“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
Just as in the times of Joshua, we too face pivotal decisions. As parents and leaders, one of the significant choices we make is whether we will prepare our children and youth to dedicate a portion of their lives to full-time missionary service.
To understand the profound importance of this decision, let us reflect upon the words of modern-day prophets.
President Howard W. Hunter emphasized, “Prophets of the Lord have taught that every able, worthy young man should serve a full-time mission. I underscore that need today” (“Follow the Son of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 87).
President Gordon B. Hinckley declared, “I say what has been said before, that missionary service is essentially a priesthood responsibility. As such, our young men must carry the major burden. This is their responsibility and their obligation” (“Some Thoughts on Temples, Retention of Converts, and Missionary Service,” Ensign, Nov. 1997, 49).
Imagine a young man today contemplating whether to serve a full-time mission. What would the Lord say to him? With boundless love, He spoke to Orson Pratt when he was nineteen years old: “My son Orson, hearken and hear and behold what I, God the Lord, shall say unto you… blessed are you because you have believed; And more blessed are you because you are called of me to preach my gospel—” (Doctrine and Covenants 34:1, 4–5). Can you feel the depth of the Lord’s love for every young person who answers the call to serve Him?
As parents, we are entrusted with the sacred responsibility of preparing our children to be worthy and willing to serve the Lord. We are stewards of these choice spirits, reserved for this dispensation. The Lord has placed them in our care, and we will be accountable for this stewardship. Among the blessings of this stewardship is the opportunity to nurture and guide our children toward missionary service.
Let us consider the potent influence parents have, particularly mothers. The Book of Mormon recounts a remarkable story illustrating this influence through the narrative of the two thousand and sixty stripling warriors who volunteered to defend their nation’s liberty. Helaman led these young men into battle, and the scriptures record, “And now, to our great astonishment, and also to the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds” (Alma 57:25). Why such miraculous preservation? Because they “were truly obedient and were exact to perform every word of command” (Alma 57:21). Helaman then reveals the source of this unwavering faith and obedience: “And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it” (Alma 57:21). What had these mothers taught their sons? “…they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them” (Alma 56:47). Parents, do you recognize the immense power you wield in the lives of your children? By instilling in them the knowledge of a just God who desires every able and worthy young man to serve a mission, you cultivate the faith necessary for them to answer the Lord’s call.
Bishops, as shepherds of your wards, you carry a significant responsibility in preparing young men for full-time missionary service. Begin early. Introduce them to Alma’s experiment (Alma 32). Plant the seed of missionary service in their hearts and encourage them to inquire of the Lord if it is a good seed. As you nurture that seed, it will blossom into the miracle of missionary service.
I will forever be grateful for my wife, bishops, and priesthood leaders who taught and prepared our sons to serve missions.
How can we achieve a significant increase in the number of young men and women serving full-time missions? Firstly, parents must recognize their responsibility. They should plead with Heavenly Father for guidance in preparing their children for missionary service. This calling is not limited to those in the United States, England, Mongolia, or Brazil, but extends to every worthy and able young person throughout the Church. Bishops, you must follow this same inspired pattern.
President Boyd K. Packer wisely taught, “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior” (“Little Children,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17). The doctrine that will transform the attitude of our youth toward missionary work is understanding the infinite worth of a single soul. Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice, offering His infinite Atonement, which provides the only path back to our Heavenly Father’s presence. When parents, bishops, and the youth themselves comprehend this profound doctrine, our young people will be prepared and eager to serve.
Elder Joe J. Christensen eloquently stated, “The Lord didn’t say, ‘Go on a mission if it fits your schedule, or if you feel like it, or if it doesn’t interfere with your scholarship, or your romance, or your educational plans.’ Preaching the gospel is a commandment and not merely a suggestion; it is a blessing and a privilege and not a sacrifice. Remember… the Lord and His prophets are counting on you” (“The Savior Counts on You,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 41).
There is perhaps nothing a young man or woman can do that will have a more profound eternal impact than serving a full-time mission. The good they accomplish as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ will resonate throughout eternity.
Currently, we witness the largest army of missionaries ever assembled in the history of the world. Do not let your children miss the opportunity to be part of this great army. These young men and women, foreordained and tested before they came to earth, are not ordinary spirits; they are choice spirits, reserved to come forth at this time.
As we contemplate the immense commission the Lord has given us to proclaim the gospel to the entire world, I urge you, individually and as families, to implore our Heavenly Father that each and every one of our young people in the Church will have the desire to serve a mission and live worthy of that call.
May Heavenly Father bless us with a firm determination to prepare our youth for missionary service, that the youth of the Church today will be like Helaman’s stripling warriors, exact in keeping every commandment of the Lord, and shine as a light upon a hill, declaring to the world that, like Joshua of old, they have chosen to serve the Lord.
That this may be so, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
