The Hour of Your Mission Is Come
To all the rising generation of the Church, I invite you to place serving a full-time mission high on your list.
As a member of the Presiding Bishopric, I have the privilege of serving on the Church’s Missionary Executive Council. I have a deep love for the missionaries of the Church. They are uniquely set apart from the world and divinely commissioned by the Savior. As President Dallin H. Oaks teaches: “We invite all [of God’s children] to come unto Christ by repentance and baptism and confirmation in order to open the doors of the celestial kingdom to the sons and daughters of God. No one else can do this.” Missionaries are called to assist in this great work.
Today more missionaries are serving in more missions and more of God’s children are choosing to enter the Lord’s Church through baptism than ever before in this dispensation.
We love missionaries of all ages. You are an army of righteousness with the doctrine of Christ as your purpose. You are a force of faith, power, love, and joy. You are what you preach. You are not only the messengers but also living examples of the message. Make no mistake—you are doing the most important work you could be doing. We thank you for building up the kingdom of God on earth.
A few months ago, I attended a sacrament meeting where my two great-nephews, who are brothers, spoke before departing for their missions. They were beaming with enthusiasm and eager to get going. Maybe it was because their assignments are thousands of miles from home at opposite ends of the earth. But in truth, their desire to serve the Lord was unmistakable.
They reminded me of the sons of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, who “were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish.”
Their desire to serve the Lord rose above every other personal ambition. It’s what makes missionaries special; it’s why they radiate the Light of Christ and teach with convincing power. For a season, all else takes a back seat—education, dating, careers, family time, and even sleeping in on Saturday mornings. Yes, the Lord’s expectations are high for you! But, oh, is it worth it! President Russell M. Nelson taught, “Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty.”
God held you in reserve for this time. You were taught and prepared, before you were born, to invite God’s children to come unto Christ. We could say this is in your spiritual DNA. Take care not to become distracted. Prioritize it; don’t let anything get in the way. You are needed!
Sister Douglas and I served as mission leaders in Lima, Peru. One of our amazing missionaries was Elder Merlin Sanchez. Merlin was baptized when he was nearly 24 years old. As some do, he stopped participating for a time. A faithful friend helped him begin to fill out his mission papers and schedule a physical exam, even though Merlin had not yet decided to serve a mission.
With the help of friends and leaders, Merlin returned to church at age 25. A desire to serve a mission suddenly swelled in his heart. Thankfully, his mission papers were well advanced. Once he made the decision to go, it was miraculous to see how the Lord removed seemingly insurmountable obstacles one by one. When I asked him why he wanted to serve, he replied, “I only want to be close to Jesus Christ and to follow Him.”
He became a wonderful missionary, converted to Jesus Christ and His doctrine. His every experience, trial, and companion was consecrated for his gain. Interestingly, Elder Sanchez served with the same companion twice, for a total of eight months. Though opposite in personality, they became united in purpose—assigned together by divine design.
Merlin met his eternal sweetheart, Gali, just a few months following his mission. On the day of their marriage, he was called to be a bishop—quite the wedding gift! There was no time for his discipleship to be interrupted or his faith to be diminished. After all, serving a mission is just one of many significant steps on the path of lifelong discipleship.
Merlin and Gali today have a beautiful family with three children, while Merlin serves as a stake president. They cannot fathom what their lives would be if Merlin had not served a mission.
To you wonderful young converts of the Church, a mission may not have been on your radar, but it ought to be now. To all the rising generation of the Church, I invite you to place serving a full-time mission high on your list. Don’t be distracted by alternatives of far less worth. Some might be like Amulek of the Book of Mormon, who expressed, “For I was called many times and I would not hear.”
Prophets of God today strongly reaffirm “that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For [you], missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. … For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. … Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission.”
We rejoice exceedingly for your faithful response to the prophet’s call to action. Record numbers of missionaries of all ages are finding great joy as they humbly dedicate themselves to serving the Lord by laboring among Heavenly Father’s children. I wish to wholeheartedly add: There is still plenty of room and a special place reserved for each one of you! We need you! “Come join the ranks!”
You have a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement that can bless a world suffering without knowledge of His divine mission. I pray that you will make the Savior’s grand commission your very own.
I conclude with the words of our Savior given through Joseph Smith to Thomas B. Marsh, who was called to preach the gospel in 1830. I invite each of you to substitute your name for Thomas’s:
“Thomas, my son [or daughter], …
“Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation. …
“Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back. … Wherefore, your family shall live.
“Behold, … go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.
“… I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand.”
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.