Young Single Adults

It is common knowledge among my acquaintances that I have served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka the Mormons). What is not commonly known is why. Many assume that I was one of those girls who had planned on serving for as long as they could remember. That is not the case.

The truth is, that where I honored and respected missionaries and the sacrifice they each make to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our brothers and sisters throughout the world (who are just waiting to find it), I never thought to be one of them. At least I never thought to do so in my youth. I thought that if I ever did serve it would be someday far into my future with my husband after we had retired. Yes, I had my future all planned out.

However, God's plans for my future were a bit different. I wouldn't start to understand this until April Conference 2004. I had turned 21 (the requisite age for a young woman to serve a mission) the previous November. I was currently working to earn enough money to go back to school, though I was considering other options for the coming future.

I had prayed about all my many options every day, seeking direction. I felt as if there was something I needed to do, but I just didn't know what. And so was the state of my life, when General Conference rolled around.

All of Saturday I listened and prayed for God to reveal to me His will. It wasn't until Sunday morning that I received my answer. (I remember it as if it was yesterday) I shut myself in my bedroom and turned on the radio to listen to General Conference. I felt a need to be alone. It was Elder Dennis E. Simmons of the Quorum of the Seventy's talk, entitled But if Not, that opened the door to the answer I sought.

"Faith is not bravado, not just a wish, not just a hope. True faith is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—confidence and trust in Jesus Christ that leads a person to follow Him… Our scriptures and our history are replete with accounts of God's great men and women who believed that He would deliver them, but if not, they demonstrated that they would trust and be true.

He has the power, but it's our test.

What does the Lord expect of us with respect to our challenges? He expects us to do all we can do. He does the rest. Nephi said, "For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

We must have the same faith as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. . . . Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not . . . . He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. . . . Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. . . . He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, . . . we will trust in the Lord." But if Not, Elder Dennis E. Simmons, April 2004 General Conference.

As I heard these words, I knew that God had been trying to answer me for a long time, but that in my fear of what He was asking of me, I had blocked out the answer. My Faith was weak. Truly humbled, I knelt down and offered a most sincere prayer to the Lord. In the past, I had included a mission as an option for my future, but only because I was 21 and not married, not because I wanted, or was even willing to go. This time as I prayed I told the Lord that if He would reveal to me His will I would follow it, even it that meant serving a mission, no matter my fears. I would trust in Him.

Before my prayer was ended, I knew with every part of my soul, that my answer was to serve a mission. I knew that I had promised before I came to Earth that I would do so, that I had a work to do. I still had fear's based on feelings of inadequacy that I wouldn't be able to do a good job. However, my trust (Faith) in the Lord finally outweighed my personal fears.

It was just moments after coming to this realization that there was a knock on my door. My father came in, and the first thing out of his mouth was asking me if I had seriously considered serving a mission. I told him yes, and then shared what had just occurred. It was then that he told me that months ago in his concern for me he had prayed and received the impression that I was supposed to serve a mission. He hadn't told me of this revelation for it was my choice. As he spoke, I felt a confirmation that it was right. I had my answer.

I will always be grateful for the missionaries who taught my Father's family the gospel just before he was born, and for the missionaries who taught my mother and aunt the gospel when they were in their teens.

I cannot help but think that, if my parents had not been taught the gospel then:

- Mom and Dad would never have attended BYU, and subsequently they probably would have never met, and gotten married.

- I would have never been born nor my six other siblings. (And if I was born) My life would have been much different, and probably not for the better.

- Mom and Dad would have led drastically different lives, which would have affected what kind of parent they would have become.

Like I said, I will forever be grateful to these four amazing men. They each will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my life.

Each one of these young men made the sacrifice to take two years out of the prime of their young adult lives to serve The Lord and their fellow men. It is not easy to leave your family, and friends to go far from home, forget about themselves, and think instead of God and their fellow men. They spent countless hours every day giving service wherever service was needed, teaching those who would receive them, and endlessly praying to God for guidance, inspiration, and help in their work.

But even before they left on their missions these young men paid the price to be worthy for the service they were called of God to give.

"Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men…" Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:34-35

Each of the young men also paid the price to be prepared to serve. This preparation is not something that can be done over night. It takes time, discipline, and desire to pay the price to follow the counsel given by the Lord to those who desire to teach His gospel.

"Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men." Doctrine and Covenants Section 11:21

Like these four young men who have so incredibly blessed my family through service, so many years ago, I am overjoyed every time I see another one of my young adult friends make the choice to live worthily, be prepared, and leave on missions of their own. For I know that there are so many out there in search of the gospel like Amos prophesied, and who as the Lord put it are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.

"Now is the moment in the timetable of the Lord to carry the gospel farther than it has ever been carried before. . . . Many a person in this world is crying, knowingly and unknowingly, 'Come over . . . and help us.' He might be your neighbor. She might be your friend. He might be a relative. She might be someone you met only yesterday. But we have what they need. Let us take new courage from our studies and pray, as did Peter, 'And now, Lord, . . . grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.' (Acts 4:29)" (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball [1982], 546)

Can you imagine becoming a missionary, an emissary for the Lord, and living in sin? I certainly can’t, for “neither can filthiness or anything which is unclean be received into the kingdom of God” (Alma 7:21). If no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God, how could that same unclean spirit hope to teach and preach the word of God in the hopes of bringing others to Christ?

A young man of eighteen or nineteen, or a young woman approaching twenty-one, who is preparing to become a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, must maintain a moral code. This includes being clean in dress, in speech, in action, and even in thought.

This probably sounds awfully strange to those who don’t regard the idea of moral cleanliness as being important. In fact, a missionary was once approached by a college student who felt this way. The student asked the missionary how he could possibly control his desires when there were so many beautiful girls around. In short, he thought it odd that someone would actually choose to remain chaste, that this missionary wasn’t exactly ‘normal.’

I found the missionary’s response enlightening, as well as indicative of how strong his spirit was. “I know I am responsible and in charge of my body. You think you are helpless in the face of your desires. You think you are a victim of them. I have proven to myself that I am the master of those feelings.”

Can you imagine being so in control of who you are and how you act that no one else can sway you to sin? In an article titled “Teaching Morality to Your Children” parents are given guidelines for children to help keep them strong, to help them understand that they are in control of their bodies, not the other way around. How is it children can understand and even accept this concept, yet as we grow older we lose that wisdom?

In most everything we watch, read, and listen to we are being encouraged to give in to the pleasures our bodies supposedly crave. Yet with each and every submission to these appetites we lose more and more control. We become slaves to addictions.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Look at the example of the missionary from above. Perhaps there was a time in his life that he wasn’t able to control his body so readily. Perhaps there was a time he made some serious mistakes. It doesn’t have to mean change isn’t possible, though Satan would certainly have you believe this.

“It would be a cruel trick indeed if the Lord had told us to keep our appetites and passions within certain bounds and then hadn’t placed us in charge of those appetites. We have not only the responsibility but also the capacity to behave in the way the Lord has commanded. Claims to the contrary are rationalizations” (Terrance D. Olsen, “Teaching Morality to Your Children,” Ensign, Mar 1981).

The easiest way to keep ourselves away from the appetites and passions that would slowly destroy us is to not start in the first place. In some recent allergy testing I’ve undergone, I discovered I have the potential to become an alcoholic. Yet I’ve never taken a drink. My reasons for this are varied: the Word of Wisdom warns against it (The Word of Wisdom is a law of health revealed by the Lord for the physical and spiritual benefit of His children), I watched what the effects of alcohol had on certain family members, and the idea of becoming inebriated was never enticing to me.

Yet because my spirit controls my body I never have to worry about becoming addicted to alcohol, nor any of the consequences that come with it.

This is not to say I’m currently in control of everything. I have terrible eating habits, and have yet to figure out how to quell my need for chocolate, carbohydrates, and loads and loads of sugar. I am fully aware it is necessary to retrain my body to realize it’s not in control.

If we have sinned, we can certainly repent. For those entering into the mission field this is necessary to be a strong missionary. For those of us who simple need to repent the going is not easy, but possible.

Of course the easiest road of all is not to commit sin at all. I think this is illustrated beautifully by a former president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and prophet of the Lord.

“Another error into which some transgressors fall is the illusion that they are somehow stronger for having committed sin and then lived through the period of repentance. This simply is not true. That man who resists temptation and lives without sin is far better off than the man who has fallen, no matter how repentant the latter may be. God will forgive—of that, we are sure. How satisfying to be cleansed from filthiness, but how much better it is never to have committed the sin! Even though one may have the assurance that God and all others have forgiven him, will a man ever totally forgive himself for gross sin? How splendid for one to be able to stand tall and look straight and honestly to affirm that, though he may have committed some follies and lesser errors, he has never broken the major laws!” (Spencer W. Kimball, “The Miracle of Forgiveness,” p. 357).

A little over a year ago a mother wrote of her twenty-year old daughter: “She’s leaving on a mission to China for three weeks.” This mother continued to write about how much she was going to miss her sweet daughter. It was obvious the act of letting her precious child go was terribly difficult.

Several years before that I watched as my then nineteen-year old big brother kissed every one of us goodbye. He and a group of young men and women left their own family members at that point. I remember afterward our family arrived home and we all started walking in through the door. My mom turned to me and said, “My heart hurts.” She had let her son go not just for three weeks, but for two years.

It was not done unwillingly. We were all very pleased with my brother’s decision to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or the Mormon Church, as it is more commonly known). My mother’s broken heart was simply the result of handing her child over to the unknown. We all knew he was in the Lord’s care, but it was still scary knowing he’d be on the other side of the world (he went to Japan).

Being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a great and sacred privilege, and often results in many sacrifices on the part of the missionary and his family. The mission is funded entirely by the individual, though help can be sought by fellow ward members (individual congregations are called a ward). In my own ward a particular family has one son on a mission right now, with twin boys preparing to go out soon. This would put a strain on just about anyone’s financial status, so several members of the ward privately contribute to help.

Other sacrifices on the part of the missionary can feel just as burdensome. Keep in mind the typical Latter-day Saint missionary is a young man of nineteen. It’s possible he’s putting aside college, maybe even giving up a scholarship, selling a prized car to help fund the mission, or leaving a treasured girlfriend behind knowing full well she probably won’t be available when he gets back.

These sacrifices are known to the Lord, and the offerings are accepted by Him. Those who willingly give up the worldly things in their lives to pursue the opportunity to serve the Lord will be blessed many times over if they remain worthy. This is always the part where faith must take over.

“Faith, to be saving faith, must center in Christ and move one to obey Him, to follow His example. In accepting a call to serve, the missionary is expressing sufficient faith to act on his or her beliefs. Blessings will inevitably follow, as so many returned missionaries can testify. Faith in the Savior becomes an anchor to the soul” (David B. Haight, “A Spiritual Adventure,” New Era, Jun 2000).

Not all of our missionaries are young men. Young women at the age of 21, if they are not yet married and do not have any immediate prospects, are also encouraged to pray about going on a mission. Young ladies have such a remarkable spirit about them. They are future mothers, teachers, nurturers, and wives. They can do so much good in inspiring the lives of people they meet. The average length of a mission for a woman is eighteen-months.

I myself had every intention of following in my brother’s footsteps and going on my own mission. As I began preparing myself a certain friend decided we should get married instead (I decided not to argue with him). It hasn’t stopped my hope of one day going on a mission.

Older couples are also encouraged to go on missions, if their family life is stable and their financial aspects will allow. Though they typically don’t go from door to door to preach the gospel, older couples do many things to help further along the missionary effort.

I wish I could explain in a few short words why it is the young, single adults in our Church give up so much of their time, but I think the Lord does it so much better. In the Doctrine and Covenants (a collection of revelations given to Joseph Smith) we can read what it means to Him to have someone brought back to His fold:

“And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!” (D&C 18:15-16)

We as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints send out missionaries because we know the joy this restored gospel has brought into our own lives. We glory in its truth and want the rest of the world to know it as well. Just look at the faces of these young men and women, listen to their sweet, simple testimonies, and feel of the spirit of the Holy Ghost.

“Now, my dear young friends, missionary work is not easy. In fact, it is often quite difficult, but the Lord is the greatest paymaster in the world. Dedicated missionary service is one of life’s most fulfilling experiences. This is in large measure because of the divine agency which flows so richly from the Lord to His humble and obedient servants to bless the lives of others. I know this because I have seen it manifested in the lives of thousands and have felt it in my own life” (David B. Haight, “A Spiritual Adventure,” New Era, Jun 2000).

I wish to bear you my own testimony, and act in part as a missionary called to be here on this wonderful site at this time, that I know this Church is the Lord’s restored gospel here on earth. I would encourage you to read the Book of Mormon, to find out for yourselves if it is true. If even one small that I have said has touched your heart, listen to it. Ask of God if it is His Holy Spirit speaking to you.

If you would like to have the missionaries come to your home, but you don’t know how, please go to www.Mormon.org and you can request them.