I’m Like a Mama Bear

I am what you might call a “mama bear.”  That is a common expression in the United States and it means that I am very protective of my children.  I have always had this “mama bear” instinct for my kids - especially when they were young.  Now that they are adults, I still have the desire to protect them. I have the same tendency with each of my missionaries.

I care for them because I love them. I want the best for each of them and I want them to be happy.  When it is time to say goodbye to them at the end of their missions, it is emotionally hard for me because I don’t know if I will see them again and I will miss them very much.  It is important to me that they have a strong testimony of the gospel, because I want each one of them to be converted and stay on the Covenant path after they go home. It will make me very sad if they choose otherwise.

At the MTC a year ago, we were taught that our primary duty as mission leaders is to help each missionary be "converted to the Lord" through their mission experience.  Just a week ago, in a meeting with mission leaders from around the world, President Nelson said:

“Your work and leadership are at the very heart of the gathering of Israel.  However, the most important convert each missionary will gain will be him or herself.” 

As a mission leader, I take this very seriously, and it is on my mind day and night as I serve with them.  I don’t  think about who they’re teaching or what their statistics are. I think about how they are doing as individuals.

But this brings up a very important question that many people ask. If we as mission leaders are so concerned about the personal conversion of our missionaries, why do we always emphasize and talk about key indicators and Preach My Gospel?

Elder Nash answered this very question for me last year at the 2022 Mission Leader Seminar:

“When a missionary does missionary things as a means of seeking Christ, he or she will come to know and trust Him, for such a missionary will experience Christ’s presence and power.  … and they will be converted.”

This explains how through discipleship we can experience the miracle of conversion.

In order for this to happen, we must remain balanced so that our focus is always on God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ as we go about doing this work with the practicality of tools and statistics.

Elder Nash also stated last year the following:

“The miracle of conversion wrought by the power of God through the Spirit, centers on the Father and the Son.  If we are not thoughtful and intentional about missionary work, we can mistakenly supplant the central focus on the Father, the Son and the missionary purpose with a focus on activity and numbers.  Stated otherwise, we must help the missionary look unto Christ always–to seek Him always–and view the vital practices of finding, teaching, working with members, planning, setting goals, inviting, following up, and reporting on key indicators of conversion and baptizing convert as a means to actively join with the Lord in Laboring for the salvation of others.” 

As many of you know, Preach My Gospel, the missionary handbook, has recently been revised. This second edition was announced last week by President Nelson who said,“This new edition of Preach My Gospel will, first and foremost, help our missionaries gain a testimony that will anchor and guide them throughout their lives.”

When you look at missionary work from this perspective, you can see that it actually emulates the Savior’s ancient ministry with His apostles, who were twelve men from different backgrounds and professions who had one thing in common. They had been invited to serve others and to testify of the Savior. At first, they were inexperienced and unschooled so they made many mistakes along the way, but that is how and when the Savior lovingly and effectively taught them.  In God’s wisdom, this same strategy of guidance is what is used for our missionaries today.  As they engage in the work, they become more and more converted to the Lord.  They just need the faith to act and become.

Scriptures:

D&C 1:23

23 That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.