Responding to the Prophet's Call

In this month's edition of the Ensign, on page 22, there is an article we recommend.  A caption summarizes the article, "Senior missionaries around the world speak of great rewards in overcoming obstacles to serving missions."

Is there ever a convenient time to serve?  Service requires sacrifice, and sacrifice brings blessings.  At least that has been our experience.                                                                                                                               

What were some of our obstacles?  We had concerns about leaving our unmarried children.  We had concerns about leaving our parents who needed our help and our support.  We had concerns about health and about finances. We had concerns about not seeing our grandchildren for a year.  

Overcoming obstacles requires great faith.  When we heard Elder Holland speak in conference a year ago ("We are All Enlisted"), we strongly felt the Spirit and wanted to be obedient in following the counsel of a prophet.  We began filling out the paperwork the next day -- not knowing how things would work out, but they did.

President Monson has said:  "We need many, many more senior couples. . . . Make yourselves available to leave home and give full-time missionary service.  There are few times in your lives when you will enjoy the sweet spirit and satisfaction that come from giving full-time service together in the work of the Master."  This is one aspect of missionary work that we particularly enjoy . . . serving full-time together in the Lord's work without the dust of distraction.

We bear testimony of the blessings that serving a mission brings into our lives.  We also have personal experience now to testify that the need is great.  There are so many of God's children who need to be strengthened and loved and given the blessings we have had all our lives and have taken for granted.  There are so many branches of the church that can benefit from committed couples just being present and doing what we ordinarily do in our home wards and stakes.

There is one other witness we can bear, too.  Elder Holland said, "What greater gift could grandparents (and parents) give their posterity than to say by deed as well as word, 'In this family we serve missions!'"  We enjoy telling others who ask why we are serving at such a young age that our kids told us it was our turn.  They wanted us to go, and they continue to support us while we are away.

The thought of leaving struggling children or growing grandchildren seems unbearable; but we have found, like so many others, that our service strengthens our family in ways we could not have expected.

We are grateful to be where we are, doing what we are doing, and helping to build the Lord's kingdom in our small way.  It isn't always easy, but it is undoubtedly worth it!  And we are grateful for the support of our children and extended family!