat in the ultrasound room with my husband waiting to find out the gender of our babies, I was there to confirm my thoughts that we were having two little girls. I had had dreams about it, pictured it in my mind, and just felt like these babies were going to be girls. So you can imagine my surprise when the image on the screen did not look like a little girl. The ultrasound tech confirmed my fears when she said they were indeed little boys. I instantly saw chaos, loud noises, and destruction, and wondered what on earth I was going to do with little boys. But after the initial surprise wore off, the next overwhelming feeling I had was inadequacy of raising boys. I suddenly realized I was responsible for the teaching and rearing of these little boys to gain strong testimonies so they would one day be missionaries.

I had read the account of the Stripling Warriors several times but it touched my heart even more now when I read Alma 56:47-48, “Now they never had fought yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” I wasn't sure I was up to this task, after all, I hadn't served a mission, I am not perfect in my scripture reading, and honestly I mix up some of the stories occasionally! How was I supposed to take on this big assignment of raising future missionaries if I accidentally tell them Jonah was thrown in the lion’s den?

I knew in that moment that I could not afford to be coasting in my testimony. I knew I had to constantly be strengthening it. And as in most other things in life, the best way to learn and grow, is to teach and explain concepts to others, which is exactly what missionary work is.

I read Elder L Tom Perry's talk, Bring Souls Unto Me, from April 2009 and he read Doctrine and Covenants 33:8-10. It mentions we need to open our mouths three times in these verses. Elder Perry talks about the responsibility to open our mouths and warn our neighbor. He then offers a suggestion of what we can say when we open our mouths these three times.

1. Declare our belief in Jesus Christ and his atonement. This is where our happiness comes from, through the atonement and resurrection of our Savior. In knowing there is purpose and life after this one, we are filled with hope, joy, and a desire to do good things.

2. Tell the story of the First Vision in our own words. I found it interesting that he mentions to say it in our own words. I wonder if that is because it gives us an extra opportunity to let our testimony show and grow. The spirit can pierce our hearts through reading the account, but the more we testify, the more converted we personally become.

3. Testify of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon compliments the Bible. It helps us understand doctrines and it supports Joseph Smith’s story. In Doctrine and Covenants 20, it is referring to the Book of Mormon when it states in verse 11 “Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old;”

When we first moved out here, I worked with a girl who was raised Baptist. She quickly learned that I was a Mormon and began asking me questions relating more to some of the deeper doctrines like creating worlds rather than the doctrines of salvation such as faith and baptism. I grew up in Idaho and Utah and had not needed to defend my faith in such a way before. I was terrified and excited at the same time. I tried to answer her questions as best I could but I struggled with some of the questions because I simply had not ever questioned those things so in depth before, nor had I really taught outside of a church environment. I have always been a believing soul who doesn’t question all the minute details because I simply feel that the core teachings are true and I exercise faith on topics I don’t fully understand.

These questions would then spark conversations at home with my husband and I realized that by simply talking more about the Gospel at home, helped strengthen my own testimony and give me more confidence as I spoke to others. I learned to bring it back to the basics, because that is what I felt was important, and one thing I loved to emphasize is that we have a living prophet on the Earth today. I remember this particular girl saying that made a lot of sense because she had wondered why we didn’t have them anymore and I was able to testify that we do in fact have a prophet who communicates with God today, just as in days of old.

I don’t know if anything will come of our conversations on her end, but I know my testimony was strengthened because of our interactions. I found it easier and easier to talk about what I believed and found joy in sharing my testimony and the good news of the Gospel. I think it becomes simpler and sweet opportunities present themselves when you are prepared personally and take the time to open your mouth and share what you believe.

These opportunities have become less common since having our babies and cutting back to only one day of work per week. I don’t go out of the house much, and when I do I’m typically going with a one track mind to get in, get what I need, and get back home, especially if I have babies in tow. I find myself not seeking out missionary opportunities and finding excuses along the way. I have also found myself shy about sharing what I believe to people I encounter because I simply am out of practice and feel like I need to know more before I try to talk to others.

Elder M Russell Ballard was speaking about full time missionaries but I feel like it applies to everyone when he said: “We don’t expect them to be perfect, but they need to be anxious, willing, and committed to serve so they can reach new levels of spirituality as gospel teachers.” This emphasizes that we don’t need to be perfect; we simply need to be willing. The spirit is the real teacher, we are simply the vessel passing along the message.

I also believe that missionary work can be done within the walls of our own homes as we go through different times and seasons of availability, opportunities, and situations. I have felt guilty for not being as actively involved outside of my home in sharing the Gospel but have been gently reminded that it is ok for my missionary focus to be inside my home as well. Even though my children are very young, I am constantly teaching principles of the Gospel to them and I have found it flows so naturally. I can’t imagine what else I would teach them. The Gospel is engrained in my soul and is a part of everything I do whether I realize it or not. Every time I sing primary songs or tell scripture stories to them I feel of my Heavenly Father’s love for them and for me. I know I am far from perfect, but my Heavenly Father helps me every step of the way.

This Gospel gives people hope, perspective, love, and happiness. I’m grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who did what no other could through the atonement to allow us the opportunity to live with our Heavenly Father again. I’m grateful he was willing to bear the pains and sins of the world so he can understand and help me through mine. I am grateful for our living prophet President Monson who leads this church through divine inspiration. I’m grateful for the Temple and for the Priesthood power to bind on earth and heaven. I’m grateful I can have my family for all eternity as long as I am worthy of it. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he saw our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and restored the Gospel to the Earth. I know this Gospel brings happiness to the people who live it and I want to share that joy with the people around me. I pray that you and I will be blessed with opportunities to open our mouths and share our testimonies to not only help those around us but to strengthen ourselves and our families. I know that as we become more vocal in sharing our beliefs that we become more converted ourselves and I know this is especially important to me as I try to raise valiant young men who will one day go out and serve full time missions. I don’t want them to fear sharing the Gospel, but instead find joy in sharing the truth we’ve been blessed to know. I want them to say that they have no doubt that their mother knew because of my words and actions. I want to become more deeply converted through missionary service, and I know I can be as I take opportunities to open my mouth and share my testimony as prompted by the Holy Ghost, to those around me.

To learn more about what we believe visit: http://mormon.org/