Sacrament Talk

Once upon a time there was a Father, he had many children and he loved them each greatly. He taught them in his home for a period and then it was time to send them out on their own. He hoped that he had taught them everything they needed to know so that they could succeed and receive the gift he had promised them. It was frightening sending them away….knowing it wouldn’t be easy, but also understanding it is part of growing up to leave home, experience new things, and make choices for oneself.


Once upon a time there was a mother, she knew the day had come and there was no turning back. This is what she had prayed for. Years of teaching, preparing and loving and now it was time to let him go. She hoped she had taught him everything he needed to succeed. It was frightening sending him away…knowing it wouldn’t be easy, but also understanding it is a part of growing up to leave home, experience new things, and make choices for oneself.

Once upon a time there was a Son, he had left his mother and father after they had taught him well. He knew he would miss them, but he knew it was what he must do, to leave home, experience new things, and understand everything the world had to offer. He had many brothers and sisters and he loved them each greatly. He would serve them and care for them. He hoped he could teach them all they must know to succeed and receive the gift he would give them.

July 5, 2006 I learned the meaning of torture…We pulled up to the light brick building, unloaded the bags, and stood uncomfortably on the sidewalk, not sure where or even how to proceed. People were everywhere; they looked just as uncomfortable as we did. We managed though and after getting the bags into the room, found our seats. Our emotions were taken from laughter and joy to pain and heartache, not just once, but multiple times as the presentation unfolded before us. The tension in the room was palpable…the climax of the day was soon to transpire. Before we knew it…before we wanted it …the time had come. Cody walked down the line hugging each of us, it was time to go…I could see his heart welling up in his throat….one daughter wanted one more hug…but he was at the breaking point and I told him to just go. She was hurt, I felt like Hitler, and it was time to leave the Mother’s Torture Chamber….more affectionately knows as the MTC. As we pulled away with our hearts in shreds, even though I knew Cody was where he was supposed to be…I couldn’t imagine how this could be a blessing to our family. Amazingly we turned around two years later and did it all again.

It has now been four years and I have two missionaries home safe and have been given the opportunity to express how our family has been blessed.
Ezra Taft Benson
What a privilege it is to serve in the kingdom of God. In this work it is the Spirit that counts – where ever we serve….Let us obtain that Spirit and be faithful members of the Church, devoted children and parents, effective home teachers, edifying instructors, inspired ward and stake leaders. God bless you all for your noble labors in building the kingdom.

There is no greater joy than bringing souls to Christ. Participating in this great work blessed the convert, blesses the missionary, and blesses those who support the missionary.
There is no doubt our family has been blessed. There is no doubt our ward has been blessed. Not just but my son’s serving missions, but by every young man and every couple who have served from or in this ward.

I asked friends LDS and those who aren’t….
How has your family been blessed by missionary efforts?
One young man who isn’t much older than my boys and isn’t LDS said
“I find it whole heartedly amusing when missionaries come over... the ability of these young minds to debate theological positions intelligently is a constant amazement. As for being personally blessed I would say that as a whole the community is blessed by the positive works these individuals do.”

How is this possible? How can YM age 19 and YW of 21 debate theological positions intelligently? To re-quote Pres. Benson…. “In this work it is the Spirit that counts”

As I would read our weekly emails, it was apparent that the Spirit of our Heavenly Father is what sustained my boys. It was the Spirit that helped them through the rough times, testified of the truthfulness and value of the work they were doing, and whispered joy and peace to them when all was going well.

Also, how is it possible for parents to see their sons and daughters leave, for those sons and daughters to put schooling, careers, and families on hold all to serve the Lord?

The same holds true...The Spirit helped us through the rough times...etc.

Grant Barton
That sense of mission is one of the most characteristic features of the restored church. Almost from the moment of birth, we prepare for and engage in missionary service; Babies are blessed by their fathers to grow up faithful and fulfill an honorable fulltime mission; mission savings accounts are opened; and lessons at church and at home constantly encourage missionary work. One of the crowning moments of a Latter Day Saints life – young or not so young – is to stand before one’s congregation and bear testimony of the restored gospel on the eve of leaving for full time missionary service. Perhaps even more momentous is the homecoming following such service; it is a time of reunion, of glorifying in God’s goodness, of rejoicing in the truths shared and in the spiritual growth experienced. For young men and women, a fulltime mission initiates them into adulthood and prepares them for a lifetime of gospel service. For older members it reenergizes and caps their lifelong devotion to the Lord.

I have a dear friend who in May of 2005 had the privilege w/ her husband of traveling to Croatia to pick up her parents from their first mission. In her words..."Neither one of us had been that far away from home before and we were just so excited to see my parents. As we were about to board the last airplane that would take us to Croatia, the woman checking our tickets gave us the funniest look and said, "I thought only Croatians went to Croatia." We just smiled at her and told her we were about to see our parents and that it bad been avoer a year and a half since we had seen them last. In the Coratia airport yoiu had to wait and collect your luggage before you were allowed out to where the people were waiting. I about died when I found out you had to wait and get your bags first. My husband could tell I was about to burst so he told me to go. I tried not to run too fast. I also tried not to run over too many people. What happen when I turned the corner, was I caught a glimpse of what I think the reunion in heaven might be like. I could see my mom and dad waiting behind the partition. WHen I fianlly got to them, we hugged and cried and hugged and cried some more. I do believe teh joy I flet at that moment made up for all the sadness I felt when I missed them while they were serving the Lord in Crotia."

So in answer to the question, How has my family been blessed by missionary efforts? More specifically from having two young men serve a mission….

Just as my friend observed....missionary work has given me a glimpse into the plan of Salvation. What greater blessing can I hope for my family?

So here is the happily ever after endings to the three stories I started at the beginning...

Heavenly Father sent each of us to earth – to grow to learn and to experience life. To be faced with opposition and find the true measure of our souls. He sent his Son to serve and give us the gift of the Atonement that we may return to him.

Tom and I sent our sons to Korea and Connecticut – to grow to learn and to experience life. To be faced with opposition and find the true measure of their souls. We sent our sons to serve and to give the gift of the Atonement so others may return to God.

Our sons left their mother and father…hopefully we taught them well…they missed us, but knew what they must do to grow and to experience life outside of Idaho, and understand all the world had to offer…both pain and joy, opposition and support. They had brothers and sister who loved them greatly, but they knew they had other brothers and sisters who were waiting to hear of a Father who loves them also…They served and cared for the people of Korea and Connecticut and taught them how to succeed and receive the gift of the Atonement.

and most importantly....there was a Son, he had left his mother and father after they had taught him well. He knew he would miss them, but he knew it was what he must do, to leave home, experience new things, and understand everything the world had to offer. He had many brothers and sisters and he loved them each greatly. He would serve them and care for them. He taught them all they must know to succeed and receive the gift he would give them.

We met with the Stake Presidency and High Council this morning for Thomas to report...here is the letter he received "returning" him to us. I hope our return letters sound like this also....

"Your child ends his labors on earth and will return home for his release. The people of the world have been greatly blessed by his presence. Your child has served well the investigators and members, and is loved and admired by them. In addition he has taken the opportunity to be a source of great strength to the Elders and Sister of this mission. He has served faithfully.
We appreciate your child's diligence in bringight the gospel to many of our Heavenly Father's Children. We return him home to you with the prayer that he will continue the efforts to emulat the life of the Savior