Merry
Christmas Missionaries,
What
a wonderful time to reflect on our “Purpose” as we bring souls to Christ. The
perfect gift for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Years
ago I was impressed with the story “The Mansion” by Henry Van Dyke. It’s the
tale of a well to do man by the name of John Weightman who has become a self
made man of impressive wealth. He also believes that you should give for all to
see, to obtain earthly results, and in his mind a place in Heaven. He says, “You
have to be careful how you give, in order to secure the best results—no
indiscriminate giving—no pennies in beggars’ hats!... Try to put your gifts
where they can be identified and do good all around.”
He slips off in what seems like a dream or vision late
Christmas Eve, and finds himself as if he had died and was walking with others,
each given a mansion according to their works on earth. John Weightman is
expecting the largest of all mansions for him, but the “Keeper of the Gate”
brings him to a small rundown hut in the middle of a dirt lot, hardly big
enough for a shelter. John is shocked and tells the “Keeper of the Gate” that
there must be some mistake. This couldn’t be possible from all the charities he
created, churches he built, hospitals he started, and schools constructed (all
bearing his name of course).
The “Keeper of the Gate” then responded, “There is no
mistake…We have used all the material that you sent us…The things you did on
earth, were marked and used as foundation for the name and mansion of John
Weightman in the world…Were not all these carefully recorded on earth where
they would add to your credit…Verily, you have your reward for them… Would you
be paid twice?”
John then asks, “They accomplished some good in the world.
Does not that count for something?”
“Yes”, answered the Keeper of the Gate, “it counts
in the world—where you counted it. But it does not belong to you here.”
“Tell me, then,” he cried, brokenly, “since my life
has been so little worth, how came I here at all?”
“Through the mercy of the King”, --the answer was like
the soft tolling of a bell.
John then asks, “What could I have done better?”
The Keeper of the Gate answers, “Only that good which
is done for the love of doing it. Only those plans in which the welfare of
others is the master thought. Only those labors in which the sacrifice is
greater than the reward. Only those gifts in which the giver forgets himself.”
That
final quote is what I see in you missionaries as you so diligently invite
others to Christ - “Only that good which is done for the love of
doing it. Only those plans in which the welfare of others is the master
thought”:
“Just
after [training] we were out riding along and I felt we needed to stop and talk
to somebody and so we did but she was in a hurry so we quickly set up a return
appointment for the next day. She called us later the same day we found her and
told us they were ready and that her whole family was there and that they
wanted that prayer. We realized they were incredibly elect and we switched
around our schedule and dropped by and blessed their family. They loved the
prayer and they had been taught by the missionaries before in North Florida but
had been unable to be baptized because of work. The husband had just recently
lost his job for 2 months and finally found a new one where he didn't have to
work on Sundays and they were excited to prepare to be baptized. They as a
family entered those precious waters on Sunday and it was such a testimony to
me that God loves families.”
I
see in you missionaries - “Only those labors in which the sacrifice is
greater than the reward”:
“As
we were coming back from Mission Conference last week we saw him outside his
house and decided to harvest bless him and his street. It turns out that he
moved here... to find a new life here in Miami and wanted to find a church
home. He told us that he was trying to figure out a church to go to when we
knocked on his door. He told us that he's done a lot of things that he isn't
proud of in his life and he wanted to be forgiven for his sins and start over.
He hasn't been to church since he was 6 years old! The day before Sunday he
shot us a text telling us that he was at the mall buying a new shirt for church
on Sunday! On Sunday he showed up to church 10 minutes early and we were so
excited to have him there. He loved it! He said that during the service that he
felt something that he didn't know how to describe. Of course we told him that
it was the spirit and invited him again to be baptized. He told us after the
service that he would continue to come back every week and that he knew that
this was God's church and that he was going to be a part of it!”
I
see in you missionaries – “Only those gifts in which the giver forgets
himself”:
“A
miracle I want to share with you is as we were walking, I saw this guy ... he
had kind of been in the area around us where we were teaching ... As we
were finished we walked by him and as always oym’ed him. After we had the
prayer with him he was crying. He said he noticed us and could tell we were
church people. He wanted to walk over to talk to us, but didn't know what to
say. He explained that he has had a rough past and is now wanting to change and
come to God for forgiveness. He came to church on Sunday. We taught him after
church and had the greatest lesson on the Atonement and receiving forgiveness
of our sins. He again was crying but this time our member was in tears with
him. Our member put his arm around him and said. ‘I know God will forgive
you.’ He said he is ready for baptism and is so excited. President I know
this is the Lord's work and miracles will never cease. God knows his children,
those who need and is ready for his gospel most.”
I
challenged the missionaries at transfer meeting this last week to study some
scriptures concerning the coming and birth of Jesus Christ, please do so this
Christmas week:
Coming
of Christ - Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; 1 Nephi 11; Alma 7:10; Helaman
14:1-13; Moses 5:57; Moses 6:57-62
Birth
of Christ- 3 Nephi 1:1-21; Luke 2:1-20
I
was reading about Nephi’s vision of the “Tree of Life”. Because of his belief
and faith, he had the blessing to see and receive what he desired:
“For
it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen,
and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat
pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into
an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I
never had before set my foot. And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what
disirest thou? And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.
And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of
which he hath spoken? And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the
words of my father. And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a
loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over
all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because
thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold
the things which thou hast desired. (1Nephi 11:1-6)
What
faith, what belief, what diligence, what purity of heart!!!
Let
us pull out all the stops and make this week a “White Christmas” for everyone.
Make a goal, and detail plans on how you can all baptize this week. I know as
we unite as a mission, as Elder Holland says:
“It
is when an entire mission is united by the strength of every missionary’s
integrity, every missionary’s personal covenant keeping, that we move
mountains. When there is such unity and power, an endowment from heaven, coming
to every individual in the mission, nothing can ‘stop the work from
progressing.’ It is in this way that the ‘truth of God will go forth boldly,
nobly, and independent.’ (Jeffery Holland, Jan.2012, Liahona)
I
know we can have similar experiences as we go forth in faith and purpose, to
bring souls to our Savior, Jesus Christ!!!
Let us get 175
Baptisms !!! December can still be our miracle month!!!
You
are Amazing!!! You are Incredible!!! You are Wonderful!!! And you are in the
“Exciting Mission”!!! Remember our promise and that our names will be sealed
in the Temple!!!
We
Love you, We Pray For You, We can do this,
We have work to do!!! Give gifts in which
the giver forgets himself!!!
President Don E. Anderson
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