Some Advice to the Returned Missionary
Preface: These are words for my sons, but they could easily apply with minor alteration to almost any missionary, Elder or Sister.
Church service does NOT come to an end upon being released as a missionary. It just begins. Therefore, retain the spiritual intensity that you learned to acquire while as a full-time missionary. Continue to seek first the kingdom of God. All else is secondary.
Establish your life goals and aim to accomplish them. Life is like chess. You always play better when having a plan. Don’t live your life from “move to move.” Know instead several moves ahead. Have a plan, but also have the freedom to revise it and update it.
Life is mostly made up of a series of good decisions, some better than others. You have been trained to make good decisions, and therefore you will be blessed. There is no magic pathway to follow. God’s plan for you will NOT change because you graduated from a local college instead of BYU. God's plans are not fragile, and are not dependent upon the academic institutions, technical trades, or the honest careers we choose to enter.
Hard work is a general principle of life. God's blessings upon you will depend upon how you live, how much you pray, and the good works you pursue. Remember, you do NOT need to be a full-time missionary in order for God to work through you. Pray for the enabling powers of the atonement, because we cannot do all things on our own.
Latter-day Saints are asked to be a little different than the world at-large. RESPECT those you date. Respect the principles of marriage. Obey the covenants of the temple. Do NOT cross the lines of chastity. Sexual urges cannot be acted upon except in marriage.
Having a Temple Recommend will be necessary for you to fulfill your callings in Church. I do not presume to know how God will use you. I only know that HE WILL!!!!
Your obligation will be to SEE CLEARLY the things that others often miss.
You will have to SEE THROUGH the myths. You will need to deeply understand ALL the scriptures. You will have to understand the deeper intents of certain Church policies and practices. You will have to understand revelation. You will have to understand basic Church history.
Never think you are better than your brethren. Teach others, NOT with an air of superiority, but with an air of RESPECT.
Someday you will TAP INTO THE SPIRIT OF REVELATION, and you will find that knowledge can stream into your head. When it does, be prepared, be humble, and understand the lines of authority. No one in this Church is authorized to be arrogant, dictatorial, or derogatory.
My words are by way of advice, and are NOT to apply pressure to you. God's plans will happen by the grace of Christ, and we will be mere receptacles.
Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.
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4 comments:
Thanks Dad, I will put it to good use, for family,myself, God and my neighbor.
Wise words of wisdom. Thanks.
Wonderful post, as usual. I love reading your blog.
I didn't serve a mission; however, I did have the opportunity to take my sister to the MTC. She was set apart there. After being set apart there, the President of the MTC offered her simple advice: "If you follow the rules of your mission, then you'll have success and be happy."
Even though I was a young mother at the time, the advice struck a chord with me as I recognized it as truth. All we need to do is to follow the 'rules', then we'll have happiness in our lives.
Again, thanks for the blog post. :)
This is very timely for me because my son comes home from his mission in Hawaii in December. I will pass this on to him first thing. Thank you!
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