Here it is, for anyone who would like to read it. I always write out all my talks and sometimes give myself notes along the way to remind me of things to say or remember. The writer in me enjoys writing a nice essay, I suppose. The "live" version can go off course, vary in detail, and (hopefully) doesn't really sound read. Enjoy. =)
I walked along the sea shore
And knelt to feel the sand.
I grazed it with my fingers
And cupped it in my hands.
I admired the many pieces
Of granulated earth;
The rays of light exposed them,
To glisten as if with mirth.
I slowly let them slip away-
Those many bits of grain
And as they flowed from hand to home
Bits blended and appeared the same.
I contemplated my own fate-
I am but one grain of sand.
Will anybody notice me,
When I am in their hand?
It is beautiful to know the truth that our Father in Heaven loves us and knows us each individually. He created us. He taught us and teaches us still. He has given us the opportunity to grow, to become like Him, to return to Him. Though we may be one amongst many, we never go unnoticed.
This concept is true in many aspects of our lives, but today I would like to focus on how it relates to missionary work. The Lord’s work and glory is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” This is not only a demonstration of God’s love for us, but it is also a demonstration of the divinity of such work.
Though every young man is commanded to serve as a missionary for the Lord, it should not be forgotten that every single call is inspired. In Elder Ronald A. Rasband’s talk, “The Divine Call of a Missionary”, he testifies of the “divine design” that is specific to each individual-be it an Elder, sister, senior couple, etc. Elder Rasband states that “missionary work is the lifeblood of the Church and the lifesaving blessing to all who accept its message.” This is the Lord’s work. He does not take it lightly, and neither should we. It is a blessing to be able to serve Him and to have, as President Monson has said, “the privilege to be not spectators but participants on the stage . . . ”.
The process by which a missionary receives a call is divine. Prayer, humility, and a sincere desire to know where each individual should go guides the assigned member of the Quorum of the Twelve. President Monson has said, “wherever you are called will be right for you, and you will learn to love your mission.” I know that, since the Lord knows our strengths and our weaknesses, He knows where to place us. I know that through every missionary, the Holy Ghost can reach the hearts of a variety of people and share blessed truths. Our prophet, seer, and revelator has also told us that, “There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. The harvest truly is great. Let there be no mistake about it; the missionary opportunity of a lifetime is [ours]. The blessings of eternity await [us].”
In Alma 26:28-30 it reads:
28And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their asynagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been bstoned, and taken and bound with cstrong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.
30And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our ajoy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.
Ammon and his brothers recognized the divinity of their call and mission. They faced all manner of adversity and persecution but still they continued to share the gospel in the hopes of “saving some soul”. Because the worth of souls is great and, because of the divinity of a call, there will be adversity in various shapes and forms. At times, it may reach unbearable points. However, the Lord has promised us in Isaiah 40:31:
31But they that await upon the Lord shall brenew their cstrength; they shall mount up with wings as deagles; they shall erun, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
He is on our side. He will succor us and help us as we fulfill His work. In D&C 84:88 we gain further reaffirmation of this when the Lord says:
“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”
The Lord prepares those He calls, so long as we are willing and have a desire to serve Him. I know that there are many things that can be done to move the Lord’s work forward. I am grateful that I will be able to devote a small fraction of my life to dedicate myself to striving to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man.
I’ve considered the words of President Uchtdorf when he said, “Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion . . . Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.”
While President Uchtdorf counseled that creating and being compassionate lead us to experience a greater level of personal happiness, it is just as powerful as a tool to press forward in His work.
There are many different levels of creation: creating relationships, constructing messages with purpose, gathering good words from different sources to deliver comfort or counsel. The possibilities of creation to serve others are limitless. Having compassion opens our hearts to those around us and softens their hearts towards us. President Uchtdorf noted that “When we reach out to bless the lives of others, our lives are blessed as well. Service and sacrifice open the windows of heaven, allowing choice blessings to descend upon us.” President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls.”
I know that we can all contribute to the work. We can all apply these concepts to our lives now. President Uchtdorf has said “Every [member] in the Church is of critical importance—not only to our Heavenly Father but also to the building of the kingdom of God as well. There is a great work to do.” I also believe that as we serve our fellowmen more and strive to invite them to come unto Christ, we will further gain a testimony of the divinity of the work. For such an immense and crucial purpose, how could the calls of missionaries, the Lord’s assigned messengers, not be divine?
Testimony
