Mission

• Highs and Lows Poem
• “I have heard very fearful and even dismal opinions coming from some in your age group regarding the questions that missionary had in mind. I have heard some of you say that you wonder whether there is any purpose in going on a mission or getting an education or planning for a career if the world we live in is going to be so uncertain. I have even heard sweethearts say, “We don’t know whether we should get married in such uncertain times.” Worst of all, I have heard reports of some newlyweds questioning whether they should bring children into a terror-filled world on the brink of latter-day cataclysms. May I tell you that, in a way, those kinds of attitudes worry me more than Al-Qaeda worries me. We must never, in any age or circumstance, let fear and the father of fear (Satan himself) divert us from our faith and faithful living. There have always been questions about the future. Every young person and every young couple in every era has had to walk by faith into what has always been some uncertainty—starting with Adam and Eve in those first tremulous steps out of the Garden of Eden. But that is all right. This is the plan. It will be okay. Just be faithful. God is in charge. He knows your name and He knows your need.” Broken Things to Mend (Jeffrey R. Holland) Kindle Loc. 778-87
• “I talked to President Farnsworth this morning who told me that the three years he served in the Ecuador Quito Mission were miraculous. He was approached by a general authority in the beginning of his mission to set goals and expectations. Up to this point, the Church in Ecuador had four stakes created in the span of 28 years. This general authority told President Farnsworth that he and his missionaries needed to create seven stakes in the next 3 years so that the church could build a temple. President Farnsworth responded, “You are asking me accomplish this goal when it has taken 28 years to create only 4 stakes?” He was told, “President, we will give you the best missionaries possible to make this happen.” Three years later, President Farnsworth and the missionaries in the Quito mission had activated and converted enough people to have 11 chapels built, when typically only 1 chapel is built per year. That’s an average of over 3 chapels per year build. Also, there were 6,000 baptisms where, 10,000 reactivated members, and 1,000 children were baptized from these reactivated members. Because of the hard work and dedication of the missionaries from 1993 to 1996 in Quito, 7 stakes were formed. While I was a missionary, President Farnsworth asked me to do a program in Puyo, Ecuador where I would identify on a map where all the inactive members were and lived. I did this with my companion Elder Navarro. I was to then go around and meet with them, and simply find those ready to be baptized. Most of the inactive members had kids or husband or wives not baptized, and so the program became a big success. President Farnsworth then duplicated this effort in other areas of the mission. Later on in my mission he put me in charge of a “coordinator program”. That coordinator program essentially allowed me and a group of the some of the best elders and sisters in the mission to go around to the stakes and train Stake President, bishops, ward mission leaders on how to do missionary work properly. President Farnsworth said that this program is now being implemented church wide, which is true because I sit in on PEC and other meetings where this missionary process and program is now being implemented, where missionaries do go into the home of inactive member and part member families for the purpose of activating and baptizing.” Clinton Brown, after having lunch with President Farnsworth and Elder Steve Beck in Mesa, AZ in February, 2013.
• “Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Seventy described a time when he was serving as a mission president and found himself frustrated and discouraged at the end of a district conference by the many problems that confronted him. As he was traveling home, he was turning the pages of his scriptures, looking for comfort and direction, when he stopped at the third section of the Doctrine and Covenants. He said:“When I read a verse, I often insert my name in it. I did so with verse 5 and found the help I needed to remove my gloomy feelings: ‘Behold, you [Jay Jensen] have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you [Jay Jensen]’ ().“The words ‘remember also the promises’ struck me with unusual power. … During those four days I had focused on nothing but problems. I had not stopped to consider one single promise” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 112; or Ensign, Nov. 1992, 80).Elder Jensen then reviewed in his mind the promises given to him in his patriarchal blessing, in the blessing when he was set apart as a mission president, and in the scriptures. By so doing, he was able to find the strength and comfort he needed.” Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, Lesson 10: “This Is My Voice unto All”
• The Story of Brian Banks
• … And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few. 71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.
• Alma 17: 1-18… The sons of Mosiah by chance met up on a roadway while on their “missions” and were overcome with joy.  To know the word of God, they searched the scriptures diligently and had waxed strong because of it.  By prayer and fasting they earned the spirit of prophecy, revelation and taught with the power and authority of God.  Over 14 years, they brought many people to repentance. They denied a role of leadership in their fathers kingdom to face a mission of serving Lamanites, who wanted to kill them, and began their journey with a blessing or “setting apart” done by Alma.
• Jacob 5: 70...  And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few
• D&C 19:16–17…The Savior tells us, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer … even as I”. Christ did His part to atone for our sins. To make His Atonement fully effective in our lives, we must strive to obey Him and repent of our sins.
• “No man could do what he did for us. He did not have to die, he could have refused. He did it voluntarily. He did it because it was a commandment from his Father. He knew what the suffering was going to be; and yet, because of his love for us, he was willing to do it.” Manual,  Teachings of the President of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, Chapter 3 The Plan of Salvation