I was thinking a while back about my mission and about the time I first arrived in my first area. I was so overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy that it seemed I’d never be an effective missionary. I felt like I was at the bottom of an ocean, fighting to reach the surface, while I was expected to be walking on top of it. I’d prepared myself in every way I could have thought of, and read the Book of Mormon a few times already, but my feelings of inadequacy led me to think that I knew practically nothing about the gospel. As I look back, I wonder a bit how I could have been so overwhelmed. But I most surely was overwhelmed.
The MTC was not an easy experience for me, though it was wonderfully rewarding and I learned SO much. I have thought a lot about the terrible feelings of intimidation I had felt at that time for the work, and I have since wondered why I felt that way. The more I think about it, though, the more I have come to appreciate that the Lord gave me that experience, because of the amazing lessons it taught me.
When I started my mission, I felt incredibly weak. I felt like the lowest of all the missionaries, partly because I was the newest missionary, and partly because I seemed to struggle to speak up and really talk to people. I truly was weak, and I cannot deny that.
I learned a lot while on my mission, and I like to think about it this way: Imagine before the restoration, the situation that the Lord was in. He had brought his church to the earth. Jesus Christ himself had been the restorer of it. It had previously been in a state of apostasy, because of the wickedness of the children of Israel. Now, once again, after His prophets and apostles and all of His true priesthood holders had been killed, and most of the truth had been twisted and changed in some way, the Lord Jesus Christ began the process of restoration. He called a prophet from humble circumstances and made him a great and noble servant. He also called apostles to help carry His message of restoration to all the earth. The Lord knew, however, that He would need to call more than twelve to preach the gospel, and began to call missionaries from the membership of His growing church. Now here’s the part that is interesting to me. The Lord has placed many of his great and noble ones, many of the great orators, and many of the great thinkers on the earth. Of all the amazing and notorious people available, he has chosen 19-25 year old young adults to carry the primary responsibility to carry out the work of gathering the tribes of Israel and all the elect of the earth into His true church and kingdom. Barely out of their teenage years, these young people are at the crossroads of their lives, with practically no experience in the vast world of life that we live in. With the great and experienced people He could have chosen from, why has the Lord chosen the young and inexperienced to be the chief officiators of one of the 3 vital missions of the church?
I think the scriptures make it incredibly clear. In D&C 1, the Lord speaks of the situation that the world was in, and how he called on Joseph Smith to restore His church, and then he says in verses 18-27:
“And also gave commandments unto others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—
“The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—
“But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;
“That faith also might increase in the earth;
“That mine everlasting covenant might be established;
“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.
“Behold I am god and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.
“And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known;
“And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed;
“And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent; and inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.”
To me, these verses are an immense comfort and hope to me in times of discouragement when I feel that my efforts are fruitless and far too meager. I believe that these verses explain very well the reason that the Lord calls on the weak of the earth to do his work. First of all, He does it to “break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh.” The world that we live in is full of cynics and proof-seekers who insist on tangible evidence in at least three or four undeniable forms in order to accept anything as truth. Anything declared to be true must be declared by the great and notorious minds of the earth in order to have any weight at all. The world laughs in the face of the inexperienced, who lack numerous degrees in science, philosophy, and law. But the Lord doesn’t work through the proud and learned. The Lord uses the weak of the earth to declare the greatest message in eternity, because by doing so, He proves that He is the one at work. It’s easy to deny the truth of the words of a learned mind, because they can be disproved by even greater minds. But if such a remarkable message as the gospel is told by weak, inexperienced youth, surely the converting of thousands could only happen if the message were true, and came from the mouth of God Himself. (See 2 Nephi 27:15-20)
The second reason that these verses say that the weak are called to preach the gospel is this: “that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Saviour of the world; That faith also might increase on the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established.” There is something remarkable and sanctifying about speaking in the Name of the Lord. We take upon ourselves the name of Christ at Baptism, and thus we are part of his spiritual family, and are expected to live as He would live. When we are called to serve, we are called to proclaim this Name that we have taken upon ourselves. For many people, the first two missionaries to speak to them at the door are the first people they have met in their whole lives to speak the name of Jesus Christ with true authority. This can ignite in a person a spiritual memory – a glimpse of pre-mortal eternity. They don’t understand it, but there is a focal point that the spirit opens in an individual when a true servant of the lord says the Name “Jesus Christ.” The power manifest in this situation often leads a person who is prepared to take the missionary discussions. Surely, by the success of those who are considered weak and simple by the world, faith will increase. By the increase of faith, the covenants of the Lord will be established in the lives of all those who exercise that faith.
The third reason I believe the Lord calls on a weak and inexperienced member of His church to teach the gospel is to make that member strong. There are remarkable things the Lord can do with those that come to Him in humility. The scriptures admit that the process is not easy. A weak and simple servant of Jesus Christ will surely be inadequate. That is what the Lord expects. The process of qualifying an individual for the work of the Lord is somewhat painful to the individual, but as with every truth in the gospel, the process is so worth it. The Lord, speaking of this, said “And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known;
“And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed;
“And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent;
“And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.” The Lord is in the process of perfecting us, line upon line. Being placed in situations where we are inadequate is an essential part of that process. Bonnie D. Parkin, The brand new Relief Society General President said in the 2002 April conference, “Welcome the opportunity that takes you beyond your ordinary self if you would grow.”
Elder Jeffery R. Holland gave one of the greatest explanations of this in conference many years ago. He was speaking of mothers, and their feelings of inadequacy, but I believe this can be applied very well to the Lords Missionaries.
“One young mother wrote to me recently that her anxiety tended to come on three fronts. One was that whenever she heard talks on LDS motherhood, she worried because she felt she didn’t measure up or somehow wasn’t going to be equal to the task. Secondly, she felt like the world expected her to teach her children reading, writing, interior design, Latin, calculus, and the Internet—all before the baby said something terribly ordinary, like “goo goo.” Thirdly, she often felt people were sometimes patronizing, almost always without meaning to be, because the advice she got or even the compliments she received seemed to reflect nothing of the mental investment, the spiritual and emotional exertion, the long-night, long-day, stretched-to-the-limit demands that sometimes are required in trying to be and wanting to be the mother God hopes she will be.
“But one thing, she said, keeps her going: “Through the thick and the thin of this, and through the occasional tears of it all, I know deep down inside I am doing God’s work. I know that in my motherhood I am in an eternal partnership with Him. I am deeply moved that God finds His ultimate purpose and meaning in being a parent, even if some of His children make Him weep.
“It is this realization,” she says, “that I try to recall on those inevitably difficult days when all of this can be a bit overwhelming. Maybe it is precisely our inability and anxiousness that urge us to reach out to Him and enhance His ability to reach back to us. Maybe He secretly hopes we will be anxious,” she said, “and will plead for His help. Then, I believe, He can teach these children directly, through us, but with no resistance offered. I like that idea,” she concludes. “It gives me hope. If I can be right before my Father in Heaven, perhaps His guidance to our children can be unimpeded. Maybe then it can be His work and His glory in a very literal sense.”
(Jeffrey R. Holland, “Because She Is a Mother,” Ensign, May 1997, 37, bold added)
I believe it is our very dependence on God and our calling on him for strength that empowers us to do his work. Elder Gene R. Cook said that the word ‘Grace’ means ‘enabling power’. The Enabling power of the Savior, coupled with diligent effort, will make any servant of Jesus Christ great.
For me, it’s the pondering of these things that often gives me strength and motivation to continue diligently doing the Lords work, and obeying the laws and rules he gives us. Surely He loves his servants with a love that goes beyond anything a person can ever understand without experiencing.
To finish off, can I relate my very favorite example of the strength that comes of the humility of a weak servant of the Lord?
Enoch was called to preach repentance at what in his time would be considered a very young age. He was not one that would be considered by most to be ‘qualified’ to do the work of the Lord. Nevertheless, the Lord called him. Enoch, aware of his pitifully humbling circumstances, resisted, saying: “Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?”
The Lord understood Enoch’s concern. He knew of Enoch’s fears. He knew of Enoch’s weakness. Then, in what I consider to be among the most loving and understanding words ever spoken by the Lord to one of His children who was called to do His work, said: “go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good.
“Say unto this people: choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you.
“Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify: and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn their course; and you shall abide in me, and I in you; therefore, walk with me.”
Filed under: Teachings, scriptures , calling, companion, courage, faith, fear, holland, inadequacy, intimidation, lds, missionary, mormon, motherhood, mothers, mtc, prayer, testimony, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, weak, weakness, work
