In the very next hour...

(I started this in late November but didn't get it finished until just now.)

"Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." -Doctrine and Covenants 84:85

What a cool scripture! I need to work a little bit on receiving this promised blessing. I need to pray for courage, wisdom and calmness that will enable me to receive the words I should say in the very hour I need them. Make no mistake. I am given the words I should say; it's just that they don't come to me until the very next hour!
Two days ago, I received an irate phone call. The call was not totally unexpected, because there are some big changes being made in our mission.

Beginning the first week in December, we will become a letter-writing mission. That's as in pen and paper, stamp and envelope, hand written with no spell check, and yes... a no e-mailing mission!
And that's not all. In an attempt to re-insert the preparation into our Monday P-day activities, there will be no more gathering together as zones to congregate downtown or to play hard sports. Let me just clarify that this does not apply to the senior missionaries, although for us all,

THESE. ARE. BIG. CHANGES.

So, when someone's Grandma called to tell me that we were running a prison, I was not totally shocked. But I was disappointed with my fumbling attempts to help her understand, especially since I understood!

It was not until after we had hung up...in the very next hour... that I collected my thoughts. I can't keep doing that. I have to get better at speaking up, and letting the Spirit work through me.

Chances are she will never read this, But I would still like to address my comments to her.

Dear Missionary Grandmother,

I am a grandma, too. And I have a son who served a mission twelve years ago. Even back then, his was one of the only missions I was aware of that was not allowed to use the Internet. I was so angry and hurt by this. It did not seem fair to me.

So, when our Mission President announced to us in a staff meeting his decision to become a letter-writing only mission, a flood of bad memories resurfaced! I was angry and hurt all over again. I could not believe what I was hearing!

I did not voice my concerns to our Mission President. But I did do something I had not done twelve years ago. I made it a matter of prayer. I poured out my concerns to my Heavenly Father. He could fix things.

I was surprised that there was no phone call from Salt Lake or the Pacific Area Presidency. I was surprised that our Mission President did not come to his senses and change his mind about the policy. Most of all, I was surprised at the answer I received. Moses 5. Clear and distinct. There was no mistake. Moses 5 was my answer.  It was me that needed fixing. 

In Moses, chapter 5,  Adam and Eve  were cast out of the Garden of Eden after they had partaken of the forbidden fruit.  Life became challenging for them. Among other things, they were given the commandment to offer sacrifices to God of the firstlings  of their flocks-so they did.

The account says that after many days, an angel of the Lord came to Adam and asked him why he offered sacrifices to the Lord. The answer Adam gave the angel was,

“I know not, save the Lord commanded me.”

Adam wasn’t told why he was commanded to offer sacrifices. But he did not question the Lord’s command. He simply obeyed.

Adam’s obedience was rewarded with some gospel insight, given to him by the angel.

“This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father...”

He understood after he obeyed.

And that wasn’t all. Something else, even more wonderful.

“And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son”

The Holy Ghost fell upon Adam! 

That was my answer. Right there in Moses 5. Heavenly Father  quietly reminded me that obedience brings blessings! I want to receive some of those obedience blessings!

And so, dear Missionary Grandma, I invite you to follow the example set first by Adam and Eve. Support your missionary grandson.  Encourage him not to question. Just obey. Testify to him that great blessings will come to him and to you and to the Mission when we are obedient.  Remind him of the counsel Mormon gave to his son Moroni,

“wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."


 The Church is true.  Heavenly Father loves us.  Faith is not always getting what you want, but it is believing in what you get.  I believe President Leota was inspired to make these changes.  I testify that obedience will bring blessings.