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| Elder Ryan Coombs |
Good morning brothers and sisters!
For some of the newer members who don’t know me yet, my name is Ryan Coombs. I have been called to serve a mission in the Spain Barcelona Mission, and I enter the MTC this Wednesday. I would like to take a moment now to give thanks to all of my friends and family who were able to make it out to support me today, as well as a special thanks to those who were not able to, as they have equally blessed and supported me. All of you who are part of my ward here, you still had the choice to come to church today so I can still thank you for coming, and many of you have been a strength to me just as much!
My message today was assigned to be on the topic of missionary work (go figure…) but I feel extremely blessed to do so, because this last week of preparing it has been a blessing and strength for me and helped me to prepare more effectively as a missionary and as a person. I’ve chosen today to focus mainly on the blessings on and the effects of missionary work.
Because the Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the source of practically all the blessings of this great work and in immense part determines the effects of it, I will also focus a lot on this awesome sacrifice, the greatest manifestation of missionary work this world has ever known, which was performed by the greatest missionary this world has ever been blessed to have, Jesus Christ.
As a side note, in preparation for my mission I read a book written by Tad R. Callister, called “The Infinite Atonement”. It is probably the best book ever read and on the best subject any book has to offer, so I highly recommend it to all of you; and I promise you’ll learn something! My testimony and understanding have grown a lot after reading through it. I’ll be basing some of my remarks from parts of it, as well as a few other quotes because prophets and apostles just have a way of saying things that I just can’t beat. =)
In Preach My Gospel, the handbook that missionaries use, it states that “You are called to represent Jesus Christ in helping people become clean from their sins. You do this by inviting them to come unto Jesus Christ and become converted to His restored gospel. To come to the Savior they must have faith in Him unto repentance—making the necessary changes to bring their life into agreement with His teachings. [2]” Missionaries go throughout all the world to teach the gospel to all who will hear its message. President Monson said of missionaries: “Missionaries teach truth. They dispel darkness. They spread joy. They bring precious souls to Christ.” PMG opens by stating: “The gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith will bless their families, meet their spiritual needs, and help them fulfill their deepest desires. …They need to experience the joy of redemption by receiving forgiveness of their sins and enjoying the gift of the Holy Ghost. [1-2]” PMG also promises that “As you study the doctrines in the missionary lessons, you will come to see that we have one message: Through a modern prophet, God has restored knowledge about the plan of salvation, which is centered on Christ’s Atonement and fulfilled by living the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. [6]”. So, in short, the gospel of Jesus Christ defines both the message and the purpose; that is, it provides both the “what” and the “why” of missionary work. Brother Callister noted that “The Atonement is not just a prime teaching of the gospel; it is the heart of the gospel. It infuses life into every doctrine, every principle, and every ordinance, transforming what might otherwise be a lofty but nonetheless lifeless ideal, to a vibrant spiritual truth.[8]” This is the message missionaries bring, and this is the reason they bring it.
This is something that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has to offer that many religions seem to not have as much understanding about, notwithstanding the much good that they do have. We learn so much about the Atonement through the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The Bible gives beautiful first-hand accounts and these other scripture have powerful clarifying, motivational, and teaching testimonies that enhance our understanding.
This is why missionaries have such a desire and obligation to go and share this gospel to the world. With increased vision of something can come increased motivation to do or become. Likewise, as our vision of and understanding of the Atonement grows, so does our motivation to embrace its full effects. We will have a greater desire to live more like our Savior, but also to share this with others. Brother Callister explains: “ Every attempt to reflect upon the Atonement, to study it, to embrace it, to express appreciation for it, however small or feeble it may be, will kindle the fires of faith and work its miracle towards a more Christlike life. It is an inescapable consequence of so doing. We become like those things we habitually love and admire. And thus, as we study Christ’s life and live his teachings, we become more like him.[17]” As Parker Salmons mentioned in his talk a few months ago, the gospel of Jesus Christ is something you become.
Elder Bednar spoke of this deep conversion: “The natural result of ... an ever-deepening conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ is a spiritually instinctive and intuitive desire to share with others that which we know to be true and which has changed our hearts in such important ways. Brothers and sisters, I am not simply talking about missionary work. I am talking about the work of proclaiming the gospel that results from and grows out of continuing conversion to the Savior. Men and women pressing forward on the pathway of personal and ongoing conversion do not need to be goaded, prodded, or pushed to participate in the work of proclaiming the gospel. One may feel inadequate and may sense his or her limitations as a messenger of the restored gospel; but the more converted we become the less fear and hesitation we feel, the less attention we pay to ourselves, and the more reliant we become upon the Lord and His Spirit. Such men and women are eager and seek for opportunities to open their mouths (see D&C 33:7-10). Stated another way, fear or reluctance to open our mouths may be the most telling indicator of both our direction and pace on the pathway of personal and continuing conversion. (BYU-Idaho Education Week Devotional, 28 June 2003)” Enos had such a conversion that after he had received a remission of his own sins, he “began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.” [Enos 1:9] and then he says “my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.” [Enos 1:11] His focus and desires went from himself, to his friends/family/neighbors, and then finally to those he did not know, even his enemies. His focus, in essence, went from himself to Christ and His mission. And then we also read in Mosiah 28:1-4 of the sons of Mosiah, who after their conversion
1. …took a small number with them and returned unto their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites—
2. That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.
3. Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
4. And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy to spare them; …
They were the very vilest of sinners, and the Lord saw fit to save them. They had become some of the greatest missionaries and people known throughout the Book of Mormon. We read of them later in Alma 17 to be “waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophesy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” They thought to themselves “If us, why not them? Why not anyone and everyone else?” Theirs was a true conversion if there was an example to be found.
The medium for the infusion of these godlike powers and enabling traits from a divine being to us is the Holy Ghost. Elder Parley P. Pratt describes its refining and perfecting power as this: “The gift of the Holy Ghost…quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form, and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.” [267] All of these divine qualities are scripturally labeled as “spiritual gifts” or “gifts of the Spirit.” That is why there is a ‘baptism of water’ and a ‘baptism of fire’, or the gift of the Holy Ghost. One without the other is useless. Is it any wonder then, why the “first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.” [4th Article of Faith] Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, His Atonement, His power to save; utilizing that faith through our repentance; and becoming baptized, both for the remission of our sins and then to be lifted and edified.
The Savior is anxious that the Atonement make us better. He must be so disappointed if people only see his Atonement as a magnificent sacrifice to be viewed in awe, but with no thought of change. The atoning sacrifice was designed to motivate us, to draw us unto him, and to lift us to higher ground; and then ultimately to assist us in becoming as he is. The Atonement must be “felt” and not just “figured”, and it must be internalized and not just analyzed. Elder D. Todd Christofferson said in a recent general conference that “It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts (see 2 Nephi 25:23). Perhaps as much as praying for mercy, we should pray for time and opportunity to work and strive and overcome. Surely the Lord smiles upon one who desires to come to judgment worthily, who resolutely labors day by day to replace weakness with strength. Real repentance, real change may require repeated attempts, but there is something refining and holy in such striving. Divine forgiveness and healing flow quite naturally to such a soul, for indeed “virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; [and] mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own” (D&C 88:40).” What a beautiful thought!
As missionaries go out and share the knowledge of the Atonement and principles of the Gospel, people become motivated and are then able to utilize the Atonement in their own lives, to the effect of then many blessings.
Missionary work not only blesses the recipients such efforts, but also the missionaries themselves and those they are associated with. You could say missionary efforts bless everyone!
President Monson also said of missionaries that they “represent the flower of youth and the hopes, prayers, and dreams of their parents. They represent sacrifice.” Anyone who has been a missionary or who has supported a missionary will tell you that it is indeed a sacrifice. They will also tell you that it was a time filled with immense blessings!
President Uchtdorf counseled the new mission presidents of this last month to help missionaries understand that the fruit of their labors will reach far beyond their present horizon, and that generations to come will be grateful and bless their names for their faithfulness and dedication. Speaking of the missionaries, he said: “As these young missionaries endure rejection, lonliness, self-doubt, homesickness, exhaustion, and temptation, the refiner’s fire will purify their souls. They will increase in wisdom and grow up in the Lord, and, as they stay faithful, their confidence will wax strong in the presence of God.”
Not to just keep throwing quotes out there, but I really loved how Pres. Eyring spoke of this as well. He’s always been one of my favorite speakers! He spoke to the mission presidents this:
“First, you are called of God. The Lord knows you. He knows whom He would have serve in every position in His Church. He chose you. He has prepared a way so that He could issue your call.
Your call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here. They will be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life because of something you said or did, or even what you were. [Real quick as a side note, I think it’s really cool how he points out that the ancestors of your converts will be blessed, and not just their descendants, as they will do the work for their ancestors and family. Just think about how their ancestors might have been involved in bringing you to their descendants!] If someone rejects the Savior’s invitation because you did not do all you could have done, their sorrow will be yours. You see, there are no small callings to represent the Lord. Your call carries grave responsibility. But you need not fear, because with your call come great promises.
Just as God called you and will guide you, He will magnify you. You will need that magnification. Your calling will surely bring opposition. You are in the Master’s service. You are His representative. Eternal lives depend on you. He faced opposition, and He said that facing opposition would be the lot of those He called. The forces arrayed against you will try not only to frustrate your work but to bring you down. The Apostle Paul described it this way: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.”
The Lord will magnify what you say and what you do in the eyes of the people you serve. He will send the Holy Ghost to manifest to them that what you spoke was true. What you say and do will carry hope and give direction to people far beyond your natural abilities and your own understanding. That miracle has been a mark of the Lord’s Church in every dispensation. It is so much a part of your call that you may begin to take it for granted.
The Lord will not only magnify the power of your efforts. He will work with you Himself. His voice to four missionaries, called through the Prophet Joseph Smith to a difficult task, gives courage to everyone He calls in His kingdom: “And I myself will go with them and be in their midst; and I am their advocate with the Father, and nothing shall prevail against them.” Because the Savior is a resurrected and glorified being, He is not physically with every one of His servants at every moment. But He is perfectly aware of them and their circumstance and able to intervene with His power. That is why He can promise you: “Whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for 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.””
In the gospel of Jesus Christ we have help from both sides of the veil, and we must never forget that. A lot of my friends have gone before me in serving their missions and are either in the MTC or out in the field, and just recently one to the Spirit World. I love reading their letters and the testimonies they represent of this awesome work. Letter after letter I have read how the language has come like second nature to them, teaching lessons in these languages in the first week of training, without even knowing one bit beforehand, be it from Spanish to Hungarian! They each tell of weaknesses and of their being overcome through faith, scripture study, and from examples in the lives of the people they are teaching. These blessings, and countless more, are beautifully summarized by our former beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley:
"Of course your time is precious, and you may feel you cannot afford two years. But I promise you that the time you spend in the mission field, if those years are spent in dedicated service, will yield a greater return on investment than any other two years of your lives. You will come to know what dedication and consecration mean. You will develop powers of persuasion which will bless your entire life. Your timidity, your fears, your shyness will gradually disappear as you go forth with boldness and conviction. You will learn to work with others, to develop a spirit of teamwork. The cankering evil of selfishness will be supplanted by a sense of service to others. You will draw nearer to the Lord than you likely will in any other set of circumstances. You will come to know that without His help you are indeed weak and simple, but that with His help you can accomplish miracles.
You will establish habits of industry. You will develop a talent for the establishment of goals of effort. You will learn to work with singleness of purpose. What a tremendous foundation all of this will become for you in your later educational efforts and your life’s work. Two years will not be time lost. It will be skills gained.
You will bless the lives of those you teach, and their posterity after them. You will bless your own life. You will bless the lives of your family, who will sustain you and pray for you.
And above and beyond all of this will come that sweet peace in your heart that you have served your Lord faithfully and well. Your service will become an expression of gratitude to your Heavenly Father.
You will come to know your Redeemer as your greatest friend in time or eternity. You will realize that through His atoning sacrifice He has opened the way for eternal life and an exaltation above and beyond your greatest dreams.
If you serve a mission faithfully and well, you will be a better husband, you will be a better father, you will be a better student, a better worker in your chosen vocation. Love is of the essence of this missionary work. Selflessness is of its very nature. Self-discipline is its requirement. Prayer opens its reservoir of power.
And so, my dear young brethren, resolve within your hearts today to include in the program of your lives service in the harvest field of the Lord as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Ensign, October 1995, 51-52)”
What greater blessings then these? These are not limited to full time missionaries, but to all who dedicate their lives to sharing what they know to be true through any form of missionary work, from member to inactive, family member to family member, friend to friend, or stranger to stranger. That is the great work of a missionary. Elder Perry has expressed before that he wished that members would do more of the finding so that full time missionaries could do more teaching than searching. We have the solemn duty and obligation to do such, as priesthood holders, and members of this Church in relation to the covenant made to Abraham, and we owe it to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has asked that we proclaim his gospel and made it possible to preach the redemption of mankind without it being just an empty promise.
After returning from our cruise not too long ago, I had an eye opening experience. We spent a week on a cruise ship and touring various parts of Mexico, and from what I was able to see we were among a very select few who were LDS, in fact maybe the only besides a couple other families here or there. A very small percentage amid the thousands of people we saw and met. I had thoughts on numerous occasions about how much the world really does need missionaries. The calls in general conference for “tens of thousands more missionaries in the months that lie ahead” [Elder Holland, Oct. 2011] and for our beloved prophet to say “The Lord needs missionaries.” and that “Every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission.” He even went to say to the brethren: “Missionary service is a priesthood duty—an obligation the Lord expects of [you] who have been given so very much.” and the calls for senior couple missionaries, and for sisters if they so desire, all came to life in my mind. Just think of the staggering proportions of those who need to hear the gospel message, both on earth (if you do the math, LDS population is less than 1% of the worlds) and in the spirit world (almost innumerable)! That is why prophets of past have said “every member a missionary!” and why the world needs missionaries. “The blessing of [bringing others] into the gospel far outweighs anything [you] will ever sacrifice.”
In closing, I am excited to serve a mission and share what I know to be true. I know that this is what I am supposed to do, and that Spain is where I need to be. I can barely imagine what the Lord has in store for these next two years! I am excited for the experiences and blessings I will have and to see the light of the gospel illuminate the lives of others as it has mine.
I bear testimony that this work is sure; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s reestablished church on the earth today complete with the fullness of the Gospel. He has restored it through our prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith. It is led by our current prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. He and His counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve are living prophets, seers, and revelators. I bear testimony that we have God’s Priesthood and His authority here on earth. That Priesthood is righteously exercised in the temples of the Most High, and the work inside those walls is eternal, sacred, and His Spirit and power are available to those who sacrifice their time and efforts to participate in such. I know that the scriptures are the word of God, and that their pages are filled with power that comes into our lives as we study them; especially of the Book of Mormon. I bear witness of it as another testament of Jesus Christ; that He lives. God our Heavenly Father lives. He hears and answers every one of our prayers. He knows each of us individually, by name and character. He loves each of us with an infinite love. I testify that Christ our Savior has suffered the sins of the world; the sins, sorrows, pains, and inadequacies of each one of us. He has descended below all things; that we may rise above them if we accept His grace and Atonement in our lives. As He says in Isaiah, “I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” [Isaiah 42:16] I testify that we cannot sink farther than the light of Jesus Christ can reach! As long as there is one spark of desire to repent, to change, to rise above our shortcomings, He is there. I know that He has conquered death and we will all live again and shall see Him as He is. For “there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.” [Mosiah 16:8-9]. I testify that there is no other name or means given whereby men can be saved. All of this I know for myself because I have asked God in prayer, and He has told me through the power of the Holy Ghost that they are true.
These things I say in His Holy Name, even Jesus the Christ, amen.
