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Missionary Farewell Talk |
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Sunday 10-10-99
Linden Ward
Stockton, CA
Missionary Farewell:
Intro: Good afternoon brothers and sisters. For this, my missionary farewell address I'd like to focus on two major areas:
1. The parable of the sower: Matthew 13:3-8
2. The principle of work.
(Read parable)
As I had the experience of going through the temple this Friday I came to an important understanding of why Jesus taught using parables: Symbolism serves as the ultimate teaching tool because it acts as both a revealer and a concealer. The understanding of Jesus' parables was only received by those who were at a level of faith in which they were ready to receive those things, and those who were not at that level did not receive them and therefore are not condemned for their rejection of the truths. The important principles of the parable were revealed unto those who were prepared and could obey, and hidden from those who weren't. I'd like to relate an important interpretation of this parable found in Matthew chapter 13, which relates to the Importance of missionary work, and the responsibility of full time missionaries and especially the responsibility of the ward.
In Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce R. McKonkie, this passage is related: "every member of the church is a missionary, with the responsibility of teaching the gospel by word and deed to our Father's other children. The responsibility arises through church membership alone, without the receipt of any special call. The church members are under COVENANT, made in the waters of baptism, to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that you may be in, even until death."
The importance of missionary work is clear. The truth that this church holds must be carried to every nation kindred tongue and people. Those who are ready to receive this truth will be drawn to the church and partake of the spirit. I'd like to relate missionary work to the sower gathering his seeds. The fulltime missionaries gather many "seeds" unto the church through their hard work and strong testimonies. The gathering of the seeds are the first initiatory steps into membership in the church: baptism and receipt of the Holy Ghost. I'll relate the casting of the seeds away onto the ground to a fulltime missionary going home or getting transferred. The convert and their missionaries are parted and the convert is left without the support they felt from their missionaries. I'll relate the ground, in this parable, to the ward the new convert is entering. In essence, the climate of the ground determines whether these seeds will take root, flourish, and bring forth good fruit. It seems we tend to put an emphasis on the sower's job in this scenario. Missionary work, while extremely important, is not the whole picture. It's up to the ward (you) to create a soil environment that the new seeds can grow in and feel welcome. It is an increasing trend throughout the church and in this ward for new converts to be driven away because the ward failed to provide the soil that they could flourish in. Read: Alma: 32:37-39
Alma exhorts us to nourish the seed of faith, and we should do the same to the seed of the convert. The way that this is accomplished is through home teaching, visiting teaching, invitation to church and church activities, and can be as small as a pleasant conversation with a new member or even just a smile as you pass them in the halls. I don't think the importance of fellowshipping can be stressed enough in the conversion process. Read: Alma 32:42
Another related subject that I'd like to touch on is the principle of work:
In the book "Gospel Principals" the following can be found: "Work has been the way of life on earth since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. The Lord said to Adam: 'in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread' Adam and Eve worked in the fields so they could provide for their own needs and the needs of their children. In the early days of the restored church, the Lord said to the Latter-Day-Saints: 'Now I the Lord am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them' In this century, a prophet of God has said: 'Work is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership."
It is my opinion that the work of fellowshipping new converts has a tendency to be left idle within the church. Some new converts have the strength, faith, and ability to make it by themselves and the help of God, but the majority stand in dire need of the ward to support them. In D&C 88:124 it says: "Cease to be idle."
As I go forth on my mission to Italy I predict that my testimony of these concepts will grow immensley. I'm sure I will soon realize, from first-hand experience, the pain a missionary feels when his converts are not fellowshipped and, as a result, fall away. And of course I can't even comprehend the amount of work this is waiting for me in serving a full time mission.
I'd like to take this time to thank the ward for the great job they have done in fellowshipping me and preparing me to undertake this great task. I'd like to thank my mother and tell her that I love her. I also love this ward. You have been a great support and have been the influence that has made it possible for me to serve the Lord.
I'd like to bear my testimony also of the great importance of missionary work, and the truthfulness of the word that we carry to the world... it is really a great thing, I ask for your prayers while I am gone, along with letters of support. And I encourage every young man to start preparing now to serve a mission because it is a commandment from God. I love you.
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