Christ and the Fishermen, by J. Kirk Richards

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Your Missionary Experience

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Introduction

Your mission didn’t really begin the day you were set apart. It won’t end the day you are released. A service mission is more than putting on a uniform in the morning only to take it off again when the day is done.

Your service mission experience demonstrates your commitment to Jesus Christ and your desire to serve others in His name. Since your baptism, you have been on the covenant path that leads to eternal happiness, joy, and peace. Your mission experience can change you, and you should take those changes with you for the rest of your life.

Seen from an eternal perspective, your mission is more than a checkbox to be marked off. It is a way to help you on your quest to become a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ. President Marion G. Romney said, “Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made” (“The Celestial Nature of Self-reliance,” Ensign, Nov. 1982, 93).

The Lord said, “Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:3). Whether you were originally assigned to be a service missionary, were transferred to become a service missionary, or were reinstated as a service missionary, you have the privilege of dedicating this period of your life to serving the Lord by serving others in His name. In this calling, you will have opportunities to give service that will bless other people, your own life, your family, the Church, and the organizations where you serve.

Each of us is sent to the earth with different abilities and talents. With your unique talents and abilities, you can make a meaningful contribution to God’s work on the earth. Your faithful service as a missionary is an acceptable offering to the Lord.

Enjoy your mission experience as you love God and love your neighbor. This is a time to rejoice and to experience lasting happiness and peace through Jesus Christ.

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Obedience

True disciples of Jesus Christ are obedient. The Savior taught, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Keeping the commandments means you willingly and faithfully do what the Lord asks because you love Him. Obedience also means that you keep the commandments with “joyfulness” (Colossians 1:11) and “gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46).

Jesus Christ is the example of perfect obedience. Everything He did was the Father’s will. Follow Him by doing your best to keep all His commandments and live the service missionary standards. Being obedient and faithful also means that you try to learn, grow, and improve. Correct mistakes quickly. Show that you are faithful and obedient by taking personal responsibility for your actions.

You will be blessed when you follow the commandments and the missionary standards and use good judgment. Please realize that even when you keep the commandments, you may experience trouble, sickness, or challenges (see John 16:33). The Savior experienced all of these things (see Alma 7:11–12; Doctrine and Covenants 122:8). He promises, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18).

God loves you. Choose to keep the commandments because you love God. Do not try to make deals with the Lord or treat your obedience as a transaction to obtain specific blessings.

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Agency

Agency, or the ability to choose and act for yourself, is one of God’s greatest gifts to His children. Our eternal progression depends on how we use this gift. We must choose whether to follow Jesus Christ and His teachings. Agency allows you to learn, progress, and follow the Savior. With it, you are “free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men” (2 Nephi 2:27).

You are responsible for the decisions you make. You are a child of God with great strength. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness regardless of your circumstances.

You are also responsible for developing the abilities and talents God has given you. Your mission is a time to learn to be accountable to Him for what you do with your abilities and how you use your time. Do not waste time by being idle. Be willing to work hard. Choose to be consistent and dependable, and do many good things of your own free will.

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Service Missionary Purpose

The Savior’s ministry exemplifies the two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” and “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37, 39). We express our love for our neighbors when we serve them. As we serve others, we also demonstrate our love to God: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

The First Presidency provided a service missionary purpose to guide you in your sacred call to serve:

“Our purpose is to help others come unto Christ by serving them as the Savior would. We serve voluntarily in charitable organizations, Church functions, and within the community. We will minister in His name to the one, just as He did, expressing His loving kindness.”

Remember that how you serve the Savior is more important than where you serve or what you do. President Russell M. Nelson declared: “Through a lifetime of service in this Church, I have learned that it really doesn’t matter where one serves. What the Lord cares about is how one serves” (“Ministering with the Power and Authority of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 68). Your service is for the Master, and you are invited to serve like Him!

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Missionary Objectives

The First Presidency also provided the following service mission objectives:

• Provide an opportunity for all willing young women and young men to serve the Lord and increase in testimony of Him.

• Help each service missionary prepare for a lifetime of service.

• Provide needed and valuable service to the Lord through serving in Church and community organizations.

As you faithfully serve the Savior in His name and in His way both during and after your mission, you will develop Christlike traits. These traits, or attributes, will help you to accomplish your missionary objectives.

You have the opportunity to build new spiritual, social, physical, and intellectual skills that will bless and influence you in all aspects of your life.

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Standards for Life

God invites you to dedicate yourself to Him throughout your life. Mission standards such as personal study, goal setting, and the righteous use of technology will bless you on your mission and the rest of your life.

Let the commandments in the scriptures and these missionary standards become lifelong guiding principles. As you follow God’s commandments and standards, He will direct, bless, and guide you throughout your life.