The Mission Talk

For Those Who Missed It.

The Mission Talk

Elder Alex Sanders

When Luke tells the story of Christ’s birth in the New Testament, he concludes with the following verse, Luke 2:52.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
              

  When you break that verse down, we see that even the Son of God had to grow and develop to become the Savior of Mankind. As the verse says, he did so in 4 ways: Wisdom, or mental growth, stature, or physical growth, favor with God, or spiritually, and in favor with man, or socially.  I look at these as the four cornerstones of growth. In order for us to all grow and develop into the representatives of Jesus Christ we are meant to be, we need to grow in all 4 categories. To keep my talk organized, I’m going to talk a little bit on each one.

Socially

First I wanted to talk about growing socially.  As many of you know, I was Senior Class President in high school.  Being in that position made me an example to many of my peers, even people I didn’t know. I was blessed to meet a lot of great students who I probably wouldn’t have otherwise been able to meet; those students, some of which are in attendance today, will probably never realize how they touched my life by their example. 

What most of you may not know, though my family sure does, is that I used to be extremely socially awkward in middle school. I didn’t quite understand what is socially acceptable and what behavioral quirks need to be kept behind closed doors…even today I still struggle to look people in the eye when I talk to them.  But in order to be a good missionary, leader, and member of the church, we need to be able to communicate and interact properly with those we come in contact with, particularly those who aren’t members of the church.  As time goes on, technology is becoming more and more a part of our lives. While I love my cell phone and my iPod just as much as the next guy, we can’t let them take over our lives, because they can destroy social skills and social lives. I know of a lot of people who can send 500 texts in one day, but can’t manage a 30 second conversation in person. If you are guilty of this, may I recommend making a change?  Some can hop on Facebook or Twitter and send a scathing message to a group of people or an individual, but would never say the same thing in person. Elder Stanley G. Ellis of the Seventy said on this topic, “when we think we’re hidden…behind a nameless presence on the web, we’re led to do things totally out of character.” We as members of the church represent the Savior no matter where we are or what we’re doing, and our conduct should reflect that. Brethren and sisters, develop your social skills so that we can fully and properly spread the gospel through our example. You never know who’s watching you.

Physically

I next want to talk about developing physically. I was lucky enough to keep the same young men’s leaders my entire tenure in the priest quorum.  Brother Lindstrom and Brother Lewis taught me many timeless lessons during those 2 ½ years; and I wouldn’t be nearly as prepared for a mission without them.  Each summer, we went on a week-long hiking trip to Zion and Arches national parks. While these trips were some of the most fun trips of my life, the most significant part of these trips were the moments I got to witness the tender mercies of the Lord. 2 summers ago, we went on an additional trip to King’s Peak, which is the highest peak in Utah at nearly 14,000 feet.  Brother Lindstrom attempted this hike 23 years ago but didn’t make it, so he was more excited than any of us combined. We hiked to 10,000 feet that day and set up base camp right as a violent hail storm set in. I went in my tent and took a nap and when I woke up, it was brighter outside than when I had gone to bed so I had no idea if I had slept through the night or if it had only been a couple of hours. It turns out everyone went and took a nap so when I went asking people what day it was, no one knew. I asked a leader who had a watch and he told me 7:00. …AM or PM?... Turns out I had only slept for 2 hours, so I was set for the long haul. I had a rough night that night fighting of a migraine, but this only increased my determination to conquer the mountain.  The next day, we had almost made it to the top and I asked Brother Lindstrom if he was excited to get to the top today, he told me yes but he was concerned about some storm clouds rolling our way. He told me that when he got up that morning he had a distinct prompting that we were to turn around at the first crack of thunder.

Sure enough, about 300 yards from the peak, thunder struck. I looked at him with a look in my eyes just begging to hurry and reach the peak, then hurry off. Thankfully, Brother Lindstrom had already decided to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit because as we were getting off the peak, a violent hail and thunderstorm rocked King’s Peak. The hair was starting to stand on my head because it was so close. We scurried to get out of harm’s way as I was screaming out loud to my Father in Heaven out of sheer fear. It was probably the only time I’ve been legitimately scared for my life.  We had to take a shortcut down a very dangerous rock incline. We gathered together to pray as a group for safety, and 45 minutes later, we had all made it down the dangerous rock slide safely. We gathered together as Chris Koller offered an emotional prayer of gratitude and I said a prayer in my head thanking Heavenly Father for his mercy and for prompting my leader to give up what he had waited 23 years for to make sure his scouts were kept safe.

As you can see, from our desire to stay physically strong by hiking, we were able to witness a small miracle in our eyes, which I view as a blessing. The Word of Wisdom, which we all know promotes living a physically healthy life, promises similar blessings that we will “find great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures.” The Lord has commanded us to live a healthy life, and to keep ourselves in good physical shape; if we do that, we will be blessed, sometimes in unexpected ways.

Mentally

Probably the hardest part of preparing for a mission was the mental trials that came.  Satan is very crafty at taking our weaknesses and turning them into seemingly unbearable trials.  About 9 years ago, I suffered separation anxiety attacks. My dad’s job has him and my mom going with the BYU Ballroom Dance Company on their yearly month long tour to various places around the world.  When they left the first time, I was convinced that they weren’t coming back, that they were going to die, and that my life was over.  I would panic and have emotional break downs at the thought.  They did, however, eventually come home and all was well with the world. As the years went on, it became easier and easier to cope with their absence and I thought my days of anxiety attacks had ended. Then I moved home from BYU and got a new job. I had loved my life at BYU and had loved my job at BYUtv.  When I had to move home and wait til my mission time, I had to get a new job. My new job turned out to be a warehouse assembly line job, 5 AM to 3 PM, sometimes later.  I am, in the end, very grateful for having that job because it helped immensely in funding my mission.  However, something about the monotonous work, the early early hours, and the lack of English speakers around me, triggered my anxiety attacks again.  1 day in and I was ready to quit and give up.  But I knew I needed the money and had to stick with the job. A lot of prayer helped me through my time at that job, and once again I was able to resist and overcome my anxiety.  I am almost positive that I will be faced with anxiety attacks in the mission field, but now I know how to cope with it and fight it off. 

Overcoming mental obstacles does not happen overnight; learning to fight off my anxiety attacks came over many years in the refiner’s fire.  I personally believe mental trials can be the hardest to overcome, because we’re essentially fighting against ourselves.  When we’re taking on mental trials, we hear thoughts such as “I can never get over this. This is too hard. I can’t do it.” And we often turn to God and ask “why are you doing this to me?” Elder D. Todd Christofferson tells of President Hugh B. Brown’s experience:

He told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet (1.8 m) high and was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say:

“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”

President Brown replied, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’”

Years later, President Brown was a field officer in the Canadian Army serving in England. When a superior officer became a battle casualty, President Brown was in line to be promoted to general, and he was summoned to London. But even though he was fully qualified for the promotion, it was denied him because he was a Mormon. The commanding general said in essence, “You deserve the appointment, but I cannot give it to you.” What President Brown had spent 10 years hoping, praying, and preparing for slipped through his fingers in that moment because of blatant discrimination. Continuing his story, President Brown remembered:

“I got on the train and started back … with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul. … When I got to my tent, … I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists, and I shook them at heaven. I said, ‘How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have done—that I should have done—that I haven’t done. How could you do this to me?’ I was as bitter as gall.

“And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my own voice, and the voice said, ‘I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.’ The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness. …

“… And now, almost 50 years later, I look up to [God] and say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.’”

The Lord will never give us a trial we can’t handle.  And he will always provide a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it.  He gives us trials so that we can grow. Sometimes he gives us trials so we can help others who have been in our position.  I don’t know why Heavenly Father gave me anxiety attacks to overcome, but I’m confident that someday I will understand.

Spiritually

The greatest growth for me in preparing for a mission came through spiritual growth.  I have been blessed with many experiences over the years that have helped solidify my testimony into one ready to be shared in the mission field.  I never had the most solid testimony of Joseph Smith.  I had always accepted that he was a prophet because it wouldn’t make sense any other way, but I never had that rock solid knowledge that he was.  Eventually I reached the conclusion that I couldn’t go share the message of the restoration unless I knew if for myself.  One week, I went to see the Joseph Smith movie in Salt Lake.  As the film was coming to a close and the song “Praise to the Man” came on, I was overcome with the Spirit proclaiming to me that he was truly a prophet of God.  Now, every time I hear that song, I feel that conviction all over again. 

While I was at BYU, I had a report on the Book of Mormon coming up in my Mission Prep class. As the due date approached, I began noticing the Book of Mormon everywhere around me in advertisements, talks, discussions, and news reports.  At first I brushed it off as a coincidence. But when the October Ensign came out as a special issue on the Book of Mormon, I finally got the hint and determined that I needed to really READ the Book of Mormon.  I spent the next 3 weeks vigorously reading whenever I had free time.  I was almost done when I had an interview with Bishop Sites.  I told him my story and told him how excited I was to take the Moroni Challenge and gain that testimony.  He told me “Alex, you can take the challenge over and over and you’ll always have the same results.  What you’ve already experienced this time in reading is your own personal witness of the Book of Mormon; never forget it.” I can tell you now without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true.

For about a month, I’ve been working only in the afternoons which makes my mornings completely free. At first I was just sleeping til I couldn’t stand the taste of my own breath anymore and had to get up…I know…but last month I was able to go to the temple and receive my endowment. Brothers and sisters, the temple is the house of the Lord and we should make the necessary sacrifices, be it time, money, or old habits, to be worthy and available to receive the blessings of the holy temple. In the last month, I’ve been to 6 different temples. While the rooms and the presentation of the endowment is a little different at each one, the Spirit of peace and comfort you feel is unchanging.  I can testify to you here that we cannot comprehend the blessings the temple brings into our lives.  President Thomas S. Monson has said of the temple, “Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.

May I echo the words of our beloved prophet in saying that we need to do everything we can to regularly attend the temple. We are blessed to have 7 temples within an hour’s drive of where we live, with 2 more on the way.  If you don’t have a current recommend, get one.  If you feel like you don’t have time, make time. If you aren’t currently worthy, repent and become worthy. We cannot miss out on the blessings of the temple in our lives.

Blessings

              

I want to conclude my talk with a promise that if we develop these four foundations of our lives, we will be blessed beyond comprehension.  Since receiving my mission call compounded with Whitney preparing to serve her own mission, our family has been immensely blessed in ways that can only be described as miracles.  One such example is one of the most humbling experiences of my life. Since Whitney decided to serve a mission, the prospect of funding 2 missionaries has been a concern in our house. I remember talking to my mom on multiple occasions about how we’re going to have to make sacrifices and how difficult it will be to fund 2 missionaries.  I kept reminding her that we’re doing our part, the Lord will provide. Even in saying this I had my doubts and fears. I mean, where is that money coming from? As in Mark 9:24, I prayed to my Father in Heaven, “Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.”  One morning we were all gathered together to hear my dad through tears tell us that a family we didn’t even know who had a still born daughter 21 years ago wanted to help finance a sister missionary.  We hear those stories in the church all the time, but for it to happen to our family at this time was indescribable.  I testify that the Lord does not abandon his children.  The hymn “How Firm a Foundation” beautifully illustrates this point:

Fear not, I am with thee, oh be not dismayed

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid

I’ll strengthen the, help thee, and cause thee to stand

Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand

The Soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake

I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

D&C 88:84 says: I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my  Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. 

When we are trying our best to progress in our lives and grow closer to our Heavenly Father, he does not abandon us.  I’ve seen it in my own life and in the lives of those around me.  That is why I have chosen to serve a mission.  There are people in McAllen Texas that need to hear the Good News that has so blessed my life.  The hymn “Brightly beams our father’s mercy” says the following:

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from His lighthouse evermore,
But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.
Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar;
Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights, along the shore.
Trim your feeble lamp, my brother, some poor sailor tempest tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!
Some poor fainting struggling seaman, you may rescue, you may save.