Sickle Thruster

Counting My Countenance Calories

2010-05-24T16:08:00.001-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

When a person begins living on a diet of frequent prayer, scripture study, clean and purposeful living and centering one’s life on the words, teachings and practices of Jesus Christ, something both amazing and predictable happens every time:

The person’s countenance changes.

What is countenance?

It is the appearance conveyed, or shown, by a person's face. And a countenance only changes externally when a heart changes internally.

I know this because I see it happen on a regular basis. Being a mission president is somewhat like a being a director of a laboratory. The experiment we are conducting is described in the 32nd chapter of Alma in the Book of Mormon. The experiment does not involve investigators of our religion – we use our own lab rats for this one – our very own fulltime missionaries. We invite each missionary upon arrival in the mission field to do an experiment with the way they live and act and think. We invite each to “come unto Christ”.

The prophet Alma teaches that faith is a principle of action and power. He invites all to “awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.” (see Alma 32:27)

These words refer to the gospel of Jesus Christ – the teachings of Christ and the reality of His Atonement. Once these words go down deep into our hearts, a wonderful thing happens that is promised to all by Alma: They “enlighten [your] understanding”.

Just last week I was interviewing one of our missionaries. He has been on his mission for almost a year. When he arrived he was full of fear, uncertainty and doubt. He lacked confidence, testimony and character. But he was willing to give it a try.

The young man sitting in front of me now looked different than before. His eyes were sparkling with joy and hope. His posture was erect and energized. His overall countenance glowed with happiness. His life was full of light – heavenly light.
The Lord had blessed and magnified this young man as he consistently experimented with the word. Through a daily diet of frequent prayer, scripture study, clean and purposeful living and centering his life on the words, teachings and practices of Jesus Christ, something both amazing and predictable had happened to him.
There is something exceptionally powerful and real within the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This experiment is not only for our missionaries or those investigating the church – it is for all of us.

Many people are searching for purpose in life. They are concerned for their families. They need the sense of belonging that comes from the knowledge that they are children of God, members of His eternal family. They want to feel secure in a world of changing values.

The gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith will bless their families; meet their spiritual needs and help them fulfill their deepest desires.

When it goes down deep into the heart by the power of the Holy Ghost, their countenances will change for now they see their purpose in life.
When we begin following the examples of Christ in our thoughts and actions, positive changes will always occur. If this is so, then why do so many stay stuck in their “old ways”?

It is for two reasons: we are unable to see the mess we’re in and/or we like our old habits, even if they are not good for us.

Dallin H. Oaks, a modern (or latter) day Apostle teaches this in his own word, “The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change…The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.”

Because of our understanding of God’s plan for man, the necessity to change is a huge deal – perhaps the biggest deal of your life!

A number of our missionaries have recently shared with me, via there weekly emails, personal experiences that testify of the transformative power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These missionaries have countenances that are filled with the love of God.
Notes from the field:

#1 “Dear President, How gratifying it is to be in the service of God and of our fellow men. More and more do I see the need of this restored gospel embedded in the daily life of every human being we contact. He, who watches over this marvelous work, knows the desires of our hearts, and it is His ultimate goal to help us in our journey towards our Heavenly Father. How humbling an assignment it is, to go and do, and specifically minister to his children, as they come unto Him. Not only investigators, but missionaries as well.”

#2. Dear President: Something has really hit me as I've been preparing to leave this area. I way too often confused the ends and the means. This week during weekly planning which lasted a lot longer than usual, and for us they usually go longer anyways, I spent all of it carefully considering how to best plan for the conversion of those I teach. We began by selecting a vision of ours. Some commitment we wanted them to decide to follow on their own without our forcing during the lesson. We then made goals that reflected that vision: Lessons to teach, and smaller commitments that would lead into that larger commitment. Finally we made plans to teach specific principles in specific ways to make sure that it was custom fit to our investigator's needs, and that it would better address their concerns. This reflecting our visions and goals had helped me teach some of the best lessons of my mission, not because there was a spiritual flood of knowledge, but our focus has changed to their conversion, and we have specific visions, goals and plans. When our investigators have them as well, they progress. It seems to be that simple. I love it.”

3. “Dear President, We play basketball with this non member and his progression has been slow, he has had a very tough life and a lot of struggles. Ever since he has been meeting with us, each week we see a change in him. We aren’t the only ones seeing changes in him, he invited his aunt to come to the church to come have a lesson and watch us play basketball. The only reason she came was because she never thought that he would ever go in a church or say a prayer -- so she had to investigate what he was doing. She came and we had a great lesson and then I talked to her while everyone was playing. She expressed sincere gratitude for whatever it is that we have been doing. She told me about his life and how he never smiles and she said, "Look he is smiling. I can see a big change in him.” She started to ask questions about what we have been teaching him. We set up an appointment and now she and her roommate are amazing investigators! Things are rolling here – that’s for sure!”

Elders and Sisters – look in the mirror. What does your countenance say about you? Have you learned that by losing yourself completely in your missionary service that you find yourself happier than you’ve ever been? Many PPM missionaries have purposely placed themselves in this category.

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it, (Matthew 16:25).

When we lose ourselves in the service of the Lord, we end up finding our true selves. We must let go and let God. And then our countenance changes from the inside out.

Counting My Countenance Calories,

Pres. Murray

Secret to Success

2010-05-17T21:47:00.001-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Would you like to know the secret to success as a missionary? If so, keep reading.

And if you keep reading, you’ll be expected to use this secret. Because once you are given important knowledge, you will be held accountable for what you do with it.

Preach My Gospel states that your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to help people become faithful members of the Church. The key word is “commitment”. Your commitment is easily measured by observing your daily effort.

The secret to success as a missionary is based on two things: Super Human Effort and Personal Sacrifice.

In other words, your level of success will be directly linked to your level of effort and your level of sacrifice. The more effort you put into it and the more sacrifices you make, the greater will be your success. This equation is guaranteed. This is the secret to missionary success.

I learned a lot about effort and sacrifice from my father. My dad worked very hard. He owned and operated a creamery in a small town in southern Oregon. The creamery employed about 50 people. It bought raw milk from local farmers and processed it into all kinds of dairy products: milk, cheese, ice cream, butter, sour cream, etc.

For over 30 years my dad followed the 6-6-6 Plan. He never called it this – it’s a term I invented to define his effort and sacrifice. My dad would arrive at work each day at 6AM and then he’d work until 6PM. And he worked from 6AM to 6PM for 6 days each week. He only took Sundays off. A typical job requires a person to work 40 hours a week – but my dad worked 72 hours a week. He faithfully followed the 6-6-6 Plan for over 30 years. I never once heard him complain.

As the owner of his company, he was responsible for running the business through good times and bad. I’m sure there were days that he would loved to have handed it over to someone else. But there was no “someone else” to hand it to. It was his job, just like this is your mission. There is no “someone else” to hand it to.

By observing the efforts and sacrifices of my father, I grew up knowing that great effort and sacrifice were required for any degree of success in life. (The photo on the right is of my parents and me at my college graduation in 1977.)

I believe we often underestimate how much effort and sacrifice we can truly give to a cause. One can survive in America by making a mediocre effort each and every day. This is enough for survival in America. But this small effort will not get a Latter-day Saint into heaven, nor will it define an honorable mission!

In our society it is common for young people to attempt something difficult, but to give up after 5-10 minutes if they don’t achieve success. We see this in school, in sports, in video games, in dating – in all kinds of activities.

Learning to work hard and learning to not-give-up are essential survival skills for life. There is nothing wrong with pushing yourself to see how far you can go while serving your mission. Effort begins in your mind and your heart. This is why we set goals for ourselves. Use your goals as the catalyst for personal motivation and measurement.

I believe it’s appropriate to invite each PPM missionary to give a “Super Human Effort” on a daily basis while serving.

You might ask, “Why?”

I simply respond, “Why not?”

It is in the doing of Super Human Efforts that we discover who we are. We find that we have strength, ability and talents that rise to the surface. It’s exciting! We then develop these attributes and become who we are meant to be. I know of no other way to do this.

Super Human Effort is always accompanied by Personal Sacrifice.

What is sacrifice? Many people define sacrifice as giving up something in order to get something better. Nope – this isn’t sacrifice.

To sacrifice is to give up something to help someone else. There is no promise of getting something better. Please ponder this idea for a moment.

Jesus made the greatest sacrifice. He suffered for our sins. Then He gave His life for us. To obey our Father in Heaven, we often must sacrifice.

Our Father in Heaven commands us to make the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. That means giving up our sins and our pride. It means being willing to remember Jesus always and to keep His commandments, no matter what the cost.

This means that:

1. We have faith in Jesus, we repent of our sins, we are baptized, and we keep Jesus’ commandments.
2. We tell other people about our belief in Jesus so they may become His followers and join His Church.
3. We are willing to do any work in Jesus’ Church that He wants us to do.
To return to our Father in Heaven, we must be willing to give everything Jesus asks us to give. The Apostle Paul said we should use our time on this earth to do all we can to help in Jesus’ work. He says we must “put on Christ”.

What is the fuel that motivates a person to give Super Human Effort and Personal Sacrifice? It is the love of God. It is knowing and loving the Lord and then, in return, feeling His love for you.

President Henry B. Eyring teaches, “It is by giving our whole hearts to the Master and keeping His commandments that we come to know Him. In time, through the power of the Atonement, our hearts are changed, and we can become like Him.”

You have been called and set apart as missionaries of Jesus Christ. President Eyring says that you cannot succeed until you “see with spiritual eyes what it means to be called to serve in the restored Church of Jesus Christ. This is the kingdom of God on the earth. Because of that, it has a power beyond any other endeavor in which humans can engage. That power depends on the faith of those called to serve.”

“You are called of God. The Lord knows you. He chose you. You are called to represent the Savior. Your voice to testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His hands. His work is to bless His Father’s spirit children with the opportunity to choose eternal life. So, your calling is to bless lives.” (Rise to Your Call, Ensign, November, 2002.)

Your success as a missionary will depend on your Super Human Effort and your Personal Sacrifice. Not just for 1-2 days or 1-2 weeks, but for the duration of your mission. This is what it means to “endure to the end”. You can activate the power that President Eyring speaks of through your faithful effort and sacrifice.

And you have the power, right now, to become and remain a successful missionary. It starts with a decision – in your mind and in your heart. The decision is: I WILL DO IT. I MUST DO IT. I WILL GIVE SUPER HUMAN EFFORT AND PERSONAL SACRIFICE. This decision leads to commitment. The commitment leads to a prayer where you promise to give Super Human Effort and Personal Sacrifice throughout your mission. And then you announce it to your companion and your refuse to live below this powerful standard. You refuse to let discouragement, disunity, discord, distance or discontent throw you off this wonderful pathway for success.

Many years from now you’ll look back on your mission. I hope you’ll be able to say, “My mission created the foundation for a successful LIFE. I learned how to work. I learned how to replace fear with faith. I learned the Gospel. I learned how to give Super Human Effort and Personal Sacrifice through good days and bad. I learned how to live.”

With all my love,

Pres. Murray

Love is the Answer

2010-05-10T10:53:00.002-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

I don’t always know what the question is. But I do know the answer. The answer is: LOVE.

The scriptures teach that God is love: “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love,” (1 John 4:8). “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him,” (1 John 4:16).

If God is love, then love is an enabling power available to all of God’s children. It is a force for good. In fact, it is the force and source of the greatest good.

When we are filled with the love of God, everything changes. We see life differently. We respond to challenges in a new way. Our outlook on life changes. We change our minds about life! We transform! (See Romans 12:2.)

Joseph Smith taught: “A man filled with the love of God is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”

Love is the fuel by which those who come unto Christ live their lives. For this to be true, it must work in the best of times and the worst of times. Let me explain by telling you about World War II and an amazing man named Victor Frankl.

Some of your grandparents or great-grandparents fought in this war. It was a global military conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945 and involved most of the world's nations, including all of the great powers. It was organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies (the good guys, including America and England) and the Axis (the bad guys, including Nazi Germany and Japan). It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million military personnel mobilized.

Marked by significant action against civilians, including the Holocaust and the only use of nuclear weapons in a war, it was the deadliest conflict in human history, with over 70 million deaths.

The Holocaust is the term used to describe the intentional murder of approximately six million European Jews during World War II by Nazi Germany. Jews were forced into concentration camps where they were tortured and then murdered. Only a few Jews survived the concentration camps. One of them was Victor Frankl.

Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist. In 1942, at age 37, the Germans deported him, his wife, and his parents to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. In 1944, he was moved to Auschwitz concentration camp and was then to the Türkheim concentration camp. Meanwhile, his wife had been transferred to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp where she was murdered, and his parents had been sent to Auschwitz where they were murdered.

On April 27, 1945, American soldiers took control of Auschwitz and liberated Frankl. To be liberated is to be set free. At last he was free!

Victor Frankl was blessed with a mind capable of learning important lessons even in the darkest of times. He found purpose and meaning in the worst of all situations. Read his account of an experience he had while working in the harsh conditions of the Auschwitz concentration camp:

“... We stumbled on in the darkness, over big stones and through large puddles, along the one road leading from the camp. The accompanying guards kept shouting at us and driving us with the butts of their rifles. Anyone with very sore feet supported himself on his neighbor's arm. Hardly a word was spoken; the icy wind did not encourage talk. Hiding his mouth behind his upturned collar, the man marching next to me whispered suddenly: "If our wives could see us now! I do hope they are better off in their camps and don't know what is happening to us."

That brought thoughts of my own wife to mind. And as we stumbled on for miles, slipping on icy spots, supporting each other time and again, dragging one another up and onward, nothing was said, but we both knew: each of us was thinking of his wife. Occasionally I looked at the sky, where the stars were fading and the pink light of the morning was beginning to spread behind a dark bank of clouds. But my mind clung to my wife's image, imagining it with an uncanny acuteness. I heard her answering me, saw her smile, her frank and encouraging look. Real or not, her look was then more luminous than the sun which was beginning to rise.

A thought transfixed me: for the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth -- that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. In a position of utter desolation, when man cannot express himself in positive action, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way – an honorable way – in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of the image he carries of his beloved, achieve fulfillment. For the first time in my life I was able to understand the meaning of the words, "The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory...."

The above quotation comes from Victor Frankl’s famous book, Man's Search for Meaning. I encourage you to read this book when you get home from your mission.

In one of the darkest period’s of human history, with a front row seat, Frankl discovered something great: “love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire.”

In a speech given at BYU in January 1996, Professor C. Terry Warner connects Victor Frankl’s observations about love with the core message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Professor Warner teaches how we can each turn love into a power for good:

“The Savior seems to say to us: "Come unto me, and I will give you such assurance and hope and strength that you cannot be taken hostage by anyone who seems to do you harm. I will liberate you into love. And then you will no longer give anyone cause to resent or fear you. Instead, they will respond to the love that I have bestowed upon you. By abiding in me, you will do much good, bear much fruit."

How then shall we come unto Christ so that everything will be different from what it could possibly be otherwise?

By sacrificing all taking of offense. By giving up criticism, impatience, and contempt, for they accuse the sisters and brothers for whom Christ died. By forswearing vulgarity and pornography, which diminish both the user and the used. By putting aside, in short, every practice that bears the image of murder, obliteration of souls, discord, and death. By giving these practices their true name, violence, and abhorring even their first appearance. By renouncing war in every form and proclaiming peace (see D&C 98:16).”

As a missionary, you are far away from the comforts of home. But you can find a new home in the arms of God as you come unto Christ in your life! You can feel of His love for you. You can gain literal strength and power through this love, as did missionaries of long ago: “blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land,” (Alma 26:36).

So many people are “running on empty”. They are empty of love. It is our job, our responsibility and our privilege to help fill them with love. Life’s most important questions all have the same answer: LOVE.

Powered by love,

Pres. Murray

Open to Persuasion

2010-05-04T09:43:00.001-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

The lyrics of a particular song often echo in my mind: “I am not in love, but I’m open to persuasion.”

What is persuasion?

Persuasion is the process of guiding another toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action.

In the song, a woman is stating that she is willing to fall in love – but that she first must be persuaded to do it. She’s not against falling in love, but it will require some good old-fashioned persuasion.

When we are “open to persuasion” it means that we are willing to change. We are willing to move in a new direction. We are willing to try something new.

Every missionary hopes that the next new investigator will be “open to persuasion”. We hope they will sing, “I am not a Mormon, but I’m open to persuasion.”

Is it appropriate to use persuasion as part of our missionary tools? Of course! Most people are stuck in their ways. They are not interested in changing. They must be persuaded by someone who cares greatly for them.

Nephi states this very plainly when he says, “For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved,” (1 Nephi 6:4).

Nephi is saying that his entire purpose as a man (“the fulness of mine intent”) is to persuade people to come unto Christ and be saved. Nephi understood that people will not change unless they are persuaded to do so. It is for this reason that he literally gave it his all when teaching.

“Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things,” (1 Nephi 15:25).

“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Nephi understood this principle and this is why he taught with all the energies of his soul and all the faculty (abilities) that he possessed. If he did less than this, then his investigators would not be persuaded to “experiment upon the word” (see Alma 32:27).

The difference between missionary work and being a sales person is that we are NOT trying to convince someone to buy our product! Instead – and this is VERY IMPORTANT – we are striving to get our investigators to their knees in humble prayer so that they can open a channel of true communications with God. We do not try to persuade them to join the Church! Instead we are persuading them to turn themselves towards God to find out if what we teach is true.

We are confident that this process works. This is because what we teach is true and all men and women are born with the Light of Christ – the knowledge of right and wrong. We know that God wants all of His children to find the restored Gospel, to strengthen their faith, repent, get baptized and confirmed, and to endure to the end (which includes receiving the saving ordinance of the temple).

How much do you know and understand about the Light of Christ that resides within each of your investigators?

The following instruction comes from Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles:

The more we know about the Light of Christ, the more we will understand about life and the more we will have a deep love for all mankind. We will be better teachers and missionaries and parents, and better men and women and children. We will have deeper regard for our brothers and sisters in the Church and for those who do not believe and have not yet had conferred upon them the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Light of Christ is defined in the scriptures as “the Spirit [which] giveth light to every man that cometh into the world” (D&C 84:46; emphasis added); “the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed” (D&C 88:13; see also John 1:4–9; D&C 84:45–47; D&C 88:6; D&C 93:9).

And the Light of Christ is also described in the scriptures as “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (D&C 84:45), “the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18; see also Mosiah 25:24), “the Spirit of truth” (D&C 93:26), “the light of truth” (D&C 88:6), “the Spirit of God” (D&C 46:17), and “the Holy Spirit” (D&C 45:57). Some of these terms are also used to refer to the Holy Ghost.

The First Presidency has written, “There is a universally diffused essence which is the light and the life of the world, ‘which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,’ which proceedeth forth from the presence of God throughout the immensity of space, the light and power of which God bestows in different degrees to ‘them that ask him,’ according to their faith and obedience.” (Improvement Era, Mar. 1916, 460.)

Regardless of whether this inner light, this knowledge of right and wrong, is called the Light of Christ, moral sense, or conscience, it can direct us to moderate our actions—unless, that is, we subdue it or silence it.” (The Light of Christ, Ensign, April 2005.)

Because we all have the Light of Christ, every person we talk to is “open to persuasion” to learn more about God’s plan for him or her! There is an heaven-sent need and desire for all to do good and be good.

Years of poor choices and bad living can snuff out the Light of Christ. Although it may be deeply buried and hard to find, it is still there!

You and your companion are the Rescue Squad. In your mind, you should think positively and optimistically about each investigator. Can you hear them saying:

“I am not praying about the First Vision, but I’m open to persuasion.”
“I am not reading the Book of Mormon, but I’m open to persuasion.”
“I am not obeying the Law of Chastity, but I’m open to persuasion.”
“I am not coming to Church, but I’m open to persuasion.”

It is vitally important to understand that an invitation to pray or to read is not the same as persuasion!

Persuasion requires planning, passion, energy, emotion, empathy and effort. It is motivated solely by your love for God and your love for your investigator. You are sensing, appropriately, that the very future of your investigator hangs in the balance. If you can successfully persuade them to “experiment with the word” (see Alma 32:27), then you can be assured that God enlighten their soul and they will want more!

We are at war! Satan is a master of persuasion. He makes bad look good.

“Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually,” (Moroni 7:12).

When you were set apart as a missionary, you were given the Power of Persuasion. This true power is enabled and activated by your faith and by your outward actions. You are never alone. When you are meeting with an investigator, always remember:
“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up,” (D&C 84:88).

As we invite others to come unto Christ, we must persuade them to do those things (pray, read the Book of Mormon, attend Church, clean up their lives) that will convince them of the truth of our great message.

Persuasively yours,

President Murray

Book of Mormon - Essential for Missionary Success

2010-04-19T14:23:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Can you testify of the convincing and converting power of the Book of Mormon? Have the words of God - in pure doctrine - gone down deep into your heart by the power of the Holy Ghost?

The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of the divinity of Christ. It is also proof of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith. An essential part of conversion is receiving a witness from the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true. As a missionary you must first have a personal testimony that the Book of Mormon is true. This testimony can lead to a deep and abiding faith in the power of the Book of Mormon during the conversion process.

All investigators must have a personal conversion experience prior to baptism. They must feel something deep down in their heart that conveys the truth of our message: that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored! This experience is usually the result of (1) learning about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon, (2) studying the Book of Mormon and (3) praying to God to know if it is true.

Have confidence that the Holy Ghost will testify to anyone who reads and ponders the Book of Mormon and asks God if it is true with a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in Christ. This witness of the Holy Ghost should be a central focus of your teaching.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the following at our most recent General Conference (please read, mark and study each of the scripture references):

“The Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the Savior’s gospel and is the only book the Lord Himself has testified to be true (see D&C 17:6). Indeed, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion.

The convincing and converting powers of the Book of Mormon come from both a central focus upon the Lord Jesus Christ and the inspired plainness and clarity of its teachings. Nephi declared, “My soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn” (2 Nephi 25:4). The root word “plain” in this verse does not refer to things that are ordinary or simple; rather, it denotes instruction that is clear and easily understood.

The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth because it centers upon the Truth (see John 14:6; 1 Nephi 13:40), even Jesus Christ, and restores the plain and precious things that have been taken away from the true gospel (see 1 Nephi 13:26, 28–29, 32, 34–35, 40). The unique combination of these two factors—a focus on the Savior and the plainness of the teachings—powerfully invites the confirming witness of the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Ghost. Consequently, the Book of Mormon speaks to the spirit and to the heart of the reader like no other volume of scripture.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that abiding by the precepts found in the Book of Mormon would help us “get nearer to God” than any other book (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 64). Regular reading of and talking about the Book of Mormon invite the power to resist temptation and to produce feelings of love within our [companionships, districts and zones]. And discussions about the doctrines and principles in the Book of Mormon provide opportunities for [missionaries] to observe their [investigators and recent converts], to listen to them, to learn from them, and to teach them.”

On November 14, 2009, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited our mission. This was an unforgettable experience as he spoke to all missionaries in a special meeting held in the Valley Forge Stake Center. All Apostles have deep testimonies of and reverence for the Book of Mormon. Here is Elder Nelson’s testimony about the Book of Mormon:

“I would like to add my testimony of the divinity of this book. I have read it many times. I have also read much that has been written about it. Some authors have focused upon its stories, its people, or its vignettes of history. Others have been intrigued by its language structure or its records of weapons, geography, animal life, techniques of building, or systems of weights and measures.

Interesting as these matters may be, study of the Book of Mormon is most rewarding when one focuses on its primary purpose—to testify of Jesus Christ. By comparison, all other issues are incidental. When you read the Book of Mormon, concentrate on the principal figure in the book—from its first chapter to the last—the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. And look for a second undergirding theme: God will keep His covenants with the remnants of the house of Israel.

The Book of Mormon is a crucial component of that covenant. It is holy scripture that encompasses sacred writings from the small and large plates of Nephi, the plates of Mormon, the plates of Ether, and the plates of brass, which contained “the five books of Moses, … a record of the Jews, … and … prophecies of the holy prophets.”

When Mormon abridged these records, he noted that he could not write a “hundredth part” of their proceedings. Thus, historical aspects of the book assume secondary significance.

The Holy Bible has 66 individual books; the Book of Mormon contains 15. Its first book of Nephi—written some six centuries before the birth of Jesus—records that the prophet Lehi received a vision of the tree of life. His son Nephi prayed to know its meaning. In answer, he was given a remarkable vision. He beheld a virgin bearing a Child in her arms. He envisioned the Redeemer of the world, His earthly ministry, and His Crucifixion. He saw 12 others who would follow the Holy One. And he foresaw the ongoing opposition to the work of God and of His Apostles.

Other great prophets of the Book of Mormon—in their own way and time—testified of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Among them were the brother of Jared, Zenock, Neum, and Zenos. Testimonies of Jesus Christ that predated His birth in Bethlehem were also recorded from King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma the Elder, Alma the Younger, Amulek, the sons of Mosiah, Captain Moroni, the brothers Nephi and Lehi, and Samuel the Lamanite. In a seemingly endless sequence of prophetic proclamations—testimonies of “all the holy prophets” for “a great many thousand years before his coming” —the Book of Mormon makes the solemn declaration that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.” (A Testimony of the Book of Mormon, Ensign, Nov. 1999, 70).

Elders and Sisters – Strengthen your knowledge and testimony of the Book of Mormon! This will increase your power and authority as you invite others to come unto Christ. From your first day as a PPM Golden to the very last day of your mission, your top priority must be that of inviting all to come to Christ!

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that we should: “search the Scriptures—search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory, nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God.” [HC 1:282].

The Book of Mormon, combined with the Spirit, is your most powerful resource in conversion. Use it as your main source for teaching the restored gospel. Memorize key scriptures; carefully study the lessons in Chapter 3 and regularly review, with new eyes, Chapter 5. As we diligently do these things, we have the privilege of praying for miracles for our investigators, our leaders, our members and our areas.

Truly testifying,

President Murray

Change

2010-04-11T15:18:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Most people do not like to change. Have you noticed this?

Missionaries don’t like to change areas. Missionaries don’t like to change companions. Missionaries don’t like to change teenage attitudes and self-images, even when it blocks them from being more effective and more Christ-like. Missionaries get upset when a new mission president arrives.

Ward members get upset when a new bishop is called or when ward boundaries are changed.

Investigators don’t like to change their lives – thus making it difficult to keep even simple and basic commitments.

There is an old saying, “People are creatures of habit.” This means that we like to do the things we’ve always done, even if they are destructive, nasty bad habits. We often prefer to be “stuck in our ways”.

And yet the light of Christ in each of us desires a brighter, better life.
When I was a bishop of a YSA ward in the Seattle area, a member made the following statement in a Sacrament Meeting talk: “Here’s what I have learned recently. It is better to have no boyfriend than a bad boyfriend.”

This young woman had been stuck with a bad boyfriend. She was a creature of habit. The boyfriend took away her light and her happiness. But she stayed with him. She gave in to a bad life. But then one day she realized that she had agency – she could choose a new and better life. This would require change, and temporary pain and trauma – she had to break-up! And the result was so much better than she expected! This is always the case when we get rid of the bad and embrace the good.

As a mission president, I’ve been amazed at the way many of our missionaries change for the better. Gone is the inward selfish view of life. Gone is self-doubt, self-absorption, self-misery, and self-justification. These missionaries have listened and learned from the invitation to “let go and let God”. They have replaced their fear of change with faith that God will make them better and happier. (Here’s a little secret: this formula will work every time!)

But some are afraid to change because they believe the result will be terrible. They falsely believe that turning to God will shrink their personalities. They believe that they will lose their identity. They believe that complete obedience to God’s commandments will create a dull and boring life. This is the view that Satan promotes. It is completely false and incorrect. I plead with these missionaries to change their mind!

When we look to God and turn to God and willingly change those things need changing, then we begin to truly live! Consider this gem of a scripture: “Look to God and live” (Alma 37:47).

Joseph Smith once said, “I am at all times willing to give up everything that is wrong, for I wish this people to have a virtuous leader,” History of the Church, 6:412.

President Thomas S. Monson teaches the following about the necessity for personal change:

“During a time long past, and in a place far away, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ taught the multitudes and His disciples “the way, the truth, and the life.” He provided counsel with His holy words. He lived an example for us with His exemplary life.

His teachings and His example prompted Peter to ask this question: “What manner of persons ought ye to be?” During His ministry on the American continent, the Lord Jesus Christ added significant words when He answered the same question: “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”

In His earthly ministry, the Master outlined how we should live, how we should teach, how we should serve, and what we should do so that we could become our best selves.

In our mortal journey, the advice of the Apostle Paul provides heavenly guidance:
“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Then came the concluding charge: “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
In the search for our best selves, several questions will guide our thinking: Am I what I want to be? Am I closer to the Savior today than I was yesterday? Will I be closer yet tomorrow? Do I have the courage to change for the better?” (Source: April 2006, Ensign).

It does take courage to change for the better!

A noted psychoanalyst, who specializes in helping people change, made the following observation about human nature:

“Often we do not choose, but (we) drift into those modes (of thinking and behavior) which eventually define us. Circumstances push and we yield. We did not choose to be what we have become, but gradually, imperceptibly became what we now are by drifting into the doing of those things we now characteristically do,” (Allen Wheelis, How People Change).

None of this would be a bid deal if it were not for our understanding of God’s plan for man.

Alma the Younger, a prophet of God, teaches, “All mankind…must be…changed from their carnal and fallen state…and unless they do this, they can nowise inherit the kingdom of God,” (Mosiah 27:25-26).

Dallin H. Oaks, a modern (or latter) day Apostle teaches this in his own word, “The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change…The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.”

Because of our understanding of God’s plan for man, the necessity to change is a huge deal – perhaps the biggest deal of your life!

When you are studying Christ-like attributes in Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel, you are studying “requirements for change”! When you are inviting a wonderful investigator to make and keep commitments, you are introducing him or her to “requirements for change”!

But change is hard. There are two ways to create change. One is doctrinal and the other is behavioral. When used together, the result is a complete transformation into a “new creature”. Study both of these carefully:

Change based on doctrine - “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel,” (Boyd K. Packer, Conference Report, October 1986).

Change based on behavior - “Personality change follows change in behavior. If we want to change what we are, we must begin by changing what we do. The new mode (of behavior) will be experienced as difficult, unpleasant, forced, unnatural, anxiety-provoking. Change will occur only if considerable effort of will is maintained over a long period of time,” (Allen Wheelis, How People Change).

Your 18 months or two years as a missionary is the perfect time for personal change and transformation. This unique once-in-a-lifetime experience allows you all the time and space you need for change. You can become the “real” and “authentic” you when, in the words of Joseph Smith, you “give up everything that is wrong”.

You also now have a better understanding of how difficult it is for your investigators to change. You must develop their trust. And then you must teach like Nephi: “with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty (ie senses) which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things,” (1 Nephi 15:25). If you don’t do this, then they will remain stuck in their ways and we will fail in our efforts to build the Church in PPM.

Change is my middle name,

Pres. Murray

Compelled to be Humble

2010-04-05T16:01:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

This is the Week Six Sickle Thruster. Included in this Sickle Thruster is the new Study Chart for the next transfer. Please refer to this one a regular basis throughout the next transfer. Some missionaries tape the chart to the wall above their study desk. We expect every PPM missionary to use the Study Chart and an integral and essential part of your daily Personal Study.

Our primary goal is to help “build the Church”. We do this by inviting others to be baptized; helping develop new members and befriending and reactivating those who have fallen away from the church. A three-legged stool often represents this three-pronged effort. << show clip art of three legged stool >>

We will know that we have been successful in our goal when we see more people coming to Church every Sunday; more people going to the temple regularly; more people paying tithing regularly; more families praying together, holding Family Home Evening and serving each other.

To help us with our goal, we have two areas of focus: (1) To Come Unto Christ (for ourselves and all those with whom we work) and (2) To Become Master Teachers.

We expect every PPM missionary to make these areas of focus their top priorities!

We invite you to come unto Christ and to become fully converted to the truth of the restored Gospel. We invite you to repent of any habit, thought, practice or idea that is inconsistent with that of being a follower of Christ. We invite you to study the words of Christ, the example of Christ, the Atonement of Christ and the majesty of Christ. We invite you to invest great time and purpose in Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel. We invite you to dedicate your life to Him!

In order to become more successful in helping others come unto Christ, you’ll need to improve all aspects of your teaching skills. To be a Master Teacher, you must become a Master Planner…and a Master Finder…and a Master Communicator…and a Master Organizer.

Diligent and consistent use of the Transfer Study Chart will help you make great improvements as a Master Teacher!

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I hope you enjoyed General Conference and Easter as much as Sister Murray and I did. We learned so much from the talks and from the Spirit. We loved hearing from our 15 favorite Apostles.

There are two messages from Conference that I’d like to repeat. They are both from the Saturday night Priesthood Session.

The first is from Elder Ronald A. Rasband, the Senior President of the Presidency of the Seventy. Elder Rasband told of being trained, in 2000, as a newly called Seventy. Part of the training included spending a day with an Apostle as missionaries were assigned to their missions. He spent this day with Elder Henry B. Eyring. At one point in the day, Elder Erying asked him where he thought a new missionary should go. Elder Rasband was startled – he had no idea. He had assumed that Elder Eyring would be doing this special activity all by himself. Elder Eyring said to him, “Brother Rasband, pay closer attention and you too can know.”

By paying closer attention, Elder Rasband was able to receive direct inspiration that a particular missionary should go to the Japan Sapporo Mission – and this is exactly where Elder Eyring assigned that missionary!

This principle works in all aspects of missionary work. If you are simply “going through the motions” – even if you are being obedient – you will not receive direct inspiration that can guide you in all parts of the work. To become a truly effective missionary, you must “pay closer attention and you too can know”. You too can know how to help an investigator who is not progression. Or how to find more investigators. Or how to work with an active family to secure more referrals. Or how to help your companion. Or how to keep your mind and heart clean and pure. Elders and Sisters: Pay closer attention and you too can know!

A second lesson from Conference came from President Henry B. Eyring. At the end of a wonderful talk about diligence in the priesthood, he said the following:

“I close now with this counsel to the Lord’s priesthood servants:

Ponder deeply and diligently in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets.

Persist in prayer for the Holy Ghost to reveal to you the nature of God the Father and His Beloved Son.

Plead that the Spirit will show you what the Lord wants you to do.

Plan to do it!

Promise Him to obey.

Act with determination until you have done what He asked.

And then pray to give thanks for the opportunity to serve and to know what you might do next.”

President Eyring has provided an inspired pattern for living for those desiring to come unto Christ, “put on Christ”, and stay with Christ throughout their lives. I highly recommend that you carefully study his counsel and then put it into practice.

On a mission we should all adopt improved patterns for thinking and living. And then we should make these a permanent part of our being.

Many fine missionaries return home from their missions and rapidly fall back into a very carnal, lazy, worldly way of life. This is always a disaster of massive proportion. While on their mission, each of these missionaries proved to all onlookers that “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). They served obediently and valiantly. We loved serving with them!

But they never truly internalized this new way of living. They obeyed the mission rules because they were compelled to do it. And the Lord truly blessed them with happiness, inspiration and missionary success.

Once home, they were no longer compelled or required to work hard, pray, study scriptures, set goals, avoid pornography, etc. They quickly reverted back to an old way of living that guarantees a descent (downward slide) into mediocrity. Yikes – don’t let this happen to you! Are you only being good because your are compelled?

A great example of this principle is taught by Alma the Younger in Chapter 32 of the Book of Mormon. He was teacning a group of poor people whose great poverty compelled them to be humble. They are similar to PPM missionaries who become humble only because they were compelled to obey the mission rules:

“13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.

14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?

15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.

16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.”

Elders and Sisters – I love the gospel of Jesus Christ because I love Jesus Christ. I want to do my best and be my best for Him. I want to repent because it’s the right thing to do – not because it’s a mission rule! I want to choose the right for the rest of my life. Please join me is this great journey.

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Why Easter Matters

2010-03-29T18:54:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

This coming Sunday is Easter. Do you know the great importance of Easter? Please read this year’s Easter message from the First Presidency:

“At this Easter season of hope and renewal we testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought comforting assurance and provided the answer to the question of Job, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).

Because of the Savior’s resurrection we will overcome death and become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace fills our hearts and eases our minds. Jesus is in very deed “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

We give our sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our everlasting blessing and benefit. To each member of the human family He stands as our Advocate, our Savior, and our Friend.”

History of Easter

Historically, Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover. In the narrative of the Exodus, the Bible tells that God inflicted ten plagues upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would release his Hebrew slaves, with the tenth plague being the killing of all of the firstborn, from the Pharaoh's son to the firstborn of the dungeon captive, to the firstborn of cattle.

The Hebrews were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord passed over these homes, hence the term "passover". When Pharaoh freed the Hebrews, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread to rise. In commemoration, for the duration of Passover, no leavened bread is eaten.

In 325 A.D. the first Christian Roman emperor Constantine organized a meeting of the most senior church leaders. One of the decisions made during this meeting was that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon on or following the vernal equinox. Thus the date of Easter changes each year. It can be as early as March 22 as late as April 25.

It was during Passover that Christ gathered His apostles in an upper room and “as they were eating, Jesus took bread and brake it, and blessed it, and gave to his disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is in remembrance of my body which I give a ransom for you. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it. For this is in remembrance of my blood of the new testament, which is shed for as many shall believe on my name, for the remission of their sins” (Inspired Version Matthew 26:22-25).

Then He went to Gethsemane where he took upon himself all the sins, pains and afflictions of mankind – willingly suffering for you and me. And then he was betrayed and crucified. His Atonement reaches and is powerful enough not only to pay the price for sin but also to heal every mortal affliction. The Book of Mormon teaches that “He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people” (Alma 7:11; see also 2 Nephi 9:21).

Easter and the Atonement

Jesus Christ overcame the obstacle of physical death for us. When He died on the cross, His spirit became separated from his body. On the third day His spirit and His body were reunited eternally, never to be separated again.

He appeared to many people, showing them that He had an immortal body of flesh and bone. The reuniting of body and spirit is called resurrection and is a gift promised to each of us. Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected regardless of whether we have done good or evil in this life. We will have a perfect, immortal body of flesh and bones that will never again be subject to disease, pain or death. The resurrection makes it possible to return to God’s presences to be judged but does not guarantee that we will be able to live in His presence. To receive that blessing, we must also be free from sin.

God sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to overcome the obstacle of sin in addition to the obstacle of physical death. We are not responsible for the Fall of Adam and Eve, but we are responsible for our own sins. God cannot look on sin with any degree of allowance, and sin prevents us from living in His presence. Only through the Savior’s grace and mercy can we become clean from sin so that we can live with God again. This is possible through exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

To fulfill the plan of salvation, Christ paid the penalty for our sins. He alone was able to do that. He was called and prepared in pre-earth life. He was the literal Son of God in the flesh. He was sinless and completely obedient to His Father. Though tempted, He never gave in to temptation. When the Father asked His Beloved Son to pay the price of the world’s sins, Jesus was prepared and willing.

The Atonement included His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and His suffering and death on the cross, and it ended with His Resurrection. Though He suffered beyond comprehension—so much so that He bled from every pore and asked whether it were possible that this burden be lifted from Him—He submitted to the Father’s will in a supreme expression of love for His Father and for us. This triumph of Jesus Christ over spiritual death by His suffering and over physical death by His Resurrection is called the Atonement.

Christ promises to forgive our sins on the condition that we accept Him by exercising faith in Him, repenting, receiving baptism by immersion, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and striving faithfully to keep His commandments to the end of our lives. Through continuing repentance, we may obtain forgiveness and be cleansed of our sins by the power of the Holy Ghost. We are relieved of the burden of guilt and shame, and through Jesus Christ we become worthy to return to the presence of God.

One of the greatest sermons of all the ages, preached by an angel from heaven on the subject of the Atonement, includes these words:

“As in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins. And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; … salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father,” (Mosiah 3:16-19).

I believe in Christ,

President Murray

Proving Grounds

2010-03-22T12:40:00.010-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

A proving ground is the name for a U.S. military installation where weapons and other military technology are experimented with or tested. The Army’s oldest, active proving ground is the Aberdeen Proving Ground located in Aberdeen Maryland, only 60 miles from Philadelphia. It was established in 1917, six months after the United States entered World War I. The Aberdeen Proving Ground has more than 16,000 employees. It covers over 72,000 acres and has 2,000 buildings. It is a huge operation – this proving ground.

It is necessary for our military to have proving grounds so that in times of war we can have confidence that our weapons and technologies will work as designed. We must be able to defend our freedom against enemies, both large and small.

As important as such proving grounds are to our safety and security, I would like to discuss an even more important proving ground with personal and eternal consequences. The word “earth” is the name given to God’s proving ground for all of mankind – all kindreds, tongues and people.

You and I are living and actively participating on this proving ground right now. One of the great blessings of the restored gospel is that of enjoying restored knowledge and truth. Such knowledge is essential for true success on this earthly proving ground.

In the Grand Council in Heaven, the decision was made to “make an earth whereon these may dwell” (Abr. 3:24). This earth is the place to prove ourselves worthy and to prepare to return to the presence of the Lord. He explained, “And we will prove [or test] them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abr. 3:25).

The Lord explained the purpose for which we must be tested during this earthly experience: “My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them” (D&C 136:31).

In 1909 the First Presidency wrote: "Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and endowed with divine attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so the undeveloped offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and aeons, of evolving into a God" (Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, 81; see also Acts 17:27-28; Hebrews 12:9; Marion G. Romney, Learning for the Eternities, George J. Romney, comp. [1977], 31-32).

Can you believe it! We each have the potential of evolving into a God. Getting from here to there is possible, but it requires a lot of “proving” in the proving ground. This proving comes in the form of daily life – the trials, afflictions, tests and challenges that come our way. To get through life successfully and to earn our heavenly reward, we are each required to (1) Come Unto Christ and (2) Stay with Christ.

Coming Unto Christ is at the bulls-eye of the proving ground. This has been an unchanging message from prophets, seers and revelators throughout the ages.
Inviting others to come unto Christ is the central purpose of all missionary work. But what does it mean to Come Unto Christ?

It is the Book of Mormon, and not the Bible, that excels in teaching us what this means. For instance consider these words in the Book of Omni:

“And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved,” (Omni 1:26).

And then in the very last chapter of the Book of Mormon, on the very last page, the prophet Moroni’s final words say, “And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God,” (Moroni 10:30, 32).

To come unto Christ is to deny yourself of all ungodliness and to love God with all your might, mind and strength (not when you feel like it, but all the time).

Coming Unto Christ is the method by which man proves himself to God while on earth. And once he has come unto Christ, he must stay with Christ during the good times and the bad. The Apostle Paul says it this way: “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). I like this term because it is visual. It’s like putting on a new outfit or new suit of clothes. It means that Christ doesn’t remain in your scriptures, but that He comes alive in your life. Your life becomes living proof, to anyone who examines you, that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Redeemer. (See Romans 12:1-2). You practice what you preach. Your actions always speak louder than your words.

But life is not always easy to live. Many people suffer in personal struggles, while others will suffer as they watch their loved ones in pain. Many of our missionaries have suffered, are suffering or will suffer greatly from the slings and arrows of missionary service. We will not go untested.

Here is the central question: How will we respond when we are being tested and when the trials and struggles are so very difficult? This battle isn’t new – its been fought for centuries. We can gain insights and hope from those who have lived in prior times. An instructive example is that of how Alma and his people dealt with severe trials when they were under the control of a corrupt ruler named Amulon.

Amulon imposed heavy burdens upon Alma and his people. He threatened to kill anyone caught praying. Their situation was as difficult as anything most of us have ever experienced. In private they cried to the Lord for help. This story is found in Mosiah, chapter 24:

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

What happened to Alma and his people?

1. Life had become unbearable.
2. They were enslaved and required to shoulder burdens that seemed insurmountable.
3. They turned to the Lord, with great faith, and cried for help.
4. The Lord did not remove the burdens. But because of their faith, the burdens were made light.

This is a very important lesson to learn about how the Lord works when we are pure in heart. I believe the way our burdens are made light is that God makes us stronger – emotionally, mentally, physically, and especially spiritually.

As a result of tests, trials and struggles, our souls are stretched and our spirits are strengthened. We change. Our character and personality becomes more Christ-like. We are made strong.

On the PPM Proving Grounds,

Pres. Murray

The Challenge to Become

2010-03-15T20:01:00.001-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

You are teachers. You are responsible for inviting others to come unto Christ – and then you must teach them how this is to be done.

Not too long ago you were in high school and you were being taught. The job of the high school was to teach you to know something. Such as the capital of Rhode Island is Providence. Or that electronegativity is a number that describes the relative ability of an atom, when bonded, to attract electrons. Or that approximately six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.

As a missionary, you teach your investigators to know things about the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Commandments. However, your far greater responsibility is to help your investigators become something far greater than they are today.

In the October 2000 General Conference, Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a powerful sermon called, “The Challenge to Become.” As we strive to become Master Teachers in PPM, we can learn from Elder Oaks. I have shortened his talk to fit in this week’s SickleThruster. I encourage you to study this talk very carefully and to find 1-2 new things that you can do to become a more effective Master Teacher.

Happy Studying,

Pres. Murray

The Challenge to Become,
by Elder Dallin H. Oaks

The Apostle Paul taught that the Lord’s teachings and teachers were given that we may all attain “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). This process requires far more than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.

Many Bible and modern scriptures speak of a final judgment at which all persons will be rewarded according to their deeds or works or the desires of their hearts. But other scriptures enlarge upon this by referring to our being judged by the condition we have achieved.

The prophet Nephi describes the Final Judgment in terms of what we have become: “And if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God” (1 Ne. 15:33; emphasis added). Moroni declares, “He that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still” (Morm. 9:14; emphasis added; see also Rev. 22:11–12; 2 Ne. 9:16; D&C 88:35). The same would be true of “selfish” or “disobedient” or any other personal attribute inconsistent with the requirements of God. Referring to the “state” of the wicked in the Final Judgment, Alma explains that if we are condemned by our words, our works, and our thoughts, “we shall not be found spotless; … and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God” (Alma 12:14).

From such teachings we conclude that the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.

A parable illustrates this understanding. A wealthy father knew that if he were to bestow his wealth upon a child who had not yet developed the needed wisdom and stature, the inheritance would probably be wasted. The father said to his child:

“All that I have I desire to give you—not only my wealth, but also my position and standing among men. That which I have I can easily give you, but that which I am you must obtain for yourself. You will qualify for your inheritance by learning what I have learned and by living as I have lived. I will give you the laws and principles by which I have acquired my wisdom and stature. Follow my example, mastering as I have mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours.”

This parable parallels the pattern of heaven. The gospel of Jesus Christ promises the incomparable inheritance of eternal life, the fulness of the Father, and reveals the laws and principles by which it can be obtained.

We qualify for eternal life through a process of conversion. As used here, this word of many meanings signifies not just a convincing but a profound change of nature. Jesus used this meaning when He taught His chief Apostle the difference between a testimony and a conversion. Jesus asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” (Matt. 16:13). Next He asked, “But whom say ye that I am?

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 16:15–17).

Peter had a testimony. He knew that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah, and he declared it. To testify is to know and to declare.

Later on, Jesus taught these same men about conversion, which is far more than testimony. When the disciples asked who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, “Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:2–4; emphasis added).

Later, the Savior confirmed the importance of being converted, even for those with a testimony of the truth. In the sublime instructions given at the Last Supper, He told Simon Peter, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32).

In order to strengthen his brethren—to nourish and lead the flock of God—this man who had followed Jesus for three years, who had been given the authority of the holy apostleship, who had been a valiant teacher and testifier of the Christian gospel, and whose testimony had caused the Master to declare him blessed still had to be “converted.”

Jesus’ challenge shows that the conversion He required for those who would enter the kingdom of heaven (see Matt. 18:3) was far more than just being converted to testify to the truthfulness of the gospel. To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges us to be “converted,” which requires us to do and to become. If any of us relies solely upon our knowledge and testimony of the gospel, we are in the same position as the blessed but still unfinished Apostles whom Jesus challenged to be “converted.” We all know someone who has a strong testimony but does not act upon it so as to be converted. For example, returned missionaries, are you still seeking to be converted, or are you caught up in the ways of the world?

The needed conversion by the gospel begins with the introductory experience the scriptures call being “born again” (e.g., Mosiah 27:25; Alma 5:49; John 3:7; 1 Pet. 1:23). In the waters of baptism and by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, we become the spiritual “sons and daughters” of Jesus Christ, “new creatures” who can “inherit the kingdom of God” (Mosiah 27:25–26).

What Does It Mean to Proselyte?

2010-03-08T15:57:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

What does it mean to proselyte? Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Twelve Apostles provides a good definition, “Proselyting is the art by which we talk to people, regardless of the circumstance or situation.”

Preach My Gospel (p156) teaches that “nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach. Talk with as many people as you can each day. It is natural to be somewhat apprehensive about talking to people, but you can pray for the faith and strength to be more bold in opening your mouth to proclaim the restored gospel.”

Elder Ballard expects missionaries to talk with everyone. We have a standard in PPM for helping us remember to talk with everyone. It is the Key Indicator called a “Contact”. You should strive to have at a very minimum 10-20 contacts every day of your mission. A Contact is an intentional effort on the part of you or your companion to have a gospel-centered conversation. As long as the intent was a gospel-centered conversation, then the interaction is counted as a Contact even if it lasted for 5 seconds.

We take proselyting seriously in this mission. How can we build the Church and invite others to Come unto Christ if we’re not talking to them? Measuring Contacts is a good way to know if we’re working as hard as we can in our proseltying efforts.

For a very long time this mission has specialized in getting lots of contacts. Our weekly goal is 8,400 Contacts. This suggests that every pair of PPM missionaries should strive to have 125 Contacts each week – or 15-20 each day. In the past it was not unusual for the mission to report over 10,000 Contacts in some weeks. Over the past six months our weekly Contacts have dropped significantly – from more than 8,400 to less that 5,400. This is a 36% drop in Contacts!

There could be a number of reasons for this:

Perhaps you are receiving many more referrals from members and are helping prepare these referrals for baptism. If this is the case, then you’ll have less time for traditional proseltying activities. If we can replace some of our proseltying time with productive member involvement, then everyone wins!

Perhaps you are spending too much time on the bus or in your car traveling from one distant appointment to another. If this is the case, then you’ve forgotten the important 5x5 rule. Whenever you are going to an appointment, always knock on the 5 doors to the left and 5 doors to the right of the appointment. And also the 5x5 across the street. This allows you to make much better use of your time. Do not confuse sitting on a bus or in a car with being busy!

Perhaps you are in a suburban or rural area and there are not 125 people to talk to each week. If this is the case I invite you to become more creative, resourceful and inventive in your proselyting efforts. When we knock, God opens the door for personal inspiration, revelation and creative ideas.

Elder Ballard relates the following experience while traveling with a mission president and his wife in Sweden:

“We went to a Swedish crystal factory and a lovely young lady was our guide. She spoke some English, enough that we could communicate a little bit with her. I asked the mission president’s wife to talk to her about the gospel. She said, “Her?” I said, “Yes.” She said, “Now?” I said, “Yes, we don’t care about the crystal. What we care about is baptizing more people into the Church in Sweden.

“She did, and learned that this lovely young lady’s grandmother was a member of the Church. That young lady agreed that the next time she came to Stockholm she would visit with the mission president and his wife at the mission home.

“I recently received a letter from that mission president. He advised me that the young lady has joined the Church. And he also reported that since my visit they have had 46 baptisms. Each set of missionaries has contacted 30 persons or more each day. With 80 set of missionaries, that creates 72,000 contacts in a month. Baptisms have truly increased because the missionaries are talking to more people.”

Elder Ballard invites all missionaries to have the courage and enthusiasm to talk to every living soul that you meet.

He says, “You do not know, elders and sisters, who the elect are, but God does. I believe that missionaries pass by thousands of the elect, maybe hundreds of thousands, because they fail to open their mouths.”

I am reminded of a PPM missionary who completed his mission a few months ago. This missionary truly “talked to every living soul” that he met. Once, when driving home to their apartment after a particularly long day, he suddenly shouted at his companion to stop the car. They were going through a part of town with shops and stores. His eyes connected with the eyes of a waitress in a pizza shop. She met the test – she was a “living soul”.

It would have been so easy to continue driving home. There were so many easy excuses to come up with at that very moment: no place to park; we didn’t plan on speaking to her; she’s busy serving customers; it will be embarrassing to go into the pizza shop just to talk to her; I’m tired; I want to go home. Excuses. Excuses. Excuses.

I feel tempted to provide a small box of dynamite to each companionship so that you can blow up the excuses the seem to come so easily and readily.

This companionship did park their car and they did go into the pizza shop. They spoke to the woman. She was not interested. But who knows what will happen when the second set of missionaries visit with her in a few months?

Proselyting is the art by which we talk to people, regardless of the circumstance or situation. Avoid the tendency to say things such as, “Do you have a few minutes that we could teach you a message about …” Rather, develop the habit of immediately beginning to teach and testify as you meet people. You will find more people to teach as you testify and allow them to feel the power of the Holy Ghost.

I would like to see an immediate return to our historic Contact numbers of at least 8,400 per week. This will be a numerical measure of our commitment to proseltying. It will be a measure of our faith, obedience and commitment to invite others to come unto Christ. It all starts with you and your companion. Make a decision now to talk to everyone. Replace your fear with faith!

Contactingly yours,

Pres. Murray

Lent

2010-02-28T20:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

Some of you know that I am a convert to the Church. I grew as an active Roman Catholic. My family never missed Mass on Sundays. We attended religious classes during the week. And we believed that the Catholic Church was the “one true church on the face of the earth”.

By tradition, Catholics trace the beginning of their church to the apostle Peter. They do not believe that there was a Great Apostasy. They claim to have priesthood authority.

We know, through latter-day revelations, that the early church lost its way and that an apostasy occurred whereby priesthood authority was taken from the earth. However, this did not stop the Catholic Church and many churches that emerged from it to grow and flourish throughout the world.

Today there are approximately 6.5 billion people on the earth. Of these, approximately 1.5 billion - 2.2 billion are Christians. Christianity represents about a quarter to a third of the world's population and is the world’s largest religion. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has about 13.5 million members. We represent less than 1% of all Christians! The chart on this page shows the major religions of the world. We are a tiny slice of the Christianity wedge.

Over the centuries, many religious traditions have been created in the Catholic Church. And some of these have spread to other Christian denominations. One such tradition is called Lent.

Lent is the 40-day period of time leading up to Easter. It starts on a Wednesday that is called Ash Wednesday. Devout Catholics attend Mass on this day and a symbol of the cross is marked on their foreheads with ashes. Ash Wednesday in 2010 was February 17.

During this 40-day Lent period, Catholics and other Christians prepare for Easter through prayer, repentance, fasting and self-denial. Forty days of being good is hard for a lot of people. So another tradition was created – that of holding a huge party the day before the start of Lent. This party is known as Mardi Gras or Carnival. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" (in ethnic English tradition, Shrove Tuesday), referring to the practice of partying and eating rich, fatty foods the day and night before the start of the Lenten season.

During the Dark Ages (between approximately the 5th and 10th centuries), meat, eggs and dairy products were generally forbidden during Lent. Thomas Aquinas (1225 –1274) argued that "they afford greater pleasure as food and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust.”

In the Roman Catholic Church it is tradition to abstain from meat on every Friday for the duration of Lent, although dairy products are still permitted. During my growing up years, our family would always have fish, instead of meat, on Fridays during Lent. It is for this reason that I’ve always loved various kinds of fish!

Leading up the start of Lent, my mother would ask my older sister, younger brother and me what we were going to “give up for Lent”. Well, as a child the options were limited. What could a kid give up for 40 days that would be a true sacrifice? The answer was easy and the consequences were severe: CANDY. Every year we would give up candy for the 40 days of Lent. This meant no candy of any kind for 40 days!

This may sound silly to Mormon ears and eyes, but it wasn’t. In fact it was a great learning experience in my life. I learned that I could sacrifice important things because I loved God. I learned that I could do without things that seemed essential, but weren’t. I learned self-discipline. I learned to enjoy the feeling of personal victory over bodily appetites. I learned that I was captain of my soul.

Invictus

By William Earnest Henley, (1849–1903)

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

Our church is the church of the Restoration. Many of the popular traditions from the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations are not found in our church. This is because Joseph Smith did not create a church based upon existing churches. Our church is not a spin-off of another Christian church. We are not part of the Protestant Reformation. We represent a fresh start – a return to the original authentic doctrines, teachings and structures outlined by Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

Thus we do not practice Lent in our Church or in our mission. However, I do believe there is great value in sacrificing a personal passion, appetite or desire for an extended period of time as a means of coming closer to Christ. The scriptures teach this very plainly:

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God,” (Moroni 10:32).

To “deny yourselves of all ungodliness” is to stop doing those things that separate yourself from the Holy Ghost.

“And if [PPM Missionaries] come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them,” (Ether 12:27).

As we start thinking about Easter, which will be on Sunday April 4, what might you sacrifice or deny or quit or change as an intentional statement of your love for Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father?

Here are a few suggestions of things you might “give up” between now and Easter:

• Criticism
• Negative thinking
• Laziness & sloppiness
• Procrastination
• Poor eating habits
• Inappropriate sexual thoughts
• Pride
• Envy
• Complaining
• Anger & tempers
• Trying to control your companion
• Making excuses
• Self-hatred & poor self-image
• Poor planning habits
• Poor exercising habits
• Fear and shyness

Coming unto Christ requires personal sacrifice. I’ll be interesting in learning about you Success Stories!

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Straight Jackets and Promised Blessings

2010-02-14T14:46:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

Long ago insane asylums would place their most difficult patients in straight jackets. A straight jacket was a long-sleeve garment with special straps that locked one’s arms to his body so that he had no ability to move. His upper body was trapped with no way out. In this way he could do no harm to himself or to others.

What if you were mistakenly placed in an insane asylum and required to wear a straight jacket? Imagine being constrained day after day with no ability to move your arms, use your hands, blow you nose or even open a door. Imagine the claustrophobic feelings you would have. Imagine how you would want to “bust lose”. Imagine your anger and hatred towards the nurses and doctor’s in the insane asylum.

Now let’s consider many of our investigators who have been living the lives of natural men and women for many years. It is not unusual or uncommon for the natural man to view God’s commandments as highly restrictive “straight jackets” for life. The natural man desires instant gratification of his passions, appetites and desires. He has learned to avoid pain through drugs or alcohol. He avoids trials, pain or affliction. He has learned to blame others for his failures. He rejects instruction from others and shouts, “My way, not your way!” He has convinced himself that he is free and he sees God’s old-fashion commandments as a true straightjacket. Why would he ever want such a restricted life?

Unfortunately many such people have been deceived. What they think is right, is actually wrong. Alma taught, “All men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.”

We desire true joy and happiness for all whom we teach. For Alma also taught, “Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.”

As we invite our investigators to repent, we are asking them to change their lives. This means we are asking them to begin obeying God’s commandments. These include letting go of bad habits and starting up a list of new good habits.

It’s important to remember that most of your investigator’s will be asking themselves two critical questions at a time like this:

1. Is it worth it?
2. Can I do it?

If I was a non-member and you bluntly said to me, “You need to stop doing such-and-such because God says you have to,” I would probably change nothing in my life. This is because I’m a natural man and I’m stuck in my current way of living. You have offered me nothing other than a set of restrictions that will take away my distorted sense of happiness and freedom.

In order to change I need to understand why “God’s way” will improve my life. I need to completely change my mind that God’s way is NOT a straight jacket, but is the path to true freedom and joy!

There is a very important principle that every missionary must understand and use when teaching commandments: Every commandment has a promised blessing attached to it. By obeying God’s commandments our lives improve. This is always true. It will never fail. Do you remember that “men are that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25)? God desires for us to have peace of mind and freedom from the tyranny of sin. It is through obedience to his commandments that we receive these two great gifts.

The Promised Blessings of Commandments

Let me illustrate this principle through the words of some of our Apostles:

TITHING: “Tithing is a commandment with a promise. The words of Malachi, reaffirmed by the Savior, promise those who bring their tithes into the storehouse that the Lord will open “the windows of heaven, and pour [them] out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” The promised blessings are temporal and spiritual. The Lord promises to “rebuke the devourer,” and he also promises tithe payers that “all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land” (3 Ne. 24:10–12; see Mal. 3:10–12), Elder Dallin H. Oakes.

TEMPTATION: “Satan will seek to tempt us at times and in ways that exploit our greatest weaknesses or destroy our strengths. But his promises of pleasure are short-lived deceptions. His evil design is to tempt us into sinning, knowing that when we sin we separate ourselves from our Heavenly Father and the Savior, Jesus Christ. We begin to move away from Heavenly Father’s promised blessings toward the misery and anguish in which Satan and his followers languish. By sinning we put ourselves in Satan’s power,” Elder M. Russell Ballard.

WORD OF WISDOM: “Honor the principle of the Word of Wisdom and you will receive the promised blessings. ‘All saints,’ the revelation promises, ‘who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments,’ are promised that they ‘shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones’ and ‘shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint’ (D&C 89:18, 20). The Word of Wisdom does not promise you perfect health, but it teaches how to keep the body you were born with in the best condition and your mind alert to delicate spiritual promptings,” Elder Boyd K. Packer.

In Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life he sees “a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.” This “happy fruit” is a way of life defined by obedience to God’s commandments. Eat of this fruit and you will have happiness! What a great promise.

But it’s hard for a lot of investigators to change from common creatures to celestial citizens. “They who had commenced in the path (of obeying God’s commandments) did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost,” (1 Nephi 8:23). This happened because they lost sight of the path and forgot the promised blessings because of a “mist of darkness” that blurred their vision. They also didn’t have enough daily support from empathetic missionaries and members. It’s very, very hard to change all by yourself!

The gospel of Jesus Christ releases men from the deceptions of Satan. It is Satan who binds us into the straight jackets of sin, addiction and spiritual emptiness. The gospel of Jesus Christ allows one to become truly free and to gain joy, wisdom and understanding. Missionaries must serve as the seeing-eye dogs for many of our investigators who are just beginning to make critical changes, motivated by powerful promised blessings. It takes great faith to let go of an old life and embrace a new life that may seem restrictive at first (remember the straight jacket analogy).

Please sharpen your teaching sickle so that you always connect a doctrinally correct promised blessing with every invitation to make and keep a new commitment. And if you want your investigator to stick with it, you have to stick with them!

Remember, your investigators will be asking themselves: “Is it worth it? Can I do it?” Through your love, charity, teaching for conversion and testimony (all signs of a Master Teacher), they will say yes to both of these questions. And how great shall be your joy!

All my love,

President Murray

Rehab

2010-02-08T13:10:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

When new missionaries come from the MTC, I often welcome them to two years (or 18 months) of “rehab”. At first they think I’m kidding. But then they notice that it’s no joke.

The word “rehab” is a shortened form of “rehabilitate”. It comes from the Latin word habilitas. This relates to the word “ability” and is defined as “to make fit or capable (as for functioning in society)”. In order to fulfill our duty as missionaries of Jesus Christ, we must be fit and capable – emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually!

To rehabilitate is to restore a person to their original healthy condition. We have all heard of “Rehab Centers”. These are places where drug addicts or alcoholics go in order to conquer their addictions. To be addicted to something means that one has lost his ability to choose. It means they have forfeited their free agency regarding a passion, appetite or desire. They are stuck in a deep hole, with no way out. Or so it seems.

Rehabilitation is a form of retraining. A person learns to think and act better. Eventually he regains control of his agency and also forms a new view of his life. He develops skills and attributes that protect him from prior weaknesses and strengthens all other parts: emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Why would I tell wonderful new missionaries that they are entering a rehab program? The answer might surprise you: It’s because I love them and I want them to fulfill their potential as missionaries. Yet many see their world through foggy lenses. They have a distorted view of life – and how can they possibly invite others to come unto Christ when they themselves have yet to make this journey?

At the ages of 12-13, most young people begin separating from their parents and start forming their own views of life. This is a good and necessary thing to do. Unfortunately these new views are greatly influenced by their peers and by the media they watch and listen to. These are the experts who gladly say, “Yes, your view of life is correct.” And a mature friend of mine often says, “It’s impossible to shovel manure without getting some on you.” The media is the manure of our lives.

When one relies on other 12-13 year olds and Hollywood to validate how life works, it’s very likely that some of the ideas will be flat out wrong. And during this period of time many young people also experience great emotional and spiritual trauma – some outside of their control and some from their own poor choices: divorce, abuse, arguments, violence, confusion, early experiences with sexual sin, alcohol and drugs, etc. And humiliation, embarrassment, discouragement, failure, lack of acceptance, cynicism, sarcasm, foul language, lying, cheating, and stealing. All these experiences reinforce rather than correct the distorted view of life.

I often refer to the teenage years as the “Stupid Years”. And it is in the “Stupid Years” that we do “Stupid Things”. But without true repentance, the mistakes of our youth can become the roadmap for our future.

A mission provides an instant refuge from pain, sin and confusion. But it should not be thought of as a hiding place or a resting place. Instead we should invest our time striving to understand the true meaning of life and then adjusting our beliefs, views and philosophies so that we are completely aligned with “real life”. Real life is another word for the Plan of Salvation. There are many fake versions of life. But there is only one real life. In order to get there, it requires changes in the way we approach relationships, communications, thoughts, excuses and goals. It requires CHANGE.

Elder Dallin H. Oakes states this concept very clearly: “The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change…The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.”

What are we to change into? What are we “to make fit or capable”. I believe we are to become as “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive,meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him” (see Mosiah 3:19 in the Book of Mormon).

In many wards and branches of the Church there are Addition Recovery Programs. These groups meet weekly and help addicts become fit and capable for productive lives. This is a stellar form of repentance – that great process of becoming a “new creature”:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” (2 Cor. 5:17).

“Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God,” (Mosiah 27: 25-26).

The Addition Recovery Program (ARP) is focused on physical addictions such as tobacco, alcohol and drugs, and behaviors such as gambling, pornography and eating disorders. The following statement is found their guide to recovery and healing: “We have known great sorrow, but we have seen the power of the Savior turn our most devastating defeats into glorious spiritual victories. We who once lived with daily depression, anxiety, fear an debilitating anger now experience joy and peace. We have witnessed miracles in our own lives and in the lives of others.”

Although we do not have the addictions for which the ARP program was designed, we can learn valuable lessons from their experiences as we strive to overcome our own bad thinking and bad habits. The ARP program focuses on 12 steps for rehab:

1. Honesty – Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable.

2. Hope – Come to believe that the power of God can restore you to complete spiritual health.

3. Trust in God – Decide to turn your will and your life over to the care of God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

4. Truth – Make a searching and fearless written moral inventory of yourself.

5. Confession – Admit to yourself, to your Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, to proper priesthood authority, and to another person the exact nature of your wrongs.

6. Change of Heart – Become entirely ready to have God remove all your character weaknesses.

7. Humility – Humbly ask Heavenly Father to remove your shortcomings.

8. Seeking Forgiveness – Make a written list of all persons you have harmed and become willing to make restitution to them.

9. Restitution and Reconciliation – Wherever possible, make direct restitution to all persons you have harmed.

10. Daily Accountability – Continue to take personal inventory, and when you are wrong promptly admit it.

11. Personal Revelation – Seek through prayer and meditation to know the Lord’s will and to have the power to carry it out.

12. Service – Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, share this message with others and practice these principles in all you do.

David O. McKay, President of the Church from 1951-1970, offers these inspiring words: “Man is a spiritual being, a soul, and at some period of his life everyone is possessed with an irresistible desire to know his relationship to the Infinite. … There is something within him which urges him to rise above himself, to control his environment, to master the body and all things physical and live in a higher and more beautiful world”.

The 12 steps of ARP can open our eyes as we contemplate the great opportunity for personal cleansing, strengthening and elevating. Let us use this time to become “new creatures” so that we might more earnestly and honestly invite all other to “come unto Christ”.

All my love,

Pres. Murray

What Are You Worth?

2010-02-01T11:13:00.001-05:00

Dear Elders and Sisters,

A mission is a time for personal growth. Growth requires trials and hardships and pain. The pain can come in any of four ways: Emotional, Spiritual, Mental and Physical. The natural man runs from pain. The natural man blames others for his weakness and misfortune. The natural man finds excuses for his failings and weaknesses. The PPM missionary knows that he must stretch and jump in order to achieve his lofty goals.

Yet some of you try too hard. You are trying for perfection. You only see the negative and fail to give yourself credit for your faith, desire, effort and improvement. Such a pattern of thinking can drive you crazy – as well as your companion.

Missionary work is not a competition. This is a team effort. We all “lean in”. We “look up” and then “lift up” – starting with ourselves and then our companions -- and then other missionaries, investigators and recent converts.

Success as a missionary is truly measured by your commitment and perseverance. Do you practice the POOP principles: Proactive, Organized, Obedient and Positive Attitude. If so, you will be a successful missionary. I once asked one of our fine PPM missionaries, “Do you take on all the worries of the world? Your shoulders are not that broad and your back is not that strong.”

Many of you have written about the above ideas in recent emails. This Sickle Thruster will share some of your wonderful insights and experiences.

“There seems to be a reoccurring theme with so many missionaries. Many missionaries feel that their worth is determined by their success or by the assignments that they hold as a missionary, rather than knowing of the true principle that Heavenly Father loves us no matter how successful we are or what we accomplish. The fact that we are sons and daughters of God should be what tells us of our worth and God's love for us. Knowing this should be what drives us to do better. When we don't understand this principle, that is when we start to compare ourselves with others,” Elder J. DeCamp, Zone Leader, VF Zone.

“One thing that I have noticed a lot through the time I have been on my mission so far is that a lot of missionaries get very stressed and frustrated because after they have done all that they can their investigators or recent converts have not yet been baptized or fully "converted" to the church. I admit that it is hard to see this happen, and I have experienced deep sadness from witnessing the hardships people have in the process to become converted, but it has bothered me to see such depressed missionaries. One thing I know for sure is that frustration and stress are not from God. No one can do their best work when they are focusing on all of the disappointments in life. So what is your best? How do you know when you have really done all that you can, and that you can find joy in that knowledge?

I have realized that when we are doing all we can, and are realizing where we can become better, making it a conscious effort to repent and change our ways, that is when we are doing our best. When we are continuously becoming better than we were before, THAT IS OUR BEST. Our Father knows when we are doing all we can, now we must recognize it and find joy in knowing that we have done our part. Christ will make up the rest. It is only through Christ that we can be perfect, we can not do it alone, so we should not try. We should not run faster than we are able. I wish that every missionary could realize this, not so that they will become lazy in thinking that they can just sit back and relax thinking that God will make up for it, but so that they can recognize their efforts and accomplishments, so that each missionary can find joy in the work, not disappointment. When we recognize that joy we are able to take that joy into the lives of others, that is when we are able to do our best work. We should all be happy and cheerful! No one wants to listen to a depressed missionary!” Sister A. Sasser, VF 1st Ward.

“This week is going very well. I was able to go on an exchange with my leader and we had a very good discussion. We were able to discuss having more pure motives in doing this work. I realized that I need to have a more pure love for the people I serve. We also talked about the destructive tendency to compare ourselves with other missionaries. I am going to gain more charity by praying for a more pure desire as well as focusing my thoughts on others and not myself,” Elder B. Roberts, serving in Wilmington 2nd Ward.

“I know that life is hard and that things seldom work out the way that you plan them to go. I've been studying grace for the past couple of days and the parable of the vine and the branches has never made so much sense to me until now. I know that what ever I do only works right if I'm coming to Christ in my life and that sometimes he purges the fruit so that we have another opportunity to choose to turn to him again and them through Him, more fruit can be borne. But I have to continually make that decision to come unto Him, or else everything that I do isn't done correctly and will never bring forth the fruit that is necessary both for my own salvation and that of those that I am teaching,” Elder C. Knudsen, serving in Wilmington 1st Ward.

“This morning, I had a really soul searching evaluation of how I measure success. I realized that I find success, and value in comparing myself to others. But Why?? That’s not how God measures success! After bawling my way through a prayer, I began to realize something. God is love. Similarly God is success. We are all failures! On our own! But with God, we are successful! We can't do ANYTHING on our own! We can't do ANYTHING right! We will only be successful as we rely completely on God. Turning to him works. Its the ONLY thing that works,” Elder K. Perry, serving in Stroudsburg Ward.

“This week I learned a valuable lesson I would like to share with you. I began to cry at the sink a few nights ago wondering why I was not feeling an abundance of the Spirit in these lessons with investigators. The thought quickly rushed into my mind that I needed to show God how much I was willing to do, how much I wanted them to feel the Spirit. You see my studies along with other things were not reflecting my desires for these investigators to feel the Spirit. Instead I was feeling like I do so much, instead I realized I need to look and see what more I can do. The Lord knows how much I am capable of, I must show Him I am fully willing though, not just partially. I was so grateful for that prompting,” Sister S. Small, serving in Newark Ward.

Elders and Sisters, I am grateful for the conscious efforts of so many of our missionaries to “come unto Christ” in your own lives. Turn your thoughts in a new direction. Seek to look up and then lift up. Replace your fear of the unknown with complete trust and faith in a God who knows, loves and will guide you in your journey. Endure well to the end of your mission! Where there is nothing ventured, there is nothing gained. I thus encourage you to go for it with all that you have, leaving nothing behind.

“Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. I am Jesus Christ; I came by the will of the Father, and I do his will,” D&C 19:23-24. (This revelation was given by God through the 24 year old Joseph Smith to Martin Harris).

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Conversion

2010-01-24T11:24:00.002-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

The topic of this Sickle Thruster essay is CONVERSION. I want to help you gain a deeper understanding of what it means to become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This will help you in your teaching. Your purpose is to “invite others to come unto Christ”. This means that a person will choose to “convert” to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because they believe it to be “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (D&C 1:30).

To convert is to change something into another form. It is to transform (see Romans 12:2). We are all familiar with the process of converting water into ice. Water is changed, or transformed, from a liquid into a solid. This is conversion.

In our world of missionary work, a person converts – or changes – or transforms – from a non-believer into a believer.

This process of conversion begins with your first lesson. Many young missionaries believe that it ends with a baptism. This is horribly incorrect. Such thinking is very short-sighted and leads to great disaster.

The process of conversion continues throughout the first year of membership. It takes most of our recent converts an entire year to become a solid member. And this only happens with constant involvement of leaders and members. This is why member involvement both before and after baptism is so important. And you are the key to making this happen.

I know of a ward in our mission that had 260 baptisms during a very busy three year period of time. It was located in the northern portion of the mission. They averaged almost 2 baptisms every single week for three straight years!! Imagine how exciting that would have been.

Following this great flurry of baptisms, the bishop counted the number of actual “converts”. How many of these 260 were still attending church regularly and were keeping their baptismal commitments? How many converts did he truly have? The current goal of PPM is 70% retention. This would mean that over 180 would be coming to church regularly. How many had transformed from that status of non-believer to believer?

Well, this story has a very sad ending. Only 9 out of 260 were still coming to church. This is not just a very sad ending, it is a tragic ending. Each of these 260 had been asked the following question as part of their baptismal interview: “When you are baptized, you covenant with God that you are willing to take upon yourself the name of Christ and keep His commandments throughout your life. Are you ready to make this covenant and strive to be faithful to it.”

All 260 answered, “Yes”. And the missionaries eagerly believed them. And they were all baptized. And almost all of them – 251 out of 260 – failed to convert. This pains my heart greatly.

This statistic, which is several years old, suggests that the missionaries confused baptism for conversion. They were not teaching for conversion. They were teaching for baptism. They did not understand the very intimate, personal, sacred conversion that must take place in the soul of each investigator. They hurried their lessons and mechanically set baptismal dates. They lost sight of the sacred nature of our work. They scored big points on the mission scoreboard, but made a mockery of the Lord’s name and His ordinance of baptism. They were teaching lessons, but they were not teaching people. They were not “teaching for conversion.”

What does it feel like, in the heart of an investigator, to begin the conversion process? This is something we must all become completely familiar with. Investigators are not progressing if they are not converting!

Our investigators must first have true faith in Jesus Christ. This includes a firm belief that He is the Only Begotten Son of God and Savior and Redeemer of the world.
When an investigator has faith in Christ, he accepts and applies Christ’s Atonement and His teachings. This means that he decides it is time to start changing his life! He believes that he must turn his life towards Christ and start living the way Christ teaches us to live. He shows his new found faith by willingly obeying Christ.

Think about your current investigator(s): How well are you teaching the above principle of faith? How well are you helping your investigator turn to Christ? Are your investigators waking up to the reality that a loving Heavenly Father has placed them on the earth for a very important time of testing and growth? Are they sensing a need for change?

The second step in conversion is repentance. Repentance includes forming a fresh view of God, ourselves and the world. Your investigators should become motivated to change because of their new faith in Christ and love for Him. They will want to change their thoughts, beliefs and behaviors that are not in harmony with Christ’s will.

When your investigator begins repenting, he will feel godly sorrow. He’ll want to stop doing destructive things. As your investigator repents, his view of himself and of the world changes. His desire to follow God grows stronger and stronger.

Your role as a missionary is to guide your investigator through this wonderful and often painful process of developing faith and then repenting. This is CONVERSION – becoming a new creature!

You can always promise, with great certainty and happiness, that sincere repentance brings feelings of forgiveness and peace. Guilt and sorrow are swept away. Your investigator can feel God’s love and the wonderful influence of the Spirit. It is the best feeling – it is a new beginning.

Alma the Younger describes his repentance experience in these words:
“I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins. Yea I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments,” (Alma 36:12-13).

And with his new found faith in Jesus Christ, he repented and cried with his heart, “O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death,” (Alma 36:18).

Alma then experienced what every investigator must experience. It is a gift given to every person on earth as a result of Christ’s suffering and Atonement. It is the gift of forgiveness: “I could remember my pains no more... and oh what joy and what marvelous light I did behold, yea my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!” (Alma 36:19-20).

Alma was converted. His belief system changed. His view of himself changed. His way of thinking and living changed. This change, or conversion, is necessary for all mankind. The Lord said to Alma, “All mankind… must be born again; yea born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters. And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God,” (Mosiah 27:25-26).

Elders and Sisters, in our desire to bring others to Christ by teaching for conversion, we must remain strong and confident that this God’s work. This means that each of our investigators can literally FEEL the need for change. Each investigator can FEEL guilty for sin and will want a better life. It is natural for them to want to repent and change. Each investigator will have an opportunity to let go of their old lives and let God show them a new life – just like Alma!

Our special role is to help and guide and teach and explain and invite. Charity must fill our hearts. We must have complete confidence that God will propel our investigators towards this new life. This is His work! Alma professes this when he joyfully proclaims that Christ “remembereth every creature of his creating, [and] he will make himself manifest unto all” (Mosiah 27:30).

Teaching for Conversion,

President Murray

Remember

2010-01-17T11:28:00.009-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

The Book of Helaman is named after Helaman, the son of Helaman and grandson of Alma the Younger. This book describes a people who were awaiting the coming of Christ. Helaman has two sons, Nephi and Lehi, who become great missionaries. I encourage you to read about their experiences and their testimonies.

In Chapter 5, Helaman tells his sons that he named them after their ancestors for a special purpose: “Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.”

Helaman understood a simple but powerful principle: We forget the things we don’t remember.

And forgetting important principles and teachings will result in an un-fulfilled life. The things that should have been accomplished never were. This can happen in the mission field and in real life.

The casual mind tends to forget many important things. One must train his or her mind to focus and concentrate on the important things. And then must develop methods for retaining that which we must remember. Some write notes. Some read the notes they write!

All PPM missionaries are asked to remember two core ideas as they serve the Lord:

1. Become a Master Teacher
2. To Come Unto Christ in our own lives – to turn to the Lord mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually

In the past few months you have been trained on, and then asked to remember and use three very important tools for missionary work:

1. The Elder Robbins “Lynn G. Guarantee” method for securing more referrals from members
2. The yellow (or blue) Introduction to the Book of Mormon card
3. The weekly Preach My Gospel study guide outlined each transfer in the Week 6 SickleThruster

Have you made these things a regular part of your missionary work every week? Or did you try them once or twice and then discarded them? Did you remember or did you forget?

When you receive training at a Zone Conference, the expectation is that you will use these new tools and skills on a regular basis throughout the rest of your mission.
Are you casual in your approach to things like this? If so, now is the time to change. We need every PPM missionary to “stretch and jump” in personal vision and performance. We need every PPM missionary to remember.

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, teaches the important of remembering:

“It won’t be easy to remember. Living as we do with a veil over our eyes, we cannot remember what it was like to be with our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in the premortal world; nor can we see with our physical eyes or with reason alone the hand of God in our lives. Seeing such things takes the Holy Ghost. And it is not easy to be worthy of the Holy Ghost’s companionship in a wicked world.

That is why forgetting God has been such a persistent problem among His children since the world began. Think of the times of Moses, when God provided manna and in miraculous and visible ways led and protected His children. Still, the prophet warned the people who had been so blessed, as prophets always have warned and always will: “Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life.”

There is a simple cure for the terrible malady of forgetting God, His blessings, and His messages to us.

Jesus Christ promised it to His disciples when He was about to be crucified, resurrected, and then taken away from them to ascend in glory to His Father. They were concerned to know how they would be able to endure when He was no longer with them.

Here is the promise. It was fulfilled for them then. It can be fulfilled for all of us now: “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

The key to the remembering that brings and maintains testimony is receiving the Holy Ghost as a companion. It is the Holy Ghost who helps us see what God has done for us. It is the Holy Ghost who can help those we serve to see what God has done for them.

Heavenly Father has given a simple pattern for us to receive the Holy Ghost not once but continually in the tumult of our daily lives. The pattern is repeated in the sacramental prayer: We promise that we will always remember the Savior. We promise to take His name upon us. We promise to keep His commandments. And we are promised that if we do that, we will have His Spirit to be with us. Those promises work together in a wonderful way to strengthen our testimonies and in time, through the Atonement, to change our natures as we keep our part of the promise.

It is the Holy Ghost who testifies that Jesus Christ is the Beloved Son of a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to have eternal life with Him in families. With even the beginning of that testimony, we feel a desire to serve Him and to keep His commandments. When we persist in doing that, we receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost to give us power in our service. We come to see the hand of God more clearly, so clearly that in time we not only remember Him, but we come to love Him and, through the power of the Atonement, become more like Him.” (source: “O Remember, Remember”; Ensign November 2007.)

Planning is a key to remembering. This is why so much focus and emphasis is placed on planning. You and your companion need to be diligent, thorough planners. Every night. And in your weekly planning session every Monday. And with your Transfer Evaluation Form. Use your Daily Planner! Fill it up. Push yourself to become a better planner and write down what you have planned.

It is better to have a short pencil than a long memory! This is why we write down our plans and our commitments. And then we review them and followup on them individually and as companionships. I hope our District Leaders will be asking many “remembering” questions in their exchanges this transfer. Don’t be offended by such questions – it is good to be accountable to our leaders. This helps us overcome our laziness, pride and stubbornness. Yield your will to God and go for it!

Remember too that you are a child of God. Remember that there are people every night kneeling down and praying for you, by name. They have remembered you and are asking God to help you and strengthen you. Remember that God answers prayers.

You are asked to remember many important things as a missionary. Your brain is being stretched like never before. The strings of your heart are taut and ready to break. Your Father in Heaven knows you and will not forget you. He will remember you! Turn to Him. Remember Him and His Son. Be worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Remember to remember!

“And now, my sons [and daughters], remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation” (Helaman 5:12).

All my love,

President Murray

New Transfer - Get Ready!

2010-01-11T11:30:00.001-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

Next week marks the beginning of a new transfer cycle! We just finished a transfer with the most Member Present lessons of all time! Many of you are working very closely with leaders and members. And it is paying off. It is not uncommon to see companionships with a total of 5-10 Member Present and RCLA lessons each week.

These missionaries are not “lucky”. They have worked diligently to develop close and trusting relationships with their bishops, Ward Mission Leaders and members.
They are very serious about planning and time management. They use their cell phones throughout the day: calling members, rescheduling appointments, creating backup plans, etc. While one companion is driving, the other is talking on the phone. They view each day as a once in a lifetime opportunity, never to be repeated. And guess what? They are right! Once your head hits your pillow at 10:30PM, the day – for better or worse – is done, done, done. Never waste your time, else your time will waste you!

I encourage all missionaries to begin this new transfer cycle with a renewed focus on all essential elements of missionary work. Gobble up Preach My Gospel. You and your companion should carefully study your Transfer Evaluation Form to evaluate and learn from your results. God gave you a brain – use it! Set exciting goals for this new transfer cycle that require you and your companion to “stretch and jump”.

Last transfer many of you benefited from the introduction of the PPM Transfer Study Chart. I received lots of positive comments in your weekly emails about how the Study Chart improved the quality of your Personal Study and Companionship Study.
Some of you paid close attention to the chart for the first couple weeks of the transfer, but then got casual and forgot to look at it for the rest of the transfer. This won’t do! Please use the Study Chart all six weeks of the transfer, and hold your companion accountable for this.

Some have asked, “Am I supposed to do the same assignment or activity every day, all week long?” The answer is, “No.” Each week we ask that you complete the Study Chart assignments or activities for that week. It might take just 1 day. Or it might take a couple days. Once it’s completed, you have the freedom to determine the best use of your Personal Study time for the rest of the week.

District Leaders will follow-up on these weekly assignments in district meetings and on exchanges. Topics from the chart will be used in Zone Conference and Zone Training. In this way we will be integrating and strengthening a common set of skills and attributes across the entire mission.

Please be purposeful and disciplined in your personal and companionship study. What you learn in personal study will help you in companion study, district meetings and zone conferences, where you can “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom” (D&C 88:77). What you gain from your study sessions and district meetings will help you teach with spiritual power.

The purpose of personal study is to strengthen your knowledge and testimony of the restored gospel and help you prepare to meet the needs of those you teach. The purpose of companionship study is to (1) build unity in your companionship in order to teach by the Spirit and (2) focus on the progress of those you teach.

This mission has a great tradition of obedience, diligence and faith as we teach others what we know: that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. We invite all to come unto Christ. We do all we can to persuade and prepare them for baptism, confirmation and eventual temple covenants.

Let’s unite together to have the best transfer yet!

Pres. Murray

New Year's REVOLUTION

2010-01-04T11:38:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

Welcome to a new year and a new decade! What’s your outlook on this new year? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? An optimist naturally believes that the “best is yet to come”. This is how I’m feeling about 2010.

Many people make “New Year’s Resolutions” on January 1 each year. A resolution is a decision to do something better than you have in the past. In Preach My Gospel we use the word “commitment” in the place of “resolution”. Making a commitment is the act of obligating oneself to a better life. The Light of Christ within each person desires a better life. There is something about the beginning of a new year that ignites this light, causing people to set goals for personal improvement. This is a built-in yearning of the spirit. We want to become better because we know we are capable of being better.

Common New Year’s resolutions include losing weight, exercising more, quitting smoking, getting out of debt, getting a better job, being a better friend, etc. The parking lots of gyms and fitness centers are packed during the first three weeks of January. And then they gradually become empty!

What starts out as an exciting promise for a better life often ends with a dull thud. Research suggests that only 10% of New Year’s resolutions are achieved. This is an important data point. It suggests that 90% of all people, even when they are motivated to change, don’t succeed. They begin each year with a set of reasonable goals and within a couple weeks they are back to where they used to be. The pattern repeats itself year after year. What a bummer!

We should think hard about this fact in light of our work as missionaries. Are we not in the ultimate “personal improvement business”?

In order to improve, people must change. Another word for change is repent. We remember that commitment is an essential part of repentance. People can come unto Christ only on the conditions of repentance (see D&C 18:10-16). Commitments, just like New Year’s resolutions, are the act of obligating oneself to a course of action and then diligently following through on that decision.

In 2009 our mission had 13,811 New Investigators. Every new investigator indicated a desire to “let go” of their old lives and to “let God” introduce them to a new and better way of living. Every new investigator was asked to make and keep commitments. As Preach My Gospel explains, “When you ask for commitments as part of your teaching, you are inviting the investigator to repent.”

How many of our 13,811 new investigators not only MADE commitments, but KEPT commitments? How many of our new investigators achieved the goal? The answer is only 421. This is the number of convert baptisms we had in 2009. Only 3% of our new investigators succeeded in KEEPING their commitments. This means that 97% failed. This is worse than New Year’s resolutions.

It’s critically important to believe that every single new investigator – all 13,811 -- had the potential to be baptized. How do we know this? Because of the following scripture: “For behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” (Moses 1:39). We are all God’s children. We all lived in the pre-mortal world. Our eternal destiny is to live with Him again. But achieving this destiny requires the making and keeping of commitments, else we will fail in our journey.

Who owns the responsibility for the 97% who failed?

Certainly part of the responsibility belongs to the investigator. When people are genuinely committed to changing, they have real intent. This means they fully intend to do what they have committed to do. They make an unwavering and earnest decision to change. They become devoted to Christ and dedicate themselves to His gospel. This is what it means to “Come Unto Christ”. Only 3 % of our investigators succeeded.

Who else owns the failure for the other 97%?

Certainly the rest of the responsibility belongs to the missionaries. This is a hard pill to swallow because PPM missionaries are exceptional. I love our missionaries! PPM missionaries strive to come unto Christ and to become Master Teachers. They strive to build the Church and to teach for true conversion.

So what’s going on? And how can we get better?

What we’re seeing is very simple: Change is hard. Breaking habits and repenting of old sins is hard. It is probably 100 times harder than most missionaries realize. And we get tricked very easily.

Think about a time when you extended a commitment in the form of a “will you” question, followed by the beginning of a promise and testimony (see page 197 in PMG). And your investigator responded with a solid, “YES!”.

At this point you and your companion may have thought to yourself, “This investigator is golden. He’s going to make and keep not only this commitment, but all the others we extend to him. Yahoo! He’s going to come unto Christ and will be baptized soon.”

And then, a few weeks later you find out that (1) he is not studying the Book of Mormon, (2) he is not praying with real intent and (3) he failed to come to Church…again.

“What a loser!” you and your companion might say to each other. But you are so very wrong. He is not a loser – he is normal. He is as normal as 97% of the people we work with. He is as normal as 90% who don’t keep New Year’s resolutions.

Is he hopelessly lost? Can he change? Can he repent? Can he eventually receive his endowment in the temple? Yes – yes – yes! But it’s going to require not just New Year’s resolutions – but New Years Revolutions!

NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION

A revolution is a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving.

This is what we need in the way we work with our investigators in 2010. Some investigators (3%) feel the Spirit so strongly that they are compelled to make and keep commitments with great precision and discipline. The other 97% need a lot more help. They may feel the Spirit, but they are simply too weak to make the necessary changes on their own.

If we want our investigators to change who they are, they must begin by changing what they do.

They need a great set of missionaries who not only teach them pure doctrine, but also serve as their 24/7 LIFE COACH. A life coach helps people determine and achieve personal goals. In the real world they are paid $50 - $400 for a one-hour appointment! A PPM life coach prayerfully studies, with his or her companion, page 200 in PMG over and over again. And then they sharpen their sickles as they help their investigators make and keep small commitments that lead to making and keeping bigger commitments. They understand the needs and weaknesses of their investigators. They hang in there. They are creative and resourceful.

They also sense the inherent greatness and Godly-potential of each investigator. They take their work seriously and personally. They prepare for each phone call, lesson or drop-by as if they were being paid $500 per hour. Their vision is clear and their desire is great.

They know how important it is, both now and into the eternities, for their investigators to learn how to create new and better ways of living by keeping commitments, and to ultimately Come Unto Christ through faith and repentance.

As we begin 2010, let’s get smarter and then let’s work harder. Let’s spark a revolution in missionary work in America. Ask yourself, “What can I do to improve as a life coach for my investigators?” And then make and keep a few critical commitments that will allow you to improve on this essential skill.

Sparking a Revolution,

Pres. Murray

Digging Out

2010-01-01T15:58:00.005-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

Did you enjoy the big snowstorm? I certainly did! My new mission car is an all-wheel drive vehicle and I had been hoping for a big storm so that I could give it a try in the snow.

On Saturday, December 19, we were experiencing a true blizzard from Philadelphia down through the southern tip of the mission. I was assigned to conduct a baptismal interview in the Upper Darby area that afternoon. I was excited – both for the baptismal interview and for the opportunity to drive my new “rig” through the blizzard.

Upper Darby is part of Philadelphia. In some places there was 8-10 inches of unplowed snow. Very few cars were on the roads. My mission “rig” put its “shoulder to the wheel and pushed along”. I arrived at the assigned address and knocked on the door. A very friendly couple greeted me and invited me in. I explained to them that the missionaries who had been teaching them should arrive soon – but I really didn’t know how soon they would arrive due to the weather.

About two minutes later there was a knock on the door. And in came two very snowy, cold and wet Elders. They wore huge happy smiles on their faces. I said, “Elders, how did you get here?” And they replied, “We rode our bikes!”

This statement stunned me. They did not have all-wheel drive bikes! And the roads were not plowed. It was very difficult for cars and people to get around – and virtually impossible for bikes. I was very impressed with these two “NEVER SAY NEVER” PPM missionaries. They made it happen and they did it with genuine smiles and joy. Wow! Those two missionaries truly inspired me.

A few days later I received lots of weekly emails with reports of the big storm. Many emails had great stories of companions using the storm as an opportunity to provide service. Lots of snow shoveling took place. And many missionaries (including Sisters) helped neighbors and strangers dig out from being stuck. In every email the message was the same: “President, we helped dig out a stranger and he was very friendly and very grateful.”

When piles of heavy snow surround a person’s car, it cannot move. It is stuck. It must be dug out. And we proved that we’re really good at digging out. Thank you Elders and Sisters for helping dig out so many people during the big storm of 2009!

As we get ready for 2010, there will be opportunities every week of the year – in the winter, spring, summer and fall – to dig out people who are stuck. This is an essential role of missionaries!

What does it mean “to dig out people who are stuck”?

Many people are stuck with bad habits and bad ways of living that prevent them from responding to the life-saving message of the restored Gospel. They have been stuck in sin for many years. They have gotten used to being stuck. They are limping through life not aware that they are missing out on the greatest invitation they could ever get. We invite them to “come unto Christ”. But they aren’t able to come because they are stuck!

As a missionary you desire the salvation of souls (see Mosiah 28:3). You know that people can change and become unstuck. You know that people can come unto Christ and be saved only on conditions of repentance (see D&C 18:10-16). One way to fulfill your desires is to “cry repentance” (see Alma 5:49; D&C 15:6; 16:6) and boldly invite people to exercise faith unto repentance, to be baptized by water and the Spirit, and to endure faithfully to the end (see 3 Nephi 27:16-20; Mormon 7:10).

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (July 6, 1926 – July 21, 2004) said that missionaries should always use “sweet boldness” when helping people make and keep commitments that lead to positive change. He instructed that this is usually offered in the form of a question to the investigator. The question should always be an invitation for change – and invitation to become unstuck. It is asked sweetly because we love our investigator and we desire a better life for them. It is asked boldly because we know that change is difficult and our investigators need strong encouragement and persuasion – otherwise they’ll simply stay stuck.

On November 14, 2009 we enjoyed the privilege of having Elder Russell M. Nelson visit our mission and teach us. One of the things he taught was the principle of repentance. These are some of his words:

“The doctrine of repentance is as old as the gospel itself. Biblical teachings from the books of Genesis to Revelation teach repentance. Lessons from Jesus Christ during His mortal ministry include these warnings: “The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” and “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

References to repentance are even more frequent in the Book of Mormon. To the people of ancient America, the Lord gave this commandment: “Again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” With the Restoration of the gospel, our Savior has again stressed this doctrine. The word repent in any of its forms appears in 47 of the 138 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants!

What does it mean to repent? We begin with a dictionary’s definition that to repent is “to turn from sin … to feel sorrow [and] regret.” The doctrine of repentance is much broader than a dictionary’s definition. When Jesus said “repent,” His disciples recorded that command in the Greek language with the verb metanoeo. This powerful word has great significance. In this word, the prefix meta means “change.” The suffix relates to four important Greek terms: nous, meaning “the mind”; gnosis, meaning “knowledge”; pneuma, meaning “spirit”; and pnoe, meaning “breath.”

Thus, when Jesus said “repent,” He asked us to change—to change our mind, knowledge, and spirit—even our breath.”

The key to digging out people who are stuck is to teach pure, simple and direct doctrine – relying on the Holy Ghost to loosen up the stuck parts – and then to cry repentance to that person. But make sure you always remember this: “Crying repentance” does not begin at the end of a lesson! “Crying repentance” begins in nightly planning as you and your companion prayerfully consider the needs and challenges of each investigator. And then it continues in your personal prayers, your personal study, companionship study and role plays, companionship prayers and fasting.

Crying repentance is the invitation to change!

Nephi, a master teacher who spent his life digging out people who were stuck, learned that teaching pure, simple and direct doctrine was not enough. He learned that he had to give all that he had – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually – in each and every lesson. Whenever he did less than this, the people stayed stuck.

“Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty [all of the senses and abilities] which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things,” 1 Nephi 15:25.

Crying repentance requires all the energies of your soul!

In the big blizzard of 2009 we proved as a mission that we can dig people out of the snow drifts. As you enter into 2010, you’ll see that every person you meet has one or more internal blizzards thrashing through their life. They are bogged down, stuck and are unable to see clearly. You are the answer to their prayers. Go forth with faith and confidence, digging them out with all the energies of your soul!

Digging my mission with a sharper sickle,

President Murray

Are You a Finisher?

2009-12-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

In 1989 I read a talk by President Thomas S. Monson entitled “Finishers Wanted”. It was in the June 1989 Ensign. I liked the talk and kept a copy of it. I like to keep copies of talks that provide excellent messages of instruction and inspiration.

In 2000 I was asked to give a presentation to the professional managers who help run the Church at Church Headquarters. I prepared my talk based upon the things I had learned as the Human Resources leader at Microsoft. In this talk I planned on making reference of the need for “Finishers” in all walks of life. The day for the meeting came and I flew from Seattle to Salt Lake City.

I was escorted into a large auditorium where there were about 300 Church leaders and managers already sitting in their seats. And then I saw a copy of the program for the event. I would be the first speaker and I would be followed by President Monson. What a surprise! I had no idea he would be there.

Well, I gave my talk and I made the reference of the need for “Finishers” in all walks of life – and mentioned that this idea was taught in a talk given by President Monson years earlier. When the meeting was over I flew back to Seattle. About a week later I received a package in the mail. I had no idea what it was. Upon opening it I found a stack of copies of “Finishers Wanted” by President Thomas S. Monson. This talk had been published into a small pamphlet. Included in the package was a handwritten note that said something like, “Brother Murray, I enjoyed your talk. Please find enclosed copies of that talk you mentioned. Tom Monson.”

The talk is too long to share in the Sickle Thruster, but I’ve edited it below so that you can get the key points. I hope this talk will strengthen your determination and desire to be a true Finisher of your mission. You only have two years (or eighteen months) to serve a mission and you have the rest of your life to reflect on it.

Questions to ponder:

Do I finish my personal study? Do I finish my companionship study? Do I finish a day of tracting? Do I finish the commitment I gave to our investigator? Do I finish teaching for conversion? Do I finish truly understanding the needs and concerns of my investigators? Do I finish helping my recent converts develop as new members? Do I finish my prayers and my fasting? Am I a finisher?

Our responsibility is to thrust in our sickles in a balanced effort to build the Church in PPM. We must exercise our faith continually so that we may be led by the Lord in our work. As you practice what you preach you will be enlarged in all your abilities and you will become a finisher. Of this I am sure.

Love, President Murray

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FINISHERS WANTED, Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Jun 1989 (abridged by Pres. Murray)

On sunlit days during the noon hour, the streets of Salt Lake City abound with men and women who for a moment leave the confines of the tall office buildings and engage in that universal delight called window shopping. On occasion I, too, am a participant.

One Wednesday I paused before the elegant show window of a prestigious furniture store. That which caught and held my attention was not the beautifully designed sofa nor the comfortable appearing chair that stood at its side. Neither was it the beautiful chandelier positioned overhead. Rather, my eyes rested on a small sign that had been placed at the bottom right-hand corner of the window. Its message was brief: “FINISHERS WANTED.”

The store had need of those persons who possessed the talent and the skill to make ready for final sale the expensive furniture the firm manufactured and sold. “Finishers Wanted.” The words remained with me as I returned to the pressing activities of the day.

In life, as in business, there has always been a need for those persons who could be called finishers. Their ranks are few, their opportunities many, their contributions great.

From the very beginning to the present time, a fundamental question remains to be answered by each who runs the race of life. Shall I falter, or shall I finish? On the answer await the blessings of joy and happiness here in mortality and eternal life in the world to come.

Times change and circumstances vary, but the true marks of a finisher remain. Note them well, for they are vital to our success.

1. The Mark of Vision. It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. We are constantly making small decisions. The outcome determines the success or failure of our lives. That is why it is worthwhile to look ahead, to set a course, and at least be partly ready when the moment of decision comes. True finishers have the capacity to visualize their objective.

2. The Mark of Effort. Vision without effort is daydreaming; effort without vision is drudgery; but vision, coupled with effort, will obtain the prize.

Needed is the capacity to make that second effort when life’s challenges lay us low.
Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;  Beginners are many, but enders are few.  Honor, power, place and praise  Will always come to the one who stays. Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you; Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too; For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile Will come life’s victories after a while. —Author Unknown

3. The Mark of Faith. Many years ago the psalmist wrote: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” (Ps. 118:8–9.) Recognize that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.

4. The Mark of Virtue. “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly.” (D&C 121:45.) This counsel from the Lord will provide staying power in the race we run.

5. The Mark of Courage. Have the courage—

To dream the impossible dream,  To fight the unbeatable foe,  To bear with unbearable sorrow,  To run where the brave dare not go.  To right the unrightable wrong,  To love, pure and chaste from afar,  To try, when your arms are too weary,  To reach the unreachable star!

And you will thus become a finisher.

6. The Mark of Prayer. When the burdens of life become heavy, when trials test one’s faith, when pain, sorrow, and despair cause the light of hope to flicker and burn low, communication with our Heavenly Father provides peace.
These, the marks of a true finisher, will be as a lamp to our feet in the journey through life. Ever beckoning us onward and lifting us upward is he who pleaded, “Come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22.)

I am happy I walked by that furniture store and gazed at the small sign in the large shop window. Everyone can benefit from the true meaning of its words: “FINISHERS WANTED.”

Christmas Lights

2009-12-14T09:03:00.002-05:00

Dear Missionaries

When I was a boy, nothing was better than driving around our little town on a cold December night, looking at Christmas lights. Almost everyone put up outdoor Christmas lights in those days.

Those were the days before global warming, when winter really was winter. The weather was always cold, icy and snowy from early December to late February.

Multi-colored strings of lights outlined the roof lines and porch railings of homes. Most were very simple in taste and style. But some families went all out with lights also on bushes and trees, and Nativity Scenes, complete with a manger and special lighting.

My favorite house throughout my childhood was that of my grandparents. They lived in a small well kept home at 812 Pacific Terrace. My grandfather was Percy, my grandmother was Marcella. They lived in this home their entire marriage. It was six blocks from my home.

Rather than putting lights on their house, my grandfather covered the one large tree in the front yard with hundreds and hundreds of medium-sized blue lights. When lit, the tree looked like a blue globe, silhouetted against the black night sky. It played tricks with your eyes if you stared at it too long. There was no other tree like it in the entire town. I loved that tree – and it was even more special because it was my grandparent’s tree.

Christmas is a season of light. We put lights on the outside of our homes. We put lights on our Christmas trees, and a star on the top of the tree. We light candles. All of this is tied to the birth of Christ and the mission of Christ. We sing Christmas carols that include references to light:

“Do You Hear What I Hear?”
“Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella”
“We Three Kings of Orient Are”

All references to light ultimately point to Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ, there is no point in living, for there would be nothing after death. It would be all darkness. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Without Jesus Christ we stumble, we fall and we fail.

The Star of Bethlehem

Our Lord’s birth into mortality was accompanied by the appearance of a new star in the heavens. The star was prophesied by Samuel the Lamanite: “And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you,” (Helaman 14:5).

The event itself is recorded in Matthew:
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-11.)

Jesus Christ – the True Light

Jesus Christ points the way. Follow Him. He is the way! Throughout the scriptures he testifies of his role as Savior and Redeemer – the light of the world.

3 Ne. 18:16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.
D&C 11:11 For, behold, it is I that speak; behold, I am the light which shineth in darkness, and by my power I give these words unto thee.
D&C 11:28 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world.
John 8: 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 9: 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
John 12: 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
3 Ne. 11:11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.
3 Ne. 15: 9 Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.
Ether 4: 12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.
D&C 6: 21 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
D&C 10: 58 I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
D&C 14: 9 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who created the heavens and the earth, a light which cannot be hid in darkness;
D&C 93: 2 And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;

During this Christmas season, you can be a Christmas light, fueled by your love of Christ. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” (Matthew 5:16, see also 3 Nephi 12:16).

We are all away from home this Christmas. I will miss my family as you will miss yours! But we won’t be away from Christmas. On a mission we come unto Christ like never before! We find the Light, we follow the Light and we worship the Light.

May the missionaries in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission glow like a globe of Christ-centered light at this Christmas season. And may we bring this light to all who are searching in darkness.

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Christmas in the Mission

2009-12-07T21:09:00.010-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

The two weeks preceding Christmas are among the best two weeks of the year to do missionary work. This is because many people are thinking about Christmas. Their hearts are turned towards family and home. You can help them think about CHRISTmas. You can invite them to turn their hearts towards their heavenly home.

You have been called and set apart, by one with proper priesthood authority, to invite others to come unto Christ. You are promised, by virtue of your call and your personal worthiness, the comfort, protection and power of the Holy Ghost. There is no better time to open your mouth and proclaim the redeeming message of the restored gospel than the next two weeks.

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up,” (D&C 84:88).

Many people are “hard of hearing” when it comes to your message. Thus you must “speak up”! Your message must be heard above the clatter and clanging of the season. You voice must pierce the wind like a well-blown trumpet.

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8).

Be bold and be happy. Open your eyes wider for opportunities to share our message at this time of year. Look for homes with Christmas decorations: lights, Santas, trees, wreaths, etc. This indicates that the family has an interest in the traditions of Christmas. This is a great starting point for the life-changing message that we share.

Be creative and resourceful when approaching such homes. Seek ways to teach the true meaning of Christmas. Many families and individuals know just bits and pieces of the Christmas story – and they know even less about the Plan of Salvation. You can use this wonderful time of year to open the hearts of many to the message of the restored gospel.

I believe many people would be thrilled to accept your invitation to teach them and their children about the true meaning of Christmas. What a great way to become friends with future investigators.

For some of you this will be your first Christmas away from home. Please know that Sister Murray and I are so grateful for your sacrifice and service as a missionary. We love you and we know that the Lord will bless you and strengthen during this wonderful time of year.

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, shared these thoughts of the season in a recent Ensign article:

“There is another glimpse of heaven that becomes easier to see at Christmastime. It is of light. Heavenly Father used light to announce the birth of His Son, our Savior (see Matthew 2; 3 Nephi 1). A new star was visible in both the Eastern and the Western Hemispheres. It led the Wise Men to the child in Bethlehem. Even wicked King Herod recognized the sign; he feared it because he was wicked. The Wise Men rejoiced because of the birth of the Christ, who is the Light and the Life of the World. Three days of light without darkness was the sign God gave to the descendants of Lehi, heralding the birth of His Son.

We remember at Christmastime not only the light that announced the birth of Christ into the world but also the light that comes from Him. Many witnesses have confirmed that light. Paul testified that he saw it on the road to Damascus:

“I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
“And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
“And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (Acts 26:13–15).

The boy Joseph Smith testified that he saw a marvelous light in a grove of trees in Palmyra, New York, at the beginning of the Restoration:

“Just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
“It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17).

Such light will be visible in our heavenly home. It will bring us joy then. Yet even in this life you have been blessed with a part of that wonderful experience, through the Light of Christ. Every person born into the world receives that light as a gift (see Moroni 7:16). Think of the times you have had an experience that makes you a witness that the Light of Christ is real and precious. You will recognize from this wonderfully assuring scripture that you have been guided by that light:

“And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.
“That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
“And … I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you” (D&C 50:23–25).

In a world that is being darkened by evil images and dishonest messages, you have been blessed to recognize more easily the flashes of light and truth. You have learned for yourself that light grows brighter as you receive it gladly. It will become brighter and brighter until the perfect day when we will be in the presence of the Source of the light.

That light is easier to discern at Christmastime, when we are more likely to pray to know what God would have us do and more likely to read in the scriptures and so more apt to be on the Lord’s errand. When we forgive and feel forgiveness, when we are lifting the hands that hang down (see D&C 81:5), we are being lifted ourselves as we move toward the Source of the light.

You remember that the Book of Mormon describes a glorious time when the Savior’s faithful disciples reflected His light for others to see (see 3 Nephi 19:24–25). We use lights to celebrate the Christmas season. Our worship of the Savior and our service for Him brings light into our lives and into the lives of those around us.

We can with confidence set a goal to make this Christmas brighter than the last and each year that follows brighter still. The trials of mortality may increase in intensity, yet for us, darkness need not increase if we focus our eyes more singly on the light that streams down on us as we follow the Master. He will lead us and help us along the path that leads upward to the home for which we yearn.

There have been times, often at Christmas, when we have felt parts of what we will experience when we at last come home to the Father who loves us and answers our prayers and to the Savior who has lighted our lives and lifted us up.

I testify that because of Him, you may have an assurance that you can go home not only at Christmastime but also to live forever with a family whom you love and who love each other.”

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Being True to Yourself

2009-11-23T08:06:00.002-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist.

He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

You may be familiar with the names of some of his plays: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear and The Taming of the Shrew.

I must admit that I am not an expert on Shakespeare. But I do have great interest in the lessons he taught throughout his plays. These lessons are found in the dialogue between the actors.

Here is one of my favorites – it is from his play called Hamlet. The father, Polonius, is giving some last minute advice to his son Laertes. Laertes is about to board a ship for Paris.

“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

To thine own self be true. What does it mean to be true to oneself? And what is “truth”?

Well, let’s start at the beginning. We are children of God. We belong to Him. He is our Father. He loves us. He is the creator of our spirit, our universe and all else. He is intentional in His creative process. We are not here by accident.
Joseph Smith pondered this question of truth. He was rewarded with an outpouring of revelation found in section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Carefully study these verses:

9 The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.

11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.

23 Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;

24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;

26 The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;

28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

29 Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.

30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.

37 Light and truth forsake that evil one.

39 And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.

40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.

The laws of the universe, the laws of life, indeed the laws of God are “non-negotiable”. This means that our success in this life and our eternal progression are completely dependent upon our willing acceptance and adoption of these laws into all that we do. And doing so is an outward sign of our love for God.

Because we have been given the gift of agency, we can choose the right – or not.

While you are free to choose for yourself, you are not free to choose the consequences of your actions. When you make a choice, you will receive the consequence of that choice. The consequences may not be immediate, but they will always follow, for good or bad.

You are responsible for the choices you make. You should not blame your circumstances, your family or your companion if you choose to disobey God’s commandments. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances.

To be true to oneself is to live your life with complete integrity and honesty, being willingly obedient and submissive to the commandments of Heavenly Father. To be true to oneself is to accept complete responsibility for every choice, every action and every reaction to all the things that happen in life. Choosing to do good always is to be true to oneself.

Accepting a life less than this is endangers the progression of one’s spirit. Doing so introduces sin into one’s life. What is sin? In the book of James 4:17 we read: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
This is strong language. As we “come unto Christ” we become more aware and more sensitive to the needs of others and the opportunities to be of service to those around us. This is the path of a disciple. We discipline ourselves. We learn to conquer our passions, appetites and desires. And when we receive an “impression” or a “thought” to do good – and then we don’t do it – then this is sin.

Sin is knowing what the right thing to do is, and choosing not to do it.

On the other hand, being true to oneself is knowing what the right thing to do is, and choosing to do it – always.

“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” (Luke 10:25-28).

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, in the 4th century BC, said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Like all truly great teachers of things most important, Socrates continually challenged others to look in the mirror and ask themselves penetrating questions about the improvement of their souls. Master teachers like Socrates force us to ask ourselves these kind of questions: “If I do not care or strive to be a better human being, then what does that say about the condition of my life, much less the condition of my personal character?” “Isn’t improving ourselves ‘internally’ what, in largest measure, our lives are supposed to be about in the first place?”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency taught this comforting truth:
“The Lord said to Abraham, ‘My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee’ (Abraham 2:8). My young friends, today I say to you that if you trust the Lord and obey Him, His hand shall be over you, He will help you achieve the great potential He sees in you, and He will help you to see the end from the beginning.”

In our personal trek of coming unto Christ, and then staying with Christ, we must become true to ourselves. Study Ether 12:27 to gain more faith and confidence in this principle. Truth can become our strength! It is my desire that the missionaries of PPM canst not then be false to any man.

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Reverence

2009-11-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

Last week was a wonderful experience for all of us – we had the privilege of learning directly from an Apostle. I hope you have reviewed your notes from our meeting with Elder Russell M. Nelson and that you are putting into action the things that you learned.

Elder Nelson was impressed with the sense of discipline, diligence and obedience when he first entered the gym in the Broomall Meetinghouse. He is a man of order and he appreciated our careful planning and the orderly way in which we took the group photos and orderly way in which we introduced ourselves to him and shook hands with him. This set the stage for a spirit-filled morning of instruction, love and strengthening of desire.

Elder Nelson made a number of very positive comments to me about our wonderful missionaries.

Good job Elders and Sisters!

Now, here’s a rather direct question: Was Saturday’s performance – of discipline, diligence and obedience – an act, or was it our true character?

Were we on our “best behavior” only because an Apostle was in our midst, or are we like this all the time?

My desire is not to judge, but to encourage! Last Saturday I witnessed the best of the best. You were all amazing. I saw how disciplined, diligent and obedient you are capable of being. If you can do it when an Apostle is here, why not do it all the time and reap the blessings?

Are you like this all the time, or only when you are being watched? Perhaps you feel that you are being compelled, or forced against your will, to do it – as in “my zone leaders will bust me if I’m not obedient”.

I know from my interviews and interactions that many of you are choosing to behave this good way because it is the desire of your heart and its one way of showing Heavenly Father that you love Him. This mode of behavior is sign of maturity. It is a sign of true conversion. You have let go of your teenage attitudes and “me centered” views of the world. You have turned your life towards Jesus Christ and have signaled that you are willing to “submit to Him in all things”.

Those who learn to live like this are those who are mastering the attribute of reverence. Reverence is profound respect and love. When you have a reverent attitude toward God, you honor Him, express your gratitude to Him, and willingly obey His commandments.

As you become more reverent you will notice a quiet transformation in your life. The Lord will pour out His Spirit more abundantly on you. You will be less troubled and confused. You will be able to receive revelation to help you solve personal, family and mission problems.

Just as reverence brings your closer to God, irreverence suits the purposes of the adversary. Satan will tempt you to follow the world’s trend to more noise, excitement, and contention and to less restraint and quiet dignity. Like a commander mounting a military invasion, he will try to jam the channels of communication between you and the Lord. Beware of such tactics, and strive to be reverent in all that you do.

All my love,

Pres. Murray

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Four Notes From the Field:

#1: Dear President, I had a really great experience with an investigator earlier last week. His name is ________ and he is 72 years old. He is very ready to be baptized. It's been very hard for him to change his beliefs so much so late in his life, and taking big steps is still hard for him, but he made a landmark last week.

He lives with his sister Maria. We try to teach her as well, but she is still skeptical. She's very kind to us and loves to feed us, and will always pray with us. However, on this specific occasion, she was being quite skeptical about Joseph Smith. She asked a challenging question directly to her brother. I was so happy to see his respond, "No no, you don't understand. We know Joseph Smith was a prophet because..." I could have jumped for joy! Our investigator bore his testimony of Joseph Smith. That was a wonderful success for us.

The interesting (but certainly not surprising) thing is that this came directly after having read 10 chapters of the Book of Mormon in 2 days. He had told me "No, I won't promise you I'll read." I look at him in disbelief. "I'm going to promise myself that I'll read."

I know from this that the Book of Mormon truly has the converting power. One who gains a testimony of the Book of Mormon will inevitably gain a testimony of Joseph Smith.”

#2: Dear President, This week I've decided to study Chapter 6 and find ways to apply it to my life and the lives of my investigators. And something that's surprising to me is how all of the Christ-like Attributes are so fully intertwined that you realize that when you're lacking in one you're lacking in all of them. So this is going to be a life long quest and a life long goal to obtain them. I'm glad I have the help of Preach My Gospel on how to find ways to apply them and learn of them. It's amazing how such a small list of scriptures can lead to so great a study. There are so many scriptures that mention Christ's qualities in so many ways, and they all carry the promise that I'll be able to be like my Savior when he comes. I won't immediately be perfect, I'll still have to progress but I will be able to become like him so quickly that it will bless my life in numerous ways.

#3: Dear President, This week started off great and has since then been rather rough. Sister ________, whom I was so excited for, has decided that she no longer wanted to investigate the church. Me and my companion were sad -- but we didn't let a thing like that stop us. We went over to her home immediately and taught her. With questions such as these " so help us understand why you don't want to investigate any longer? Do you remember how you felt the first time we were here?”
With these questions something clicked and she understood the reason for the gospel. However as much as she knew it was true, she couldn't do it. Some of it was to do with her family. It seemed as if she had come to a fork and the road and had to choose Jesus Christ or her family. What a tough but somewhat easy decision. Jesus himself said that we must forsake all and its truly a dagger to the heart when some choose to follow anything else besides Christ.
Oh how I love Christ, I know that He lives and that He willingly died for us. So what good does it do to have a family but not have them forever? It does us nothing at all.

#4: Dear President, Now as for what stood out to me in zone conference. Well I learned a few things. (1) I need to seek to work with my companion better. (2) I need to do better at helping others learn how to feast upon the word of God to sustain themselves. (3) My own personal study can be improved by focusing on actions and how I can change my self (the "in order to ____ I need to" Idea that Sister Murray shared). (4) We are not in competition with each other as missionaries but we are on a team competing against Satan and when one of us fails we all feel a great loss (even if it is a missionary), or on a more positive note if one is victorious then so are we all.

Elder Russell M. Nelson - Mission Visit

2009-11-09T08:07:00.000-05:00

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles visited our mission on Novemember 14, 2009. The following biographical sketch of Elder Nelson was provided to our missionaries, via the SickleThruster, prior to his visit.

Russell Marion Nelson (born September 9, 1924) is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, one of the governing bodies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is also an American physician and cardiothoracic surgeon. Currently, he is the fourth most senior apostle among the ranks of the Church.

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Elder Nelson studied at LDS Business College while in his mid-teens and then worked as an assistant secretary at a bank. He did undergraduate studies and then received an M.D. degree from the University of Utah in August 1947. Shortly thereafter, he began working with the team of doctors which created the first heart-lung machine. In 1951, the machine was used in the first open-heart operation on a human being. Four years later, Elder Nelson was the first doctor in Utah to perform successful open-heart surgery using a heart-lung machine.

Elder Nelson served a two-year term of medical duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, being stationed in Korea, Japan, and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Later he worked for a year at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. During this time in Massachusetts he also received training from Harvard Medical School.

He received a Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1954.

Elder Nelson returned to Salt Lake City in 1955 and was initially on the academic staff of the College of Medicine at the University of Utah, where in November of that year he performed the first cardiac operation in Utah utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass. That operation was performed at the Salt Lake General Hospital (SLGH) on an adult with an atrial septa defect.

In March 1956, Elder Nelson performed the first successful pediatric cardiac operation at the SLGH on four-year-old girl. In 1959, he joined the staff of the Salt Lake Clinic, became associated with the LDS Hospital, and continued to make major contributions to the development of the thoracic specialty both in the clinical sciences and as the second director of the residency program.

Elder Nelson's surgical volume was sufficiently large that it was a critical component of the residents' experience. He was an innovative and facile surgeon responsible for many improvements in cardiac operations. He also established a research laboratory at LDS Hospital.

By the late 1960s, Elder Nelson's experience with artificial aortic valve implantation was such that he was able to report a large series of patients with an exceptionally low operative mortality.

In a unique combination of spiritual and professional obligations, Elder Nelson performed heart surgery on LDS Church president Spencer W. Kimball.

Elder Nelson became involved with the administrative aspects of medicine and was elected president of the Utah State Medical Association. He was chair of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at LDS Hospital from 1967 to 1974 and director of the University of Utah Affiliated Hospital residency program in thoracic surgery from 1967 to 1984.
He was honored nationally by being elected president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and a director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

In addition to his medical work, Elder Nelson became a leader in the LDS Church. Before being appointed an apostle, he spent over six years (December 6, 1964 – July 11, 1971) as a stake president set apart by Spencer W. Kimball. Joseph B. Wirthlin was his second counselor during all his time as stake president. Elder Nelson also served for eight years as the general president of the church's Sunday School, and four years as a regional representative of the Twelve.

Elder Nelson was called to be an apostle by Church President Spencer W. Kimball, to whom he had served as a personal physician for many years. Elder Nelson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 7, 1984 in an LDS Church general conference. He was ordained apostle on April 12, 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley. At the same conference, Elder Dallin H. Oaks was also sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Elders Nelson and Oaks filled the vacancies in the Quorum that were created by the deaths of LeGrand Richards and Mark E. Petersen.

As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Nelson is a prophet, seer, and revelator.

Appointed in August 2007, Elder Nelson is currently as a member of the Church Boards of Trustees/Education, the governing body of the Church Educational System. He serves as the chairman of the executive committee of the Church Boards of Trustees/Education.
Elder Nelson married Dantzel White on August 31, 1945 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have 9 daughters and a son. Dantzel died unexpectedly at her home in Salt Lake City on February 12, 2005. Nine children survived her.

On April 6, 2006 Elder Nelson married Wendy L. Watson in the Salt Lake Temple. Watson—originally from Raymond, Alberta, Canada—is the daughter of the late Leonard David Watson and Laura McLean Watson. At the time of the marriage, Watson was a professor of marriage and family therapy in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University (BYU). Watson retired from her career on 1 May 2006. She received her R.N. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, her B.A. from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, her M.Sc. from BYU, and her Ph.D. from the University of Calgary. She served as chair of BYU Women’s Conference for 1999 and 2000, and is the author of several books and addresses recorded on CD, including Rock Solid Relationships and Things Are Not Always as They Appear.

Why do we do missionary work?

2009-11-03T08:04:00.000-05:00

Dear Missionaries,

Why do we do missionary work? Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles answers this question in the following way:

The doctrinal basis of missionary work is contained in the Savior’s statement to Nicodemus: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).”

The “kingdom of God” referred to here is the celestial kingdom.

We do not preach and teach in order to “bring people into the Church” or to increase the membership of the Church. We do not preach and teach just to persuade people to live better lives. We honor and appreciate the many ministers and others who are involved in the kind of ministry that makes bad men good and good men better. That it important, but we offer something more. One can qualify for the terrestrial kingdom instead of the telestial kingdom without the aid of the Church. We are concerned with a higher destination.

The purpose of our missionary work is to help the children of God fulfill a condition prescribed by our Savior and Redeemer. We preach and teach in order to baptize the children of God so that they can be saved in the celestial kingdom instead of being limited to a lesser kingdom. We do missionary work in order to baptize and confirm. That is the doctrinal basis of missionary work.

The doctrinal basis of missionary work is the word of God, revealed in every age, that man cannot be saved in the celestial kingdom without the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that the only way to lay claim to the merits of that Atonement is to follow the command of its author: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you” (Acts 2:38). We are called to assist in this great effort. (From an address given at a seminar for new mission presidents on June 23, 1992)

The purpose of your teaching is to help others (1) develop faith in Jesus Christ and (2) repent of their sins. As you strive to become a Master Teacher, you will be more effective in helping others develop true faith and then feel a desire to repent and change. As Mormon taught, “the first fruits of repentance is baptism” (Moroni 8:25). What does this mean…“the first fruits of repentance is baptism”?

Think of repentance as a young tree that is planted in a new place. A person is asked to take care of the tree and to make sure it grows so that it can bear fruit. If planted in good soil and watered and pruned, the tree will bear fruit that is delicious.

The prophet Nephi said that the Savior showed us “the gate by which [we] should enter. For othe gate by which [we] should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of [our] sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are [we] in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:17-18).

As you teach, prepare your investigators to meet the qualifications for baptism taught in the Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 and in the baptismal interview questions found in your Daily Planner. This is best accomplished by inviting your investigators to make and keep the commitments outlined in each of the lessons. These commitments are also found in your Daily Planner.

Preach My Gospel teaches that we should invite people to be baptized and confirmed at the end of each of the lessons. Elder Lynn G. Robbins recently reinforced this message when he visited our mission. For instance, at the end of Lesson 1 in Preach My Gospel, on page 40, you’ll see the following in a red box:

During this or any other lesson, do not hesitate to invite people to be baptized and confirmed.

To prepare people for an invitation to be baptized and confirmed, teach the doctrine of baptism and testify often of the importance of all people being baptized by authority, of receiving a remission of sins, and of the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost. You might say, “As the Lord answers your prayers and you feel this message is true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized?”

The invitation to be baptized and confirmed should be specific and direct: “Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God? We will be holding a baptismal service on (date). Will you prepare yourself to be baptized on that date?”

This same instruction is provided at the end of Lessons 2, 3 and 4.

Each week in our mission we have between 90-100 “investigators with a baptismal date”. Think of it: 90-100 people have said, “YES”, to the above invitation. But of these 90-100, only 5-8 will end up getting baptized. What can you do to help an additional 5-8 get baptized on a weekly basis?

This points out one of the most difficult skills to develop as a Master Teacher. What is this skill? It is the skill of helping a tender, vulnerable investigator make and keep commitments that will lead them and motivate them to be baptized.

We must never manipulate or place pressure on an investigator. The intent of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to “set one free” – not to imprison. Our motive must be fueld by love for our Savior. We quickly discover that changing one’s life is very, very difficult. Even when a person knows that they need to embrace a better way of living, the gravitational pull of an old life is exceptionally powerful.

When an investigator has accepted the invitation to be baptized, do not think that your work is over. In fact, it has just begun!! Do not be naïve. Change is hard for every investigator (and for you and me). Since we are what we do, if we want to change what we are, we must begin by changing what we do. We must undertake a new way of thinking, acting and living. This is why the making and keeping of commitments is so important. When you ask for commitments as part of your teaching, you are inviting the investigator to repent.

If all you do is ask your investigator to make and keep a commitment, then don’t be surprised when nothing happens! At the beginning of every year, on January 1, millions of people say to themselves, “This year I’m going to get into better shape and lose 25 pounds.” They exercise diligently for two weeks and then they quit. This pattern is repeated every year by millions of people. They made a commitment that they cared about – and they didn’t keep it.

In addition to being a teacher to your investigator, you can also become their “life coach”. Now that you know how hard it is to change – to make and keep commitments – to repent – will you please stay very, very involved with your investigators? If you are not involved, most will not progress to baptism. Most will not keep commitments. A Master Teacher is always very, very involved. He or she always goes the extra mile.

Perhaps you’ll need to create a calendar, or a poster, or a reminder that you tape (with the investigator’s permission) to the refrigerator. Perhaps you ask the investigator if you can call them each morning with a gentle reminder to read the Book of Mormon assignment that you gave them. Perhaps you can do much better planning and bring a member with you to every lesson to this investigator. Perhaps you can remind the investigator of the commitment they made and then you can pray with them for strength to keep the commitment.

I hope your eyes have been opened a bit wider regarding the doctrinal basis of our work and the necessity to become Master Teachers as we help our brother and sisters come unto Christ through the waters of baptism.

All my love,

President Murray

On a Clear Day

2009-10-26T07:30:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Eighty years ago a musical called “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” was performing on Broadway in New York City. I’ve never seen the musical and I don’t know anything about it – but I do like the name of it. I like the idea of expansive vistas, of unobstructed views, and of clear vision.

Once I had an opportunity to fly from New York City to Paris on a super-fast jet called the Concorde. The Concorde had an average cruise speed of Mach 2.02 (1,330 mph) with a maximum cruise altitude of 60,000 feet, more than twice the speed of conventional aircraft.

The jet flew so high the one could see the curvature of the earth when looking out the small windows. I couldn’t see forever, but I saw more than ever before.

It was a clear day in 1820 when fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith asked God which, if any, church was true. His own words record, “So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.”

The key differentiating feature of our religion is that we profess and believe that Joseph Smith, an uneducated farm boy from a poor family in rural New York, was a prophet of God. The same holy title -- with the same reverence and expectation --attributed to Moses, Elijah, Abraham, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.
To those of the established Christian churches and communities, this is blasphemy. They rebel quickly and vigorously against this claim – for if it be true, then all else is false.

Our religion is therefore a radical departure from the mainstream. It creates confusion and discomfort with many enemies and also many investigators.

For those who accept our invitation to ask God if Joseph Smith was indeed His prophet for His children in this dispensation, the walls of resistance and disbelief come tumbling down. And they are replaced with peace, understanding, knowledge and vision. We testify to all that Joseph Smith was called of God to be His prophet and to restore God’s truth and God’s plan to the earth.

A prophet is a person who has been called by and speaks for God. As a messenger for God, he receives commandments, prophecies, and revelations from God, which he imparts to God’s children. Teachings of ancient and modern prophets provide an anchor of eternal truth in a world of shifting values and help us avoid misery and sorrow.

A prophet is a righteous man with great faith who is called and chosen by God. The Lord reveals truth to him through the Holy Ghost and commands His prophet to teach truth to all people. Those who believe God’s words, as revealed through His prophet, are blessed.

Truth is knowledge of things as they really are, were, and will be. It does not change with conditions or time. Thus, it is the same in every age and culture. God is the source of all truth and wants all of His children to know the truth; thus, He reveals the truths necessary for salvation through prophets and apostles. He can reveal truth to you personally through the scriptures and personal revelation.

Christ’s Church has always been built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, who direct the Church by revelation. The Lord called Joseph Smith as the first prophet and head of this last dispensation. His successors who lead The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today are also prophets and apostles. The President of the Church today is a living prophet.

All prophets are special witnesses of Jesus Christ. Apply this test to Joseph Smith. Consider these two verses from section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“14 Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed a in the heavenly vision.
23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father.”

The following chart shows the prophetic nature of Joseph Smith’s calling. Lost truths have been clarified or restored, and our vision of who we are and what’s to come has been expanded. On a clear day, a prophet can see forever!

Cast Off Your Old Life

2009-10-12T11:09:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Effective missionary work requires that we ask our investigators and our less active members to make and keep commitments designed to bring them closer to God. The work of making and keeping such commitments is the same as repentance. Repentance is the essential and necessary work of turning oneself away from habits, attitudes and actions that separate one from the powerful guidance and influence of the Holy Ghost. To repent is to turn away from sin and to move in a new Christ-centered direction. To repent is to change ourselves from carnal creatures to celestial citizens. It requires work…hard work. But it is a necessary and essential part of everyone’s life.

In the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-24), we learn that the steps of real repentance include the following:

• The recognition of and acceptance of personal responsibility for sin.
• A sincere feeling of remorse and sorrow for having sinned.
• A conscious decision to stop the wrong-doing.
• An actual "turning away from" the sin. This is a change of direction in behavior.
• A confession of sin and a humble request for forgiveness. The request for forgiveness is made to Heavenly Father and to the one who has been hurt by the sin.
• An offer to make amends for the hurt that was caused by the sin.

Repentance is not just an intellectual exercise of "feeling sorry" for sins. Repentance involves a "turning" or "reorientation" of one's life. The evidence of that change is seen in the "fruit," or how a person lives.

When one truly repents he earns the miracle of forgiveness. Evidence of this gift, which is available through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, is taught throughout the Book of Mormon. One of my favorite examples is that of Alma the Younger (Mosiah 27).

Alma undergoes an astonishing spiritual awakening after which he exclaims, “I have repented of my sins and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.” He goes on to say, “Marvel not that all mankind…must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness…And thus they become new creatures.” To become a new creature means that one’s outlook on life has completely changed, as has his value system, his belief system and his definition of happiness and success. He thinks, acts, feels and lives different than before. He is a new person.

There is different kind of repentance, or change, that missionaries can experience while serving in the mission field. As we strive to serve with our heart, might, mind and strength, we are occasionally weakened by a misguided mind. Some missionaries bring into the mission field baggage from their youth that has colored their outlook on life. This baggage consists of an improperly defined view of life, including how one relates to others and to God, how one trusts and loves others and how one defines the overall purpose of life. For some missionaries their view of life has been corrupted, even though they don’t believe it. Their view of life is inconsistent with the Plan of Happiness. It is a counterfeit and a fake. And yet they try to succeed as missionaries – a testament to their sense of duty. But it must be like running a marathon with a 50 pound cement block chained to one’s ankle. It can be done, but not very well. And there is very little joy in the effort.

Most often this incorrect life view got its start at an early age when an innocent young person tried putting together the pieces of a puzzle called “How Does Life Work?” This could have been prompted by early childhood trauma, by complex family relationships, by poor choices, by an enquiring mind or all four. During one’s teenage years this false view of life was tested and perfected -- warts and all.

Because Satan is the master of deception, he supported this false view and provided evidence that there was nothing wrong with it. He applauded the teenager for his brilliant, but flawed, insights and understandings (as false as they were).
How does one determine if he has fallen victim to this trap? If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, it’s highly likely that you are a prisoner of a false and deceptive view of life:

• I have a very difficult time trusting people, including my friends, families and leaders.
• I get angry or very frustrated with people, including my companion, several times each week.
• I find myself often blaming others for all kinds of things.
• Obedience to God’s law is required of missionaries, but it’s not essential for success in life outside of the mission field.
• My happiness is determined by how other people are treating me.
• I am unable or unwilling to rely on God to guide me in my life.
• When I finish my mission it will be great to be able to be my “real” self again.

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you have most likely created a view of life that is not consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ. EVEN THOUGH YOU THINK YOU HAVE. This is what deception is all about. To be deceived means that you truly believe you are doing the right thing.

I cannot think of another time in a person’s life when he or she will be given the opportunity to “sort it all out” for an extended period of time and while under the loving influence of the Godhead (Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost). This is why you hear me often saying, “Replace fear with faith” and “Let go and let God”. This is why we invite you, while on your, to come unto Christ and live His gospel.

Our purpose is to invite others to come onto Christ. But we must begin with ourselves, otherwise we know not what we teach.

I strongly encourage every missionary to contemplate his or her view of life. Is it 100% consistent with the teachings of the restored gospel? Does it consistently bring you happiness, hope and peace of conscience? If not, I invite you to repent – meaning I invite you to let go of your old view and allow God to introduce you to the correct, healthy and proper view of life. There is a verse in Alma (13:27) that helps make this point. I’ve changed a couple words – shown in brackets. “And now my brethren [and sisters], I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would harken unto my words, and cast off your [old view of life] and not procrastinate the day of your repentance.”

This invitation is also made in Romans (12:2), “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed [changed] by the renewing [e.g. changing] of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

When you let go of old deceptions, you come unto Christ in a most powerful way.

Through his Atonement, you will become a new creature and will be made free. You will become more intelligent, more powerful, more peaceful, more authentic and happier than you have ever been. If you sense that you are a candidate for a “new view” or a “mind makeover”, please visit with me and I’ll help you begin this life changing repentance process.

All my love,

President Murray

Copernicus and Missionary Work

2009-10-05T11:37:00.004-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

For centuries people believed that the earth was the center of the universe and that the sun, moon, planets and stars all went around it. This belief was known as the geocentric model of the universe. The great philosophers (Aristotle in 300 BC), scientists (Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD) and religious experts (see Joshua 10:12-13) all said it was true. With such strong support, it had to be true!

It’s easy to come to this conclusion. The earth is very, very large, stable and solid. It doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. And the sun, moon, planets and stars all seem to be orbiting around the earth. Hence it must be the center of the universe.

And then in 1543, over 1800 years after Aristotle and others proved that the earth was the center of the universe, Nicholaus Copernicus published a remarkable book entitled On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres. His heliocentric model placed the sun at the center of our universe with the earth and other planets rotating around it.

Copernicus undid centuries of incorrect thinking by the smartest people on earth.

All of this is surprisingly important and relevant to our work in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission. Our goal is to help Build the Church. We do this by inviting others to come unto Christ. To be effective, we must (1) come unto Christ ourselves and (2) become Master Teachers.

Many young people enter the mission field with a view of themselves that is similar to Aristotle’s and Ptolemy’s view of the universe. These missionaries believe that they are the center of the universe. They believe that everything else and everybody else rotates around them. This view is called the self-centered model. It is a model that guarantees failure as a missionary and as a human, but many hold firmly and stubbornly to their belief!

It’s easy to come to this view. Our mother’s take care of our every need. They feed us, clothe us and protect us. They wipe our tears, claim that we’re brilliant, defend us against all intruders, and spoil and pamper us. After 19 years of such treatment, one might easily conclude that he is the center of the universe!

A self-centered person cares only about himself and his own needs. He expects those orbiting around him to serve him, to make him happy, and to take away any pain or discomfort.

There are times we all have been guilty of being like this, but what sets self-centered people apart is that they behave this way all the time. Missionaries who are self-centered tend to treat companions badly because they view their companions as nothing more than objects that are in place to feed them emotionally.

For thousands of years, prophets have been teaching a very important lesson: We are not the center of the world. We are to put our love of God and His son Jesus Christ at the center.

Moses taught: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

And again in the New Testament we are taught, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment,” (Mark 12:30).

When we are self-centered, we are being selfish. We are being the “natural man”. We fail to think beyond our own needs. Such people go through life running away from their trials and failing to grow from adversity. As children of God, we have heavenly potential. But that potential must be earned through our faith and actions.

In a very important lesson, Moses learned that he was not the center of the universe. He saw God and spoke to Him face to face. God showed him the vastness of His creation:

“And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered…

And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” (Moses 1:8-10).

In the New Testament we are taught that we are not to seek after our own needs, but to build the Church: “Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” (JST Matthew 6:38).

In the Book of Mormon we learn that the self-centered man is an enemy to God, “The natural man is an enemy to God.” And that he must move out of the “center” and develop that attributes of a child -- “submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him,” (Mosiah 3:19).

It is impossible for a self-centered person to help build up the kingdom of God. We must let go of our old selves and let God teach us how to live. We must replace our fear of change with faith that the best is yet to come!

We must step out of the center and into a new orbit that surrounds those who need our help, our love and our faith. Once we are in this new orbit, our eyes will be opened to the many, many opportunities for helping and serving. And we will see that we, like Moses, “are nothing” and that we must cry to the Lord for help.

Building up the Kingdom of God requires obedience and sacrifice. It requires commitment and perseverance. We must be proactive – always thinking about it and always looking for ways to engage. We must endure, persevere and refuse to stop.

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) helps us find the proper perspective with these good words:

“[In the pre-mortal life,] we rejoiced at the upcoming opportunity for earthly life that could make it possible for us to have a fullness of joy as they had. We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our Brother, the Lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one. And now we're here--our memories are veiled--and we're showing God and ourselves what we can do. Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us. And then, [as] President [Brigham] Young said, we're going to wonder why we were so stupid in the flesh.

God loves us, he's watching us, he wants us to succeed, and we'll know someday that he has not left one thing undone for the eternal welfare of each of us. If we only knew that there are heavenly hosts pulling for us--friends in heaven, whom we can't remember now, who yearn for our victory. This is our day to show what we can do--what life and sacrifice we can daily, hourly, instantly bring to God. If we give our all, we will get his all from the greatest of all. (Source: Jesus Christ--Gifts and Expectations, Dec 10, 1974, BYU Speech.)

Christ must be in the center of our hearts, our lives and our purpose. Let’s forget ourselves and go to work!

President Murray

Come to Christ!

2009-09-28T14:54:00.004-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

I hope you have reviewed the notes you took while being taught by Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy. He is a “master teacher” and customized his messages for each of the three Zone Conferences at which he spoke.

Elder Robbins was highly impressed with our mission because of our great focus on helping others come unto Christ while striving as missionaries to come unto Christ in our own lives.

How are you doing in your own personal quest to come unto Christ?

Do you know what this means? It means that you desire to rid yourself of any trait, characteristic, habit or thought that is selfish, self-centered, doubtful, prideful, or mean-spirited. It means that you desire to follow all of Christ’s commandments no matter what. It means that you believe that there is only one way to live your life – and that way is defined by and exemplified by Jesus Christ. It also means that you will repent frequently and thoroughly because you know the only way to be cleansed from sin and strengthen from adversity is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Are you willing to examine all parts of your life – the way you think about missionary work, the way you react to others, the way you approach each day, the way you deal with challenges, the way you pray, the way you think about God, and the way you think about the very purpose of life?

One who is coming to Christ is willing to open up every nook and cranny in his mind and heart – to be inspected by his conscience and by the Lord. And is then willing to change anything and everything in order to become whom he is meant to be. This is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do – ever. And it’s one of the most important things to do – ever.

Change of this nature is always difficult – especially for those who say, “I don’t need to change because I like who I am,” and “I’m don’t want to change because my friends at home may not like me,” and “Don’t tell me what to do – nobody ever tells me what to do.”

Recently an experienced missionary made a comment – with which I agree - about his younger companion: “He hasn't been changing at all yet. He has gotten through life the way he is, and although he thinks it is working for him, it doesn't work for those around him.”

Many of us develop a wrong thinking approach to life as teenagers. We create a way to survive and sometime even thrive, based upon incorrect (or wrong) principles. These principles are almost always based on self-preservation, self-protection, pride and fear. They may work for a few years, but they will always result in damaged relationships and a lack of success. When the world crashes down on such people, they will blame others for unhappiness.

The author James Allen said, “A noble and god-like character is not a thing of favor or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with god-like thoughts.”

If you want to change who you are, you must change what you do. This includes your thoughts, your actions and your reactions. This takes conscious, daily effort. There is no better time to embark on this journey than right now. Put Christ at the Center of your life – and then join His club!

You were called to serve in this mission for some very important reasons. If you are unable to give yourself wholly to the Lord for your 18 or 24 months, then you’ll never learn why you were sent to this mission. Blessings and spiritual instruction always require faith and action. We cannot receive the blessing and spiritual instruction if we are not willing to exert real faith and to work diligetly.

When a missionary turns his life to Christ, he is entitled to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit’s constant companionship is one of the greatest blessings you can receive in mortality. The Spirit will guide you in the paths of righteousness and peace, leading you to eternal life.

Full enjoyment of the gift of the Holy Ghost includes receiving revelation and comfort, serving and blessing others through spiritual gifts, and being sanctified from sin and made fit for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. These blessings depend on your worthiness and your desire; they come a little at a time as you are ready for them.

As you bring your life in harmony with God’s will (which is the same as “coming unto Christ”), you will gradually receive the Holy Ghost in great measure. The Prophet Joseph Smith declared that the mysteries of God’s kingdom “are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him.”

Remember that “the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples” (Helaman 4:24). Even though you have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit will dwell with you only when you keep the commandments. He will withdraw from you if you offend Him by profanity, anger, uncleanliness, disobedience, rebellion, or other sins. Keep yourself clean. Fill you mission life with goodness so that you can be worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Some might say that coming unto Christ places too many restrictions on one’s life. That it takes away one’s free agency. That it puts one in a prison or a cage. Such thinking is completely wrong and immature – although it is completely supported by Satan and the natural man (an enemy to God). Obedience brings ultimate freedom and peace of conscience. Obedience also brings power to the mind and the soul!

A simple, but powerful, verse of scripture is found in Alma 32:27. The verse invites all to “awake and arouse your faculties (e.g. senses)” and then to “experiment upon my words”. The “words” are the teachings and doctrines of Jesus Christ.

One who experimented with the “word” was Parley P. Pratt. In 1830, while traveling to visit family in western New York, Pratt had the opportunity to read a copy of the Book of Mormon owned by a Baptist deacon. Convinced of its authenticity, he traveled to Palmyra, New York and spoke to Hyrum Smith at the Smith home. He was baptized in Seneca Lake by Oliver Cowdery on or about September 1, 1830. He was also ordained to the office of an elder in the church. Continuing on to his family's home, he introduced his younger brother, Orson Pratt, to Mormonism and baptized him on 19 September 1830.

Parley was original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He was also a missionary, poet, religious writer and longtime editor of the religious publication The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star. Parley “experimented with the word” and, through his obedience and personal refinement, learned about the reality of the Holy Ghost. He wrote these stunning words about the Gift of the Holy Ghost:

“It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.”

I invite each of you to come with us as we come unto Christ.

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Remember This...

2009-09-13T16:42:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

On August 1, 1831 the 25-year-old Prophet, Joseph Smith, received a revelation from the Lord providing instruction to the elders of the church. This revelation is known as section 58 of the Doctrine and Covenants. The first five verses teach that those who endure tribulation shall be crowned with glory.

What is tribulation? Tribulation is great affliction, trial, distress or suffering. Perhaps you or someone you know has been required to endure tribulation while serving as a missionary.

Please study the first five verses of D&C 58:

1 Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to my word, and learn of me what I will concerning you, and also concerning this land unto which I have sent you.
2 For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
4 For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.
5 Remember this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it to heart, and receive that which is to follow.

This is a wonderful scripture for missionaries. The Lord knows that missionary work is difficult. Your leaders know that missionary work is difficult. But without our work, and that of 50,000 other missionaries around the world, Satan will win. We simply cannot allow this to happen. We must go forward, arm in arm, two by two, bringing the extraordinary message and reality of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to all.

Anything less than this will fail to qualify as success. Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your daily and constant commitment to find, teach, baptize and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost.

You can know you have been a successful missionary when you:

• Feel the Spirit testify to people through you.
• Love people and desire their salvation.
• Obey (all rules) with exactness.
• Live so that you can receive and know how to follow the Spirit, who will show you where to go, what to do, and what to say.
• Develop Christlike attributes.
• Work effectively every day, do your very best to bring souls to Christ, and seek earnestly to learn and to improve.
• Help build up the Church (the ward or branch) wherever you are assigned to work.
• Warn people of the consequences of sin. Invite them to make and keep commitments.
• Teach and serve other missionaries.
• Go about doing good and serving people at every opportunity, whether or not they accept your message.

If you need to improve on any of the above items, then write down a few goals for improvement in your Daily Planner and discuss with your companion during Nightly Planning. You may want to ask your companion to hold you accountable for these goals!
On the last page of Preach My Gospel there is an important list of reminders, all designed to help you remember the key elements of missionary work. The page starts with the words: “Remember This…”. Think back to the fifth verse in D&C 58. It also starts out with these same important words: “Remember this…”.

Here are the things to remember – for continued missionary success – from the last page of Preach My Gospel. In this mission you are expected to review this list frequently to and to build your life as a PPM missionary around these principles and activities.

• Your purpose is to bring souls to Christ.
• Prepare people to meet the qualifications for baptism in Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 and the baptismal interview questions.
• Pray often for yourself and for others.
• Rely on the Spirit to show you where to go, what to do, and what to say.
• Be exactly obedient.
• Study the language of your mission each day.
• Plan every day and focus on the key indicators.
• Work effectively all day, every day.
• Ask for referrals from everyone!
• Teach when you find; find when you teach.
• Read the Book of Mormon with those you teach.
• Teach people that an important way to know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God is to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.
• Contact every investigator daily.
• Bear testimony frequently.
• Have a member at every lesson possible.
• Always set specific dates and times for the next lesson.
• Invite all investigators to baptismal services.
• After each lesson, provide investigators with something to read and ponder in preparation for the next meeting.
• Build relationships with members by serving them and working with the leadership of the ward.
• Help ward leaders with retention and activation activities.
• Help everyone you teach make commitments that will bring about repentance and will strengthen their faith in the Savior.
• Love the Lord and serve Him the very best you can.

Elders and Sisters, there are so many things to study and remember as a missionary! Our goal in PPM is to help Build the Church. We do this by (1) coming unto Christ in our own lives and (2) by becoming Master Teachers.

A Master Teacher is always moving forward. They never coast or put themselves in neutral. A Master Teacher always has personal goals for improvement. In PPM we have several places where improvement is currently needed:

1. Far too many New Investigators fall away too quickly. Your New Investigators are not statistics on a Key Indicator Report. They are individuals who need to gospel to assure completion of their earthly mission! Treat them like valuable nuggets of gold!
2. Far too many “Strong Investigators” never get baptized. This indicates that we are not doing all we can to help these investigators make and keep essential commitments. And that our investigators have failed to develop a vision of what it means to come unto Christ. It is your job to get this done.
3. Far too many “Prepared Investigators” never get baptized. This is the ultimate war with Satan. The Adversary will do all he can to stop our investigators from getting baptized. During the week before a baptism, make sure you are doing all you can to help your investigator stay strong and committed!
4. We need many, many more Member Present Lessons. This means we need to become better at helping our Ward Mission Leaders, Bishops and Ward Councils understand the need for member involvement in all aspects of missionary work. You are the glue that makes this happen. The reason we keep missionaries in an area for 6 months is to make sure we get very, very connected to the members!
5. We need to be more thoughtful about how we use our time. Some missionaries are spending too much time in their cars, driving too many miles. They feel busy, but they are not. Other missionaries are spending too much time in active members homes without any goal or purpose. We have a 30/30 Program in PPM. When you are at an active member’s home, you can eat for 30 minutes and then you teach them about member missionary work for 30 minutes, and then you say a prayer and leave!

Sister Murray and I marvel at the faith, commitment, desire and testimonies of our incredible missionaries. We love you so very much. Never give up and you will be crowned with glory!

Pres. Murray

Temple Dedicatory Prayer

2009-09-07T15:02:00.001-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

There are 130 temples in the world, each dedicated by a living prophet. The prayer for the dedications is written and read by the president of the church. Following is the text of the prayer offered in dedicating the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, August 21-23, 2009, by President Thomas S. Monson. You will learn much by studying how a prophet writes a prayer to dedicate a temple.

“O God, our Eternal Father, Thou almighty Elohim, Creator of the heavens, the earth and all things thereon, in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, we come before Thee this day with bowed heads, full hearts and subdued spirits.

We are grateful for the knowledge Thou hast given us that Thou art our Father, to whom we may turn for inspiration and guidance, for revelation and strength in time of trouble and distress.

O Father, wilt Thou grant unto us Thy guidance and Thy Holy Spirit while we are gathered on this sacred occasion. May the channels of communication between Thee and us be open, and wilt Thou smile upon us and cause us to feel and know that we are partakers of Thy divine Spirit. Overlook our follies and our weaknesses and let us come before Thee in sincerity of heart and purity of life, that what we say and do here will be in harmony with Thy mind and will.

We thank Thee for the gift of Thy Beloved Son, who came into the world according to Thy divine plan to establish on earth the way for us to return to Thy presence.

We thank Thee for the infinite love manifested in the atoning sacrifice of Thy Son, who gave Himself a ransom for all, who broke the bands of death and opened the gates of salvation to all of Thy children. We praise His holy name. His atonement gives purpose to our being and turns our thoughts heavenward.

We are grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost to lead us to a knowledge of Thy everlasting truth, and that as we accept and follow that truth and cleanse and perfect our lives, we may become worthy to stand spotless before Thee at the last day.

We express our gratitude for the ushering in of a new dispensation, even the dispensation of the fulness of times, by Thine own appearance and the appearance of Thy Beloved Son to the boy Joseph Smith, to open the heavens and to restore to the world the knowledge of Thee and Thy Son and Thy holy purposes.

We are grateful for this long-awaited day of dedication, when this, Thy Holy House, has been completed. Bless, we pray Thee, those faithful members here and throughout the world who have contributed their tithes which have made possible this magnificent edifice for Thy name's honor and glory and for the blessing of all who enter herein. We are grateful for those who have given so generously of their means, their time, their skills, and their strength to make possible this sacred house. May each contributor rejoice in the opportunity to assist in Thy holy work. Wilt Thou open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings upon them. May they be assured of the gratitude of those uncounted millions who have passed beyond this life, for whom the prison doors may now be opened and deliverance proclaimed through the devoted service of Thy people in this and other sacred temples.

The Plan of Salvation taught in the temple with simplicity, yet with power, will be as a never-failing beacon of divine light to guide our footsteps and keep them constantly on the pathway of eternal life.
Father in Heaven bless, we pray Thee, the President of the Church and his counselors who comprise the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Quorums of the Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric, that they might always have Thy guiding influence and inspiration. In every thought, word and act may they glorify Thy name.

Bless those who preside in the stakes and wards, the districts and branches of the Church, that they may be equal to the responsibilities placed upon them.

Bless thy servants who preside over the missions of the Church, together with all of the missionaries who have gone forth to proclaim to the peoples of the earth the restoration of the gospel and the Plan of Salvation. Protect them from all harm. Bless them with the gifts and powers of their ministry. Bless their families, that they may be sustained in peace and comfort.

Let Thy Spirit be poured out upon all who teach in Thy Church, that they may build the faith and increase the understanding of those they instruct in the principles of the gospel.

Frustrate the designs of the adversary against Thy people and Thy work, and may the efforts of all who fight against Zion come to naught. May Thy glorious work roll on in majesty and power to fill the whole earth.

Bless the temple president and his counselors, together with their wives, and all who will assist in the operation of this temple.

Bless thy children throughout the world who know hunger, who have no shelter and who face daily suffering. May we reach out in a spirit of love and true charity to those who yearn for our help.
In a time of departure from safe moorings, may youth of the noble birthright carry on in the traditions of their parents and grandparents. They are subjected to the sophistries of Satan. Help them stand firm for truth. Open wide to their view the gates of learning, of understanding, of service in Thy kingdom. Bless them with a lengthened view of their eternal possibilities.

We express our gratitude for all who have participated in the preparations for this day of dedication, as well as for those who made possible the successful open house event. We ask Thy blessings to attend all who walked within these sacred walls and felt stirring thoughts course through their minds and hearts. May the spirit of the temple continue with them.

Now, Father, according to the pattern Thou hast given, and in harmony with the course established by Thy servants who have gone before, and acting in the authority of that priesthood which is after the order of Thy Son and in His holy name, we dedicate this, the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate it as a house of baptism, a house of endowment, a house of sealing, a house of righteousness—for the living and for the dead.

We humbly pray, Father, that Thou wilt accept this holy edifice. Pour out Thy blessings upon it and let Thy spirit attend and guide all who officiate herein, that holiness will prevail in every room. May all who enter have clean hands and pure hearts, and may they participate with faith in the ordinances to be given herein and depart with a feeling of peace, praising Thy holy name.

We dedicate the ground on which the temple stands. We dedicate the beautiful structure, from the unseen footings to the majestic figure of Moroni crowning its highest point. We dedicate the baptistry, all of the facilities for administering the sacred ordinances, the endowment rooms, the sealing rooms with their sacred altars, and the lovely celestial room, together with all ancillary facilities and the beautiful grounds with their lawns, flowers, trees and shrubs. Protect all from any devastating influence, destruction or defacement.

May all that is done herein be done with an eye single to Thy glory and to the building of Thy kingdom here upon the earth.

O, Holy Father, bless us with the peace promised by Thy Son. Shield us from selfishness or sin and provide the power that we might rise above all that is sordid or below the dignity of Thy children.

And now we dedicate this temple as an abode for Thee and Thy Son. Wilt Thou place Thy ratifying seal of approval upon this dedicatory service and upon all we have done and shall do in this, Thy Holy House, which we now present to Thee.

May we, Thy children, merit Thy bounteous blessings and Thy watchful care, we pray, in the name of Thy Beloved Son, even the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord. Amen.”

Duty Trumps Desire

2009-08-31T18:47:00.005-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Perhaps you’ve heard it said that every coin has two sides – heads and tails. You cannot have a coin with just one side.

Sometimes as a child I would practice flipping a coin to see how many times I would get “heads” and how many times I would get “tails”. If I flipped a coin enough times, I would get heads half the time and tails half the time.

Our calling as missionaries is like a coin with two sides. The two sides of missionary work are “duty” and “desire”.

The act of entering the mission field indicates that a missionary has accepted the duty that comes with the calling. This is a great responsibility that stays with you throughout your mission. There is no vacation from this duty. Duty is connected directly to your calling as a missionary.

Desire is something that comes from within. It cannot be assigned. One cannot be compelled to have desire. Desire is directly connected to one’s testimony. A desire to serve is evidence that one loves Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and is willing to “go and do” the things with the Lord commands.

Let’s examine more closely these two sides of the missionary coin. They are inseparable.

DUTY

What is duty? It is a course of action that is required by law or religion. For instance, when a person enlists in the Army, he agrees to the course of action required by law. He agrees to follow all of the rules and to obey his superiors. He knows that disobedience and inattention to detail can place his colleagues in harms way. He pledges to be loyal to his country and to give, if necessary, his life in defense of his country.

Soldiers who abandon their post during times of war are labeled “deserters”. In the United States, before the Civil War, deserters from the Army were flogged, while after 1861 tattoos or branding were also adopted. The maximum U.S. penalty for desertion in wartime remains death, although this punishment was last applied in 1945.

Soldiers who develop illnesses or diseases while serving are relieved of duty and are given an honorable discharge from the Army.

Missionary duty is more important than military duty. We know this because of the following words from the Prophet Joseph Smith: “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel,” (Joseph Smith, Jr. History of the Church, 2:478).

Our duty, which we carry for the duration of our calling as missionaries, is to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end” (Preach My Gospel, page 1). How great is your calling and your duty!

Strive to fulfill what the President of the Church expects of you, as expressed in your call letter: “You have been recommended as one worthy to represent the Lord as a minister of the restored gospel. You will be an official representative of the Church. As such, you will be expected to maintain the highest standards of conduct and appearance by keeping the commandments, living the mission rules, and following the counsel of your mission president. You will also be expected to devote all your time and attention to serving the Lord, leaving behind all other personal affairs. As you do these things, the Lord will bless you and you will become an effective advocate and messenger of the truth.”

When you accepted your call, you promised to live by these standards. Do not cut any corners. If you companion chooses to let up on his standards, don’t join him! You are accountable to the Lord and to the leaders of the Church for how well you honor this promise. Always keep in mind the importance of your calling. Strive constantly to magnify it.

Most likely this is the first time in your life when you have been held accountable for such an important duty for a long period of time. It’s good to know that over 50,000 other young men and young women are doing the same thing at the same time in 350 missions around the world. You are not alone, nor is your task impossible!

When your alarm clock rings each morning, it is shouting: “duty calls”. This old term is another way of saying that one must attend to one’s obligations. Your alarm clock is also reminding you that you have been “called to serve”. Who are you to serve? The scriptures teach, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” (Joshua 24:15).

We are blessed to have a rich heritage of dutiful missionaries in PPM. Our mission has been, and continues to be, full of elders and sisters who have responded with energy, commitment, faith and sacrifice when duty calls. They stick with their duty until their duty sticks to them!

DESIRE

In June of 1829 a revelation was given to 23 year old Joseph Smith regarding the calling and mission of the Twelve apostles. They could not qualify for this calling if the desire of their hearts was not aligned with that of the Lord: “And now, behold, there are others who are called to declare my gospel, both unto Gentile and unto Jew; Yea, even twelve; and the Twelve shall be my disciples, and they shall take upon them my name; and the Twelve are they who shall desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart. And if they desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all the world to preach my gospel unto every creature,” (D&C 18:26-28).

How does one create a desire to “preach my gospel unto every creature” with “full purpose of heart”? We must “come unto Christ”!

This answer is not surprising – but the result is: When we “come unto Christ” our desire not only grows, but eventually exceeds our sense of duty. This means that we willingly and anxiously obey all of God’s commandments. We quit being small-minded, self-centered, easily offended, easily provoked, defensive, prideful, or arrogant in our attitudes and behaviors. It means that we choose to have patience, tolerance, love and charity for our companion, district, zone, investigators, recent converts, parents and siblings and even our mission president. It also means that we willingly “go and do” the things which the Lord commands (see 1 Nephi 3:7). And that we will exercise faith to be “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which” you should do (see 1 Nephi 4:6). We turn our lives over to Christ.

Desire grows within the hearts of those who yield their will to the enticings of the Holy Ghost (see Mosiah 3:19). This requires obedience – to the laws of God and the rules of a mission. President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) said, “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.”

This power fills our hearts with the overwhelming desire to invite others to come unto Christ.

DARK DAYS

Most missionaries experience a few “dark days” during their period of missionary service when they have “no desire”.

At times like this it is important to recall the rules of some card games. In a game of cards, kings typically trump queens. This means that the player who holds kings will beat the player who holds queens.

When one is experiencing “dark days” on a mission, remember “Duty Trumps Desire”. We can never forego our missionary duty, just like a soldier on night duty can never fall asleep. And if we hold firm to our duty, I promise that your desire will return in abundance. Never give up!

Thrusting to Victory,

President Murray

Master Teachers

2009-08-25T20:41:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Our goal is to help Build the Church in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission (PPM). As missionaries it is our duty and responsibility to set aside our past lives and to concentrate continually on our goal. We should awaken each and every morning with a burning question in our mind: “Whom am I going to baptize this transfer?” We must organize our thoughts, prayers, weekly plans, study efforts and all else towards to the realization of this goal. And we never give up!

And when you return to PPM in 5-10 years with your spouse and children, you’ll have the joy of seeing more wards, more stakes and more endowments.

To successfully achieve the goal of helping Build the Church we must (1) come unto Christ in our own lives and (2) become Master Teachers. This SickleThruster focuses on tips for improving our teaching skills. We can double the number of baptisms and have >70% retention by improving our teaching skills.

A Master Teacher has the following skills and attributes:

1. Has a deeply personal love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
2. Proactively persuades investigators to read the Book of Mormon, understand it and ask God sincerely whether it is true.
3. Has charity for each person he or she teaches.
4. Knows all the doctrines, principles and scriptures in all the lessons.
5. Is motivated to persuade others to “come unto Christ”.
6. Teaches with simplicity and clarity.
7. Always asks the investigator to make and keep commitments. And always follows-up to see if progress is being made.
8. Listens for evidence that the investigator truly understands what is being taught. Does not move on to a new principle or doctrine until the investigator has a clear understanding of the one being taught.
9. Teaches to the needs of the investigator and teaches with the Spirit.
10. Testifies and promises blessing with strength, charity and boldness.

No matter where you serve or whom you teach, center your teaching on the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “The Lord will bless you as you teach the message of the Restoration to a world that desperately needs the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Statement on Missionary Work, First Presidency, 11 Dec. 2002). As you study the doctrines in the missionary lessons, you will come to see that we have one message: Through a modern prophet, God has restored knowledge about the plan of salvation, which is centered on Christ’s Atonement and fulfilled by living the first principles and ordinances of the gospel.

When Moroni was abridging the record of the Jaredites, he became concerned about his weakness in writing. He thought that the Gentiles who would read his words would mock them and reject them. He prayed that the Gentiles might have charity and not reject the word of God. Then the Lord gave him this promise: “Because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong” (Ether 12:37). The Lord also told Moroni: “If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

In your efforts to teach the gospel, you may sometimes experience feelings of inadequacy. But you can take courage in this promise from the Lord. As you humble yourself, recognize the areas in which you need His help, and exercise faith in Him, He will strengthen you and help you teach in a manner pleasing to Him.

You can start making a plan for improvement by determining how you are doing right now. You might divide this evaluation into two parts: your strengths as a teacher and your weaknesses as a teacher.

Begin by considering some of the gifts the Lord has already given you that may help you in your teaching. List these strengths in your study journal. As you do so, you may want to think about the principles of teaching that are emphasized in this article, such as loving those you teach, teaching by the Spirit, teaching the doctrine, inviting diligent learning, creating a learning atmosphere, using effective methods, or preparing lessons.

Perhaps it is your patience that can help you as a teacher. Or it may be your ready smile, your concern for people, your artistic ability, your knowledge of the scriptures, your willingness to listen, your calm spirit, your habit of preparing thoroughly, or your sincere desire to teach well.

You do not need to identify a large number of your strengths; just a few will get you started. The purpose of focusing on some of your strengths is to build on them as you improve in areas where you are not as strong.

After considering your strengths, reflect on your recent teaching experiences. Think of the areas in which you could do better. Again, you may want to think about the principles of teaching emphasized in this article. You might want to list several things you could do better, but it is probably best to limit yourself to working on one or two things at a time. Generally speaking, we grow “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30). We should act “in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength” (Mosiah 4:27).

When you have selected one or two areas in which you would like to improve, write them in your study journal.

To decide how to improve in the area or areas you have chosen, consider the following questions and study Chapter 10 in Preach My Gospel throughout your mission.

• What can I do now to improve as a teacher?
• What 1-2 skills do I need to develop?

After you have made a plan for improvement, set a date by which you hope to achieve your goal. When you feel that you have made the improvement you planned, begin working on another aspect of teaching. You are now on the road to becoming a Master Teacher!

Qualities That Matter Most

As you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher, consider how well you reflect these “essential qualities.” You may want to ponder the following questions:

• Do I show those I teach that I love them? Do I show personal interest in each of them?
• Can they feel my love for the Lord and His teachings? Do I help them see the application of those teachings in their lives?
• Can those I teach feel my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ? Can they feel my absolute faith in God?
• Do I pray in faith to teach by the power of the Holy Ghost?

Even if you are inexperienced in many advanced aspects of teaching, you can focus on the qualities that matter most. You can love those you teach. You can consistently show your love for the Lord and His teachings. And you can fervently share your faith in God and your testimony of the restored gospel. You can succeed in the qualities that are most important, even while you are developing your skills as a Master Teacher.

“Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands. … Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:13–16).

Teaching for True Conversion,

President Murray

Be Clean

2009-08-16T09:07:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Virtue originates in your innermost thoughts and desires. It is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. Since the Holy Ghost does not dwell in unclean tabernacles, virtue is a prerequisite to receiving the Spirit’s guidance. What you choose to think and do when you are alone and you believe no one is watching is a strong measure of your virtue.

Many missionaries make and keep commitments that allow them to strengthen their virtue. They realize that they need the Holy Ghost to aid them in their personal study, in companionship unity, in finding and teaching investigators and in receiving inspiration.

Virtuous missionaries are clean and pure spiritually. They focus on righteous, uplifting thoughts and put unworthy thoughts that lead to inappropriate actions out of their minds. They strive to be clean.

Joseph F. Smith served as President of the Church from 1901 to 1918. In the 2007 General Conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley told the following story about him:

“Joseph F. Smith was the son of Hyrum Smith, who was the brother of the Prophet Joseph and was martyred with him in Carthage. Joseph F. was born at Far West, Missouri, on November 13, 1838. He came out of Missouri as an infant. As a lad not yet six years of age, he heard a knock on the window of his mother’s home in Nauvoo. It was a man who had hurriedly ridden from Carthage and who told Sister Smith that her husband had been killed that afternoon.

When he was 9, he drove an ox team with his mother across the plains to this valley. At the age of 15 he was called on a mission to Hawaii. He made his way to San Francisco and there worked in a shingle mill to earn enough money to buy passage to the islands.

Hawaii was not a tourist center then. It was populated by the native Hawaiians, who were, for the most part, poor but generous with what they had. He learned to speak their language and to love them. While serving there he experienced a remarkable dream. I quote from his narrative concerning this.

Said he: “I was very much oppressed [when I was] on a mission. I was almost naked and entirely friendless, except [for] the friendship of a poor, benighted … people. I felt as if I was so debased in my condition of poverty, lack of intelligence and knowledge, just a boy, that I hardly dared look a … man in the face.

“While in that condition I dreamed [one night] that I was on a journey, and I was impressed that I ought to hurry—hurry with all my might, for fear I might be too late. I rushed on my way as fast as I possibly could, and I was only conscious of having just a little bundle, a handkerchief with a small bundle wrapped in it. I did not realize … what it was, when I was hurrying as fast as I could; but finally I came to a wonderful mansion. … I thought I knew that was my destination. As I passed towards it, as fast as I could, I saw a notice [which read B-A-T-H], ‘Bath.’ I turned aside quickly and went into the bath and washed myself clean. I opened up this little bundle that I had, and there was [some] white, clean [clothing], a thing I had not seen for a long time, because the people I was with did not think very much of making things exceedingly clean. But my [clothing was] clean, and I put [it] on. Then I rushed to what appeared to be a great opening, or door. I knocked and the door opened, and the man who stood there was the Prophet Joseph Smith. He looked at me a little reprovingly, and the first words he said: ‘Joseph, you are late.’ Yet I took confidence and [replied]:

“ ‘Yes, but I am clean—I am clean!’

“He clasped my hand and drew me in, then closed the great door. I felt his hand just as tangible as I ever felt the hand of man. I knew him, and when I entered I saw my father, and Brigham [Young] and Heber [C. Kimball], and Willard [Richards], and other good men that I had known, standing in a row. I looked as if it were across this valley, and it seemed to be filled with a vast multitude of people, but on the stage were all the people that I had known. My mother was there, and she sat with a child in her lap; and I could name over as many as I remember of their names, who sat there, who seemed to be among the chosen, among the exalted.

“[When I had this dream,] I was alone on a mat, away up in the mountains of Hawaii—no one was with me. But in this vision I pressed my hand up against the Prophet, and I saw a smile cross his countenance. …

“When I awoke that morning I was a man, although only [still] a boy. There was not anything in the world that I feared [after that]. I could meet any man or woman or child and look them in the face, feeling in my soul that I was a man every whit. That vision, that manifestation and witness that I enjoyed at that time has made me what I am, if I am anything that is good, or clean, or upright before the Lord, if there is anything good in me. That has helped me out in every trial and through every difficulty” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 542–43).

The core of that meaningful dream is found in the reproof given by Joseph Smith to young Joseph F. Said the Prophet, “Joseph, you are late.”

Replied Joseph F., “Yes, but I am clean—I am clean!”

The result of that dream was that a boy was changed into a man. His declaration “I am clean” gave him self-assurance and courage in facing anyone or any situation. He received the strength that comes from a clear conscience fortified by the approbation of the Prophet Joseph.

This prophetic dream holds something for every man and boy assembled in this vast congregation tonight. It is an old saying among us that “cleanliness is next to godliness.”

Said Isaiah the prophet: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; “Learn to do well; …
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:16–18).

In modern revelation the Lord has said: “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord” (D&C 133:5).

In a world that wallows in filth, be clean—in language, in thought, in body, in dress.”

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Elders and Sisters – we desire to be the best Preach My Gospel mission in the world. For this desire to become reality, we must all be virtuous. We must examine our hearts and our minds. Have you come unto Christ in your own life? Are you making His way, your way? Or are your holding back because you don’t want to change?

Elder Dallin H. Oaks reminds us, “The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change…The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.”

Because of the nature of your calling as a missionary for Jesus Christ, you have been blessed to receive extra help from the Holy Ghost. You must seek for and become worthy of this heavenly help. It will change your life! But you must become clean – in thought, word and deed – to gain this help. May we become the most virtuous mission in the world!

Be clean!

Pres. Murray

One For All, All For One

2009-08-11T12:13:00.005-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

“One for all, and all for one” is a motto traditionally associated with the heroes of the novel The Three Musketeers written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844. A musketeer was an infantry soldier equipped with a primitive rifle called a musket. In the novel, these words were the motto of a group of French musketeers who stayed loyal to each other through thick and thin.

“One for all, and all for one” is also a great missionary motto. We desire our mission to be like the people of Enoch who were “of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness” (Moses 7:18). We can become of one heart and one mind when we each choose to be one for all and all for one.

One For All

The first part of the motto is: “one for all”. This means that you (the “one”) are willing to give all you have for the mission and the Lord (the “all”). You hold nothing back. You help your companion, your district, your zone, your mission president and all the members in building the church and inviting others to come unto Christ. You throw yourself into the work and give all that you have.

Being one for all requires (1) sacrifice; (2) humility; (3) patience; (4) vision; (5) commitment to Christ. It requires that you willingly let go of your old self and let God show you how to live, how to think and how to be. It means that you stop thinking about “you” and start thinking about the needs of those around you. There can be no excuses, no blame and no procrastination when a missionary decides to become one for all. He or she becomes a giver, not a taker.

All For One

The second part of the motto is “all for one”. This is a very powerful idea. This means that that entire mission supports you and loves you. We will be there for you when times are tough. We’ll lift you when you have no strength. We’ll share your burdens and disappointments. We’ll be patient with you in your weaknesses. We’ll believe in you and encourage you to be your best and do your best. We’ll help you succeed in a mission that has been custom designed to help you confront your greatest weaknesses and overcome your greatest challenges.

When a mission is all for one, we treat each other like members of our family. We do not criticize, condemn, put down, or hurt any member of our mission. We give each other the benefit of the doubt, meaning that we believe in them and are always willing to give them a second chance. It means we are slow to anger and quick to forgive. And it means that if we mess up, we quickly fess up. We acknowledge weakness and ask for forgiveness and help.

The Missionary Handbook teaches, “Companions support each other … and help each other learn and grow. They strengthen each other in times of difficulty. They can provide protection from physical danger, false charges, and temptation. Love and respect your companion. Look for good in each companion. Find ways to serve each other. Work together in a spirit of unity (see D&C 37:27). Study together every day. Pray together frequently throughout each day. Talk with each other openly and frequently.”

This motto – “one for all and all for one” -- is a commitment to loyalty.

In the April 2003 General Priesthood meeting, President Gordon B. Hinckley (June 23, 1910 – January 27, 2008) taught about loyalty. The point of his message applies to all missionaries, whether elders or sisters.

“I think of loyalty in terms of being true to ourselves. I think of it in terms of being absolutely faithful to our chosen companions. I think of it in terms of being absolutely loyal to the Church and its many facets of activity. I think of it in terms of being unequivocally true to the God of heaven, our Eternal Father, and His Beloved Son, our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must be true to the very best that is in us. We are sons of God honored to hold His divine authority. But we live in a world of evil. There is a constant power, pulling us down, inviting us to partake of those things which are totally inconsistent with the divine priesthood which we hold. It is interesting to observe how the father of lies, that wily son of the morning who was cast out of heaven, always has the means and capacity to entice, to invite, to gather to his ways those who are not strong and alert.

Pray to your Heavenly Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and always, under all circumstances, by the very nature of your lives show your loyalty and your love.”

When one has “come unto Christ” in his own life, it is easy and natural to be a missionary who is “one for all and all for one.” In fact we might change the motto to: “All for Christ and Christ for all!” We hope to be like the great prophet missionary Nephi who said, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26).

The Apostle James E. Faust (1920 –2007) said, "One of the greatest blessings of life and eternity is to be counted as one of the devoted disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ."

A mission is like a “band of brothers and sisters” united in a common cause – the greatest of all causes. Elder M. Russell Ballard helps clarify our vision with these words, “The destiny of the Church is to offer every human soul the right to come unto Christ, to receive the ordinances and covenants at the hands of the holy priesthood that will bring about their eternal salvation. That’s our destiny. Until every living soul, and every soul that has ever lived, has had that opportunity, our work is not done.”

In Chapter 46 of Alma we learn about a wicked man named Amalickiah who wanted to be king over the Nephites. Many Nephites had left the Church to follow him. If Amalickiah became king, he would try to destroy the Church of God and take away the people’s liberty. When Captain Moroni, the leader of the Nephite armies, heard of Amalickiah’s plan to be king, he became angry. Moroni tore his coat to make a flag. On it he wrote a message to remind the people to defend their religion, freedom, and peace. The words on the flag said, “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children.”

Moroni put the flag on a pole and called it the title of liberty. Then dressed in his armor, he knelt to pray. He asked God to protect those who believed in Jesus Christ and prayed for freedom in the land, calling it a land of liberty. Moroni went among the people. Waving the title of liberty, he called them to come and help protect their freedom. People came from all over the land. They promised to obey God’s commandments and to fight for freedom. These people were living the motto: “One for all and all for one.” It required faith, commitment and courage.

Might each of us in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission live by these words from Alma, “And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another” (Mosiah 18:21).
There is no “they” in a mission. It’s up to each of us. Our mission consists of 142 “ones”. When every “one” is for “all” then we win and Satan loses. It is that simple.

Let’s do it.

President Murray

Opening the Heavens

2009-08-02T11:54:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

One of the blessings of serving a mission is that of developing a stronger personal relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through prayer, scripture study, pondering, fasting and teaching the doctrines and principles of their Plan of Salvation.

In the August 2009 Ensign there is a wonderful article by Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi of the Seventy entitled Opening the Heavens. In this article Elder Yoshihiko, a former mission president, teaches how we can further strengthen our essential heavenly relationships. For this Sickle Thruster, I am presenting his article, slightly edited, to fit on this page.

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Do you want to feel the love of God more powerfully in your life? Do you want to feel more in tune with His Spirit? Do you want to have the heavens opened to you daily?

There is a way you can feel a daily renewal of God’s everlasting love and drink from “the fountain of living waters” (1 Nephi 11:25). It follows a pattern set by the Prophet Joseph Smith when he went to a grove of trees early one morning in 1820 seeking answers to his questions. I speak of a morning devotional time spent in prayer, meditation, and scripture study. If you have a devotional every morning, even if only for a few minutes, you will be deeply blessed. I know this to be true.

The Prophet Joseph Smith once made this interesting observation about opening the heavens: “The manifestations of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the ministering of angels, or the development of the power, majesty or glory of God were very seldom manifested publicly, … but most generally when angels have come, or God has revealed Himself, it has been to individuals in private, in their chamber; in the wilderness or fields, and that generally without noise or tumult.”

Unfortunately, modern life is filled with noise and tumult. Our society provides so many distractions that unless we make the time and effort to extract ourselves from them, the voice of the Spirit may not get through to us. That is why on a spring day in 1820, Joseph Smith left his home early to enter a grove of trees so he could pray in quiet seclusion about a question of religion. The answer came with astonishing clarity when both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him, ushering in the dispensation of the fulness of times (see Joseph Smith—History 1:14–19).

In similar ways, the key to gaining the spiritual strength we need lies in what President Thomas S. Monson once described as entering a “sacred grove” of our own. He was teaching bishops, but the counsel applies to all members of the Church: “Every bishop needs a sacred grove to which he can retire to meditate and to pray for guidance. Mine was our old ward chapel. I could not begin to count the occasions when on a dark night at a late hour I would make my way to the stand of this building where I was blessed, confirmed, ordained, taught, and eventually called to preside. The chapel was dimly lighted by the streetlight in front; not a sound would be heard, no intruder to disturb. With my hand on the pulpit I would kneel and share with Him above my thoughts, my concerns, my problems.”

Of course, these “sacred grove” moments do not duplicate what happened to the Prophet Joseph in the Sacred Grove. We don’t enter into these devotional times expecting to see the Father and the Son any more than Joseph Smith did. But we can trust that Heavenly Father will answer our prayers; how He answers them, however, is up to Him.

There is great power in setting aside quiet, prayerful, meditative time. In the stillness that accompanies our pondering, we can come to know the Father and His Son (see Psalm 46:10; D&C 101:16).

When I served as a mission president in Hawaii, I had many opportunities to speak with young elders and sisters struggling to become better missionaries. I remember one missionary who became deeply discouraged. His missionary work had become unbearable to him, and he started doubting his testimony. He came to me with the request to send him home.

Instead, I asked him to follow the example of Nephi in pondering and praying about his concerns and desires (see 1 Nephi 10:17; 11:1). This is a practice I have followed for many years and a practice many other General Authorities of the Church follow. I asked the missionary to go to his apartment and do the following:

• Rise from his bed early—in his case, a few minutes before 6:30 a.m.
• Exercise for a few minutes.
• Wash his body and shave—make himself clean.
• Dress for the day.
• Go to a quiet place inside his apartment.
• Kneel, subdue his spirit before Heavenly Father, and call upon Him. Talk with Him in reverent prayer.
• Wait for His holy inspiration, pondering the scriptures or a recent general conference talk and think about the specific problems he faced.

I promised this young elder that if he did this and immersed himself in the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, for a few minutes every day, he would experience feelings of joy and would receive strength to go on.

A few days later he came to see me. His eyes filled with tears as he told me of his experiences during his early-morning devotional time. He served wonderfully as a servant of the Lord and completed an honorable mission. His wife recently told me that he continues to rise early to have private time with his Heavenly Father.

I taught this same principle to each of the missionaries over whom I had the privilege to preside. I was concerned that we were not doing all we could to bring the light of the gospel to the Hawaiian people. Within a relatively short time after the missionaries started this practice, the number of referrals we received from members increased, teaching opportunities went up, and the number of baptisms in our mission doubled and then tripled. All of this happened because the missionaries’ efforts were magnified by power of the Holy Spirit.

I know from personal experience the spiritual power that can flow into your life if you follow this practice. You will feel the love of God and a cleansing, purifying regeneration of your spirit (see 1 Nephi 11:22–25; D&C 50:28–29). You will experience moments of revelation, when the Spirit whispers to your spirit what you need to do to be a better father, a better mother, a better son or daughter, a better disciple of Jesus Christ.

As we use daily devotional time to gain greater spiritual strength, we will be blessed to better understand Heavenly Father and the Savior and His Atonement. We will taste of “the goodness of Jesus” (Mormon 1:15). We will feel “with exceedingly great joy” (1 Nephi 8:12) the power of His eternal love. We will come to love the Savior even more for what He did for us during His mortal ministry—particularly in Gethsemane, on the cross, and in the Resurrection—and for what He continues to do for us today (see John 6:51; Alma 7:11–12).

I don’t know if you will have that same kind of experience in this life. But I do know that if you continue to meet daily with Heavenly Father in the private chambers of your home, you will come to know Him and our Savior in ways you couldn’t otherwise (see 3 Nephi 19:16–23, 25–29). May you do so and have the heavens open to you in whatever glorious ways your Heavenly Father has prepared for you.

Popeye Was Wrong

2009-07-27T15:50:00.006-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

I believe one of the most exciting, uplifting and empowering messages of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can change! We can change our habits! We can change our personalities! We can change our outlook on life! We can change our attitudes! Indeed we can change our character!

David O. McKay, President of the Church from 1951-1970, offers these inspiring words: “Man is a spiritual being, a soul, and at some period of his life everyone is possessed with an irresistible desire to know his relationship to the Infinite…There is something within him which urges him to rise above himself, to control his environment, to master the body and all things physical and live in a higher and more beautiful world” (True to the Faith: From the Sermons and Discourses of David O. McKay)

But there are many, including some of our missionaries, who say, “You don’t understand, this is just the way I am. I’ve always been like this and I’ll always be like this.”

If you truly understand the core purpose of Jesus Christ’s ministry, you’ll discover that the above point of view is not only pathetically sad, but is also a big fat lie.

It is required of Satan and all he has imprisoned to promote the claim that change is not possible. Satan, the father of all lies, must perpetuate the myth that we are no better than the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man. Time after time, Popeye would mutter under his voice, “I am who I am”, suggesting that he could not and would not change. Popeye was wrong.

In today’s world it is acceptable to blame others for our pain, anger, bad habits, weaknesses and inability to change. It is true that very bad things happen to innocent people. Sometimes these things leave deep scars, both physically and emotionally, that take years to heal. The pain, which is very real, is most often inflicted directly. But the pain can also be inflicted indirectly – such as the withholding of love, attention and affection from a parent to a child. Upon reaching teenage years such children often construct strong barriers of anger, hostility, rebellion and lack of trust – all as a means of protecting oneself from further pain.

Others yield to the enticings of Satan and become carnal and worldly. This is a slippery slope that knows no end. Those on this perilous path ignore the promptings of the spirit and indulge their passions, appetites and desires. Such selfishness desensitizes one to future promptings of the Holy Ghost. Warnings go unheard and unheeded. The Light of Christ, a gift imbued by God to all humans, is darkened when bad is made to look good.

The following words from Elder Dallin H. Oakes of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles are very helpful:

Lehi taught that “it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, … righteousness could not be brought to pass” (2 Ne. 2:11). In the realm of spiritual progress, that opposition is often provided by the temptations of Satan. We learn in modern revelation that “it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves” (D&C 29:39). President Joseph F. Smith described one of Satan’s methods: “Satan is a skillful imitator, and as genuine gospel truth is given the world in ever-increasing abundance, so he spreads the counterfeit coin of false doctrine”.

Satan uses every possible device to degrade and enslave every soul. He attempts to distort and corrupt everything created for the good of man, sometimes by diluting that which is good, sometimes by camouflaging that which is evil. We generally think of Satan attacking us at our weakest spot. Elder Spencer W. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve described this technique when he said: “Lucifer and his followers know the habits, weaknesses, and vulnerable spots of everyone and take advantage of them to lead us to spiritual destruction” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, 1969, pages 218–19).

Like the fabled Achilles, who was immune to every lethal blow except to his heel, many of us have a special weakness that can be exploited to our spiritual downfall. For some, that weakness may be a taste for liquor, an unusual vulnerability to sexual temptation, or a susceptibility to compulsive gambling or reckless speculation. For others, it may be a craving for money or power. If we are wise, we will know our weaknesses, our spiritual Achilles’ heels, and fortify ourselves against temptations in those areas.

But weakness is not our only vulnerability. Satan can also attack us where we think we are strong—in the very areas where we are proud of our strengths. He will approach us through the greatest talents and spiritual gifts we possess. If we are not wary, Satan can cause our spiritual downfall by corrupting us through our strengths as well as by exploiting our weaknesses.

How then does one change?

The answer is the same for all: We must (1) believe in Christ; (2) love Christ; (2) follow all of His teachings and commandments; (3) accept Him as our Savior and Redeemer – understanding that through His Atonement, all can be healed and made whole; (4) and then willingly repent, over and over again, of all those things that are blocking our progress – even those things inflicted upon us by others; (5) trusting that in so doing we will be helped along the way, through the promised blessings of the Atonement.

We must believe that change is necessary, change is possible and change is required.

We must believe that God will be directly involved, but only if we put forth deep, sincere, effort.

This requires to basic steps: Faith and Repentance.

To have faith means that we believe this formula to be exactly true and immediately available. We understand that we cannot achieve the change without real effort. And such effort may take days, weeks and even months. We must continually remind ourselves that our present situation is not acceptable and that there is a better “me” waiting at the finish line. We must continue on, through thick and thin, pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God (see 2 Nephi 31:20).

To repent means to turn in a new direction, willingly letting go of old habits and patterns of thought, action and deed. We yield our heart, might, mind and strength to the Lord in all things. This is very hard to do. It is against the natural man. For most humans it is easier to keep a bad habit than to adopt a new good habit. Indeed we are creatures of habit.

Repenting will often be experienced, at first, as difficult, unpleasant, forced, unnatural, and anxiety-provoking. This creates tension and uncertainty. And too many quit way too soon! We must remember the old adage, “There is no substitute for hard work.” Repentance requires hard work. All missionaries learn that they can do hard things. This important message can be taught in a loving way to all investigators, otherwise their repentance will fall far short of the mark.

Here are more powerful words from Elder Oaks, “The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change…The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change, (Nov. 2003).”

Jesus Christ came to earth to set men free. Free from the bondage of sin. Free from the pain, sorrow and deceptions inflicted upon them when they were young or insecure or trapped. Free from the anger, resentment and disappointment of loved ones who failed to love. Free from the tyranny of trivial pursuits.

We must believe that by following Christ our minds can change (see Romans 12:1-2). That we can become “new creatures.” That there is a better way of living, thinking and being. And then we must take the first step – indeed a true leap of faith – replacing all disbelief and fear with newly found faith. This faith will precede (come before) the miracle of a new birth. Upon this rests the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Practicing Faith and Repentance,

President Murray

"To Eternity ... And Beyond!"

2009-07-20T21:30:00.009-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

To be an effective missionary, one must remember many things. From the daily schedule, to the doctrines in each lesson, to dozens of memorized scriptures, to the tasks listed in your planner – these and many, many other things you are required to remember as your strive to be your best and do your best.

The word “remember” is an important word. The Lord expects us to remember how to be an effective missionary. More importantly he invites to remember how to return home to him. The scriptures offer many opportunities to remember. Here are just a few:

“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation,” (Helaman 5:12).

“Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal,” (2 Nephi 9:39).

“O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God,” (Alma 37:35).

Recently cognitive neuroscientists at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) studying human memory capacity and visual memory have discovered that the brain's ability to store information is "much higher than previously believed or shown".

But just like learning how to ride a bike, learning how to remember takes practice and effort. Those who learn how to plan also learn how to remember.

Long ago some men came up with a great idea: they would build a large canal through the skinny country of Panama in Central America, thus connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. If they could create a plan for this, and then successfully execute the plan, they would cut the travel distance (by ship) from New York to San Francisco from 14,000 miles to just 6,000 miles.

This project was a massive undertaking. Although the concept of a canal near Panama dates back to the early 16th century, the first attempt to construct a canal began in 1880 under French leadership. After this attempt failed and 21,900 workers died, the project of building a canal was attempted and completed by the United States in the early 1900s, with the canal opening in 1914. The building of the 48-mile canal was plagued by problems, including disease (particularly malaria and yellow fever) and landslides. By the time the canal was completed, a total of 27,500 workmen are estimated to have died in the French and American efforts.

It all started with an idea, and then someone had to remember that idea. An interesting old saying emerged from this effort: A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama. A man had to have a solid plan before there could ever be a canal connecting two oceans.

And if you spell this old saying backwards, it will spell the exact same sentence. Try it!

An even bigger project than building the Panama Canal was that of putting a man on the moon. It was exactly 40 years ago today (July 20, 1969) that the Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon. You may remember the famous words he said upon setting foot on the moon: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".

The three-man crew for Apollo 11, all of whom had already flown in space during the Gemini space program, had been intensively training as a team for many months. The crew consisted of Neil A. Armstrong, Commander; Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin, Lunar Module Pilot; and Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot. Supporting this crew were hundreds of highly trained engineers and rocket scientists.

They all had so many things to remember – literally thousands and thousands of details. To help organize all these things, they created highly structured checklists. These included the Assembly Checklist, the Rollout Checklist, the Pre-Launch Checklist, the Launch Checklist, the Trans Lunar Injection Checklist and the Transposition and Docking Checklist.

These checklists made the difference between life and death. If the crew or the support team failed to pay attention to just one item on a checklist, the astronauts’ lives would be in immediate danger. The checklists were their lifelines. As an example, prior to blast-off, they were required to run through a checklist with 417 separate steps.

On the day of the launch, Command Module Pilot Collins recorded these thoughts: “I am far from certain that we will be able to fly the mission as planned. I think we will escape with our skins, or at least I will escape with mine, but I wouldn't give better than even odds on a successful landing and return. There are just too many things that can go wrong. Here I am, a white male, age thirty-eight, height 5 feet 11 inches, weight 165 pounds, salary $17,000 per annum, resident of a Texas suburb, with black spot on my roses, state of mind unsettled, about to be shot off to the Moon. Yes, to the Moon.”

The mission fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's goal of reaching the moon by the end of the 1960s, which he had expressed during a speech given before a joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

Is there a more important project than building the Panama Canal or putting a man on the moon?

Well, yes. But the rest of the world might not see it this way.

We stand behind the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith: “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel,” (History of the Church, 2:478).

The work that you are doing is designed to not just save people’s lives, but to save their souls. God has entrusted a great responsibility upon each missionary. And there are many details. And many things to remember. And it can be an eternal life or death situation for those you meet.

This is why we operate like the successful teams that built the Panama Canal and put a man on the moon. We know, just like Astronaut Collins said, “There are just too many things that can go wrong.” We can’t afford to be casual in our work!

WE PLAN. WE GET ORGANIZED. WE USE CHECKLISTS.

The Missionary Daily Planner is the starting point for success. Every Monday during your weekly planning session, write your weekly goals on the Weekly Goals page. Be specific for the goals or actions of each person with whom you’ll be working. Review this Weekly Goals page everyday during Companionship Study. Update it as the week progresses.

And on a daily basis make good use of the Daily Schedule. This is where you should be recording your teaching appointments, meetings, finding activities and service projects. Plan so that you have meaningful activities for every hour of the day. And always, always, always have a backup plan – or a “Plan B”.

Think about some of the language Preach My Gospel uses to help us stay organized and focused. We have a Daily Planner. We have a Daily Planning Session from 9:00-9:30PM. We have a Sunday-night Planning Session with special assignments. We have a Weekly Planning Session – with three full pages of instruction and checklists (see PMG pages 147-150).

What is common in all of these words? It’s the word “Plan”. When we carefully and diligently plan – each day and each week – and use the Daily Planner as our constant Checklist of things to do and remember – then we can be assured that we will not drop the ball. We will be able to fulfill our purpose.

It is for this reason that I’m encouraging every PPM missionary to remain vigilant and diligent in their daily and weekly planning. You may want to review Chapter 8 as a refresher. Be like an astronaut and plan as if your life depends on it. And then be like a Christ-centered PPM missionary and plan as if someone else’s life is depending on you!

Paraphrasing another great astronaut, Buzz Lightyear, “To eternity ... and beyond!"

President Murray

Truth or Consequences

2009-07-14T08:36:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Truth or Consequences was the first game show to air on TV. From 1950-1978 it was one of the most popular game shows on TV. The idea of the show was to combine a quiz with wacky stunts. The game had a “Truth” portion and a “Consequences” portion.

On the show, people had to answer a trivia question correctly. This was usually an off-the-wall question that no one would be able to answer correctly. The contestant was given about two seconds to try to come up with the correct answer before a loud buzzer would buzz.

If the contestant could not answer the "Truth" portion correctly within the allotted two seconds, there would be "Consequences.” These were usually zany and embarrassing stunts that the contestant was required to perform. Surprisingly, most contestants enjoyed performing the silly stunts.

At the end of each episode, the Truth or Consequences announcer would always say to the TV audience, “Hoping all your consequences are happy ones."

In real life it is possible for your consequences can be happy ones -- if the choices you make are centered on Gospel truths!

Your Heavenly Father has given you agency, the ability to choose right from wrong and to act for yourself. You have been given the Holy Ghost to help you know good from evil. While you are here on earth, you are being proven to see if you will use your agency to show your love for God by keeping His commandments.

While you are free to choose for yourself, you are not free to choose the consequences of your actions. When you make a choice, you will receive the consequences of that choice. The consequences may not be immediate, but they will always follow, for good or bad. Wrong choices delay your progression and lead to heartache and misery. Right choices lead to happiness and eternal life. That is why it is so important for you to choose what is right throughout your life.

You are responsible for the choices you make. You should not blame your circumstances, your family, or your friends if you choose to disobey God’s commandments. You are a child of God with great strength. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances.

You are also responsible for developing the abilities and talents Heavenly Father has given you. You are accountable to Him for what you do with your abilities and how you spend your time. Do not idle away your time. Be willing to work hard. Choose to do many good things of your own free will. Center you mind on truth.

In the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible, we read: “Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

This scripture teaches us Truth and Consequences. The Truth is: “seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God and establish his righteousness”. The wonderful Consequence is: “and all these things shall be added unto you”.

Leo Tolstoy is considered one of the greatest writers of all time. Among his masterpieces are War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877). Following a brilliant publishing career where he became one of the most famous men in all of Russia and Europe, Tolstoy entered a dark period of deep personal reflection. He questioned the value of his past work and he questioned his belief system. In time he wrote about this in A Confession (1882) and The Kingdom of God is Within You (1894).

Tolstoy sought for truth. He was willing to throw away everything he believed so that he could settle on truth. And this is what he discovered (in his own words): “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity by contributing to the establishment of the Kingdom of God, which can only be done by the recognition and profession of the truth by every man”.

Tolstoy says that one must recognize the truth – and as a consequence we then must profess it. Each of us, as missionaries must become truth seekers and truth professors. We cannot settle for less.

As missionaries, the most important “truth question” is the following: Is the Church true or not?

In 1831 the Lord provided the following revelation and instruction to the Church “And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased” (D&C 1:30).

Is this true or isn’t it? You must know the answer in your heart!

Of this, President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, “Each of us has to face the matter – either the Church is true or it is a fraud. There is no middle ground. It is the Church and the Kingdom of God, or it is nothing” (General Conference, April 2003).

I testify that it is the Church and the Kingdom of God!

Christ teaches in Matthew 6:38 (Joseph Smith Translation): “Build up the kingdom of God”.

Leo Tolstoy, after years of deep thinking, concluded: “Establish the kingdom of God”.

Gordon B. Hinckley, as prophet, stated: “It is…the kingdom of God.”

What does the “Kingdom of God” mean?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as it is now constituted is the kingdom of God on earth. Nothing more needs to be done to establish the kingdom. (D&C 35:27; 38:9, 15; 50:35; 62:9; 65; 136:41.) The Church and the kingdom are one and the same.

As missionaries we must have personal testimonies of the First Vision and the Restoration. Upon this rests our claim as the “one true church on the face of the earth”.

Either God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to 14 year old Joseph Smith in a vision – or they did not. If they did not, then the Book of Mormon is a hoax. And none of the revelations came from God. And we have neither the priesthood nor prophets. If the First Vision is not true, then we are just pretenders.

Through the Holy Ghost, your prayer and the prayer of your investigator will be answered that it is true!

This then, is truth:

1. Heavenly Father lives and loves us.
2. Jesus Christ lives, He is the Son of God, and He carried out the infinite Atonement.
3. Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was called to restore the gospel.
4. We are led by a living prophet today.
5. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior’s true Church on the earth.

And these are the consequences:

1. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).
2. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
3. “Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Alma 37:33).
4. “And if they desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all the world to preach my gospel unto every creature” (D&C 18:28).
5. “Come what may and love it,” Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, quoting his mother.

Hoping all your consequences are happy ones,

President Murray

Seven Lessons

2009-07-07T08:43:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

The instruction found in this Sickle Thruster is a repeat from January 2009. The message is so important that it needs to be read once again. We need the help of members in order to build the Church! Without member help, we are hosed (hopelessly broken).

Many members have yet to replace fear with faith. Thus they are polite to us, but they are paralyzed from the head down when it comes to truly “going and doing”. You and your companion can persuade them to become proactive member-missionaries by teaching the following seven principles.

These lessons come from Elder Clayton M. Christensen, Area Authority Seventy North America Northeast Area, and his wife Christine Quinn Christensen (abridged and edited from Ensign, Feb 2005).

“We have concluded from our own experiences and from watching others that finding people for the missionaries to teach can be easy and natural for all of us—if we go about it the Lord’s way. Here are seven of the lessons we’ve learned about what His way is.

The first two lessons, which we learned early in our efforts to be good member missionaries, have made sharing the gospel much easier:

(1) We simply can’t predict who will or won’t be interested in the gospel, and

(2) building a friendship is not a prerequisite (not a requirement) to inviting people to learn about the gospel.

New missionaries were transferred to our ward. They came to our home and asked us to make a list of people with whom we could cultivate friendships in preparation to teaching them the gospel. We protested, “We’ve tried this. It took a long time and didn’t work.” We explained that we felt we had honestly tried with everyone we thought was a candidate for hearing the discussions.

Desperate for a referral, the missionaries pleaded, “Don’t you know anyone we could visit?” We gave them the names of four couples we had excluded from our initial list. Among them were the Taylors (names have been changed). We warned that while the elders certainly could knock on the Taylors’ door, it would be a waste of time.

The elders later returned, jubilant. The Taylors had invited them in, listened to the first discussion, and invited them back for the second. We subsequently became close friends with the Taylors as we studied the missionary discussions together. We would never have imagined that they would have had any interest in the gospel.

We learned from this experience that we simply cannot know in advance who will and will not be interested in learning about the Church. We thought we could judge and therefore excluded from our list many people whose lifestyle, habits, or appearance made them seem unlikely candidates. As we reflect upon those who have joined the Church, however, it is clear that few of them would have been on our list of “likely members” when they first encountered the Church.

(3) We learned a third lesson as the missionaries were in our home teaching Jack, a colleague of Clayton’s. One elder was newly arrived on his mission, and his senior companion from Argentina was still struggling with English. As a result, when questions arose, Jack would instinctively ask Clayton, who answered—confident that he could answer more clearly and convincingly than these elders could. We got into a rhythm in which the elders would teach a concept, Jack would ask a question, Clayton would answer it, and then the elders would teach the next concept. Jack then asked a difficult question for which Clayton had no ready answer. And as Clayton paused, the Argentine elder offered a profound answer, given by the Spirit. When Jack asked the next question, Clayton waited to see if this elder could do it again—and he did. We learned an important lesson about sharing the gospel. Despite their inexperience, we can trust the missionaries to teach the gospel well, because whom the Lord calls, He qualifies.

(4) The fourth insight coalesced as we moved an old, heavy refrigerator from the basement of an elderly sister Clayton home taught. We had tried to find another ward member to help us but could not. Desperate, we asked Jim, a nonmember neighbor, who happily agreed to help. It was a hot, horribly humid summer day, and soon our clothes were soaked with perspiration. When we reached the first turn in the staircase and had balanced the fridge on the landing, Jim said, “So tell me about the Mormon Church.”
Mopping his brow, Clayton responded, “Frankly, this is it.” He then explained how home teaching works and noted how much this sister needed us.

Although Clayton had tried unsuccessfully to engage Jim in discussions about religion in the past, Jim was uninterested. But he was interested in opportunities to help others.

Here’s what this experience taught us: Many people who are satisfied with their lives feel a need to give service. The Light of Christ creates this desire to help. When our invitations to investigate the Church emphasize doctrine, we often do not connect with what people are looking for at the outset. When we involve them with us in serving others, they often find that the Church addresses an important need.

(5) Jim decided after the third discussion not to continue his investigation. Even though we know that many who discontinue investigating will later listen and accept the gospel, we were disappointed. But this taught us our fifth valuable lesson about member missionary work—we realized we had succeeded as missionaries. Jim had become a great friend, and we had given him the opportunity to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ more deeply. Whether or not he ever enters the waters of baptism, he has taken a step along the path of his own eternal progression and has made some important correct choices. Most of us fear failure. Once we realized that we succeed as member missionaries when we invite people to learn and accept the truth, much of the fear that kept us from sharing the gospel vanished.

(6) Following the counsel of Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught us our sixth lesson: Because we have so much to do in our busy lives, we need deadlines. Like it or not, we tend to postpone activities without deadlines, while things that need to be finished by a particular time seem to get done. Without explicit deadlines, even rewarding responsibilities of eternal import—like missionary work—can easily get preempted.

To help us, Elder Ballard has asked us to regularly “write down a date.” He explicitly counseled us that we need not write down a name. Rather, Elder Ballard challenged us to pick a date as a commitment to the Lord. He promised that if we then seek every opportunity to speak about the gospel with as many people as we can, the Lord will bless us by that date to meet someone who will accept our invitation to listen to the missionaries. Together we have accepted Elder Ballard’s challenge and have found someone for the missionaries to teach every year. Each time we have prayerfully set a date, the Lord has provided someone for us to teach.

But the people we have found have rarely been discovered easily. It has required daily prayer, frequent fasting, and creating opportunities to have gospel conversations. We have found it helpful to use “Mormon” phrases in our conversations—referring to activities at church, our children who are serving missions, experiences we’ve had in Church assignments, and so on.

(7) We learned a seventh lesson from this experience: When we are busy serving in the Church, we can expect God to bless us with miracles when we go and do the things He commands (see 1 Ne. 3:7). In the equation that determines whether we can find people for the missionaries to teach, God’s role is a constant, not a variable. He always keeps His promises. The only variable is whether we have the faith to commit, obey, and expect miracles.”

Please share these good ideas with your active members and then with love and diligence, persuade them to act!

President Murray

It All Starts With a Great Hire

2009-06-29T14:24:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

I’d like to share with you an important lesson I learned a number of years ago while employed at Microsoft as the vice president of human resources. The human resources department in large companies is responsible for hiring, developing and retaining employees.

I worked at Microsoft from 1989-1999. During this period of time the company hired over 30,000 new employees. In those days Microsoft was a very popular place to work. It was voted one of the top ten places to work in America. For this reason we received hundreds of thousands of job applications. We had far too many job applications for the number of jobs that needed to be filled. For this reason we enjoyed the luxury of becoming highly selective in our hiring processes.

One of my responsibilities was that of managing the recruiters. These were the people who read all the applications and select those that would receive a personal interview. The recruiters did not do the interviewing. The “hiring manager” and his team were in charge of this. The hiring manager was typically a 26-29 year old software development engineer with a team of 3-4 other software engineers. They would be working on a new feature for one of Microsoft’s many projects. A project could last for 1-3 years. And they needed one more person to join their team.

The recruiters would select an ideal candidate from the pile of applicants and he would be flown to Redmond, Washington for interviews. The interviews would take all day. Each job candidate would be interviewed by every member of the team. At the end of an interview, the Microsoft team member would send an email to the team leader with the following words: “Hire” or “No Hire”. There was no in-between option. The last interviewer of the day would be the team leader.

I’ve never heard of another organization investing so much time and money in the job recruiting function. Microsoft’s approach to this was very unusual.

Why do you think they did this? The reason is quite interesting – and the lessons we learn from it can be applied to our mission.

Microsoft got started in 1975 by Bill Gates and his friend Paul Allen. They were inventing a new kind of software for small computers. In order to get people to buy their software, it would have to be really good. Good software is very hard to create. But on the other hand, it doesn’t take much effort at all to create bad software.

Bill and Paul quickly realized that the difference between good and bad software depended on the kind of people you hire. There are lots and lots of software geeks and nerds in the world. But out of every 100 software developers, perhaps only 2 or 3 have the unique skill set required to create truly great software.
For Microsoft to succeed, Bill and Paul decided to hire only the best of the best. They would have to create a hiring system that would help them select the top 2 or 3 out of every 100 applications.

The company created a motto for this: “It all starts with a great hire.”

Microsoft invested tons of time and resources into their interviewing process so that they could successfully find the perfect person for each job. They knew that the perfect person – “a great hire” – would truly make all the difference between developing an award winning product or just a ho-hum normal product full of software bugs.

The company also learned another lesson. If it “all starts with a great hire”, then one would think that “it all ends with a bad hire”. But this was not the case. We learned over and over again that “it all ends with a medium hire”. A medium hire was a person with decent skills and good personality. But they never created outstanding results and they didn’t go the extra mile. They were average. And they created average products. In the highly competitive software industry, average products doomed a company to failure. Thus a “medium hire” doomed the organization. It’s impossible to fire a “medium hire”. You are stuck with them forever.

It was for this reason that groups would often go for months and months not filling a critical job opening. They probably interviewed over a dozen job candidates – all carefully selected in advance by the skilled recruiters. But the group was determined to make a “great hire” because they knew the risks of compromising for a “medium hire”.
What does this have to do with missionary work in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission? We are not a software company. We are doing something much more important.

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared: “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 113).

“IT ALL STARTS WITH A GREAT MISSIONARY”

Our success in Building the Church begins and ends with you. We are highly dependent upon your faith, action and power. A mission is not a respecter of persons (see Acts 10:34; D&C 1:35). It matters not what your background is. It matters not your family’s economic status, nationality, or place of birth. It matters not if you are a convert or a lifetime member. It matters not if you were a straight A student or if you flunked out. It matters not if you came to the mission highly prepared or came only because your mom wants you here.

What matters at this very moment in time is your vision of your missionary purpose. Have you chosen to personally come unto Christ and to give all that you have – mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually – to help build up the Kingdom of God? If so, you are already on the path of becoming a great missionary. And you will help PPM succeed. And we will help Build the Church.

Every PPM Sister and Elder has the potential to be a great missionary.

It begins with your personal conversion to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. You are invited to Come Unto Christ in your own life. This is a personal quest. It is essential for missionary success and for your own eternal salvation.

Sisters and Elders, you have but one mission to serve when you are young. There is so much that you can accomplish in helping to build the Church. Your work with investigators, recent converts, less-actives, leaders and members can bring forth the blessings of the restored gospel for tens, hundreds, even thousands of good people as you look beyond the current generation and see downstream to children, grand-children and beyond.

President Henry B. Eyring has taught, “The words ‘come unto Christ’ are an invitation. It is the most important invitation you could ever offer to another person. It is the most important invitation anyone could accept (Come Unto Christ, Ensign, March 2008).”

The idea of “coming unto Christ” is a “change your life and your eternity” idea.

“And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, … and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved” (Omni 1:26).

To Come Unto Christ is to willingly let go of your old, corrupt self and to be remade entirely by accepting and living ALL of the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ and to accept Him, through his Atonement, as your Savior.

My job as a mission president is the most important job I have ever had. It is the desire of my heart to help each of you achieve your potential for greatness as a missionary. I invite you once again to let go (of your past life) and to let God (show you who you truly are)! Come unto Christ and become the great missionary that resides within you!

Grateful for Great Missionaries,

President Murray

Beginning a New Six Week Transfer

2009-06-22T14:27:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

This week begins a new 6-week transfer. I encourage you to create a strong and exciting vision of what you hope to accomplish this transfer.

We use a simple principle in PPM: “Always invest, never spend.”

At the beginning of a transfer, invest some time in transfer-planning. An “End of Transfer” evaluation form has been created for your area. If you are new to your area, please review it carefully and completely with your new companion. It sets the stage for this next transfer.

Discuss with your companion your goals for obedience and effort. Discuss goals for companionship unity. Discuss goals for accountability and Key Indicators.
Most importantly, discuss and pray for investigators who can be baptized this transfer.

Create a level of commitment, motivated by your personal love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that will allow you to find, teach, commit and prepare for baptism those whom the Lord has prepared. Be willing to sacrifice and work extra hard for this goal.
In your Daily Planner, for Week 1, record some Personal or Companionship Goals at the bottom of the Weekly Goals page.

At the beginning of this transfer, make a commitment to use your planner as instructed in Preach My Gospel. And also make a commitment to use your 9PM planning time effectively and completely.

In PPM we use the following language to discuss how goals can be set: A person can stand, stretch or jump. Verse three of our mission song includes the line, “Stretching and jumping, its line upon line.”

Most of us are capable of stretching and jumping higher than we’ve ever imagined. Such effort might create temporary discomfort. Muscles will be asked to do more. These include your physical muscles, but also your spiritual, emotional and mental muscles. At the beginning of this transfer, will you set goals that require you to stretch and jump? Will you decide to be a great example of this to your companion?

President Thomas S. Monson provides the following instruction on the importance of preparing in advance: “It is necessary to prepare and to plan so that we don’t fritter away our lives. Without a goal, there can be no real success. One of the best definitions of success I have ever heard goes something like this: success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. Someone has said the trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never cross the goal line.

I want to state here and now that wishing will not replace thorough preparation to meet the trials of life. Preparation is hard work but absolutely essential for our progress.” (Source: Liahona, April 2008)

At the end of Week 1, I encourage each companionship to carefully review their goals from Week 1. Ask important and honest questions such as:

• Did we stay focused each and every day?
• Did we pray for help in reaching our goals each and every day?
• Did we truly stretch and jump, or did we fall back to our normal way?
• Did we respond to promptings of the Spirit?
• Are we working with members and leaders throughout the week?
• Did we seek for companionship unity? Are we honest with each other?
• Are we motivated by our love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

I am convinced that extra focus and planning at the beginning of a transfer will pay off in a big way throughout the transfer. Part of this extra focus must be on companionship unity. If you and your companion are united in a common vision of what is to be done for this transfer, you will receive additional strength and power!
For this transfer, we will be focusing on the following Lessons and Chapters in Preach My Gospel:

• Lesson 2 in Chapter 3 (The Plan of Salvation)
• Chapter 5 – What is the role of the Book of Mormon
• Chapter 6 – How do I develop Christlike attributes?
• Chapter 12 – How do I prepare people for baptism and confirmation?

You are expected to spend a portion of Personal Study, from 8-9AM, each morning on these sections in Preach My Gospel.

Becoming a Master Teacher

A long-term goal for every PPM missionary should be that of becoming a “Master Teacher”. In the October 2008 General Conference, Brother William Oswald from the General Sunday School Presidency, provided wonderful instruction about this:
When we look for a model of the ideal teacher who can show us how to teach the gospel, we are inescapably drawn to Jesus of Nazareth. His disciples called Him “Rabboni; which is to say, Master” or “Teacher.” He was and is the Master Teacher.

Jesus differed from other teachers of His day in that He taught “as one having authority.” This authority to teach and minister came from His Heavenly Father, for “God anointed Jesus … with the Holy Ghost and with power … ; for God was with him.”
Following this pattern, Jesus was taught by His Heavenly Father, as recorded by John. Jesus said, “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me.” “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do. … For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth.”

Throughout the scriptures we can find additional examples of successful gospel teachers who changed the lives and saved the souls of those they taught. From the Book of Mormon, for example, Nephi, Alma, and the sons of Mosiah readily come to mind. Notice the personal preparation of the sons of Mosiah as they prepared to teach the gospel:

“They had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
“But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.”

In the last chapter of Matthew, in the last three verses, the Risen Lord appears to his Apostles. His instructions are sometimes called the “Great Commission”:

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 ¶ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Your commission is to teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. You cannot teach what you do not know. I am always amazed by how much some missionaries learn during a 6-week transfer. They plan carefully and purposely, and then use their time very well. The missionary schedule provides ample time to learn and master all that is required. Turn your thoughts, desires and dreams to that of sharing the gospel and you will be richly blessed. You will “layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul.”

“We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and we reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we reap our destiny.” (Attributed to Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam 1466- 1536)

For this new transfer:

• Always invest, never spend.
• Stretch and Jump!
• Be motivated by your love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I hope and pray that this will be your best transfer yet!

Love,

President Murray

"By Small & Simple Things"

2009-06-15T16:59:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Sometimes we make missionary work too confusing, too hard and too complex. When this happens, it is important to step back and remember, “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6). With this in mind, I am sharing with you many “small and simple” snippets from emails I received this past week. Look for the italicized words – these are the small and simple lessons that will assure missionary success.

Stick with the basics until the basics stick with you!

As you read about the experiences of your fellow missionaries, I encourage you to ask the following two crucial questions: “Is it worth it?” and “Can I do it?”

Take time to read each of these snippets. Don’t be in a hurry. And at the end I believe you will have your answer to these two crucial questions. You have been called to serve YOUR mission. You are in the right place at the right time. Replace your nervousness, fear and self-doubt with complete faith and trust that the Lord is on your side.

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up,” (D&C 84:88).

All my love,

President Murray

1. “It is very interesting what is happening in the area. Quite a few investigators are reading the Book of Mormon. We even picked up two "former investigators" who are also way into Alma. I have never seen that before - so many people reading.”

2. “Since Zone Training we have seen some immense changes in our finding. One of our Zone Leaders told us to find and teach through charity, not a desire to have good numbers. Our finding these last two days has been phenomenal. We are talking to everyone on the street, but not how we used to. Before we would say a simple, "Would you like to hear a message about Christ?" It is not that way anymore. Now, we walk up to them and immediately start teaching about Christ. Our contacts now sound like, "How are you doing? We are talking about Christ today, and how through him we can receive greater peace and happiness in our lives. What are some blessings that you are searching for in your life?" People have been taken aback, but they either tell us to go away, or they answer and we can immediately start teaching.”

3. “I have a great testimony of how much companionship unity can totally effect ones success in area. Elder _____ and I have been get along so well and it really showing in our area. Every week we grow closer and closer as a companionship and in return we are able to achieve more and more each week.”

4. “This week I learned a great lesson on the danger of fault finding. I realized this week that I had been focusing on the imperfections of my companion. I kept dwelling on the negative things, and then soon that’s all I saw. Thankfully I realized the error of my ways, I quickly repented and asked the lord for help in looking for the positive. Then every time I caught myself being negative I quickly started looking for the good things in my companion, and also the things I do that probably bother him, so I could fix them. The amazing thing is that my companion’s actions have not changed at all since I started doing this. But my happiness and the strength of our relationship have improved dramatically. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to learn this lesson.”

5. “We are doing a lot of tracting here. I have been working really hard to work on testifying a lot more. It's interesting, as I have done this, I've noticed that the people we are talking to can feel the Spirit. This change just comes over them, and they start to respond to our questions more thoughtfully. The Spirit is there.”

6. “We were teaching a lesson to this 19 year old kid on the porch. Porch lessons are hard because you have the distractions of the city going on all around us -- people driving with loud music, cops with their sirens on racing all over, etc. So I’m feeling like the lesson won’t be any good and he will reject it. But after my companion taught the First Vision, the Spirit witnessed to me that these things are true. So I asked him how he felt and he said that he felt like crying and every thing made so much sense to him. Then the Spirit prompted us to give him a baptismal date and we did. That lesson was a great testimony booster that the Spirit can be felt anywhere regardless of what’s going on around us.”

7. “These past two transfers have been the most refining of my mission. Elder ____ and I have been very prideful concerning each other, but our District Leader has been helping us out. He is encouraging us to be open together. I myself find myself loving my companion. He has great potential. We are praying as a companionship to increase our unity. It has been working!”

8. “Today was a great day, as was yesterday. I accepted your challenge of finding a topic for personal study every night in daily planning, and I picked two for this morning – (1) how to find people to teach, both in PMG and examples in the Book of Mormon, and (2) how to increase our faith. And I had an AMAZING study this morning! It still was hard to keep focused, and I had to train myself to keep going back to the topic, but there were some great scriptures that I found.”

9. “This past transfer ‘was the best of times, and the worst of times.’ We went through heaven and hell, sometimes in the same day. We had the wonderful opportunity to see so many people progress so far so quickly, and at the same time so many people fall so fast. It’s amazing to see the gospel change people's lives. And at the same time, there is nothing as exquisite as the pain of losing a recent convert.”

10. “Last week we taught 20 lessons for the first time in Kutztown since Active Member Lessons stopped counting as lessons. It was really hard but we were able to do it. I also know that we can do it again. The blessings of hard work are worth the hard work.”

11. “Our Bishop is very supportive, and we are starting to see more support from the ward. Everyday I am reminding that things are just going so great here! We had 100% retention because we got the Bishop involved, and he was able to reach out to our Less-Active Recent-Converts in a way that we couldn't. The Bishop made the difference, and our Less Active came to church!”

12. “We are going through PMG and looking for ways we can improve. We are finding those ways and are doing better everyday. We are working well with members, we set many appointments with them for the week and then we try to find investigators for them to teach with us, and when we have no investigators we call then and thank them then go tracting for the next day.”

13. “One of my goals at the beginning of this transfer was to master the Scriptures. Little did I know it takes a whole life for someone to master anything. So of course I didn't reach my goal -- but I can say I'm growing more and more daily as I'm feasting and applying the doctrine I'm learning.”

Forest vs. Trees

2009-06-08T11:25:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Have you ever heard the phrase, “He can’t see the forest for the trees”?

This phrase teaches an important concept about vision. When one is so consumed with the details and drudgery of daily work, he is unable to see the big picture. He may be “getting the job done”, but he is unable to see where he’s going and he is not contributing to the greater good of the cause.

When a person is in a densely wooded area, surrounded by big trees, all he sees are the trunks of large trees. He vision is limited or blocked by the big trees. He is small and the trees are very tall. He would need to be lifted by a helicopter to see the entire forest.

The view from the helicopter would be breath-taking. It would be sunny and expansive. He would see the rivers, the pathways, the dangerous cliffs and the animals. He would see the pattern of forest growth and development. His vision would change. He would have a much greater appreciation of the trees because now he has seen the entire forest.

How does this apply to missionary work? The day-to-day grind of missionary work, which focuses on Key Indicators and accountability, can create a “tree mentality”. This narrow view of missionary work limits the effectiveness of a missionary. One must step back and refresh his or her vision. One must see the entire forest, not just the trees. When one has the proper vision of missionary work, then the daily activities feed into a must larger picture of what we’re doing.

What is the vision of missionary work? It is to invite others to come unto Christ. And in so doing, we are helping “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” (Moses 1:39).

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, has taught, “The words ‘come unto Christ’ are an invitation. It is the most important invitation you could ever offer to another person. It is the most important invitation anyone could accept.”

What does it mean to “come unto Christ”? It means that a person (1) chooses to believe that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world and (2) chooses to accept and follow all of Christ’s teachings and commandments throughout his life. It requires both belief and action.

Our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ. We are teachers. We must teach others what this means and then help them live this way. This requires lots of changes – in belief, in habits, in daily choices and in overall lifestyles. Change is difficult. It is your job and my job to help our investigators make and keep commitments that will allow them to come unto Christ and stay with Christ!

A “tree bound” missionary will define his work as a singular event called baptism.

A “forest vision” missionary will define his work as helping his investigator make the most important transformation and change in their life. They see their work as a process, not a one-time event.

The process of coming unto Christ has five very important steps: (1) gaining faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, (2) repentance, (3) baptism, (4) receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and (5) enduring to the end.

A “tree bound” missionary will look at these five steps and will allocate most of his focus, time and effort on step 3 – baptism. He will incorrectly believe that this is how he gets “credit” as a missionary. He will do all he can to convince a person to get baptized. Prior to a baptism, he will pay little attention to steps (1) and (2) and after a baptism he’ll only glance at steps (4) and (5). And the results are very predictable – those that he baptizes soon fall away and, in the words of President Gordon B. Hinckley, all of his work has been “in vain” – which means it amounts to nothing.

The “forest vision” missionary will ponder the five steps carefully. He’ll see them as a series of critically important building blocks. For instance, he cannot move to step (2) until he knows that his investigator has developed basic faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

He will teach the essential facts about Christ:

(1) The Son of God restored and taught the gospel. He performed many miracles (see Bible Dictionary, “Miracles,” 732-33).
(2) He called Apostles and gave them priesthood authority to preach the gospel and perform saving ordinances such as baptism (see John 15:16).
(3) Christ established His Church.
(4) Christ was crucified, and His Apostles were rejected and killed (see Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:25).
(5) Christ accomplished the Atonement (see Bible Dictionary, “Atonement,” 617).

He will seek for commitments that help solidify this new direction. These commitments will be in the form of questions, such as:

“Will you continue to develop faith in Jesus Christ by continuing to learn about His gospel?”
“Will you repent and pray for forgiveness of sins?”
“Will you attend Church this Sunday?”
“Will you be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on (date)?

He will reinforce these teachings and commitments by referring to several of the many excellent scriptures that contain the phrase “come unto me”, such as:

“Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” (3 Nephi 12:3).
“For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him, (D&C 18:11).

Evidence that our investigators are developing faith in Jesus Christ will be seen by their actions. This is because faith is a principle of action and power. When one chooses to believe in Christ and to accept His teachings and commandments, he awaken to an internal desire to change! The light of Christ within each son and daughter of God is the catalyst for this change. Change is possible for every single person on the earth. The gospel word for change is “repentance”.

To repent is to turn in a new direction – in thought, word and deed. When one begins to believe in Christ, a new feeling will develop in their heart. They will want to become better. They will want to rid themselves of bad thinking, bad habits and bad living.

But investigators and recent converts will need lots of help! This is because change is hard. Old habits die hard. It is for this reason that we must surround our investigators and recent converts with “guides” that will help them through this important process that can last for many months. We call these guides “fellow-shippers”, “home teachers” and LDS friends.

Many active members underestimate the level of involvement required to help our investigators and recent converts stick with the changes and commitments they have made. They underestimate how hard it is to come from an old world into the LDS world. It is the job of each missionary to help the active members in his or her unit step up to this very important responsibility. Do not expect most members to “get it”. We must help them create their own vision of member missionary work.

“Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name,” (Ether 4:18).

Let us go forward with a clear vision of what it means to invite others to come unto Christ!

All my love,

President Murray

Crucial Conversations for Missionaries

2009-06-01T16:10:00.006-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Missionary success is highly dependent upon companionship success. For most missionaries, this will be in the first time your life when you are required to be with another person all the time. This is an unusual arrangement – and it can be very challenging at times.

Each missionary hopes and prays that his or her companion will be the best companion yet! You and your companion are expected to unite for the common purpose of inviting others to come unto Christ. It is highly likely that you will run into an occasional bump in the road in your relationship. Sometimes these bumps are hardly noticed. But other times they can break the wheels off the relationship.

Learning how to communicate in times of stress and conflict is an essential skill for missionary success and life success. Some missionaries are afraid of conflict and they suffer silently while their companion is completely unaware of strife and tension in the relationship. Now is the time to learn to become a better communicator – this will serve you well in your mission and in your future marriage and career.

I have a good friend named Joseph Grenny who is a best selling author of books about communications and relationships. One of his books is titled Crucial Conversations. I asked Joseph to create a set of tips for missionaries. I think you’ll find these very valuable. Please start using his suggestions in your companionship inventories.

Pres. Murray

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Crucial Conversations for PPM Missionaries

One of the most important expressions of your Christianity is your willingness and ability to solve problems with others.
• The first major challenge given to the boy-prophet Samuel was to hold a very crucial conversation with the high priest, Eli. – 1 Samuel 2:22-3:15.
• Jacob was called as a teacher and required by God to hold a terribly candid conversation with the Nephites about their emerging weaknesses. – Jacob 2:10-13.
• Nephi was required to hold some very crucial conversations with his brothers as part of his maturing as a priesthood holder – See 1 Nephi 15, 16, 17.
• Brigham Young taught that, “You are not as you should be, unless you can correct every person you know to be wrong, without having personal ill feelings against them.”

When do you need to hold a crucial conversation?

• When the consequences of you not speaking up are unacceptable:

1. Your companion will continue to be less than he/she could be.
2. Your work will not be as successful as it could be.
3. Your relationship with your companion will keep the fullness of the Spirit from you.
4. Your own quality of life will be unacceptably affected.

When should you not speak up?

When your complaint is more an issue of your impatience or idiosyncrasies than your companion’s weakness.

How to be persuasive but not abrasive

Joseph Smith was described as a master of “crucial conversations.” An attorney once described him as having a “manner was so earnest, and apparently so candid, that you could not but be interested… He was very courteous in discussion, readily admitting what he did not intend to controvert, and would not oppose you abruptly, but had due deference to your feelings.”

The challenge is to learn as Paul admonished to “speak the truth in love.” We are not supposed to sugar coat the truth (Samuel, Nephi and Jacob didn’t do that). At the same time we are not supposed to share the truth in a malicious way. Joseph Smith found a way to do both—to be both 100% candid and 100% loving and respectful.

Some tips for starting a crucial conversation

Let’s say your senior companion is working pretty short days. You get out of the apartment a half hour to an hour later than you should and he often extends lunches and wants to head home much earlier than you feel is right. You’ve been pretty irritated in the past but been silent about it. Occasionally you’ve said, “I think we should get going now” then sat by the door waiting for him. For the rest of the day you didn’t talk much.

You’ve decided that staying silent is not helping you, it’s not helping him and it’s not helping the work. So you prepare yourself to speak up.

• Pick the right time. Don’t start a crucial conversation when the problem just happened. If your goal is not to talk about leaving the apartment right now, but to talk about your work habits in general, set aside a special time and prepare for it carefully. For example, you could say to your companion, “I’d like to talk about our approach to the work sometime. Could we set aside half an hour or so sometime in the next couple of days so I can share my thoughts?”

• Pick the right topic. Don’t get sidetracked onto small issues if your issue is a bigger one. For example, if your goal is to talk about work habits in general, don’t get sidetracked into debating whether or not you could have left yesterday morning at 8:30. When he starts to say, “I think I explained that I needed more time to prepare for the lesson with the Maputa family yesterday morning” you need to get back to the larger issue by saying something like, “I understand there were some special issues yesterday morning. That’s not what I want to talk about. My question is about what our general schedule should be.”

• Start with Safety. As you start a crucial conversation, begin with a statement that helps your companion know that you care about his needs and that you care about him. For example, “I am grateful to be your companion. I know we can do good work together. And I want you to know that whatever the outcome of this conversation, I want to make sure it works for you. I want to feel good about the work I’m doing on my mission. I believe you do, too. And if there are reasons for our working fewer hours that I can help with then I’d like to understand that so we can both feel good about the work we’re doing. In fact, if at the end of this conversation you aren’t happy with our solution, I will feel like I failed.” Appropriate expressions of love and gratitude help to bring the right spirit to the conversation as well. Don’t begin to share your concerns until you’ve clarified your commitment to a mutual purpose and communicated sincere respect.

• Facts first. As you describe your concerns, strip out any judgmental or accusatory words. You don’t need them and they’ll do nothing but create problems. For example, here’s what not to say:

“Elder, I feel like we’re just being lazy. We don’t work as hard as we’re supposed to. And you ignore any complaints I have and act like a jerk when I encourage us to follow the mission rules.”

Here’s what it would sound like with just facts:

“In the past two weeks we’ve proselyted an average of 3 hours per day. Our goal is 6 hours. Each day we fall short we’ve got a good reason, but over time we’re not closing the gap. As a result I feel guilty—like I’m not doing my job. When I’ve raised these concerns to you I’ve gotten no response.

• Encourage dialogue. Finally, ask for your companion’s views. Do so sincerely—especially encouraging him to share ways you’ve contributed to problems. The best way to influence is with your ears, by listening. When you’ve listened deeply to his views, he’ll naturally be more open to yours. For example, say, “Elder, I know I’m not the easiest companion in the world to live with. I get grumpy. I’ve given you the silent treatment for hours on end. I’m acting like a baby about this. And I am sorry for doing that. I want to solve this problem—how do you see things right now with our work?”

Becoming Better Teachers

2009-05-25T19:32:00.003-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Becoming a more effective missionary should be a continual goal for each of us. Effective missionaries are those who have more investigators making and keeping commitments. One of the best ways of becoming a more effective missionary is to become a better teacher. Missionaries are teachers. You are constantly striving to teach others about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes the conversation is only a few seconds. Other times it can be 45 – 60 minutes. You are constantly teaching.

The better you become as a teacher, the better you will be as a missionary.

Effective teachers are always working to improve their knowledge and abilities. Improving missionary knowledge means that you are increasing your understanding of all the principles and doctrines found in the lessons in Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel. Improving knowledge also means that you are memorizing and using selected scriptures all the time. Improving your abilities means that your skills as a teacher are getting better and better.

There are many pieces to missionary work. But if a missionary doesn’t know the lessons in Chapter 3, he or she will be hosed. This means hopelessly lost. No amount of friendly talk, happy smiles, charity, and even concern for the needs of your investigator can compensate for a lack of knowledge of the principles, doctrines, scriptures and commitments found in each of the lessons in Chapter 3.

May I suggest that you begin a new daily habit of studying (with real intent) the lessons in Chapter 3 – everyday for the rest of your mission? And as you do this, train yourself to see the lessons as “Commitment Challenges”. Teach so that people will make and keep commitments, and prepare for baptism and confirmation.

Back in the day, missionaries were required to memorize the discussions. We don’t do this anymore. Why is this? It is because too many missionaries were teaching like brain-less robots. They were reciting words that they didn’t understand. They had stopped thinking and were simply going through the motions. How can the Spirit help the missionary and the investigator in such a overly rehearsed situation?

Is our job easier or harder now that memorization is not required? The answer may surprise you! Our job is now much harder – in fact much, much harder. You are now expected to KNOW each of the lessons in Chapter 3, inside and out. You need to see the big picture and the smallest detail. You need to have a clear mental map for each lesson’s baptismal interview questions, commitments and doctrines. You are responsible for thoroughly understanding the lessons and teaching by the Spirit in your own words. You are to teach so that others will strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ, desire to repent (which means making and keeping commitments), and enter into covenants with God.

This requires each missionary to invest MORE TIME in Chapter 3 compared to missionaries of old. More time must be invested to help you be a better-prepared, more spiritually mature missionary and a more persuasive teacher.

This is why we expect and need every PPM missionary to be a “raise the bar” missionary. You should be here because you want to be here. We need you to concentrate all your energy – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – on becoming the best missionary you can! Avoid distractions and learn to concentrate. Let go of your old worries and allow the Holy Ghost to lead you and guide you on a new spiritually rich journey. The first investigator that you must help convert to the gospel is yourself! This requires discipline – which leads to becoming a disciple!
One set of Zone Leaders have created a simple but powerful way of keeping Chapter 3 always in their minds. They explained to me what they do: “We pick a principle out of Chapter 3 each day in Companionship Study. And then we read over the doctrine, and then role-play that principle.” It is the daily repetition of this simple idea that creates great learning power.

Other missionaries have put together detailed lesson plans and teaching outlines for each of the lessons in Chapter 3. They have approached this like a college assignment. They are very thorough and very complete. Then they review, over and over again, these outlines and lesson plans. This becomes better than robotic memorization – this is because they have internalized the lessons and can now teach to the needs of the investigator.

There are no short cuts to becoming a better teacher. Faith always precedes (comes before) the miracle. One must have faith that dedicated daily study of Chapter 3 will yield remarkable results. The following great scripture has a lot more meaning when viewed from this perspective:

“Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life (Chapter 3), and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man” (D&C 84: 85).

Studying and Preparing to Teach the Lessons
(This information comes from PMG Chapter 2, pages 19-20.)

To be an effective missionary you will need to learn the organization of the message and acquire the necessary teaching skills. As you gain experience, you will want to deepen your knowledge and enhance your teaching ability. As you prepare for teaching appointments, you will want to have a lesson plan that enables you to teach by the Spirit and help others make and keep commitments. The following guidelines will help you study and use the lessons in Chapter 3 more effectively. Please study this section in PMG – it contains great suggestions and insights for each of the following seven items.

1. Focus on commitments and baptismal interview questions.
2. Learn and apply the doctrine.
3. Organize and summarize what to teach – create Lesson Plans.
4. Focus on needs.
5. Prepare to answer questions.
6. Teach the lesson.
7. Evaluate your teaching.

As you learn the lessons, continue seeking a deep knowledge of the doctrine. Actively work to teach with great power. As you study in prayer and faith, your knowledge and testimony will grow. However, do not try to teach all that you know. Teach the message clearly, simply, and based on individual needs, following the Spirit to teach “that portion that shall be meted unto every man” (D&C 84:85).

Lesson Plans

It is particularly important that you create a Lesson Plan for each lesson. Lesson plans should always focus on commitments. Your investigators will come unto Christ when they make and keep commitments. As you consider the needs of an investigator, and you begin to create a new lesson plan, always start with the commitment that you’ll be extending. Then work backwards from this commitment to the principles and doctrines that will be taught. Never “wing it” – always have a lesson plan for every lesson and every investigator.

Commitments help investigators develop faith in Jesus Christ and repent. There are three basic commitments that must be made and kept: (1) Praying, (2) Reading and praying about the Book of Mormon and (3) Attending church.

The elements of a Lesson Plan include: bearing testimony, promising blessings, using selected scriptures, sharing experiences, asking questions, teaching doctrine, praying, listening, following-up on prior commitments, helping investigator recognize the spirit, involving Active Members in the lesson, leaving behind reading materials. All of these elements should support your primary goal of extending a commitment to the investigator. If you need help developing lesson plans, please contact your District Leader or Zone Leader immediately and he will be very willing to provide assistance and coaching.

Every good teacher analyzes the needs of the investigator, knows the material that he is to teach and masters the presentation of the material. Every missionary should have a goal of baptizing at least one person every transfer. We must find in order to teach. And teach in order to commit. And commit in order to baptize. And baptize in order to retain. I think we have our orders! Let’s get back to work!

All my love,

Pres. Murray

Missionary Work is Difficult -- What Else is New?

2009-05-20T16:22:00.004-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Many young missionaries are surprised by the difficulty of missionary work. Their surprise is usually a combination of two observations: (1) it feels like it will never end and (2) there are way too many things to learn and master.

Back in the day, a very large percentage of young missionaries grew up on farms and ranches in the western part of the United States. They were required, from a very young age, to work with cattle, sheep or pigs and to drive tractors, buck hay, dig ditches and repair fences. They learned that one must work, work, work if one is to survive. And by the time they were 19 and ready for their missions, they were capable of working for very long periods of time on tasks and assignments that may not be their favorite thing to do.

Today the majority of missionaries come from suburban or urban families. Gone are the days of getting up at 5:30AM to milk the cows before school. Cows have been replaced with skateboards, joysticks and laptops. For many young missionaries, their experiences in the mission are their first real experiences with hard work. And it’s a great surprise!

A favorite author of mine teaches that life is difficult for everyone. I have replaced the word “life” with “missionary work” in his quote. Read this statement several times and ponder it. The truth found in this statement can change your entire attitude and outlook about your mission:

“Missionary work is difficult. This is a great truth. One of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend (exceed or surpass) it. Once we truly know that missionary work is difficult – once we truly understand and accept it – then missionary work is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that missionary work is difficult no longer matters.”

I have found in my own life that I learn the most during my most difficult and trying times. The natural man wants everything to be easy – and to have no pain, conflict, trials or worry. The natural man wants everything to go right the first time without much effort. But real life does not work this way. Whether you are a missionary or an Apostle, life will continue to be full of tests and trials. This is an essential part of Heavenly Father’s plan. It is designed to refine us.

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Lehi teaches this principle to his son Jacob, “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad” (2 Ne. 2: 11).

To be successful as a missionary – or in life – one must learn to (1) work until the job is done and (2) give full effort the entire time. The following chart shows the four ways that a missionary can approach his or her mission:

There is only one square that guarantees success. It is the one in the upper right. It requires full effort for the entire length of one’s mission. Preach My Gospel defines success in the following way: “Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost.”
Back in the day young people were also comfortable sticking with a task until it was finished. In today’s culture we are programmed to expect things to be finished in 30 minutes or less. This is the length of a typical TV show. In a 30-minute episode we can see all kinds of events transpire and within the final 2-3 minutes everything comes together into a nice tidy ending.

Life rarely, if ever, comes together in a nice tidy ending in 30 minutes. In fact, life is generally quite messy and complicated! Do not be deceived by your hours in front of a TV!

Charles Dickens was one of the great authors of the 19th century. He was a keen observer of the human condition. One of his most famous stories was The Tale of Two Cities. This novel, written in 1859, was set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The opening lines of this story are world famous – and they are as applicable now in our mission as they were when originally written:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way”

We know that each of us has been called “to Philadelphia, to Reading, Wilmington, Allentown, too. Thrusting our sickles and preaching the Word, we won’t go home until everyone’s heard.” As we head into the summer months, you are invited to thrust your missionary sickle with all of your heart, might, mind and strength. You are invited to make goals each Monday that cause you to stretch and jump throughout the week. You are invited to work diligently – with full effort for the entire time – so that we can find, teach, baptize and bind all those within the boundaries of our mission who desire to Come Unto Christ. You will have only a few months to serve your mission – and the rest of your life to think about it.

To be successful, you are required to give everything – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Leave nothing behind. In April, 2008 I attended a special training meeting for Mission Presidents with Elder M. Russell Ballard. In this meeting he told us that we should “wear ourselves out in the service of the Lord”. This phrase comes from a revelation given to Joseph Smith, found in section 123 of the Doctrine and Covenants: “Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness…”

“Once we truly know that missionary work is difficult – once we truly understand and accept it – then missionary work is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that missionary work is difficult no longer matters.”

Elder Marcus Nash, a friend of mine from Seattle, was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 2006. He is currently serving as the Area President for the South America Northwest Area. He and his family now live in Lima, Peru. I saw him at the MTC in June 2007, just before Sister Murray and I flew out to Philadelphia. I asked him how he felt about leaving his career as a successful attorney and working for the Church for the next 20+ years. His response was memorable and refreshing, “Mike, for the rest of my life I get to do what I love to do – teach the gospel!”

Might you and I have the same positive attitude about our callings as missionaries of the Lord Jesus Christ for the full duration of our missions. Might we fill our hearts with desire and a great sense of duty! Missionary work is difficult and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

All my love,

President Murray

Raison d’être

2009-05-11T15:06:00.005-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

Today’s newsletter begins with a basic lesson in French. Only a handful of our missionaries speak French. The phrase to learn is: “raison d’être”. It is pronounced “Rays-ON duhthr “. It means “the purpose of something”.

Let’s use it in the following sentence, “What is your raison d’etre for serving a mission?”

Now let’s focus on a word from English: “motive”. What does this word mean? It is defined as the thing that prompts a choice or active. It is the root word for “motivation”.

Let’s use this new word in a sentence, “What was the motive for your decision to serve a mission?”

These two concepts -- raison d’etre and motive – are closely related to each other and are important for all missionaries. We must continually examine our inner-self and ask ourselves if our reasons for serving are “of pure intent” and are Christ-centered.

There are only two basic reasons for doing anything (this applies to everything in missionary work and in life):

1. A person or entity (real or imagined) has power over me and is forcing me to do it. I have no choice – I have to do it. I am a prisoner. In this realm we are compelled to act, otherwise we are punished, injured or killed.

2. I have complete choice (or agency) and I want to do it (whatever “it” may be). This one has more to it than you imagine. For instance, “I am lazy because I want to be lazy.” Why else would a person be lazy? Certainly no one is forcing him! It also works in highly spiritual ways. When we choose to yield our will to the Lord and regularly study the Book of Mormon, we become infused with personal revelation through the Holy Ghost. This promotes the doing of gospel-centered things we normally wouldn’t do – and this is evidence of faith. Faith is a principle of action and power.

The famous Greek philosopher Socrates (469 BC – 399 BC) said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” A parallel to this statement is: “The unexamined mission is not worth serving.” I invite you to carefully examine yourself and truthfully answer the following questions about your missionary state-of-mind. Score yourself on a scale of 1-3 where 1 is telestial and 3 is celestial:

____ I am purposely giving my complete heart, might, mind and strength each and every day to the Lord. This is nothing left at the end of each day.
____ I am striving to use my time better than I ever have before. I always invest, never spend. This is reflected in my weekly planner, my daily planner, our white board and my focus throughout the day.
____ I am studying the Book of Mormon daily with purpose and striving for personal inspiration. I love the Book of Mormon. I look forward to studying it.
____ I am seeking to understand the real needs of every investigator, recent convert and less-active. I study for them and listen very carefully when I’m with them.
____ I make sure that my time and talents are super-focused on Sundays, especially when I’m at Church. I am proactive in the use of my time and talents on Sundays.
____ I am choosing to love my companion, my mission leaders, my unit leaders, all those I’m teaching, etc. Nobody is perfect, so I am learning to forgive quickly and to serve others.
____ I am striving to get rid of my teenage attributes of laziness, pride and selfishness. I have set goals in this area and am open to feedback from my companion and my leaders.
____ I’m striving to be a great example to my companion, my district and my zone. I am motivated to do my best and to be my best.

If your score is less than 20, you need an immediate tune-up of heart, might, mind and strength! You are at risk of acting like a prisoner.

What is your raison d’etre for serving a mission right now?

Are you serving because it was required by the Church or your parents? If so, you are wasting your time. You will feel like a prisoner. And you will act like a prisoner. You will only do the things you are told to do. You will never be proactive. You will cut corners when no one is looking. You will be spiritually lazy. You will count hours until break, the days until the next P-day and the weeks until you go home. And you will look for other prisoners to hang out with. What a pathetic way to spend 18-24 months!

What is your motive for your daily work?

For instance, are you focusing on your Key Indicators because you’ve been told that this is what you’re supposed to do…and your brain stops right there? Or do you wrestle with the “why” questions: “Why are Key Indicators so important?

The most successful missionaries are motivated by their love of God and their true desire to be of service to Him. This is an internal motivation. It is not imposed by any external force. It requires great trust and faith in the words of the Lord and His prophets. And then it requires one to give all that he has every day of his mission. There can be no let up in effort, faith, or obedience. We must endure to the end.

Some missionaries forget these basic truths and they revert to prisoner mentality. They “live” for P-day. They rush home as fast as possible for daily break. They have confused their reason for being here – their raison d’etre. Their motive is impure and incapable of spiritual insights and power. They will reap what they sew.

Do you know that God imposes nothing on His children? This is a radical thought for most people. But it is true. Through his prophets, He teaches doctrine, key principles and the application of these principles in our daily lives. He invites us to come unto Christ so that we can become worthy and qualified for eternal life. We are never prisoners – we are all free all the time. It is Satan who desires to eliminate agency and control our destiny.

Indeed the revealed scriptures in the Book of Mormon teach these principles that are important to all, but especially to missionaries who are solidifying their raison d’etre: “They have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon…Men are free according to the flesh…they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great mediation of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Nephi 2:26-27).

The temptations of Satan can be very subtle, especially with missionaries. He will always be your best friend when you are looking for an excuse to let up or give up. He will agree with you that you’ve done a lot and that you deserve a break. He is a liar. The greatest liar of all time and eternity! He is simple: spiritual imprisonment and damnation. He will convince you that “they” are too rigid, too hardcore, too impractical, too over-the-top. Don’t fall for it!

I am here because I love Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I desire to serve them and I have willingly consecrated my time, talents and all that He has given me to help Build the Church. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only plan there is that promises peace of heart and peace of mind throughout one’s life. It is a privilege to serve and I plan on giving all that I am while serving my mission. This is my raison d’etre and my motive.

Thrusting for the best cause known to God and man,

President Murray

Effective Teaching Yields Results!

2009-05-04T22:32:00.000-04:00

Dear Missionaries,

We have a very clear goal in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission. It is to help Build the Church in all of our units. We Build the Church by (1) baptizing investigators, (2) developing & retaining recent converts and (3) reactivating up to five less-active households. These three on-going activities are referred to in PPM as the “three legged stool”.

Nothing happens in missionary work until we find a new person to teach. Each week we find, on average, about 260 New Investigators. We need to teach better so that more New Investigators stick! A New Investigator is a person who has received a lesson and accepted a specific return appointment. A lesson typically includes the teaching of one or more gospel principles from the lessons, an opening and closing prayer, and invitations to make commitments.

The effectiveness of your teaching can be measured by whether investigators are growing in their faith in the Savior, repenting of their transgressions, and earnestly preparing to receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation. The first few minutes with investigators are very important. Investigators must learn to trust you. Begin your first visit in a warm, respectful, genuine manner. Do not be in a hurry. Do not be mechanical. Choose to like the person you are meeting with. Choose to be interested in everything they are saying and doing. And become curious, like a detective, about the circumstances that allowed them to invite you in.

Before teaching the doctrines in a lesson, consider giving a simple overview of what you are going to teach. Each person or family you teach is unique. Even though you will not understand all of their interests, achievements, needs and concerns, you should seek to be sensitive to their circumstances. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Teach at a pace that is appropriate for the investigator. Find a gentle way of assessing their ability to read. If they are unable to read, you or your companion should read out-loud from the scriptures and then ask questions to see if they truly understand. If they do not understand, then “translate” the words in a way that will make them understandable. Do not move forward until your investigator clearly understands what you are striving to teach.

Your teaching will be more powerful if you and your companion alternate giving brief portions of the lesson. Strive to teach for only 2-3 minutes and then hand-off the next portion to your companion. Repeat this pattern in every teaching situation. Sometimes a shy companion is pleased to have the other companion “hog” the spotlight. And sometimes a bold companion likes to “hog” the spotlight, not allowing the other companion to speak. Sometimes a trainer refuses to allow the Golden (new missionary) to teach. These are all wrong. As companions, yield to each other every 2-3 minutes. Learn to teach as a team – it will be very powerful.

Whenever possible invite members to help you teach. Recent converts are always a great choice because they can “tell their story” about conversion and baptism. This helps the New Investigator see that real people actual do become Mormons! The ideal situation is to include Church members who formerly belonged to the same church as the investigators.

The standard works of the Church are your basic sources for teaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. You may also use the words of the living prophets. Your ability to teach with power from the scriptures comes in large measure from the time you personally invest in studying them. Never spend, always invest!

Each transfer you are invited to memorize scriptures from the lesson attached to that transfer. The assigned scriptures are always listed on the back of the Sickle Thruster at the beginning of each transfer. Memorizing these scriptures is a proven sickle sharpening skill. Please put great effort into this activity every transfer. The payoff will be incredible!

You are to teach for understanding. People are better able to believe the message of the Restoration of the gospel when they understand the message. As a missionary, you are commanded to reason with and expound the scriptures when you teach (see D&C 68:1). Expound means to enlarge on and to explain clearly.

When you teach for understanding, make sure you explain words, phrases and ideas so that other people understand you better. Observe the eyes and body language of your investigator. Sometimes their mouth will say, “yes” to a question, but their eyes and body are suggesting, “no”. When this happens, you’ll want to re-teach the principal or ask the question in a different way to make sure they understand what you are teaching.

Many of our investigators are not “readers”. This does not mean that they are illiterate, but it does mean that they don’t regularly read newspapers, magazines or books. It’s likely that there will be many words in the scriptures that they do not understand. Be careful that you don’t embarrass them. But on the other hand you must make sure they understand the message being taught.

Also make sure that YOU understand the words in the lessons and the scriptures. If you do not know what a word means, ALWAYS look it up! Many words that mean special things to members of the Church are defined simply in the Bible Dictionary and True to the Faith. It’s your responsibility as a good teacher to do your homework and preparation so that your investigator has a positive, uplifting experience in each lesson.

Jesus Christ often asked questions to help people ponder and apply principles. His questions prompted thought, soul searching and commitment. Good questions will help you understand interests, concerns, or questions that others have. They can enhance your teaching, invite the Spirit, and help your investigators learn. Poor questions can intimidate, irritate and offend investigators. Learning to ask good questions is a powerful life-skill. It will improve your effectiveness as a missionary teacher and will also help you in communicating with bishops, ward mission leaders and members. And in the future it will help you in dating, marriage, jobs and all social interactions.

If you are interested in helping your New Investigator progress, you must become an excellent listener. When you listen carefully to others, you understand them better. When they know that their thoughts and feelings are important to you, they are more likely to be receptive to your teachings, share personal experiences, and make commitments. As you listen, you will be able to more effectively adapt your teaching to their needs and interests.

Listening is an important skill to develop. Especially listen for the whisperings of the Spirit. Perhaps you’ve heard this old saying: “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” This is especially true in missionary work! And don’t be afraid of silence. Often the investigator is having an “internal conversation” with himself. This is very important as they ponder the opportunities for change, repentance, growth, commitment and a new life.

At the conclusion of each teaching visit, provide the investigator with something to read and ponder in preparation for the next meeting. Write it down. Be specific. And then re-write the assignment in your planner so that you can follow-up. Simply asking a person to “read the Book of Mormon” is too general. Be specific and pick a few passages, or a few pages or even a chapter that fits the needs of the investigator. And ask the investigator to study for specific information in the reading assignment – something to think about, to ponder, and to pray about. This can be the opening topic of discussion the next time you meet.

Elders and Sisters, we need more of our 260 New Investigators to progress towards baptism. Better teaching skills (chapter 10 in PMG) will make this happen. I challenge you to become a better teacher! Find an area for improvement, study Chapter 10, and go for it!

Building the Church,

President Murray