The gift of our calling

It was five years, almost to the day, but if you saw a picture of that Bishop from the start of his term, you'd be forgiven for thinking 15 or 20 years had passed. The marital disputes, the midnight runs to the chapel to forestall eviction, and the last-second interviews had taken their toll on both his hairline and his beltline. "Busy as a man can be," indeed. But finally, it was time to pass the baton. The new Bishop took the stand to bear his testimony. "Brothers and sisters, during this season of the year we express gratitude for gifts. I want to start by thanking our Bishop for the gift of his devoted service in our ward." A moment of silence follows-- the Latter-day Saint chapel equivalent to hearty applause. "I thank my wife and children for the gift of accepting the call to sustain me without hesitation." Another well-deserved round of silent mental clapping. "And I especially want to thank God for His gift of calling to me to be the new Bishop." Wait... what?

Un-learning missionary work

In part 1 of this series on member missionary work, I talked about why member missionary initiatives always seem to fail-- because we keep creating new programs instead of addressing the problem of perspective. In part 2, I talked about starting to change the perspective by getting ourselves "into the zone" through a greater understanding of, conversion to, and immersion in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our role to share it. Continuing in the vein of changing our perspective, I want to share four core aspects of member missionary work where we often have serious misunderstandings that impede our success and enjoyment. In the words of the wise master Yoda, these are areas where "we must un-learn what we have learned" if we are to find the success we want.

Missionary work: getting in "the zone"

I pointed out in my previous post that the Lord and His servants have made it clear that when it comes to encouraging member missionary work, we need go beyond gimmicks and corporate management tactics. The Gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't need salesmen. Motivating members to occasionally perform missionary actions is not enough. God wants us to become missionaries in our hearts. We don't need a new program-- we need a new perspective. So... how do we do that? How do we turn missionary work from an activity we do to a lifestyle we live? It all starts with getting "in the zone."

Every member a... salesman?

What is the number one complaint among full-time missionaries? Zealous missionaries everywhere are disappointed that members are not inviting their non-member friends to hear the message of the Gospel. They are frustrated with good reason-- members generally are not doing our part to live our covenant to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places." Investigators, less-actives, and even the random people missionaries talk to at doorsteps are far more likely to refer them to a neighbor or friend than the active members of the Church are. Those who know the most about the Gospel and have experienced its blessings firsthand in their lives are usually the most reluctant to suggest that it be shared with others they know and love. So... what should we do about this lack of member participation? For starters, when it comes to member missionary work, we don't need a new program-- we need a new perspective.

The secrets of Godliness

I've heard some members who were born in the Gospel wish that they had been born outside the Church and then converted later in life. These members look back and say, "I wish I could have actually had fun in my youth-- sow my wild oats, carefree, without worrying. Get married, hear the Gospel, join the Church, and then live all the rules after I've really enjoyed life." In the minds of these members, converts get the best of both worlds-- they experience the pleasures of temptation in their youth and then the light of the Gospel once they've had all their fun. The Lord has a strong message for anyone who wishes they could go back in time and "live a little" and repent later.

Letting God Prevail over Politics

An online forum asked Church members if the Church endorsed Republicans or Democrats. One member's highly-voted answer essentially said:The Church stays out of politics. But when you look at our faith's teachings about family values, sexual morality, drugs, and self-reliance, it's no surprise that, in my experience, most Church members are Republicans like me.Another highly voted answer showed a different perspective. Something like:The Church stays out of politics. But when you look at our faith's teachings about the freedom to choose, equality, and generous welfare programs, it's no surprise that in my experience, most Church members are Democrats like me.These two members obviously had very different experiences with politics and the Gospel. But they both highlight critical principles about the intersection of faith and politics that we need to learn and apply if our country and our Church membership are to remain intact.

Trials that harden, trials that soften

2020 wasn't the dumpster fire everyone makes it out to be, but it has been a roller coaster year. COVID, lockdowns and their religious liberty concerns, and the most contentious election of my lifetime. Thankfully, my ward has been less affected than many. Very few members got sick and no one died. Most members were able to work remotely. Our state eased restrictions earlier than others, allowing us to resume in-person Church meetings with proper safety measures after just a few months. On the political front, our members have largely refrained from "political statements and unkind references in our Church meetings" (so far). We are truly very blessed, and things seem to be returning to at least a semblance of normalcy. However, in my ward and thousands of wards like it, we are noticing that while circumstances are returning to normal, we as a people are very different from how we were one year ago. And in some ways, that scares us.

I can't bear it (and that's okay)

A few months ago, I watched the movie Unplanned, the true story of Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson's conversion to pro-life. She had spent her entire career working on the administrative side of things, but when they were short-staffed one day, she was asked to assist the doctor in the procedure room. That's when Abby finally confronted the gruesome reality of abortion. That moment broke Abby. And it broke me, too. After the movie, I distracted myself and tried to go through the rest of my day normally. But as I rocked my 3-month old to sleep that night, I could distract myself no longer. That powerful scene (you can watch it here) played itself in my mind over and over again. I held my sleeping baby boy tight and cried harder than I had ever cried since childhood. Like Amulek watching the martyrs of Ammonihah being burned alive, I was pained by the holocaust of abortion and wished I could use the Priesthood, call down fire from heaven-- anything to intervene against the inhuman war on the defenseless that is abortion.

A prison built with our own hands

The battle was fierce, but also short and decisive—despite a huge loss of men and a painful personal wound, Captain Moroni had thrown "one of the greatest of the armies of the Lamanites" into complete disarray. But Moroni "did not delight in bloodshed;" when he saw that his enemies were beaten, he offered them terms of surrender. The Lamanite army accepted his terms, and the prisoners were marched to the land of Bountiful. There they were put to work: they dug ditches, they piled up dirt, and they built a giant wall around the border of the city. Once the Lamanites had fortified the city, they became its new residents: "in this city [the Nephites] did guard the prisoners of the Lamanites; yea, even within a wall which they had caused them to build with their own hands" (Alma 53:5).

Dumpster fire? No, 2020 was a great year!

All through the year, our news feeds have been inundated with messages like:"Kobe Bryant, Alex Trebek, Sean Connery, and RGB? This year can't get any worse." "First COVID and now murder hornets? Lord, just take me now." "This is crazy. I can't imagine bringing kids into this world." "2020 is a dumpster fire of a year. Wake me up with 2020 is over."Amid such gloom, Pres. Nelson invited us to #GiveThanks and flood social media with gratitude. Surprisingly, many even in the Church criticized this prophetic counsel, arguing that it's insensitive to ask people to give thanks when things are so bleak. Words of gratitude in a year like this one would just be hollow and empty. To anyone who thinks this year was a dumpster fire, let me set the record straight. That attitude is not just depressing and unhelpful-- it's factually wrong. 2020 was a great year. You'll see what I mean if you choose to remember.