1. The Pandemic Era and the Title of Liberty:
Our call to serve in the India New Delhi mission came during the Covid. The way missionary work was done was quite different. There is no way for missionaries to be among the people and were restricted to be in the apartment. This method of proselyting has led to many challenges. With the use of technology, which is both a blessing and a curse, missionaries had to fight through this era to be an effective tool in the Lord’s hand. I prayed hard to find what I could do, to help our missionary force find purpose and inspiration, to do better and be better. The Lord spoke and revealed that I need to prepare a Title of Liberty, like Moroni did for his people (Alma 46:12). This Title of Liberty is the one that is guiding our work and helping all of us to be better and become better.
With this experience I know that God is in charge of missionary work. He inspires the leaders and reveals to them, what needs to happen in their mission. I felt Like Jacob did ( Jacob 1:5). I also learned that the mission leadership council is the heart of the mission, and it is where all revelations are given, for the council to act.
2. Every Young Man and Young Women is critical to missionary work:
A fine young man from my mission, prepared to leave on his mission and he was a wonderful soul. A few weeks in the MTC made him realize that this work cannot be done without the spirit. He also realized that he is not completely clean to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost to be with him always. He confessed to the MTC president, and he was sent back home to repent and return. It was hard for me to receive that young man from the airport. But I saw in him, his potential, and his desire to serve. Over the next few months with the help of his branch president, we worked together and went through the repentance process. I saw a marvellous change in him. His repentance was complete. He was ready to leave back for his mission. He is having a wonderful experience as a missionary. Recently, I saw a picture of him along with a family that was baptized. What would have happened to this family if this missionary did not put his life in order and returned to the field? How many generations of members we would have lost?
I learned that every young man and young woman is critical to this work. There are families out there waiting just for you to come and declare the word of God. They will forever remember you for what you had done to them in their eternal progression towards God. So, I invite all Young men and Young women to come and serve the Lord and help this work move forward.
3. Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ:
The gospel is incomplete without the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is because he paid the price that you and me and all can return to heavenly home and be in the presence of God the Eternal Father and His son. I have seen missionaries not only teach the principle of atonement but also exercised faith unto repentance for their own sins so that they can become clean.
One of my missionaries taught me the power of atonement. He engaged in a transgression that required him to leave the mission and return home. Before we came to that point, I was struggling to help this missionary in the repentance process. However, what I did without realizing that I was doing is taking upon me the sins of the missionary. I could not properly eat or sleep as the effects of the sins that were playing on me. I truly felt like Alma (Alma 36: 12-17). I was trying to pay the price of the sins of my missionary. It was not until a member of the Area Presidency made me realize that I cannot pay the price, and it is only the saviour who can do that. My heart was filled with joy as I understood the power and magnitude of the Atonement. Again, I felt like Alma (Alma 36: 18-21). The Gall of bitterness was replaced with exquisite joy. The power of atonement was made manifest to me that day.
I learned that because of the atonement, his bowel of mercy is filled with compassion, and he stands between us and justice. He redeemed us by satisfying the demands of justice.
4. Temple and Endowment:
One of the many things that we have been praying for, is to have all our missionaries be endowed. That dream was fulfilled in February 2024. As of today, all the missionaries in our mission are endowed and have made a higher covenant with the Lord.
This very act of being in the temple and qualifying to be endowed has raised our missionary standards. Our missionaries and now able to teach with power and authority as they testify of the temple ordinances and how important those ordinances are for our exaltation. There is no greater joy than to see missionaries dressed in the temple clothing. I see their potential as sons and daughters of the most high God.
5. Our witness and sure testimony:
Sister William and I are blessed to be in the driver’s seat of the missionary work in India. We have seen the Lord’s hand in our lives and especially in the lives of our dear missionaries. I came to mission with three daughters, but as we finish our mission, our family has expanded more than we taught that we could have. We love all our missionaries. We are incredibly happy for them and know how much they have sacrificed to come here and serve along with us. But each of them knows that missionary service is not a sacrifice, but it is a privilege.
We want to bear witness that missionary work is the most important work today. Every youth is invited to come and serve. Missionary service teaches you lessons that you cannot otherwise learn. It brings upon you a testimony for a lifetime and then beyond. You will know for yourself that Jesus is the Christ, and this is His work. We bear witness of the Book of Mormon and how this is a sickle in the missionary work. We testify that the church is restored, and the restoration is ongoing. We love our dear prophet and the members of the twelve. We know they are called of God. We are grateful for the privilege we had to serve and consider it as a crowing blessing of our lives. We bear witness of the saviour. We know he is our redeemer, and we bear these things in the name of the Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
