Summary: When missionaries are in the right place at the right time, they will have the Spirit of the Lord with them which will bear testimony that what they are teaching is true, a crucial element of the conversion process.

The principle of being in the right place at the right time applies to all of us. It means to do what the Lord expects you to do at the time the Lord expects you to do it. It applies to missions, temple marriage, and everyday opportunities to serve our fellow beings. For today, I’d like to focus on what it means for young men and all missionaries to be in the right place at the right time.

The Right Place for Young Men is on a Mission

First of all, for young men in their late teens or early twenties, the right place to be at that time in your life is on a mission. The prophets have long taught that every young man should serve a mission. Recently, at the October 2012 General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson said, “We affirm that missionary work is a priesthood duty—and we encourage all young men who are worthy and who are physically able and mentally capable to respond to the call to serve.”

It was in that same talk that President Monson announced the reduced age for missionary service for young men to be 18 years old. Said Pres. Monson, “I am not suggesting that all young men will—or should—serve at this earlier age. Rather, based on individual circumstances as well as upon a determination by priesthood leaders, this option is now available.” The prophet has never said that young men need to leave on their mission right at age 18. He gives young men the flexibility to find a good time to go, to wrap up school or work or athletics, and then go on a mission. But certainly by the time that young men reach their early twenties, if they are going to school or working or involved in athletics instead of being out in the mission field, they are not in the right place at that time in their life. The age limit for men to serve a mission is 25, so for young men in their early 20s, the right place to be at that time of life is on a full-time mission.

Following the Missionary Daily Schedule

The second aspect of being in the right place at the right time that I would like to discuss is about mission life, obeying mission rules, and doing the things you are supposed to do at the times you are supposed to do them. Mormon missionaries are expected to work hard, be obedient, and keep a strict schedule. Here’s a quick overview of the daily routine:

• 6:30 a.m. Wake up, pray, exercise, eat breakfast, and do other preparation for the day.
• 8:00 a.m. Personal study: the Book of Mormon, other scriptures, chapters from Preach My Gospel, etc.
• 9:00 a.m. Companion study: share what you have learned during personal study and prepare to teach.
• 10:00 a.m. Begin proselyting: teaching appointments, finding people to teach, etc.
• Lunch and Dinner: You may take an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner at times that fit best with proselyting.
• 9:00 – 9:30 p.m. Return to the apartment and plan the next day’s activities. Write in journal, prepare for bed, pray.
• 10:30 p.m. Go to bed.
• This schedule may vary a little in some countries and missions. For example, in the Rosario Argentina mission, where I served from 1995 to 1997, we were expected to be out proselytizing by 9am and we had our companionship study after lunch.

Even when it is hot, or snowy, or rainy, or cold, it is important for missionaries to keep this schedule. The schedule helps you as a missionary be in the right place at the right time, and as you do so, the Lord will bless you. It is important to be out of your apartment, meeting people, and sharing your testimony at the most opportune times. If it is mid-morning, 10:30-ish, and you are still in your apartment, then you are not in the right place at the time time. If it is mid-morning and you are knocking doors, meeting people, and sharing your testimony, then you are in the right place at the right time. If you have been lingering at a member’s home after a dinner appointment and you have been there for over an hour, then you are not in the right place at the right time. If you keep your dinner appointment to under an hour, thank the members for their hospitality, and then you get on your way to your next teaching appointment, then you are in the right place at the right time.

You get the point. Keeping this schedule is an important component of being obedient to the mission rules. And as you are obedient to the rules you are asked to live by, you will have the Spirit in greater measure. You will be guided by God and be more successful in your missionary labors.

Examples of Missionary Success By Being in the Right Place at the Right Time

Virtually every family I taught and baptized was a result of being in the right place at the right time. I know that had I not been obedient to the missionary daily schedule, then I would have missed out on many opportunities to meet families, and eventually see them join the true Church of Jesus Christ. Here are some examples:

• Finding Juan Carlos Lopez. I had just been transferred to the area and it would have been easy to justify lingering longer in the apartment to unpack my suitcases. But it was 9am, and we knew we were supposed to be out working. And it was that morning that my companion and I ran into Juan Carlos Lopez, who eventually got baptized.
• Reconnecting with a Family in Rosario. We had taught a family in the city of Rosario and they had been progressing well, when all of a sudden they lost interest in meeting with us. We didn’t see them for a few weeks, but one day when we were out working, we happen to run into them on the sidewalk and we resumed the discussions. They got baptized soon thereafter, and this wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t been out working at the appropriate time.
• Finding teaching and baptizing the Lescano Family wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t been in the right place at the right time.
• Also, meeting and getting an appointment with the Godoy family is another example to led to a family being baptized.
• The examples could go on and on.

“I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place…for the salvation of souls”

The Lord spoke to the prophet Joseph Smith about being in the right place at the right time in order to bring about the salvation of souls. In D&C 100: 4- 8, the Savior says, “Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls. Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men; For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say. But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things. And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.”

Future missionaries, you will be called by God as a missionary and sent to the place where the Lord would have you serve. There are people in that area that need the gospel and need you to bring it to them. Please be in the right place at the right time in order to do the work and bring the blessings of the gospel to the people of the world according to your call from God. Be where you are supposed to be. Do what you are supposed to do. Open your mouth, preach the gospel, bear testimony of the Savior, and teach by the Holy Ghost. The Spirit will testify to the hearts of the people that what you are teaching is true and you will have more power to convert. I know that as you do this you will be blessed and you will be an instrument in the hands of the Lord in bringing to pass much righteousness.

Being in the Right Place at the Right Time is a post from: Mormon Mission Prep

There is a lot of excitement about men and women being able to serve full time missions at an earlier age. Along with the many who can’t wait to get out there and knock on doors, there are some who think, “Should I Serve a Mission? What if I’m not sure I want to serve?” Many aren’t comfortable sharing their honest feelings, and others either want to bag the idea altogether, or head out to the MTC reluctantly, and with feelings of quiet concern.

What if you aren’t sure you want to serve a mission? It’s okay. This is a big step, even if you’ve been preparing your whole life for this moment. Questions, fears, and worries may arise.  Frequently, people wonder if they are truly worthy to serve a mission, if they can handle being away from home, or if now is the time for them to go.

If you feel as though you aren’t ready, or not sure if you should serve a mission, I can share one story with you that may calm your nerves and allow you to move forward with more assurance. It comes from Elder Stephen Oveson, of the Quorum of the Seventy:

“We learned a beautiful lesson about consecration from one of the assistants to the president in our mission. A decision had been made that one of our missionaries needed to be sent home early from his mission. He had been disobedient on several occasions despite counseling, contracts, and repeated warnings. The airplane ticket had been purchased, and the appropriate approvals were obtained from the South America South Area Presidency and the Missionary Department to send this missionary home.

When the assistants brought the missionary in for his final interview, he protested loudly and tearfully that he did not want to go home. He promised to improve and said he would sign yet another contract. In desperation, President Oveson called the two assistants and Sister Oveson into his office and asked the elder to wait outside while the possible courses of action were discussed. Sister Oveson, somewhat out of patience with the situation, believed that sending him home was the only reasonable thing to do. “If he is allowed to stay,” she maintained, “the other missionaries might think that obedience is not important.”

One of the assistants said, “I have to agree with Hermana Oveson. I don’t think we really have a choice.”

When President Oveson asked the other assistant for his opinion, the assistant said, “I see much good in this elder. President, if you will let me go back out into the field, I will take him for my companion for the rest of my mission. I will take responsibility for him and help him to become a loving and obedient missionary.”

We all had tears in our eyes by the time this elder finished his remarks. We could not believe that anyone could be so loving and caring, especially a 20-year-old missionary. The decision was made to do as he requested. He found it exceedingly difficult at first, but slowly his junior companion learned a great deal from him and became a trustworthy missionary. When the senior companion went home, his companion stayed to finish his mission, becoming in time a senior companion and a trainer before he was honorably released. The follow-up to this true experience is that this once-wayward elder has since married and been sealed in the temple. He and his wife now have a son. They are active in the Church and are helping to build the kingdom. What a difference a consecrated, Christ-like person made in the life of this missionary and his future family!” (Personal Consecration, Elder Stephen B. Oveson, Ensign, September 2005.)

Are you the kind of person who has the compassion to see the good in another -even when they haven’t yet seen it for themselves? If so, there might be more souls for you to help than those investigators you teach!

Are you feeling like you might want to serve, yet you wonder if you can “hold down the fort” and lock into the mission rules, guidelines, and schedule? If you prepare to go with a willing heart and a mind to continually improve, the Lord may have just the right mission president and companion waiting to help build and strengthen you.

If you feel it is not right, then wait. Work with your bishop and your stake president. Plead for insights and direction from Father in Heaven, through the Holy Ghost. And then? Then, you can go forward knowing that your choice has been the right one for you.

With prayer, reasonably thinking through the challenges that arise in your mind, and with support of those who love you, you can make the right choice. And most choose to head out with their two pair of shoes, suits or dresses, and scriptures, ready for their adventure!

Vickey Pahnke Taylor is a songwriter, author, and speaker who has spent more than two decades teaching youth and adults with positive messages and motivational themes. Whether through music, books, columns, or standing in front of people, she loves the heart-to-heart connection. You can find Vickey online at her website, Goodness Matters, or on the Goodness Matters Facebook page.

Should I Serve a Mission? is a post from: Mormon Mission Prep

I was in a recent stake conference priesthood leadership meeting where Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve presided and spoke. He opened up the meeting to questions, and one brother asked for his advice in preparing young people for a mission. Elder Nelson gave two pieces of advice: one, study the word of the Lord in the scriptures, and two, gain a testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith. I’d like to focus on the later today, particularly on Joseph Smith’s First Vision.

Many of the important gospel truths that LDS missionaries teach were restored through Joseph Smith–that we lived with God before our birth, the importance of gospel ordinances, the necessity of priesthood authority,  that families can be together forever, and much added depth of understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. One of the most profound truths restored through Joseph the Prophet was about the nature of God and Jesus, and much of that was learned in the First Vision.

Summary of Joseph Smith’s First Vision

In the spring of 1820, after much meditation and studying of the bible, 14-year-old Joseph Smith followed the counsel in James 1:5 that “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” Joseph desired guidance in his life, he wanted to know which church was correct, and he desired to be cleansed from his sins. He left his home one morning and found seclusion in a grove of trees and prayed. In response to this prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith. This sacred experience was the beginning of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It led to other visitations by angelic messengers, to the coming forth of new scriptures such as the Book of Mormon, and to the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with priesthood authority from God.

Four Accounts of the First Vision

Some young people are surprised to learn that Joseph Smith wrote, or dictated, his First Vision experience four times. Each account of the First Vision was written in response to different needs and addressed different audiences. The four accounts were written in 1832, 1835, 1838, and 1842 respectively. Critics of the Church like to focus on the differences in these tellings of the First Vision and use such differences as they can find to attack Joseph Smith. But I have found that the four accounts of the First Vision are rather complementary of each other, and come together in beautiful harmony. Each emphasizes different aspects of his experience, and gives different insights about Joseph and his interaction with Diety.

The First Visitation

Though we call it a “vision”, the Mormon scholar Truman G. Madsen liked to refer to it as a “visitation” to emphasize that it wasn’t just a dream that Joseph made up in his mind, but that he was truly visited by heavenly beings. Furthermore, we call Joseph’s experience the First Vision, because it was the first in a series of heavenly visions, revelations, and visitations. But to Joseph Smith at the time it was not the First Vision. It was an answer to his prayer. It was a message of forgiveness and it gave direction to his life. Joseph said his “soul was filled with love and for many days I could rejoice with great Joy and the Lord was with me.”

Another LDS scholar named Richard Lyman Bushman noted in his book, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, that at the time of the First Vision, Joseph didn’t tell many people, not even is family initially,  much about the experience. He seems to have viewed it as a personal religious experience. The day of the event, Joseph only reported, “I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, ‘Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.’ I then said to my mother, ‘I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.’” (JSH 1:20)

I was in a meeting once where Elder David A. Bednar spoke. He mentioned the scripture above and pointed out that a key doctrine in that verse is that Joseph Smith learned the truth for himself. Learning the truth for ourselves is something we all must do. Missionaries especially must gain their own testimony that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.

My Testimony of the First Vision

During my two years in Rosario Argentina as a missionary, I bore my testimony countless times of the Prophet Joseph Smith and of the truthfulness of his First Vision. I had the following scripture memorized from the frequent telling of the experience:

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me…When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JSH 1:16-17)

I knew it then and my testimony is even stronger now. I know that this event really happened. Joseph was personally visited and called by God to be a prophet and to be the instrument in the Lord’s hand in restoring the full gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth.

I highly recommend that all future missionaries memorize this verse now. As you do so, your testimony will grow. Your purpose as a missionary is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is powerful convincing evidence that Jesus Christ lives and loves us, that Joseph Smith is a true prophet, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s true church. I pray that you can develop your own testimony of these things and “learn for yourself.” The gospel will bless individuals and families, it will help meet their spiritual needs, and it will help them gain their deepest, truest desires in this life and in the eternities. And as a missionary you will have the pleasure of being an instrument in the Lord’s hands to deliver those blessings. 

Joseph Smith’s First Vision is a post from: Mormon Mission Prep

Summary: Understanding why keeping the law of chastity is important will help young people see the divine purpose behind this commandment and inspire them to live it.

In the April 2012 General Conference, in a talk called The Why of Priesthood Service, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said ”Understanding the why of the gospel and the why of the priesthood will help us to see the divine purpose of all of this. It will give us motivation and strength to do the right things, even when they are hard… [The what] teaches us what to do. The why inspires our souls. The what informs, but the why transforms.”

Why is the law of chastity so important?

In his April 2013 General Conference talk titled, We Believe in Being Chaste, Elder David A. Bednar posed the question: “Why is the law of chastity so important?” His answer had several components:

• It is part of Heavenly Father’s Plan of Happiness. ”The eternal importance of chastity can only be understood within the overarching context of our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness for His children…The Father’s plan enables His spirit sons and daughters to obtain physical bodies, to gain mortal experience, and to progress toward exaltation.”
• Physical limitations prepare us for eternity. ”Our relationships with other people, our capacity to recognize and act in accordance with truth, and our ability to obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ are amplified through our physical bodies…Simply stated, there are lessons we must learn and experiences we must have, as the scriptures describe, “according to the flesh” (1 Nephi 19:6; Alma 7:12–13).
• The power of procreation is divine. “Marriage between a man and a woman is the authorized channel through which premortal spirits enter mortality. Complete sexual abstinence before marriage and total fidelity within marriage protect the sanctity of this sacred channel…Specific guidelines for the proper use of the ability to create life are vital elements in the Father’s plan. How we feel about and use that supernal power will determine in large measure our happiness in mortality and our destiny in eternity.”
• We are on earth to be tested. “The precise nature of the test of mortality, then, can be summarized in the following question: Will I respond to the inclinations of the natural man, or will I yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the natural man and become a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord (see Mosiah 3:19)? That is the test. Every appetite, desire, propensity, and impulse of the natural man may be overcome by and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”
• Being chaste brings blessings. “Alma counseled his son Shiblon to “bridle all [of his] passions, that [he] may be filled with love” (Alma 38:12). Significantly, disciplining the natural man in each of us makes possible a richer, a deeper, and a more enduring love of God and of His children. Love increases through righteous restraint and decreases through impulsive indulgence…Obedience to the law of chastity will increase our happiness in mortality and make possible our progress in eternity…Chastity and virtue are now, always have been, and always will be “most dear and precious above all things” (Moroni 9:9).

Discussing “the why” of keeping the law of chastity is a topic Elder Bednar has also spoke about in years past. In his June 1998 Education Week talk titled Teach Them to Understand, Elder Bednar spoke about the importance of understanding “the why” of gospel commandments.

“In the times in which we live, only the restored gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to the why questions that matter the most…It concerns me as I see young people in our Church who know all the correct things they should do and do not have a clue as to why. They have a check-list mentality. “Say my prayers morning and night. Read the scriptures.” Why do they do these things? “Because I am supposed to. Because the prophet said. Because my mom and dad will jump my case if I don’t.” …[But] do we understand why? If we do not understand the why, then the power available to us through the doctrine of Christ will not be evident in our lives.”

“This is particularly true with young people pertaining to the law of chastity. They know they shouldn’t, but do they know why they shouldn’t?…I do not know a young person who truly understands the doctrine related to “the seed of Abraham” who would violate the law of chastity. We were foreordained in the premortal existence to the blessings associated with birth through a particular lineage, even the chosen lineage of Abraham–not because we are better, not because we are more special, but because we have particular responsibilities that we covenanted we would fulfill. Therefore we came to the earth through a lineage with the birthright blessing of the priesthood. Every man who holds the priesthood was foreordained to that very responsibility in the premortal existence. Does a young man who understands that doctrine have a choice to go on a mission? He made that choice before he was ever born.”

“…As I have opportunities to visit with young people, I like to talk about what it means to be the “seed of Abraham.” Hoping that the Spirit of the Lord will touch their hearts, I highlight the story of Jacob and Esau. Esau gave up his birthright blessing for a bowl of red bean soup. Now a question directed to the young people: Would you really want to forfeit your birthright as the seed of Abraham–foreordained in the premortal existence, living on the earth at this particular time to bless the families of the earth, the most glorious spiritually destiny you could ever hope for? Do you really want to give up those blessings and opportunities for a few minutes of messing around? If we understand the doctrine of who we are and why we are here, then that understanding changes the way we do things.”

I pray that all future missionaries will study, ponder, and prayer about why this commandment is so important and the ways in which keeping the law of chastity will bless their lives. Understanding these things will give them added strength in fighting the many temptations that bombard our youth today.

The “Why” of Keeping the Law of Chastity is a post from: Mormon Mission Prep

Funny stories and jokes from the Lord’s living prophets and apostles during the April 2013 LDS General Conference, including President Monson’s story about taking matches and burning the weeds, an event which taught him the importance of obedience.

Funny Moments from General Conf. April 2013 is a post from: Mormon Mission Prep

Welcome to Conference, by President Thomas S. Monson

“With the young men now being able to serve at age 18 and the young women at 19, the response of our young people has been remarkable and inspiring. As of April 4—two days ago—we have 65,634 full-time missionaries serving, with over 20,000 more who have received their calls but who have not yet entered a missionary training center and over 6,000 more in the interview process with their bishops and stake presidents. It has been necessary for us to create 58 new missions to accommodate the increased numbers of missionaries.

“To help maintain this missionary force, and because many of our missionaries come from modest circumstances, we invite you, as you are able, to contribute generously to the General Missionary Fund of the Church.”

For Peace at Home, by Elder Richard G. Scott

“You children in the Primary, you young men and women in youth programs, and you stalwart missionaries now serving are doing many things more effectively than I was able to do at your age. In the premortal life you proved to be valiant, obedient, and pure. There you worked hard to develop talents and capacities to prepare yourselves to face mortality with courage, dignity, honor, and success.”

Catch the Wave, by Elder Russell M. Nelson

“Dear brothers and sisters, I add my voice to that of President Thomas S. Monson and others in praising those who have responded to a prophet’s call for more worthy missionaries. Now an unprecedented wave of enthusiasm for missionary work is sweeping the entire earth. Since President Monson’s historic announcement last October, thousands of elders, sisters, and couples have been called, and many more are preparing.1 Now we get questions like “What are you going to do with all these missionaries?” The answer is simple. They will do what missionaries have always done. They will preach the gospel! They will bless the children of Almighty God!

“More of you young men and women will catch this wave as you strive to be worthy of mission calls. You see this as a wave of truth and righteousness. You see your opportunity to be on the crest of that wave.

“…Young men and women, your education is ever important—to us, to you, and to God. Where feasible, if you wish to attend a college or university after your mission, we encourage you to apply to your institution of choice before beginning your mission. Many institutions of higher learning will grant an 18- to 30-month deferral to prospective missionaries. This will enable you elders and sisters to serve without worrying about where you will begin your advanced education.”

“…You adults, catch the wave with help for the spiritual, physical, and financial preparation of future missionaries. Pinching pennies for piggy banks becomes part of your practice. You senior couples, you plan for the day when you can go on your mission. We will be most grateful for your service. Until then, perhaps some of you could send your dollars on missions by contributing to the General Missionary Fund, as suggested by President Monson again this morning”

The Power of the Priesthood in the Boy, by Elder Tad Callister

“While serving as a mission president, I observed that there was a dramatic increase in the spirituality and leadership skills of young men during their mission years. If we could somehow quantify these qualities over their Aaronic Priesthood and mission years, perhaps they would look something like the line you see on this graph. In my mind there are at least three key factors that contribute to such dramatic growth in the mission years: (1) we trust these young men as never before, (2) we have high but loving expectations of them, and (3) we train and retrain them so they can fulfill those expectations with excellence.”

Come, All Ye Sons of God, by President Thomas S. Monson

“This divine command, coupled with its glorious promise, is our watchword today as it was in the meridian of time. Missionary work is an identifying feature of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Always has it been; ever shall it be. As the Prophet Joseph Smith declared, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.”

“Within two short years, all of the full-time missionaries currently serving in this royal army of God will have concluded their labors and will have returned to their homes and loved ones. For the elders, their replacements are found tonight in the ranks of the Aaronic Priesthood of the Church. Young men, are you ready to respond? Are you willing to work? Are you prepared to serve?

“At best, missionary work necessitates drastic adjustment to one’s pattern of living. It requires long hours and great devotion, selfless sacrifice and fervent prayer. As a result, dedicated missionary service returns a dividend of eternal joy which extends throughout mortality and into eternity.”

“…Preparation for a mission begins early. In addition to spiritual preparation, a wise parent will provide the means whereby a young son might commence his personal missionary fund. He may well be encouraged as the years go by to study a foreign language so that, if necessary, his language skills could be utilized. Eventually there comes that glorious day when the bishop and stake president invite the young man in for a visit. Worthiness is ascertained; a missionary recommendation is completed.

“During no other time does the entire family so anxiously watch and wait for the mailman and the letter which contains the return address 47 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah. The letter arrives; the suspense is overwhelming; the call is read. Often the assigned field of labor is far away from home. Regardless of the location, however, the response of the prepared and obedient missionary is the same: “I will serve.”

“Preparations for departure begin. Young men, I hope you appreciate the sacrifices which your parents so willingly make in order for you to serve. Their labors will sustain you, their faith encourage you, their prayers uphold you. A mission is a family affair. Though the expanse of continents or oceans may separate, hearts are as one.”

“…The final point in our formula is to serve the Lord with love. There is no substitute for love. Successful missionaries love their companions, their mission leaders, and the precious persons whom they teach.”

It’s a Miracle, by Neil L. Andersen

“Brothers and sisters, as surely as the Lord has inspired more missionaries to serve, He is also awakening the minds and opening the hearts of more good and honest people to receive His missionaries. You already know them or will know them. They are in your family and live in your neighborhood. They walk past you on the street, sit by you in school, and connect with you online. You too are an important part of this unfolding miracle.

“If you’re not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart—painted, as Paul said, “not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.”13 And returned missionaries, find your old missionary tag. Don’t wear it, but put it where you can see it. The Lord needs you now more than ever to be an instrument in His hands. All of us have a contribution to make to this miracle.”

“…To share the gospel, young members in Boston started several blogs. Those who joined the Church began their learning online, followed by discussions with the missionaries. This experience also helped the youth have greater faith in talking about the gospel in person. One of them said, “This isn’t missionary work. This is missionary fun.”

“We are all in this together. With fellow ward members and missionaries, we plan and pray and help one another. Please keep the full-time missionaries in your thoughts and prayers. Trust them with your family and friends. The Lord trusts them and has called them to teach and bless those who seek Him.”

Mission Prep from General Conference April 2013 is a post from: Mormon Mission Prep

Parley P. Pratt was a great missionary for the LDS Church in it’s early days. He was one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in these later days. Due to his extensive missionary travels and voluminous writings in the early days of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Parley P. Pratt has often been called “the Apostle Paul of Mormonism.” His conversion story is an inspiring tale one of diligently seeking for the truth and embracing the gospel once found.

Interest in Religion from an Early Age

Parley P. Pratt was born in Burlington, New York, April 12, 1807. From an early age, Parley had a keen interest in religion. Early in his autobiography he made note of conversation where he asked his father why modern churches were so different than the church established by the Savior and his apostles when they were on the earth. “To these inquiries my father could give no satisfactory answer; but observed that times and circumstances had changed. With this I was not satisfied, of course; for who had a right to change the ordinances, transgress the law, or break the covenant of the everlasting gospel? Such were my thoughts.”

“I still continued to ponder upon these things, and to search the Scriptures to learn how to be saved. I found the same principles and practice throughout [the Scriptures]… all were baptized when they believed in Jesus Christ and repented of their sins; and this as an ordinance connected with remission of their sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost. What, then, should I do? Where find one who was commissioned from heaven, and would administer salvation to me?”

A Holy Retreat: Winter Alone Reading the Scriptures

During the winter of 1826 to 1827, Parley had a profound spiritual experience studying the scriptures. He was 19 years old and he had left his friends and family to go west. He had used most of his money to buy a small pocket Bible, so he made his way west by walking or working on a steam ship. Eventually he made it to a small settlement 30 miles west of Cleveland, Ohio where he stopped for the winter. This is what he records next in his journal:

“Alone in a land of strangers, without home or money, and not yet twenty years of age, I became discouraged, and concluded to stop for the winter; I procured a gun from one of the neighbors; worked and earned an axe, some breadstuff and other little extras, and retired two miles into a dense forest and prepared a small hut, or cabin, for the winter. Some leaves and straw in my cabin served for my lodging, and a good fire kept me warm. A stream near my door quenched my thirst; and fat venison, with a little bread from the settlements, sustained me for food. The storms of winter raged around me; the wind shook the forest, the wolf howled in the distance, and the owl chimed in harshly to complete the doleful music which seemed to soothe me, or bid me welcome to this holy retreat. But in my little cabin the fire blazed pleasantly, and the Holy Scriptures and a few other books occupied my hours of solitude.”

Marriage to Thankful Halsey

At the end of the winter, Parley decided to go back to his native land where he grew up. For, said, he, “There was one there whom my heart had long loved, and from whom I would not have been so long separated, except by misfortune.” When he got back to his home town in New York, he went straight to the home of his childhood sweetheart, Thankful Halsey. “With a quick step, a beating heart, and an intense, indescribable feeling of joy, sorrow, hope, despondency and happiness, I approached the door of Mr. Halsey, and knocked.”

“I spent the day and evening with her; explained to her all my losses, my poverty and prospects, and the lone retreat where I had spent the previous winter; and the preparations I had made for a future home. I also opened my religious views to her, and my desire, which I sometimes had, to try and teach the red man. “In view of all these things,” said I to her, “If you still love me and desire to share my fortune you are worthy to be my wife. If not, we will agree to be friends forever; but part to meet no more in time.” “I have loved you during three years’ absence,” said she, “and I never can be happy without you.”

Parley and Thankful were married a short time later.

Meeting Sidney Rigdon and Joining the Reformed Baptists

Parley and Thankful returned to where Parley had spent the previous winter and made a home for themselves there. The cabin was replaced with a frame house. They planted a garden, an orchard of apple and peach trees, and vast fields of grain. About this time, reports Parley, “one Mr. Sidney Rigdon came into the neighborhood as a preacher, and it was rumored that he was a kind of Reformed Baptist… At length I went to hear him, and what was my astonishment when I found he preached faith in Jesus Christ, repentance towards God, and baptism for remission of sins, with the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost to all who would come forward.” Though Sidney Rigdon had yet to learn about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, like Parley, he was searching.

“After hearing Mr. Rigdon several times, I came out, with a number of others, and embraced the truths which he taught. We were organized into a society, and frequently met for public worship. About this time I took it upon me to impart to my neighbors, from time to time, both in public and in private, the light I had received from the Scriptures concerning the gospel, and also concerning the fulfilment of the things spoken by the holy prophets. I did not claim any authority as a minister; I felt the lack in this respect; but I felt in duty bound to enlighten mankind, so far as God had enlightened me.”

Meeting His Brother and Leaving on a Mission

About this time when the spirit of missionary work and a desire the share the gospel had descended upon Parley P. Pratt, he heard that his long lost brother William might be living nearby “residing about ten miles from me. On hearing this I ran nearly the whole distance on foot, and in about two hours had him by the hand.”

This was a joyful and unexpected meeting of two brothers. He immediately accompanied me home, and was introduced to my wife and our little farm in the wilderness, where we spent some days together. He admired my wife; but above all my farm. “Brother Parley,” said he, “how have you done all this? When we were last together you had no wife, no farm, no house, no orchard, and now you are here with everything smiling around you.” I replied that hard work had accomplished it all.”

Parley explained to William that though he was prospering from a material standpoint, he felt inspired by the Spirit of the Lord to leave it all behind and go preach the gospel. Parley “told him that the spirit of these things had wrought so powerfully on my mind of late that I could not rest; that I could no longer be contented to dwell in quiet and retirement on my farm, while I had light to impart to mankind.”

Parley reports “In August, 1830, I had closed my business, completed my arrangements, and we bid adieu to our wilderness home and never saw it afterwards. On settling up, at a great sacrifice of property, we had about ten dollars left in cash. With this small sum, we launched forth into the wide world, determining first to visit our native place, on our mission, and then such other places as I might be led to by the Holy Spirit.”

Discovering The Book of Mormon

When Parley and Thankful arrived in Rochester, New York, Parley felt inspired to linger longer. He sent his wife ahead and said to her, “I will come soon, but how soon I know not; for I have a work to do in this region of country, and what it is, or how long it will take to perform it, I know not; but I will come when it is performed.” Parley didn’t know it at the time, but he was about to encounter a life changing book, The Book of Mormon.

A man named Hamlin “began to tell of a book, a STRANGE BOOK, a VERY STRANGE BOOK! in his possession, which had been just published. This book, he said, purported to have been originally written on plates either of gold or brass, by a branch of the tribes of Israel; and to have been discovered and translated by a young man near Palmyra, in the State of New York, by the aid of visions, or the ministry of angels. I inquired of him how or where the book was to be obtained. He promised me the perusal of it, at his house the next day, if I would call. I felt a strange interest in the book. …Next morning I called at his house, where, for the first time, my eyes beheld the “BOOK OF MORMON” that book of books-that record which reveals the antiquities of the “New World” back to the remotest ages, and which unfolds the destiny of its people and the world for all time to come; that Book which contains the fulness of the gospel of a crucified and risen Redeemer; that Book which reveals a lost remnant of Joseph, and which was the principal means, in the hands of God, of directing the entire course of my future life.

“I opened it with eagerness, and read its title page. I then read the testimony of several witnesses in relation to the manner of its being found and translated. After this I commenced its contents by course. I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep.

“As I read, the spirit of the Lord was upon me, and I knew and comprehended that the book was true, as plainly and manifestly as a man comprehends and knows that he exists. My joy was now full, as it were, and I rejoiced sufficiently to more than pay me for all the sorrows, sacrifices and toils of my life. I soon determined to see the young man who had been the instrument of its discovery and translation.”

Meeting Hyrum Smith

Parley went immediately to Palmyra, New York to find Joseph Smith. When he arrived he spoke with Hyrum Smith, who informed him that Joseph was away in Pennsylvania.

“I informed him of the interest I felt in the Book, and of my desire to learn more about it. He welcomed me to his house, and we spent the night together; for neither of us felt disposed to sleep. We conversed most of the night…He also unfolded to me the particulars of the discovery of the Book; its translation; the rise of the Church of Latter-day Saints, and the commission of his brother Joseph, and others, by revelation and the ministering of angels, by which the apostleship and authority had been again restored to the earth. After duly weighing the whole matter in my mind I saw clearly that these things were true; and that myself and the whole world were without baptism, and without the ministry and ordinances of God; and that the whole world had been in this condition since the days that inspiration and revelation had ceased–in short, that this was a new dispensation or commission, in fulfillment of prophecy, and for the restoration of Israel, and to prepare the way before the second coming of the Lord.”

Of the Book of Mormon, Parley P. Pratt said, “This discovery greatly enlarged my heart, and filled my soul with joy and gladness. I esteemed the Book, or the information contained in it, more than all the riches of the world. Yes; I verily believe that I would not at that time have exchanged the knowledge I then possessed, for a legal title to all the beautiful farms, houses, villages and property” in the whole state of New York.

Baptism of Parley P. Pratt

Parley demanded that Hyrum Smith baptism him, so the next day they walked 25 miles to the Whitmer residence where they received “a most welcome reception.” The Whitmer family had been instrumental in supporting Joseph Smith in the translation and publishing of the Book of Mormon.

“We rested that night, and on the next day, being about the 1st of September, 1830, I was baptized by the hand of an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ, by the name of Oliver Cowdery. This took place in Seneca Lake, a beautiful and transparent sheet of water in Western New York.

“A meeting was held the same evening, and after singing a hymn and prayer, Elder Cowdery and others proceeded to lay their hands upon my head in the name of Jesus, for the gift of the Holy Ghost. After which I was ordained to the office of an Elder in the Church, which included authority to preach, baptize, and minister the sacrament, administer the Holy Spirit, by the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus Christ and to take the lead of meetings of worship.

“I now felt that I had authority in the ministry.”

Immediately, Parley P. Pratt became a zealous missionary for the newly restored Church of Jesus Christ. On the day after his baptism, he preached to a large group of people (investigators, we might call them today), teaching by the Spirit. Said Parley, “The Holy Ghost came upon me mightily. I spoke the word of God with power, reasoning out of the Scriptures and the Book of Mormon. The people were convinced, overwhelmed in tears, and four heads of families came forward expressing their faith, and were baptized.”

May each of us be as diligent as Parley P. Pratt in seeking out the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And my we all catch the vision of the purpose of missionary work as he did, and do our best to share the light of the gospel with others.

Parley P. Pratt’s Conversion Story is a post from: Mormon Mission Prep

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