December 12, 2021
Sister Burton
Many years ago a very famous and great football quarterback in the NFL was asked what he'd do if little time was left on the clock and wining the game was on the line,
he proclaimed, "Throw deep!"
Jim Plunkett
Oakland Raiders
You are in the mission field now with your trainer and in your first area. How awesome is that.
It's easy to get caught up in the 'mission life' as it were and for one to lose focus of the purpose of serving as a missionary.
As The Lord boldly stated, "The field is white already to harvest."
You labor diligently every day to find, teach, and baptize our Heavenly Father's children that they may one day return to their heavenly home to receive Celestial glory, and a crown bestowed upon all the faithful saints who have received and kept their covenants and endured to the end.
Gussy I'm going to tell you one of the greatest
secrets of accomplishing missionary work!
It's one word! Missionaries miss it till it's almost time to go home and finally figure it out.
The greatest travesty is {most} never
know it; therefore, they wander about never knowing their full potential as an instrument in the hands of The Lord. You can be the slickest looking, master of the scriptures, even one of the hardest working testimonial pounding missionaries and yet miss it!! I'll whisper it now to you, hear it is: commitment.
When people aren't progressing, they aren't committed. When missionaries aren't baptizing they weren't committing. When missionaries aren't happy they're lacking or have not commitment themselves.
[We ourselves have to be committed to the work but that same desire has to be passed along to those we teach]
I'll repeat it again............
[We ourselves have to be committed to the work but that same desire has to be passed along to those we teach]
Be bold with an out pouring of love.
You will have an enlarged soul full of love, even charity for others as you come to know
The Savior more fully. Is it not any wonder that this is so; fore, does not all that is good even love it's self come from He who is full of love and grace? I say yes.
As the spirit prompts you, you testify.
(Testify of what you are about to teach, read, witnessing of all truth even of the creation and
the very breath we breathe)
As the spirit prompts you, you invite.
(Invite all to follow the example of The Lord)
As the spirit prompts you, you commit.
(Commit to make & keep certain covenants through commitments like reading praying baptism & receive the Holy Ghost, and going
to the temple)
As do this every day you will teach. You will baptize and you will unite families fulfilling a decree of old, as hearts are turned back to their mother's and father's.
It was an insult to me when a missionary tried to pollute missionaries' thinking that it's not about how many baptisms you have. Or saying one is only focused about the numbers.
Only a fool, so unfamiliar with the workings
of the spirit would even think so of such faith lacking baseless claims!
When I conducted and presided over
Zone Conferences I would stand with power and authority as a Zone Leader & AP and declare that we are called to bring the saving ordinances of the everlasting gospel to all who will obey our voice. With a voice of thunder I'd bring to every missionaries' minds of their calling and purpose.
I put my faith not in the arm of flesh, but in God and His eternal purposes which have become mine. I will find if it be one soul out of millions then so be it. If it be a village, a congregation of confused souls, I will bring unto them the blessings of heaven through the life saving ordinances of the great plan of redemption.
Or let it suffice that a part member family finally can come together and be sealed in a holy temple of God. Elder's and Sisters's then my joy is full.
We have only numbers as a way to track and follow our progress in this work. The difference is that numbers in the gospel have names.
And those names are sons and daughters of God!
So yes, make goals and move along in the work.
There are too many light hearted,
lacking testimony, and non committal minded people in this world including missionaries who will always find excuses of their lack to move along this great work as we prepare for
The Lord's return.
I love you Halle with all the powers of love granted to a father who desires the dews of heaven to distill upon his children, even more upon you who serves The Lord at this time. Have courage and faith as I know you do. Be of good cheer and know as your dad I am with you always.
Go to Sister Burton. Look, and the spirit will show you all that you need to know, where to go, and how to best help those you serve, even your companion.
I know His ways. I know his voice. I know his face.
He is one eternal round as is The Father.
He honors and serves The Father.
He fulfilled The Father's plan of happiness, the
Plan of Salvation.
He is The great Jehovah of old.
He is our Savior, Lord and King.
He is Jesus Christ whom you are serving!
Pops
YOU ARE READING
Letters From Pops
Non-FictionEmails that my dad sent me while I was serving my mission. The first chapter is the last email. I did it backwards. Enjoy if you decide to give it a read. A lot of wisdom that helped me get through my mission!
