To Serve or Not to Serve?

We live in a culture that often pushes people to do things quickly; "Hurry up and get married," or "Hurry up and have lots of kids."  And now, with the 2012 change in missionaries ages, there may be some who are saying "Hurry up and go on a mission."  There has always been pressure on young men to serve missions, and now it seems that those who pressure will brook no delay.

In the spring of 2013, I read about a young man who was about to leave on his mission, his farewell was scheduled for this Sunday.  Instead of a farewell, however, his family had to prepare for a funeral.  Apparently the pressure of going on a mission was too great, for this young man took his own life.  A family that was preparing to say goodbye never saw their son or brother come home.

Serving a full time mission is not for everybody, but we live in a culture that all but demands that young men serve.  There are also those for whom a mission is a good idea, just not at age 18 . . . or 19 . . . or even 21.  Too many missionaries quit and go home early because they were not prepared to handle the rigors of a mission.  Too many missionaries quit but stay in the field, wasting their time and their parents' money.

After the announcement in 2012 of the age change for missionaries, I started a blog for missionary prep and service.  One of the reasons for the blog was my belief that the culture which pressures young men to serve missions did a lousy job of preparing those same kids to serve.  Eventually I felt that the missionary blog had served its purpose and I created this blog with a larger focus.

There is really only two reasons for serving a mission: to serve the Lord and to spread the restored gospel -- that may be combined as one reason depending on your point of view.  There are other things that may serve as motivation for wanting to serve the Lord and spread the gospel, but they are not reasons of themselves to serve.

There are plenty of wrong reasons to serve, as well as wrong things to serve as motivation for serving.  At the top of the list we should probably put "because it is expected" and the next would be "because my parents will by me a car".  Also on the list is something one of gave as his reason for serving, "because young women practically worship returned missionaries."

Let's face its, there are some young women out there, attempting to heed the call to "hurry up and get married", who will not even consider a young man who has not served a mission.  The trouble with that is, there are too many young wolfs in sheep's clothing, less than worthy prospects who did serve missions.  At the same time, there are other young men who are more worthy, even though they did not serve.  Whether a man has served a mission or not is no real indicator of his character.

There are other ways to serve and other avenues for sharing the gospel.  Several months after the age change announcement, there was a worldwide missionary broadcast which stressed the importance of members and missionaries working together to find people to teach.  Whether we have served a mission or not, we are called to be member missionaries.

When I was in high school I had the dream of attending the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis; alas, I came to have this dream a little bit late and did not have the grades to seriously pursue an appointment.  I also wanted to be a naval aviator, but I did not have the eyesight.  Still, I did speak with at least one recruiter from one of the military services.  As I listened I had the distinct impression that I had a different purpose, one that included serving a full time mission.

A mission was for me.  God had blessed me with talents that were directly applicable to teaching the gospel.  So I put in my papers and was called to the place I was meant to serve, and it was the best thing I have ever done.  I am a big believer in missions, but I know that it is not for everybody.

Then there are those that a mission is for, just a little further down the road.  It is important to remember that while they changed the ages for missionaries so that some can leave sooner, young men can still leave as late as when they are 25 -- there is no limit for young women.  As long as that young person is no dawdling or otherwise wasting time, there is plenty of time to prepare to serve.  If they are not ready as 18 or 19, that should be okay, there is always the next year, the one after that.

There was an elder in my mission who prepared to serve at 19, he put his papers in and received his call -- to the California San Jose Mission.  But he balked; as a small town kid he felt that he could not handle serving in a big city.  He asked to be released from his calling at that time, and this was granted.  Then, at age 25, staring the age limit in the face, he put his papers in again, and was called to . . . the California San Jose Mission.  He might have been a little nervous, still, at the idea of serving in a big city, but he answered the call and served his two years faithfully and well.

As King Benjamin said, we do not need to run faster than we have strength, but we should not take a casual approach either -- we should at least be running, "anxiously engaged" in that "good cause". Remember the tortoise and the hare, "Slow and steady wins the race."

Those who choose to serve should go into a mission with their eyes wide open.  Serving a mission is difficult; it may be one of the hardest things you ever do, but it may also be the best thing you ever do.  The work is often hard, and sometimes seemingly unrewarding.  There will be some missionaries, including some companions, who will be difficult to get along with.  There will be days or weeks when you will feel that you are being stretched to the limit.  If you have the right attitude, it will all be worth it as the rewards for the faithful servant are many.

"And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" (D&C 18:15-16)

I have called my mission the university of my life.  I learned more about life in those two short years than I have in all the years before or since.  I faced many trials and persevered.  I worked hard and when I was done I felt to say as Paul did that I had kept the faith and finished the race.  I look back now and recall as the best times those when we were working hard, even when we were having appointments cancel on us left and right.

To serve or not to serve . . . whatever we choose, we should never allow anyone else to push us into it.  The rewards tend to be greater for those things we willingly and happily choose to do.  Reluctant service can still lead to good things, but it is still not as good as the alternative.

Those who of us who feel the need to pressure young people to serve, or to do anything else we think they should, would do well to remember the teachings of the Lord we would have them serve. No matter how much we have achieved, earned or accomplished, if we are not kind to others, we have failed and missed the whole point.

Finally, however we choose to serve, we should always ask if we can do more, and then we should stretch ourselves to do it.  We may not reach the goal, but we will have made the effort and gained from it, and maybe the next time we will reach the goal.  If we continue to fall short we should humble ourselves before our Heavenly Father, and exercise faith in Jesus Christ, then might we be lifted up to do more than we thought we could, because His grace is sufficient to make weak things become strong.