The Joy that Comes From Full-time Missionary Service

Not everyone gets the chance to report their mission twice, but after 9 months home I was asked to speak in Stake Conference on the Joy of a full time mission. I thought for those who we left in England I would like to post this. I am grateful for the experience and I am thankful for all of you!

Last week I attended grandchildren’s Primary program. It began with a whole stand full of angelic faces singing these words with all their might:

1. A long time ago in a beautiful place,

Children were gathered ’round Jesus.

He blessed and taught as they felt of His love.

Each saw the tears on His face.

The love that He felt for His little ones

I know He feels for me.

I did not touch Him or sit on His knee,

Yet, Jesus is real to me.

Chorus

I know He lives!

I will follow faithfully.

My heart I give to Him.

I know that my Savior loves me.

I can’t think of a more JOYOUS message to the world today! “I know he lives”

Bill and I had the opportunity to send 5 of our 6 children on full-time missions. There was a three year time frame when we had 2 out at the same time. Now as a mother I felt that this was such a sacrifice… it seemed like they were gone forever. However because of a trip we took to our oldest daughter field of service in Oklahoma, my concept of sacrifice changed. We were able to meet a little family she had been instrumental in bringing into the church. Oh my the feeling in that home, the realization of what the gospel had done for their lives made me understand that sending our children on missions was not a sacrifice at all but a wonderful blessing.

About two years ago Bill and I received a call to serve an 18 Month Full-time mission to the England London South mission working with the Stake Young Single Adult program. While we were preparing our mission application and deciding what to do with our cars, our house, all of our stuff and as we travelled all over the country to say good by to our kids and grandkids, there were moments that we felt like this is hard to let go, this is a big sacrifice… But what we found out was again the same conclusion we came to as we visited that little family in Oklahoma.

 To quote from my missionary blog/jounal: “There is a lot that goes into transforming ordinary people into servants of the Lord.”

First comes the experience at the MTC. Nothing like it anywhere. Just think about it…how many prayers do you think ascend to Heaven from there every day, every hour, every minute. The spirit is almost tangible.

Then when you get to your assigned place, we stayed in Bristol Stake the whole time, you are told to go to work; not always with a clear understanding of what that means. Stretching and strengthening…

About 6 moths out I began to identify 4 Important things that I was learning:

First

• You feel joy and sorrow with the people that you teach 

Not everything goes smoothly with the people you work with.The ups and downs can be daunting, Ether 12:6 becomes very real.  6 ….. dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

Next

• You learn so much about yourself that you never understood before 

I learned that:

Some days are filled with joy and some days are mundane, all are a part of this mortal life. If we remember to keep an eternal perspective and remember that no matter what our challenges are we shouted for joy when the great plan of happiness was presented to us and we were given the opportunity to come to earth.

Also

• Every time you bare testimony your own conviction grows enormously

 I am sometimes amazed and even overwhelmed by the courage it takes to listen to the truth and then embrace it with commitment. My perspective of the conversion process has changed and deepened.

Everything is new and fresh and precious through the eyes of someone who so recently received their testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel…

Last

• You get to experience the everlasting love the Savior has for the people with whom you work

Quote my blog: Every day there seems to be some small miracle happen to us, the missionaries or investigators and yes even our family back home. I cannot express how wonderful it is to be on the Lords errand and begin to catch a glimpse of the magnitude of this work here in the latter days! Sometimes the feelings are overpowering and sometimes just quiet little moments, tender mercies.

Bill and I loved working in the Stake Young Single Adult program. Following our last Institute lesson I recorded these thoughts:

The lesson went well, the spirit was strong, the valiant thoughts and testimonies of these fine young people filled the room. Then we had to give our final farewell speech. We have spent hundreds of hours with them in all kinds of circumstances. There have been many FB conversations and hours of one on one counseling and priesthood blessings. We have laughed and cried during games and activities. We have danced and worked and prayed with them and now we have to say good bye. Our lives are changed! We are not the same people we were. As we were singing the closing song “I Stand all Amazed” I was engulfed by a spirit of love and joy. I knew that it had been our job to represent the Savior for the last 18 months and the reward for that service means we are privileged to feel His powerful love for them. What a privilege!

I would like to read my very last blog entry. My heart was so full and the joy of this full time missionary experience were still tender:

 It is wonderful to be sitting in my kitchen looking out at my sunny back yard as I type this. It just feels so normal here, like nothing has changed. I think that the reason it all feels so surreal is because I am not the same any more. This journey that we started 18 months ago has changed me forever!! 

(Sacrifice?)
Thank you to the wonderful people of Bristol England. To all the countless missionaries from the England London South Mission. To the Young Single Adults of the Bristol Stake. To all the brave people who accepted and embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ and shared that journey with us. And most of all to the wonderful family who have supported, loved and prayed for us every single day!!!

My assigned topic today is:

The Joy that Comes From Full-time Missionary Service

The definition of joy taken from Guide to the Scriptures in the Gospel Library is:

a condition of happiness coming from righteous living. The purpose of mortal life is for all people to have joy. A full joy will come only through Jesus Christ.

As the primary song said “I know He lives”