Missionary Inspiration

I am touched by the service and dedication of the missionaries who come to serve in our mission. This week we have a church-service missionary couple who brought their 38-year-old son who was brain-damaged in a drowning accident when he was 15 months old. He is small—about 65 pounds but requires complete care. His mind is alert but he doesn’t speak. His parents were assigned to the Indexing and Data Processing zone where he can be with them in his wheelchair-bed but they can provide meaningful missionary service. They were given a large corner cubicle with a table so their son could lie down and rest during their service. A mother-daughter pair were assigned to different areas of the Family History Library. A former BYU professor and internationally recognized expert in early Mormon documents was assigned to Church History Special Projects. My student and her husband were thrilled to be assigned to FamilySearch where they will help new patrons on the main floor. “This assignment is just perfect for us!”


I’m also impressed at how our missionaries come—with canes, severe heart conditions, diabetes, wheelchairs, crippled, amazingly good health and agility even in their 80’s, deafness, severely impaired sight, learning disabilities, stake and mission presidents, internationally known professionals, musicians and dancers, people with a long life of church-service, new converts or in-actives for decades, couples, widowed, divorced, never-married, the aged, enthusiastic youth, those with astounding computer expertise as well as the novice! Missionaries have to pass the physical and be able to care for themselves completely and independently, BUT THEY COME WITH A DESIRE TO SERVE AND THEY ARE EACH NEEDED!


Elder Neal A Maxwell’s quote is very applicable: “God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability!