15.10.18

The big event of this week would definitely be our mission tour -- President Whiting of the Quorum of the 70 visited our mission this week, and addressed the entire mission. His topic? Faith. 

In short, he challenged our mission to have more faith to baptize. 

Historically, missions in Korea and Japan have baptized few people, but surrounding countries are seeing great success. President Whiting also related an experience where the area headquarters was visited by Elder Russel M. Ballard, (then) Bishop Stevenson, and (then) Elder Ronald A. Rasband. It's easy to see that the Church cares a lot for this area -- especially seeing who these three men are now. Elder Ballard told President Whiting that, frankly, there should be more baptisms
here, because the Apostles send only the best to Japan and Korea. 

That was an incredible thing to hear, and their next question has everybody thinking: "Why aren't we baptizing more?" 

The simplest answer -- the only answer -- is that we lack the faith and vision to do it. We're obedient, and we work hard, but a lot of missionaries are content to think they'll baptize one or two people on their mission. Almost everybody's been told by somebody, "Oh, missionary work's tough in that area. Don't get your expectations too high." That's a false principle, as taught by Preach My Gospel: "If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease,your desire will weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit." Low expectations results in low faith. So, over the past week, our mission is making a concentrated effort to exercise more faith and to truly believe that each companionship can baptize every month. When we start to see the results of this increased faith, I am certain that it will be glorious, a miracle. 

As a matter of fact, I've been thinking about lots of things we were taught about and discussed at that conference over the past few days. The interesting thing is that what I've experienced is one phrase popping up, that keeps coming back to my mind throughout the day. On Saturday, while proselyting I thought about how he mentioned that when people on the street ignore or reject us, it's not because they hate us, as an individual. They don't know us well enough to hate us! Rather, they're rejecting what we represent -- Jesus Christ, and His Church. That was sobering, but also helped to remove part of the burden that rejection brings with it. As the part of me that thinks about myself has shrunk, I've felt more sadness and pity for those who, without a word, turn away from us. 

On Sunday, the phrase that stuck in my head was that faith leads to action, and discouragement leads to inaction. What a succinct summary! Every time I turned away from a person, that thought crept into my mind: discouragement leads to inaction. And when I talked to a person, I was validated by remembering that faith leads to action. What a blessing we have to be led and counseled by men who receive revelation from God, and who can see the big picture. 

This week, we spent a lot of our time proselyting telling people about "Family Discovery Day," a community event the church is throwing here. With over 50 missionaries working diligently in the same city, every day, for a few hours, we're seeing a big increase of diligence and great progress in proselyting skills. In particular, it has been a huge blessing to see other missionaries doing their best, because it inspires everybody else.There's a song that says, "Hearts can inspire other hearts with its fire.” "Give me some men who are stout-hearted men, who will fight for the right they adore. Start me with ten who are stout-hearted men, and I’ll soon give you ten thousand more."
I have just one more thought I wanted to share: 

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

(2 Corinthians 4:5-10)

I don't know a better way to describe proselyting on the streets. It's not about us; it's about the Gospel, and Jesus Christ who gave it to us. We're not perfect (we're just "earthen vessels"), but that's just so that people can know for a fact that the Spirit we carry with us isn't us; it's God. God shines in our hearts; and so we invite others to step into the light.