Elder Jepsen - God gives me peace, balance and purpose

I love life as a missionary. There is so much to do and now after having been a missionary for almost nineteen months there is still so much to learn as I am just beginning to get some perspective on the true meaning of an infinite learning curve. As a District Leader I appreciate the efforts and hard work of missionaries in the district and benefit greatly from hearing their stories of both failures and success and I can relate, because all missionaries experience both ups and downs many times during their missions. They are good, experienced missionaries that I can rely on, trust to do their part and they make our district great. 

I have some good people to look up to in the Washington Spokane Mission. Our leaders are great and I have a great appreciation for our Mission President, he is truly amazing and I couldn't wish for any better. He's a good man and I support his leadership. 

 

We've had to do a lot of finding in our area this last little while, as many of the people we were teaching have turned us down. It's helpful and inspiring in times like this to remember that when one door closes, others often open. As long as we keep doing our part, God will help us find the people that seeks Him, that He has prepared for us to teach. 

We are here to teach and there is a lot of people seeking the peace and balance that God has to offer, although sometimes they might be unaware that what they are seeking comes from God. But, with preparation, prayer, God's help and an open heart, we will find them and help them find that peace and balance again. 

That's why I love what I do and why I find it rewarding, even on days where the obstacles seem to dominate my view. God gives me peace, balance and purpose and there is no greater moment than when I experience others make that same discovery for themselves. 

What Does It Take To Make a Mormon Missionary and What Does He Do?

As of February 2013, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints operates  405 missions around the world. 

To quickly update the info image posted to the left: The current number of missionaries has risen to  60,000 young men and women serving full-time missions since this very informative picture was made.

When they come to your door, please take the time to hear what they have to say. Their message is worth a listen.

Missionaries teaches, serves where needed and assists in disaster areas, when extra hands are needed and they do this every day of the week, every week and every month and year for the full duration of their mission. They do this voluntarily and they are not payed to be missionaries but they do have a purpose. Like an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints once said: "Every truth that a missionary... teaches is only an appendage to the central message of all time--that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, the Holy Messiah, the Promised One, the Savior and Redeemer of the world."

The missionaries do this service in the hope that as a result more people will have better lives and find more peace and happiness in their day. 

Don't be fooled by their young age, they bring eternal wisdom in the words of God, they bring a message that can conquer agony, distress and confusion. 

While it is true that we must develop endurance and strength for our own good in life, many problems can be avoided, many of our questions and worries can be answered simply and easily, just ask the missionaries. This might sound like an easy way out or even unlikely but if that's what you think, why don't you give it a try and ask the missionaries?

Elder Jepsen - From Half Way Around the World to Where I Was Born?

Going out on a mission usually does not mean going home but this is very nearly the case. I have really enjoyed my time in Pullman, Washington but I'm off to Grand Forks, BC, Canada, only 135km/84 miles from my birthplace! I have come here to serve, as a missionary from half way around the world and like a salmon (Canadian Salmon) I almost return to where I began, the world is getting smaller every day. 

Working with Elder Hsieh was a privilege and I learned a lot from him. I'll miss his insight, experience and working with the Chinese people but one thing is certain on a mission and that is transfers, there'll always be another one. I learned to appreciate Elder Hsieh, he's a good man, a good missionary and I'll miss him.

I am grateful to be able to serve a mission, to be here, and to the best of my ability be an instrument in the hands of God, in bringing His teachings to those who want to hear, learn and do. 

Time on a mission is in short supply, as the two short years duration of a mission turns out to speed by in what seems like the blink of an eye. Dad warned me, this was going to happen but it's hard to imagine how fast time flies until you're here. I just began my mission, it's almost over and I'm just beginning to catch on but God is there always and I can trust that He'll be there for all these people that I have met and taught so far, long after I am gone. 

I know that I'm not indispensable and I have met many great missionaries, much better at this than I but I can contribute where I go, and hope to make the best small difference that I can. 

I don't bring much beyond my time and effort but I hope and pray to bring enough of the Lord's Spirit and my testimony, that I know this gospel to be true, that God lives and is here for us, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I pray that those spiritually prepared to hear it, will recognise it for what it is and act on it.

The gospel is true and I know it

Love you guys,
Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - It's a Good Thing!

Thank you for all your prayers. Know that my prayers are with you, always! I love you guys. 

This week we have been blessed with so much to do. The work is going well and it's been very humbling. We currently have a lot of people preparing for baptism and seeing people change, as they acquire the teachings of God and apply them in their lives, is like seeing miracle after miracle all around me. I love being a missionary, it's a privilege and very gratifying experience, it makes me want to be a better person, that I may be more for others. 

I love the gospel, for everything that it teaches me and so many others. Living by the altruistic principles taught throughout the scriptures and by the leaders in the church really helps avoid many of the pitfalls and difficulties in life. I have only lived a few years yet and my limited life experience doesn't give me as much to draw on but I see the principles that I aim to live by, changing people's lives and easing their trials. Feasting on the gospel is feasting on life itself. It's a good thing! 

Thank you, Mom and Dad! Thank you for raising me with the necessary principles to allow me the privilege, that I could prepare for and be a part of this great work. It's a truly magnificent experience. 

Love you, 
Elder Jepsen 

The Other Side of Heaven

I saw a good movie today. I usually don't sit down and write a recommendation when I have been entertained by a movie but his did more than entertain me. I felt better and uplifted after watching it.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Other_Side_of_Heaven 

The movie is about missionary work without being preachy. The beauty in loosing yourself in the service of others is portrayed excellently. Although missionary work in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is more organized and the missionaries are no longer exposed to risk in the same way as in the early fifties, most of todays missionaries around the world can relate to this story in one form or another. 

Elder Jepsen - Every Choice We Make in Life Takes Us Closer to Something... Good or Bad

Thank you for your reassuring mail. Since I began my mission, my appreciation and love towards you, my parents, has grown and deepened. I really love you two and our whole family.

My companion is everything that I could hope for in a missionary companion. He understands his purpose and is very well aware of the limited time we have as missionaries. Two years isn't much when you consider the task but he's focused, dedicated and earnest and that goes a long way. We work hard, the accomplishment feels good, I have been able to feel the Spirit to a much greater extent and my love for the work has grown to new dimensions.

With the right attitude, purpose and intention, a lot of the obstacles in the work disappears and I feel much more prepared for the task at hand. The work doesn't get any easier but you get more done and it becomes much more satisfying to serve as a missionary. We have a lot of people to see and many of them could really benefit from the peace and perspective that can be found in abiding to the words of direction found in the gospel.

We have some good people here amidst trouble and struggle. I see people and situations that are  difficult. Many are victims of other people's decisions without any fault of their own. None of us can account for other people's choices and other people's choices can sometimes have consequences that spread pain like rings in the water. I also am fortunate in seeing, how good choices has helped many maintain some degree of peace and happiness, even in times of trouble and without some of the luxuries that so many consider essential.

Everybody has a different name for it, some call it conscience while others call it karma but it really all comes down to this: Every choice we make in life takes us closer to something! There are two opposing forces in our lives, good and bad. Everything good comes from God and everything bad comes from Satan. Every choice we make in life will draw us in one direction or the other, and where you go will to a large extent determine who or what you find right next to you. Choose the right, because opposites don't really attract in life! Who you are and who you choose to be determines the circle of people, circumstances and opportunities around you, it's your choice.

Going on a mission is by far the very best and hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life and it doesn't seem to get any easier, as my perspective opens up to the true dimensions of the task.

It's begun snowing here and it's snowing again today. I'm really enjoying the colder weather, except I really want to get some UnderArmor thermals. They're the only way to go, they're still a little pricey but I should be able to get them soon.

I'm very sorry about Grandma's health but she sure is a fighter. I've been praying for you every day as well as for friends and family, that they stay strong and protected.

I'm going to have to get going but I sure do love you two very much!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Listening to That Inner Voice

How are you all? Everything here is great! I'm sorry for not ever really being able to tell you much about everything but I never really get very much time.

I was transferred out because another Elder, who had been serving here while awaiting the approval of his visa, had his visa approved and he's off to Jamaica. Leaving a well functioning area where things were going very well, I'm grateful to see when hard work pays off. The initial two baptismal preparations had doubled to four and I am happy for them, they are good people and it's good to see what the gospel can do for good people. They were well prepared when I left and with the great missionaries taking over, they'll be in good hands.

The missionaries here live in a house, there is five of us here. Good fun! I'm serving with Elder Monson and no, he's not related to President Monson. The area here is quite different from where I've served in the past but I love it. I've had one of the best weeks of my mission. I feel a little like the Lord had given me a big load to carry early on and as it's been lifted, I'm more prepared and ready for what is to come.

I love being a missionary and I'm grateful to be here. It's good to see the results of what I do. The gospel is so very straight forward, the principles are good, sound teachings and if honestly applied with sincerity, they will be the basis for a happier life. Sure, problems don't go away because of the gospel but you get through things with a cleaner conscience and feeling better, than without it. It just makes so much sense and I simply share what I know to be good principles to live by, as they were taught to me and I've seen them work. Then, as people are reminded once again how to listen to that inner voice and begin to recognize it as the Holy Spirit, they are lifted and their burdens lightened. I love the gospel.

I love you all!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - I Am a Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I LOVE IT!

Our team has changed. I now work with Elder Omohundro and we both call Elder Taylor our trainer. Elder Omohundro is very eager to work, we get along great and I'm happy to serve with one who has so much experience to draw on.

It's been a difficult week, to be perfectly honest I've been struggling with taking over this new area but on the other hand some incredible miracles have happened.

It's a satisfying experience when we are allowed the blessing and experience it is to bring someone to church. As usual, they'll often be a little uneasy around a crowd of new faces but as they feel welcome and (if they have opened their hearts sufficiently,) feel the Spirit, they end up enjoying the experience.

An even greater experience is when we have another baptism to look forward to and it could seem that we soon might have that blessing as well and life is good!

It's a beautiful thing to have the privilege that I have, sharing the gospel, that God's love is available to everyone who honestly decides to seek Him, with an open heart. It moves me deeply that I am allowed this blessing in my life, to serve God and see His blessing become apparent to others as they too seek what God has to offer.

As missionaries we ask a lot. We are not offering a book, a membership in a social club or "Pudding of the Month Club." We ask that people reconsider their view of life itself, priorities and goals. We ask people to change, and it can be a challenge to consider as great a change, as a commitment to live according to God's directions can be.

The people we meet come in various levels of preparation for the gospel. For some it's an all new world of difference, and for others it's as if the introduction of the gospel is the only natural next step in succession of their preparatory steps to this particular moment in their lives. But, if facing it with an open heart and wanting to know, the gospel is an eyeopening experience unlike any other and it's truly great to help guide people in the discovery, that God lives and He really cares.

I appreciate that both of you Mom and Dad, and my brothers Paul and Lee all served missions. Now it's my turn and I am glad to be here, it's a GREAT blessing. I am a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and love what I do!

I hope you have a great week. You're in my prayers and I'm grateful for everything you have done and do.

Love,
Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen: Sharing the Gospel

Well, I was transferred and just like my last area my new area is awesome! We are in what is known as the "Temple Zone," meaning we're fairly close to the Spokane Temple. The area has a lot of great families and the Church is strong here. 

We're surrounded by forested hills and decided for a nature hike today, when we had a little time for it. I'd send you pictures but I forgot my camera but if can imagine really beautiful and awesome nature, you've got the picture. 

Our area covers two whole congregations and we get 1100 miles of travel allocated each month. My companion is great just like past companions were, he's 23 and from Arizona. He's dedicated and focused on our task here and I'm sure I'll learn a lot from him. I'm grateful to be here, the gospel is wonderful and a mission is great! I love sharing the gospel! 

One of my favorites, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf once said: 
“May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. But don’t reach beyond your capacity. Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don’t compare yourself with others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones. The virtue of your own life will be a light to those who sit in darkness, because you are a living witness of the fulness of the gospel (see D&C 45:28). Wherever you have been planted on this beautiful but often troubled earth of ours, you can be the one to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5).” 

I can't think of a better way of saying it but they are certainly words well worth following, just like Elder Uchtdorf is great example behind the words. 

I like what a mission does for me and I like what my mission does for others, once again I'm grateful to be here. I Love you Mom and Dad! 

Love, 

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Test the Word of God and You Will Find it True

Sunset view of Moses Lake.

Thank you so much for being consistent and patient in writing me. I am very sorry that I have not been able to email you with regularity or very much at all but please understand that it's not always in my hands. Admittedly, I haven't been great at writing and I am sorry, because I really miss you and love you both. 

Last week we were moving and we now live with a very sweet member family. They cut our hair and ask that in return we  work extra hard and it's quite a good arrangement, because we keep busy and I'm exhausted at the end of each day. 

Wild cacti in Moses Lake.

Moses Lake is very different from what I am familiar with, it's really a desert and unlike Denmark where the trick is to restrict excessive growth in your garden, people's lawns die here if they don't water them and cactus grows naturally! 


People began settling the area of Moses Lake, Washington in 1880 and it was initially named Neppel after a German town. With an estimated population of 301 people, Neppel was in 1938 named Moses Lake after the Indian Chief Moses that was leader of the Sinkiuse tribe from 1859 to 1899. 


Moses Lake has since grown to a population of more than 20,000 people. The airport here has a main runway that's 4,100 m long, covers 19 km², is the largest airport in the entire US and began as a World War 2 training center. 

Elder Taylor (he's the one to the left).

Elder Taylor and I are now serving in three congregations as they just divided one into two. We're serving in the 4th, 7th and the 10th congregation, totaling more than a thousand people. The people here are great and we are not just searching for people to teach, we are also teaching and I love it. 


I am grateful to be here, serving as a missionary. I love you, and I'll show it by continuing to be a worthy priesthood holder and by doing my best as your son and as an Elder, called by God to serve a mission. 

We share a good message that brings out the best in people and can be of benefit to all who choose to hear it and act on it. Adhering to God's teachings brings peace and balance, even when the world around us isn't at peace or in balance. Test the word of God and you will find it true. God's words to us can easily stand testing and I wish more people would have the courage and commitment to do so. 

I'm running out of time again. I am sorry but the library only allows you a short time and it's all we have. I love you and wish I could write for hours about my experiences as a missionary. 

Love, 


Elder Jepsen 

Elder Jepsen - Seek God in Honest Prayer, Faith and an Open Heart

I've been assigned to work with Elder Taylor, a great missionary from Yuma, Arizona, where heat is found in abundance. Elder Taylor finds it pretty cold up here compared to his home state, whereas for me--well, I'm dying in the heat already. I find it quite warm here compared to Denmark but I'm sure I'll adjust to the new climate. A fellow missionary kindly donated a short sleeved shirt for me to use, which has helped. Coming from Denmark I had never seen the need and didn't own a single short sleeved white shirt.


We had a great week. We haven't been able to find very many people to teach but I thoroughly enjoy being able to focus all of my attention on serving the Lord as a missionary.


I have been preparing to go on a mission for a very long time. It took me a while to save up enough to go on a mission, it's worth a lot to me to be here and I am grateful that I can serve. There is a lot of good people in our area. If I can just find those prepared to hear our message, read the Bible and The Book of Mormon, seek God in honest prayer, faith and an open heart--well, He would hear their prayer and what more could I ask? If people would only do those few things, we would not be able to build chapels fast enough. But, the fact that it takes time and effort to find these good people will help me put things in perspective, help remind me of their worth to God and how highly the Lord regards the people that He lets us find and teach. 


I think if people could see the potential that God sees in them, they would be confident, happy and successful, a lot less people would be doubting themselves, their abilities and worth. Stress, anxiety and depressions would be greatly reduced and more people would find peace in the atonement of Jesus Christ. 


Not a lot is required from us to make God a part of our lives. When we draw nearer to God, the fine whisperings of His Spirit isn't drowned out as easily by all the other things we have going on in  our lives. To draw nearer to God we must search the scriptures prayerfully and honestly approach our Heavenly Father in faith and humility. Seeking a better understanding of what God has in mind for us, will help clarify our priorities in life and make it easier for us to make those big important choices in life. 


It's so easy and yet it is so hard for so many people, because it all comes down to making choices. I wish I could help more people find the Lord and see a way though life, just like it has helped me but I have to find them first and they have to stand still long enough to listen and hear the quiet whisper of the Holy Spirit! So many people are busy doing what they think is required and expected of them, that I think they forget their actual needs. 


I pray that I can become a teaching missionary, spending the short time of a mission on building memories with people who honestly are seeking to make God a part of their lives. But, I am certain that as we continue to do our best, the Lord will bless us in our search when we are ready.


Love you,
Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen Goes to Washington

The Washington Spokane Mission (marked in green). 

The moment has come and Elder Jepsen is now not only on a mission but a missionary in the Washington Spokane Mission. The mission boundaries include portions of Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, Canada. 

Mission President and Sister Palmer with Elder Jepsen.

Upon arrival, Elder Jepsen was welcomed by Mission President and Sister Palmer (here shown in front of the Spokane Washington Temple). 

Elder Taylor and Elder Jepsen.

Elder Jepsen was assigned to work with Elder Taylor, who will be teaching Elder Jepsen how things are done and they will be working in the Moses Lake, Washington area. 

Moses Lake, Washington.

Moses Lake, Washington.

Moses Lake, Washington is a small city in Grant County with a population of approximately 20,000 people. 


This is the real thing. Elder Jepsen is on a mission to share the gospel. He will be spending every day in the service of our Lord, sharing a message of faith and hope. He'll spend every day prayerfully, to most effectively find and teach the people in the Washington Spokane Mission because this is what God has called him to do. 


Elder Jepsen is not doing this because it is easy or because it's fun, he's not doing it for entertainment or gain and is not expecting anything in return. Certainly, missionaries are blessed for their dedication and effort but being a missionary is hard work. The effort shown by these young people known as missionaries, Sisters and Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is both admirable and  commendable. Missionaries all deserve our respect, help and prayers, every day. We can't all be on missions all the time but our prayers and support can be with those that are out there as missionaries, those preparing to go on missions and those returning home from missions. Invite the missionaries into your homes, make them feel welcome and you'll be inviting God's Spirit into your home. Share the missionaries with your friends, you'll be glad you did.

Missionary Work, Blogging and Sharing our Beliefs in Jesus Christ

In a recent article on http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765563338/LDS-missionary-blogs-useful-if-etiquette-is-observed.html?pg=1, the issue of missionary work and blogging was addressed, allowing an opportunity to once again review general etiquette, purpose and directions when using social media to share experiences relating to our beliefs. 


Exploring the possibilities of faith and prayer is a very private matter. People generally don't want to find their specific spiritual experience described in detail online, even with their names changed. A missionary blog might best serve its purpose if it is about the missionary, missionary work and spiritually uplifting experiences described in general terms, if involving others. Local members of the church and other missionaries often deserve credit for their spiritual influence, attitude or help and a positive mention by name is often deserved and appreciated when the occasion calls for it. Negative encounters and bad impressions are better left out and forgotten, never forgetting the unforgiving nature of permanence on the Internet. 


Social media allows us to share views and beliefs on a whole other level than a pulpit in a chapel, a friendly chat with a friend or family. There's a world of constantly evolving and exiting possibilities online but it never forgets and nothing is ever totally erased. 


The Internet reminds me of an old adage "Once spoken, words are difficult to retract." I think it is important to remember, that what we do on a blog is there for the whole world to see--always! As Elder M Russell Ballard reminds us: "Most of you already know that if you have access to the Internet you can start a blog in minutes and begin sharing what you know to be true." 


But, it is not enough that something is true--it must be right! For something to be good, it must be good for everyone involved. Simply changing a name for the sake of privacy does not insure privacy. Discretion, ethics, integrity and respect must be considered when sharing missionary experiences and representing our beliefs through social media. The church's "General Handbook of Instructions" states that: "Members are encouraged to be examples of their faith at all times and in all places, including on the Internet. If they use blogs, social networks, and other Internet technologies, they are encouraged to strengthen others and help them become aware of that which is useful, good, and praiseworthy." 


Doctrine and Covenants 38:41
And let your preaching be the warning voice, every man to his neighbor, in mildness and in meekness.


Elder M Russell Ballard makes a clear statement, encouraging our participation: "The emergence of New Media is facilitating a world-wide conversation on almost every subject including religion... may I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet, particularly the New Media, to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration." 


Doctrine and Covenants 88:81
Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor. 


The Internet and Social Media is one of our day's greatest blessings and I think it should be used to share our blessings and be of service to others. Because: "When Ye Are in the Service of Your Fellow Beings Ye Are Only in the Service of Your God" (Mosiah 2:17)

Provo and Orem have the Biggest Percentage of Optimistic Americans

According to the Reuters News Agency a recent Gallup poll, hope and optimism can still/again be found among Americans. While it's not immediately clear why some areas hold more hope than others, the sum of the data still concludes: "Together, the data suggest there is likely a combination of factors that can create optimism about a community." 


Topping the list of American optimism is the Provo-Orem area in Utah where 76% of the population agree that "Their area is becoming a better place to live." In 2010 Orem, Utah was named 5th and Provo, Utah was among the top 10 cities in which to raise a family by Forbes magazine. 


Provo, Utah is home to the Brigham Young University (BYU), one of four universities/colleges run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). BYU is the largest religious university, the third largest private university in the United States and offers programs in liberal arts, engineering, agriculture, management and law. 


"Education is the power to think clearly,
the power to act well in the world's work,
and the power to appreciate life."
-- Brigham Young


According to Fall, 2011 statistics, the average BYU student GPA was 3.82 but not only good grades make the average BYU student stand out. All students are required to adhere to a Code of Honor of academic honesty, dress and grooming standards, abstinence from drugs, alcohol and extramarital sex. This is not an optimistic honor code but it does serve to build a foundation for both hope and optimism.


Provo also houses an LDS Missionary Training Center (MTC), where each week approximately 475 missionaries enter to begin 3-12 weeks training, preparing to serve in one of the 345 missions around the world, taking their message of hope with them wherever they go. Every day of every week, 52,000 missionaries are sharing that same message of hope, first given by our Savior Jesus Christ. Many of these missionaries learn a foreign language while attending the MTC in preparation to serve a multitude of nationalities. The Provo MTC is one of 17 such centers around the world, teaching missionaries how to best share their message of faith and hope to all who will listen. Perhaps it's mostly a matter of choice if you wish to share in that same hope and optimism?


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints currently has 136 temples around the world, one of them in Provo, Utah. While the Provo temple is not the biggest of LDS temples, it is the busiest of all the LDS temples. More people go through the Provo temple than any other LDS temple in the world. On October 1, 2011 President Thomas S Monson announced that a second LDS temple in Provo would be built, restoring what was once known as the Provo Tabernacle. 


The many sources for the optimism found in the Provo-Orem area are far from exclusive but based on principles that can be replicated anywhere in the world. The Gallup poll states that "What works in some of the best performing cities could provide an example for other regions to follow." Most important, optimism is an attitude found in people not things and people travel, giving hope that the optimism found in Provo-Orem might one day come our way. The missionaries taught and trained in Provo, Utah also travel and when you meet some in your neighborhood you must remember that somewhere in their message is a source of hope and optimism.


Bibliography:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/13/us-usa-optimism-idUSBRE82C0ST20120313
http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng
http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/statistics/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provo,_Utah
http://home.byu.edu/home/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary_Training_Center
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigham_Young_University

The Worth of One Soul

Every minute of every day, every week and month all year long, representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are actively serving God and their fellow beings as missionaries around the world. 


The Church currently have approximately 53,000 young men and women serve as full-time missionaries, giving every waking minute of every day to sharing a message of significance to every human being. As Gordon B Hinckley said "The sun never sets on this work of the Lord as it is touching the lives of people across the earth."


There are of course many reasons that young men and women are giving up their time to serve as missionaries but perhaps Heber J. Grant best explained the continued motivation: "There is no other labor in all the world that brings to a human heart, judging from my own personal experience, more joy, peace and serenity than proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ."


Serving a mission is not an absolute must. Gordon B. Hinckley has suggested that a mission is not a rite of passage. Many young people who wants to go are not able and some who go are not able to stay as long as they had intended but all should prepare to serve a mission, spiritually, scholastically, mentally and physically. President Monson in the October 2011 General Conference, repeated what prophets before him have taught, that: "Every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission. Missionary service is a priesthood duty and obligation the Lord expects of us, who have been given so very much."


Preparation for missionary work is paramount for a successful mission. President Monson has taught: "Missionary work is difficult, it taxes ones energies, it strains ones capacity, it demands ones best effort. No other labor requires longer hours or greater devotion or such sacrifice and fervent prayer. As a result of that sacrifice we return from our missions with our own gifts, the gift of faith, the gift of testimony, the gift of understanding the role of the Spirit, the gift of daily gospel study, the gift of having served our Savior."


A mission is indeed a sacrifice and hard work. So why do people put themselves through such a rigorous ordeal? A possible answer and very good reason can be found in the book "Doctrine & Covenants:" 


Doctrine & Covenants 18:10
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; 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!


Helping another person to access the blessings of the atonement, seeing lives change as people discover the peace found in aligning choices and priorities with the directions found in God's words, is a reward of unimaginable proportions.


A mission is an experience on such a scale that it becomes a milestone in the lives of those who served it wholehearted and with commitment. It has become a worn out cliche to refer to a mission as the "Best two years" of ones life.  This is a thought that I myself have never been that comfortable with. My wife and I both served missions. All our three sons either served or are currently serving missions and I would like to think that greater things are yet to come. Don't let it all be downhill from here, don't let a mission be the pinnacle of an entire lifetime. There is life after a mission, to both build and climb new and greater pinnacles than ever before.

Elder W. Christopher Waddell tells us that there is no returned missionary for whom it is too late to considerer the lessons obtained through faithful service and to apply them more diligently. As we do so we will feel the Spirit more fully in our lives, our families will be strengthened and we will draw closer to our Savior and Father in Heaven.

In a previous General Conference Elder L. Tom Perry extended this invitation: "I call on you returned missionaries to rededicate yourselves, to become re-infused with the desire and Spirit of missionary service. I call on you to look the part, to be the part and to act the part, a servant of our Father in Heaven. I want to promise you there are great blessings in store for you if you continue to press forward with the zeal you once possessed as a full-time missionary."


The atonement is not just for the many people we teach as missionaries but also for ourselves and entirely for our benefit. The atonement is why we do we do missionary work, it is what we share, it is what we seek and it is the most beautiful gift of all. When we sing the hymn “I Stand All Amazed” I am reminded of His great gift, the atonement:

Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, #193

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.


The worth of one soul, the worth of your one soul, is great in the eyes of God. I ask for God's eternal blessings to be with everyone of you, that you may have, see and recognize God's hand in your lives and seek Him in all your decisions and needs. 

Elder W. Christopher Waddell - The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are now seen almost all over the world and everywhere they go they are easily recognizable. Future missionaries or returned missionaries are not always as easy to recognize but they both have a mission in common. The preparations of the future missionary speaks volumes of who the returned missionary is going to be.


To teach God's words it's not enough to recite a text, it must first be lived, experienced, felt and then through the Spirit, understood. A lot is expected from these missionaries, as they give not only two years of their lives to share their beliefs with others but also who they've become through living that same gospel.


Although so much rests on the preparation, a mission becomes a strongly formative experience and it is a treasured time for those who serve, spent in diligence, faith and devotion. While not everyone agrees with the message of the missionaries, many look up them wherever they go--and with good reason. Missionaries  are good people!




In the words of Elder W. Christopher Waddell. A mission truly is an "Opportunity of a lifetime."

The Denmark Copenhagen Mission

President Jens H Andersen and Sister Susanne D C Andersen  

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, missionary work naturally becomes a significant factor as the members want others to share in what has brought about changes in their own lives, for the better. According to 2010 statistics the church had 14,131,467 members around the world and included in that number was 52,483 missionaries distributed in 340 missions around the world. A great portion of those numbers can be attributed to missionaries serving on missions.


The Denmark Copenhagen Mission traces its humble beginning back to when Denmark in 1849 was allowed religious freedom. Missionary work officially began on June 14 1850, when Erastus Snow arrived and began serving as Denmark's first missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.


Less than two months after the arrival of Erastus Snow the first 15 people were baptized on August 12 in Oresund (the strait separating Denmark and Sweden). The first congregation was established September 15 that same year with approximately 50 members.


Peter O. Hansen had already begun translating the Book of Mormon in Nauvoo before departing for Denmark, allowing the completion and publishing already in 1851. Known as "Mormons Bog," this was the first translation from English to a foreign language of the Book of Mormon .


As missionary work spread through Denmark, persecution increased. The church was not understood or appreciated by all, in Aalborg a mob vandalized a hall where the members were meeting in 1851. Soon members began to emigrate, the first left January 31, 1852. Of the 26.000 people who were converted during this period, 13.984 converts immigrated to the United States by 1930. 


Today the Denmark Copenhagen Mission serves the areas of Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Most of the currently 72 (Dec 2011) missionaries are in the ares of Denmark and Iceland. Occasionally missionaries get to visit or are stationed on Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The Denmark Copenhagen Mission President Jens Hjarup Andersen and Sister Susanne Duus Christensen Andersen, of the Allerod Ward, Copenhagen Denmark Stake, began their mission back in 2010 and will be serving until 2013. Their family includes five children.

President Andersen was born in Helleruplund, Denmark, to Poul Borge and Kirsten Hjarup Andersen. He has in the past served as a Stake President, Stake Young Men President, Bishop and Counselor, Stake Mission President, Ward Mission Leader, missionary in the England Bristol Mission and as Coordinator in the Church Educational System.


Sister Andersen was born in in Helleruplund, Denmark  to Karl Johan Duus and Elisabeth Conradsen Christensen. She has in the past served as a Relief Society President's Counselor, Young Women President and Counselor, Primary president's Counselor and Young Women's  President's counsellor.


Sources:
Denmark Copenhagen Mission
Translation Division, Copenhagen Denmark
Deseret News Church Almanac
http://www.mormon.dk/
http://newsroom.lds.org/
http://lds.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary_(LDS_Church)

Book of Mormon Missionaries Then and Now

Why do young people all over over the world give up two years of their lives to do missionary work? Perhaps some of the reasons might be found in reading about missionaries in the Book of Mormon:

The Book of Mormon, Jacob, chapter 1, verse 19:

19
And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.

An example of missionaries in The Book of Mormon:

The Book of Mormon, Alma, chapter 26, verse 29:

29 
And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

Listening to the Spirit is also important on the bad days:

The Book of Mormon, Alma, chapter 26, verse 27:

27 
Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

... and this is what makes it all worth while:

The Book of Mormon, Alma, chapter 26, verse 30 - 31:

30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

31 
Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.


Young and old, Brothers and Sisters all over the world go and serve on missions, not because they have to and not because anybody makes them. They go because their message is real, they know the required process for spiritual change and they have seen it work. These missionaries bring the same message that changed their own lives for the better. To see that change and the happiness it brings into people's lives is only a small part of the motivation behind a good missionary. It becomes a duty with the understanding that responsibility is not about yourself but others!