The Call to Serve

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 36, which is about missionary work. It honestly made me think of the January first presidency message and my Home Teaching visit that I had last night with one of my families. The first presidency message, or home teaching message as it is sometimes called, was on missionaries and how the Lord needs missionaries.

I learned something last night during my visit. The father taught his family something while I was there that I had not known before. He pointed out that the Savior when He was on the earth, when He taught the Lord's prayer, taught that the very first thing He taught them to say, "thy kingdom come" means to establish Zion. This part I already knew. But I had never thought of it as pertaining to missionary work until last night. My wife actually went with me last night since my companion was not able to go, and when I mentioned that to her that I had never thought of it that way before, she mentioned she had been taught it years ago so I guess I was the oddball there.

Missionary work was so important back then when the Savior was on the earth, and not so long ago when the church was first reorganized here, that missionaries were only sent out with the clothing on their backs. No food, no preparation, no money at all. Just sent out with the promise that the Lord would provide. In this day and age we of course have things a bit more organized and do not just call random people during General Conference, although that would be pretty neat, could you imagine that? I know I would faint if I were the one called, it would be kind of like the Lord's draft! :)

Even in this scripture it says that every elder who will embrace it will be ordained and sent forth. In this day and age we know that every young man who is a member of the church is called to serve a mission. Some do not accept the call either because of worthiness issues or because of "other" pursuits. But as President Monson and other prophets, and even the Lord has said, it is a Priesthood duty to serve a full time mission and there should be no debate among worthy young Latter-day Saint men. The time to serve a mission is when the Lord has declared it is time, not you. For all those that are wondering if a mission is right for them, the answer is a resounding YES. I don't remember his name, but one of the members of the Quorum of the Seventy in last October's general conference stated that it is contrary to the order of heaven for God to repeat what He has already spoken to the many to the one, or the few. God has already answered every young man's question of is a mission right for them by having his prophets declare that EVERY worthy young man is called to serve! It should not be a question or a debate.

I could say more, but it has already been said before so this will suffice. I do want to close with what everyone else has already said before me and will continue to say long after I am gone. It is the most worthwhile thing you will ever do and will be the best 2 years, or 18 months, of your life, guaranteed. No one I have ever talked to, who really dedicated them to the work mind you, has ever regretted even for a second serving a mission. You won't either if you put God's will ahead of your own, I can promise you that. Until tomorrow.