Today in our Sacrament meeting, we had the privilege of having the Mission President and his wife speak to us. Naturally, the subject was on missionary work. Now, I will tell you that 5 or so years ago, if the subject of missionary work came up - click!- my brain would turn off. It isn't' that I was against missionary work. I knew (and still know) that it is indeed important. But, I think it was the delivery. Let me run you through a scenario that was the norm for me back then. Remember, this is back then and most of the scenario is me thinking to myself:

*knock knock* (open the doors) why it's the missionaries (greeeeat, just great). Now they want to "butter us up" and then ask the old question, "who do you know that may be interested in hearing about the gospel". Oh, they're going to sing to us? Okay. We offer them a beverage and some snack we have laying around. We listen to them. And then they ask the question, "who do you know...."? We go through our almost memorized script that we don't have anyone. They leave after a while. Repeat next month.

I am not proud of my behavior and attitude. I describe it mainly as a lesson on how NOT to be a member missionary.

Our intermediate hymn was, I'll go where you want me to go" and then the Mission President stood. He quoted President Monson's words from the opening of General Conference but added that the time given to open the General Conference was typically a time that new temples are announced. There was none of that. Instead, what did our prophet talk about last week to set the tone for General Conference?

I am happy to announce that two weeks ago, the membership of the Church reached 15 million. The Church continues to grow steadily and to change the lives of more and more people every year. It is spreading across the earth as our missionary force seeks out those who are searching for the truth. (Welcome to Conference)

Our prophet went on to talk about missionary work

The holy scriptures contain no proclamation more relevant, no responsibility more binding, no instruction more direct than the injunction given by the resurrected Lord as He appeared in Galilee to the eleven disciples. Said He, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”1 The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.”2 Some of you here today will yet remember the words of President David O. McKay, who phrased the familiar “Every member a missionary!”3

To their words I add my own. Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work. (Welcome to Conference)

Let me reiterate that last part: Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together,  to labor in the Lord's vineyard to bring souls unto Him. The word now brought shivers up and down my spine. Is this the commencement of the final gathering before The Lord returns? I do not know that, but to me it seemed that there was indeed an urgent tone given.

The Mission President went on to say that our job as member missionaries is to ASK The Lord who we should invite the missionaries to hear the gospel. Those whom The Lord has prepared. That's it. ASK.

Let me get back to the intermediate hymn that was sung. If we read the words as a member missionary, I believe our duty is clear:

It may not be on the mountain's height, 
Or over the stormy sea; 
It may not be at the battle's front, 
My Lord will have need of me; 
But if by a still, small voice He calls, 
To paths that I do not know, 
I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine, 
I'll go where You want me to go.

Perhaps today there are loving words
Which Jesus would have me speak; 
There may be now in the paths of sin, 
Some wand'rer whom I should seek; 
O Savior, if Thou wilt be my guide, 
Though dark and rugged the way, 
My voice shall echo Thy message sweet, 
I'll say what You want me to say.

There's surely somewhere a lowly place, 
In earth's harvest fields so white, 
Where I may labor through life's short day, 
For Jesus the Crucified; 
So trusting my all to Thy tender care, 
And knowing Thou lovest me, 
I'll do Thy will with a heart sincere, 
I'll be what You want me to be.

I'll go where You want me to go, dear Lord, 
O'er mountain, or plain, or sea; 
I'll say what You want me to say, dear Lord, 
I'll be what You want me to be.

Do we really, really believe what we sing? Do we really want to submit ourselves to go, to say, and to be what our Lord wants us to be? Are going to answer the call of our prophet to hasten the work of salvation?

I have repented of the earlier error of my ways and thoughts. I love The Lord and want to be a proactive part of hastening the work. The simple ways that we can do this are to keep the missionaries in our daily prayers, and to ask The Lord to whom we should share the gospel. I want to say that I accept Elder M. Russell Ballard's challenge:

We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior. (Put Your Trust in the Lord)

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