Dear Elders and Sisters,
This past week I have been thinking of the sacrifices that
each of you have made in order to answer the call to serve the Lord. Yesterday
after sacrament meeting I was chatting with some members who expressed their
gratitude for our full-time missionaries and amazement at how willing they are
to serve. I replied that you literally could not hire young people to do what
you are doing. And if you could, they would not perform their labors with as
much care and diligence as you, who not only receive no wages for your work, but
also pay your own expenses. Truly the manner in which we serve others as
missionaries is a significant part of what Isaiah called “a marvelous work and
a wonder” (2Ne. 26:27).
I love the following story, related by President Thomas S.
Monson, in the April 2008 Ensign about a young violinist:
Benjamin Landart…in 1888, was 15 years old and an
accomplished violinist. Living on a farm in northern Utah with his mother and
seven brothers and sisters was sometimes a challenge to Benjamin, as he had
less time than he would have liked to play his violin. Occasionally his mother
would lock up the violin until he had his farm chores done, so great was the
temptation for Benjamin to play it.
In late 1892 Benjamin was asked to travel to Salt Lake to
audition for a place with the territorial orchestra. For him, this was a dream
come true. After several weeks of practicing and prayers, he went to Salt Lake
in March of 1893 for the much-anticipated audition. When he heard Benjamin
play, the conductor, a Mr. Dean, said Benjamin was the most accomplished
violinist he had heard west of Denver. Benjamin was told to report to Denver
for rehearsals in the fall and learned that he would be earning enough to keep
himself, with some left over to send home.
A week after Benjamin received this good news, however, his
bishop called him into his office and asked if Benjamin couldn’t put off
playing with the orchestra for a couple of years. The bishop told Benjamin that
before he started earning money, there was something he owed the Lord. The
bishop then asked Benjamin to accept a mission call.
Benjamin felt that giving up his chance to play in the
territorial orchestra would be almost more than he could bear, but he also knew
what his decision should be. He promised the bishop that if there were any way
to raise the money for him to serve, he would accept the call.
When Benjamin told his mother about the call, she was
overjoyed. She told him that his father had always wanted to serve a mission
but had been killed before that opportunity had come to him. However, when they
discussed the financing of the mission, her face clouded over. Benjamin told
her he would not allow her to sell any more of their land. She studied his face
for a moment and then said, “Ben, there is a way we can raise the money. This
family [has] one thing that is of great enough value to send you on your
mission. You will have to sell your violin.”
Six days later, on March 23, 1893, Benjamin wrote in his
journal: “I awoke this morning and took my violin from its case. All day long I
played the music I love. In the evening when the light grew dim and I could see
to play no longer, I placed the instrument in its case. It will be enough.
Tomorrow I leave [for my mission].”
Forty-five years later, on June 23, 1938, Benjamin wrote in
his journal: “The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up
something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten
me for it.”
It is my firm belief that our sacrifices, great or small,
are precious to the Lord and He will remember them. Sacrifice is one of the
things that we must do to qualify for the blessings of Heaven. It is one of the
ways that we can demonstrate our love for the Lord. As we give of ourselves
cheerfully and willingly, the Lord will compensate us with blessings that we
could never have imagined. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him” (1Cor. 2:9).
We are looking forward to seeing you in zone conferences on
May 12 (Taichung zones), May 13 (Zhongxing/Jiayi/Tainan), and May 14 (Gaoxiong
zones). In ZTM tomorrow, your zone
leaders will give you a copy of a talk entitled, “The Consecrated Missionary,”
by Bishop Gerald Causse. Please study it prior to zone conference and come prepared to discuss what you have learned.
President Blickenstaff
Mentor of Champions
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