My sisters Farewell talk.

I was asked to talk on D&C section 4.  I wanted to focus on verses 5 and 7.  They talk about the qualities it takes to be a servant of God.  These two verses say, “And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work…. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.”

Most of these attributes stem from love.  First, I’d like to share a story from President Monson’s April 2013 conference talk:

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Many years ago dear friends of mine, Craig Sudbury and his mother, Pearl, came to my office prior to Craig’s departure for the Australia Melbourne Mission. Fred Sudbury, Craig’s father, was noticeably absent. Twenty-five years earlier, Craig’s mother had married Fred, who did not share her love for the Church and, indeed, was not a member.

Craig confided to me his deep and abiding love for his parents and his hope that somehow, in some way, his father would be touched by the Spirit and open his heart to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I prayed for inspiration concerning how such a desire might be fulfilled. The inspiration came, and I said to Craig, “Serve the Lord with all your heart. Be obedient to your sacred calling. Each week write a letter to your parents, and on occasion, write to Dad personally, and let him know how much you love him, and tell him why you’re grateful to be his son.” He thanked me and, with his mother, departed the office.

I was not to see Craig’s mother for some 18 months, when she came to my office and, in sentences punctuated by tears, said to me, “It has been almost two years since Craig left for his mission. He has never failed in writing a letter to us each week. Recently, my husband, Fred, stood for the first time in a testimony meeting and surprised me and shocked everyone who was there by announcing that he had made the decision to become a member of the Church. He indicated that he and I would go to Australia to meet Craig at the conclusion of his mission so that Fred could be Craig’s final baptism as a full-time missionary.”

No missionary stood so tall as did Craig Sudbury when, in far-off Australia, he helped his father into water waist-deep and, raising his right arm to the square, repeated those sacred words: “Frederick Charles Sudbury, having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

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In President Monson’s story, the missionary, was able to serve as a full-time missionary to the people of Australia but also personally to his father simply by showing love to him.  

We have heard that this section in the Doctrine and Covenants is in reference to missionaries.  And perhaps we’ve thought that it only applies to full time missionaries like Ashley will be.  However, we’ve also been instructed that “Every member [should be] a missionary.  So don’t think “Well I am never going to serve a mission because of whatever the reason is. “  Or that you are never going to make a difference in someones life without going on a mission you are wrong.

I’d like to share a few examples of people in my life, and my own experiences, that will demonstrate how each of us can be a missionary in our daily lives.

I have one person in my life that has taught me all of those qualities.  Now I am not saying my dad isn’t amazing.  Because he is.  But that my mother has shown me how to be a missionary without going on missions.  Growing up we didn’t have a lot.  We sometimes were scraping by with Rice and Cream of chicken for dinner.  No matter what our circumstances were she would always be ready at the helm to take over any big thing that was ailing another person. Be it letting people come into the home to have a meal one night or a house to be in till they could get back on their feet.  

I remember giving up my bed and or bedroom for months.  We housed not just family but friends who had lost everything.  My mom has always been the first one to step up when things were bad.  There are so many experiences I could share.  But there was one that has stuck with me my whole life since it has happened.   It was summer and I am pretty sure it was just after June.  Anyways my mom came to us and told us that we had to help her get all of the stuff from our craft room into the part of the unfinished basement.  Because a family was going to be staying with us till they could find a home.  So I went down and moved as many things as I could. The family arrived.  I remember thinking “Holy Cow they have a lot of kids.”  As they crawled out of their station wagon along with a UHAL truck there was 6 of them.  Tired and ready for bed.  My mom had them all take a bath and fixed them a dinner.  

One of them had just gotten back from a boys camp and got so deyhdrated that his lips had sealed shut and were slowly healing.  I remember my mom making smoothies for him and I was so jealous because she NEVER did that for us.  Well that is what went through my mind at the time.  

I always remember that because she taught me that everything in our lives belongs to Heavenly Father.  That what he gives to us is to be shared.  Be it our homes, our money, time, Family.  It is his.  That we are to share it when others are less fortunate than ourselves.  I have been blessed in so many ways.  I love to help others.  When I feel that “I need to help someone” feeling, be it someone I know or don’t know I help.  YOu never know what kind of personal thing they are going through. Even if it is just to help them put their groceries into a car and take the cart to the cart return.  A simple act of kindness can go a long way.   My mothers examples shows how we can be missionaries by showing charity, love, and brotherly kindness.

I am a mother of 4 very energetic children.  I have a choice.  I could just let them do whatever they wanted.  Without guidance, direction or disipline that they would probably choose the way to live with drugs, immorality and things that were not right.  But I don’t.  I try hard to teach my children what I know.  I do my part.  I try to protect them with what I know.  I admit I don’t know everything.  That is why we have church, youth activities, primary, General conference and other leaders to help us teach them. With those things, I am a missionary in my own home.  I also try to live by example.  I comfort those who need it.  I give to those less fortunate  than me.  I show kindness to the person who has made wrong choices.   I show compassion to the family that lives down the street that isn’t  member of the church by listening to their needs and acting upon it.  We are ALL part of his ministry.  We are all here on this earth to do his work.  

Full time missionaries are so very lucky and are able to focus on one thing, teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Bringing the lords children back to him.  But I am choosing that this time and place for me is in my own home, on my own street, in my own family.  I am his tool.  I hope that by living the attributes of temperance and patience I can be a missionary for my children and by reaching out to my non-member neighbors I can set a good example.

I know that Ashley will be an amazing missionary.  In her life she has taught me and shown me how I could be better.  There was one time when I was having some issues about how I felt about another person.  She came to me with a sweetness and told me that I should be more loving towards this person. That maybe she too was going through things.  It was hard at first.  But I have come to just ignore the things that were bothering me and focus on their good qualities. Her example and guidance in this situation is a demonstration of the attributes knowledge, virtue, and love.

I hope we all could be better missionaries in our own ways. To live the values that are named in these verses. Let us all be ready to help him.  Let your heart be opened and ask your Father in Heaven what attributes you can focus on.  Or perhaps in what ways you can be a missionary to those around you.

Testimony,

Close.