Missionary Plaque and Farewell Talk

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Good morning. Thank you all for coming. You all are quite a sight to see. It’s amazing to me how much love and support I have received from all of you, and for that I thank you. The topic of my talk will be centered on preparing for a mission. A lot of what I say may be a reiteration of what Jaedon has said, but that just goes to show how important it all is. In my talk I am specifically going to address the young men in the Church. I would urge as questions come to your mind to write them down, and ask about them after the meeting. I'm going to warn all of you, I may sound bold, but this is  because I know that what I say is true. So I’d invite you to listen. Not just to what I'm saying but what you feel. Like it says in Moroni 10:5 “by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

For those of you who are slightly new to this idea of a mission I’ll try my best to explain it as clearly as I can. As well trying to answer some of the questions I get a lot. Unlike common mission trips that last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, a “Mormon Mission” is a full time commitment of two years. Missionaries all around the world are called by God to “preach, teach, expound, exhort and baptize” people who have not yet had the opportunity to learn about the good news that we bring. The news is this. The very Church that Jesus set up during his ministry on earth has been restored to this earth once again. Missionaries teach those who are willing to learn, and also provide service where ever they can. They act as Jesus would, and bear His name with them constantly. This isn’t a vacation, but a mission given by God. With such a weighty calling and many responsibilities it seems obvious why preparation is necessary.

               I will now turn my attention to the young men and women who have the desire to serve a mission. I know many of you are planning to serve a mission. Some may not be so sure. I’ve often heard the question, “is serving a mission a commandment, or a choice?”  President Spencer W. Kimball said:

“The question is frequently asked: Should every young man fill a mission? And the answer has been given by the Lord. It is ‘Yes.’ Every young man should fill a mission.

He continues,

“… Every man should also pay his tithing. Every man should observe the Sabbath. Every man should attend his meetings. Every man should marry in the temple” (“When the World Will Be Converted,” Ensign, Oct. 1974, p. 8).

So to clear things up, yes, just as the law of tithing is a commandment, serving a mission for young men is also a commandment; the choice is whether or not we chose to obey it. Young women, you are given a choice, it is entirely up to you of weather or not you serve a mission. I eagerly urge all of those who are unsure about serving a mission, to go home tonight, and talk with your Father in Heaven. Pray to know, and it shall be given you.

Young men, serving a mission will be physically, mentally, emotionally and financially taxing, which is why preparation is vitally necessary. In a talk by Elder Daryl H. Garn, he uses the analogy of a Father saying to his son “I will be happy when you play in your first basketball game so you can learn to dribble and shoot the basketball.” He says that this statement is very similar to saying “I will be happy when you go on your mission so you can learn to be a good person and teach the gospel.”  No longer is it acceptable to leave on a mission unprepared. President Hinckley said, “The time has come when we must raise the standards of those who are called to serve as ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ to the world” The programs and teachers in this church are inspired and will help you along your way of preparation. I have prepared a few steps to help get you started on preparing for a mission.

The first step I would like to offer is simple. Gain a testimony. For me this first step started in one sacrament meeting my freshman year of high school. My young men’s leader said something that inspired me. He said exactly what I felt. People always would say they know, they KNOW, that the gospel is true. I wanted to know, but I just didn’t. He said that he started to bear his testimony, but instead he knew he said he hoped. He hoped that the gospel is true, he hoped that we really prophets on the earth today. And soon, the Holy Ghost began to witness to him of the truthfulness of the gospel. So that’s what I did, I started to hope. I hoped and diligently prayed all the time, and soon a little at a time I began to feel the Holy Spirit testifying to me of the truthfulness. I remember my first EFY one day feeling so full of the spirit and knowing that there was no way I could deny anything in this gospel. All of it started with hope and a desire to know. I don’t know where you all are in your testimony, but start somewhere it may be just by hoping. Or maybe just clinging to one piece of truth. In the words of one of are dear prophets, “Faith it, until you make it We read in James 1:5 “that If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” .” I promise you that one day that knowledge will come to those who desire to know. The first step is simply taking the first step.

Number two. Start now to establish your personal relationship with Christ. Get to know him, as your friend, your brother, savior and redeemer. Read the scriptures, they truly testify of Him, learn about His ministry. Learn about how He volunteered Himself to our Father in Heaven, to come to earth and atone for all of our sins, our weaknesses and infirmities. Learn about the love He had for those in Jerusalem, the Nephites and Lamanites and even those who crucified him. Listen to the talks given by the general authorities about the love he has for each one of you. Open your heart to the Spirit let it testify of the love our Savior, Jesus Christ has for each one of you. When I moved to Minnesota, it was hard. I felt like there was no one that was there for me. I prayed harder than I ever had before. I prayed for a friend. It wasn’t apparent then, but as I look back now I see that my prayers were answered. I came to know my Savior Jesus Christ better in those first months more than I had in my whole life.  I learned that He is the best friend anyone can have, and that He is always there for you. He is always there, all you have to do is let him in.

Number Three. Strive to constantly keep the presence of the Holy Ghost. Make sure you are living in constant harmony with the gospel standards. Read the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, it is truly inspired for youth in today’s world, with standards that are essential to worthily serving a mission.  President James E. Faust said: “There need to be some absolutes in life. There are some things that should not ever be done, some lines that should never be crossed, vows that should never be broken, words that should never be spoken, and thoughts that should never be entertained” Listen to the promptings from the Holy Ghost, they will keep you safe, pure and worthy to serve a mission. Be valiant. Be courageous. Don’t flirt with temptations. Don’t sit on the fence. Be like Joseph of Egypt, jump off and run. Run to Righteousness. For me it was easy to make decisions because I made them before they even happened. I decided as a young deacon, to follow each and every commandment to the best of my ability, with exactness. I would encourage you not to let a situation effect your actions. Make the decision now don’t wait until the heat of the moment.  If you feel like you’ve started straying from the path, don’t delay, stop, repent. In the words of Alma, he says  “I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance” Come back and enjoy the blessings that come from living worthily. If necessary talk with your bishop, the Lord needs more worthy and willing missionaries. By doing this you will have an increased measure of the Holy Ghost. You will become more sensitive from the warnings he gives and more able to act upon the promptings you receive. This will allow you to become a more usable missionary for the Lord in his army.

               Number Four. Learn and get to know the doctrine. Start today or continue to read your scriptures. Every day, make sure you are actively reading and learning from them. Take notes, I was once told at a youth conference that writing things down is how the Spirit knows you’re listening. And by writing things down not only will you be given more knowledge but you will now be able to go back and reread  Read in the New Testament, learn about how Christ acted and how his disciples followed. Get to know the Book of Mormon inside and out, get to love this book. I promise that it will bring so much more joy and fullness to your life. It has endlessly blessed mine. I always can find something new from the scriptures. And more often than not it is the exact answer or comfort I need. I would encourage you to actively attend seminary. Don’t just show up, but take it seriously. Take notes. Every day no matter how tired I was, I made sure that I had written at least one thing down. Make sure your are coming to church, and when you attend fulfil all of your priesthood duties to your best ability. Really focus on the lesson, not just to the teacher but to the Spirit. You may learn something completely different from the lesson if your are listening with and open heart and mind. I’ve learned that the more you know the easier it is to teach.  

               Number 5. Go do something hard. We’ve heard it from President Naatjes and Bishop Ruff, you can do hard things. Don’t waste your time with things that don’t matter. Be wary of what you spend most of your time doing. Make sure you are making time for the basics. Reading your scriptures, praying daily, spending time with family and friends, make sure your time is divided equally don’t let one area of life control the others. I know by personal experience how busy life can seem to be. My advice is to take a look at the things in life that truly matter. Ask yourself, What is it that that really matters to me in the long run? Learn to prioritize. It is such a valuable skill to have in life, and it is one I wish I had developed more. I once heard someone say that Satan doesn’t need you to significantly sin to be satisfied. If he can delay you from doing what could bring you closer to God, he wins. C.S. Lewis wrote a book called the Screw Tape Letters. In this book a senior demon writes to a junior demon about how to capture the mortals in the world. One of the letters reads “It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing.    Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick.”     Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” The adversary is powerful make no mistake, but you have been given more power over him so long as you strive to constantly uphold the standards of truth and righteousness. Seek to constantly beat the adversary in no matter what it may be. Don’t let temptations slow your progress. Do this and you will become a great asset to the Lords army, someone he can trust and rely on.

               Finally, start preparing now. Learn how to cook, clean and shop. Living on your own doesn’t come over night, start trying to be more independent in life, because on your mission, it’s just you and your companion. If you don’t, you better pray really hard that they’re good cook. Also, start saving now. Missions cost money, learn to budget your money and be aware of how you spend it. This is the area where I haven’t prepared as much as I should have. I would admonish you NOT TO DELAY. Start doing everything right. Start doing it now. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf quoted “An old proverb [that] says, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” Start helping more around the house learn how to cook meals and do your laundry, go shopping learn how to save money. Preparing for a mission is not only a spiritual preparation, but physical as well. Start to exercise, the average missionaries walk up to 6 miles per day and bike 12. The Lord can use you more if you are able to get to place to place so once again the key is to begin now.

Now to my nonmember friends. First of all thank you for everything. For dealing with some of my crazy attributes, for understanding my beliefs and just coming here to support me today. I love you all with all my heart Thank you for everything do, and say. You have truly left a lasting impression on me. Secondly, I want to share with you, what has brought me so much joy and happiness. I want you to know why I’ve chosen to take two years out of my life to dedicate it to God. I owe everything I am, to this church. Without the teachings and things I’ve learned here I wouldn’t be half of the person I am today. This is what has brought me such joy. It is my wish and my prayer to share this wonderful blessing with you. I plead to you to listen to the feelings you have right now, I testify that it is the Holy Spirit. I want you to know what I know to be true…..

This is the true and restored gospel. It is perfect  One that Christ set up

Holy Ghost constant companion I know him

Joseph smith

Translated the Book of Mormon.

Book of Mormon. true for me and others as is the Bible

I live for this gospel I know it to be true…

Plan of Salvation. Families

I'm grateful for the pioneers

Temple… Stay worthy

Priesthood power, Power and Authority

 I can feel power in the youth stay worthy

Prophet today as of old

We have been blessed with the greatest gift that God let his Son Jesus Christ

I love my brother JC, How could he have so much love and die for me IDK but its true

I owe him everything.

I love this church, family, my savior, HG, prophets, Pioneers, I love my Father in Heaven we will live again.

End with joy and gladness and power of HG

Ok so here is like what I wrote down at youth conference for testimony above is what I bulleted out to testify of but so here it is.

For those of you who read this, I want you to know of the greatest gifts you have been given. Our Father in heaven gave his son, Jesus Christ so that he may atone for all of our sins so that one day we may return to live with him again one day. I love my brother Jesus Christ with all my heart. How could someone love me so much that he was willing to take upon Himself all of my sins, weaknesses and infinities and then die for me? I'm unsure how but I know it's true. Jesus Christ is my brother and my savior. He loves me and I owe every thing to Him. This gospel is perfect, everything in it. Joseph Smith was truly an inspired man who under the Lords watchful and loving eye restored this beautiful gospel to this world. I love it with all my heart. I live for this gospel and if necessary, I would willingly give my life for it. I know that there is a world after death the great an glorious plan of salvation is real, how kind our Father in Heaven is, to give us all that we have with the promise that if we prove faithful we will receive all that the Father hath. I know the Boon of Mormon is true. I love this book. Many times through the power of prayer and reading the Book of Mormon I've found the answer to my questions. I know those who read it and ask to know if it is true will receive a witness of its truthfulness. 

I know that Thomas S Monson is a true prophet, called of God to teach and preach to the people in this world today. The teachings from our prophets and other servants of God are indeed from God.  I testify of the power of the priesthood. I know that it is truly the power and authority given to us to act in Christ's name. I know miracles still occur in this day through this power of the priesthood. I know without a doubt that families can be together forever. Through the sealing power in the temple. I know tr temple to be the house of The Lord. I admonish you to stay worthy to enter its holy doors to be in the presence of our Heavenly Father.  I've felt the spirit, and have come to recognize his comfort and promptings when I'm worthy. I know that when I'm not or have done something I shouldn't have done that we can repent, and that we through the grace of God can be saved and forgiven. I love the youth in the church, and I can feel the power in you. I have no fear that the church lies in good hands. Stay worthy. Don't wonder of the path, not even a step. I know trials and temptations are there to make us strong. I also no that nothing is impossible with the power of God in our side. I love this church, I love my Savior, I love my Family, I love when I can feel the presence of the Holy Ghost, I love my Heavenly Father, and I know that we will all live with him again. I close my testimony with joy and gladness in my heart, because of all we have been given. I say these things in the name if Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.