I will always be grateful for the missionaries who taught my Father’s family the gospel just before he was born, and for the missionaries who taught my mother and aunt the gospel when they were in their teens.
I cannot help but think that, if my parents had not been taught the gospel then:
– Mom and Dad would never have attended BYU, and subsequently they probably would have never met, and gotten married.
– I would have never been born nor my six other siblings. (And if I was born) My life would have been much different, and probably not for the better.
– Mom and Dad would have led drastically different lives, which would have affected what kind of parent they would have become.
Like I said, I will forever be grateful to these four amazing men. They each will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my life.
Each one of these young men made the sacrifice to take two years out of the prime of their young adult lives to serve The Lord and their fellow men. It is not easy to leave your family, and friends to go far from home, forget about themselves, and think instead of God and their fellow men. They spent countless hours every day giving service wherever service was needed, teaching those who would receive them, and endlessly praying to God for guidance, inspiration, and help in their work.
But even before they left on their missions these young men paid the price to be worthy for the service they were called of God to give.
“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men…” Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:34-35
Each of the young men also paid the price to be prepared to serve. This preparation is not something that can be done over night. It takes time, discipline, and desire to pay the price to follow the counsel given by the Lord to those who desire to teach His gospel.
“Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.” Doctrine and Covenants Section 11:21
Like these four young men who have so incredibly blessed my family through service, so many years ago, I am overjoyed every time I see another one of my young adult friends make the choice to live worthily, be prepared, and leave on missions of their own. For I know that there are so many out there in search of the gospel like Amos prophesied, and who as the Lord put it are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.
“Now is the moment in the timetable of the Lord to carry the gospel farther than it has ever been carried before. . . . Many a person in this world is crying, knowingly and unknowingly, ‘Come over . . . and help us.’ He might be your neighbor. She might be your friend. He might be a relative. She might be someone you met only yesterday. But we have what they need. Let us take new courage from our studies and pray, as did Peter, ‘And now, Lord, . . . grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.’ (Acts 4:29)” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball [1982], 546)
