#11 "The Field is White, Already to Harvest"

D&C 4, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 31, 33, 75

Is there anyone here who doesn’t know how to sew but, wishes, or has the desire to know how to sew? That is good that you have a desire to know how to sew-may I ask why you wish you could sew? Have you seen cute clothes? Is it because you’d like more modest options? Now that we know you desire to sew and you have the motivation to, let’s get you started. (Have them come up) What tools does she need? (Basket full of: scissors, material, pattern, needle, thread, pins, measuring tape,) Okay then here you go, (give a pattern of a wedding dress) Can you have this made by the end of class? NO? How about an easier pattern? (give sewing cards and yarn) Now, will that teach you how to be a seamstress? No? Is there anything else you think you may need?
Expert advice, perhaps, or lessons from an expert? Okay where are my seamstresses here? (Peggy, Janet B, or Janet M.) Would you be willing to teach her? Do you think with the tools here you can make her into an expert seamstress by the end of class? No? Ask expert: When teaching someone to sew do you usually start with a difficult project? No? How about if we started with something really small, really basic? Would teaching her with these cards help her to learn? No? what would you start with? PJ’s?
Is it possible for her to be an expert by the end of class? How come? Small steps are the key. Okay my helpers can sit and relax now.

Let’s discuss this, what are the things she needs to become a seamstress? Write following on board:
1-Desire
2-Motivation
3-the right tools
4-pattern
5-expert advise
6-baby steps

Now let’s bring in our lesson, our lesson is actually on Missionary work, in all the sections we were asked to study they all dealt with the work and building up God’s kingdom. In all our sections I have discovered 1 common thing that all these men, Joseph Smith Senior, Hyrum Smith, Joseph Knight Sen., David Whitmer, John Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jun., Thomas B. Marsh, Ezra Thayne, Northrop Sweet, have in common. They all started with a desire and a question. They all came to Joseph Smith with the desire and question to know the Lord’s will in their lives. How they could help in the work? Why do you think they had the desire? What would you say motivated them to want to serve? I believe that they themselves had a testimony, they truly loved the people who taught them, they loved the Lord with all their hearts, they wanted a better life for their families.

The Lord gives them all the same counsel, do the work, involve yourself in the work! All these sections weren’t exactly the same there was some specific counsel given to each of them, some concerning family, some counseling what exactly to teach, how to go about doing things; some mentioned what specific tools they needed to go with as individuals, this counsel can be personalized and read by you if you want to get more specific than what we will cover today. With all this knowledge given to them, all the wonderful experiences they all had by obeying the counsel, did they all stay faithful? At least 3 out of 9 turned away from the church. I don’t know what happened to some of them so there could be more that turned away, but 3 I know of for sure that turned away.

We will discuss what happened to them as we look at our own lives but let’s get into some detail about the same work that the Lord has commanded us to do.

We have all had these lessons many times before so let’s run through a couple of these and what we already know, starting at the bottom.

6-baby steps - What are some baby steps we can take to play a part in the Lord’s work? Meaning what are you willing to do, what could you see yourself doing in the work? have parties, small talk with neighbors; start befriending, serving and be kind with those we have stewardships over? (home/visit teaching families, YM, YW, RS sisters, Elders, High priests etc) After that do you think it wise to start befriending, the less active members or the bitter anti’s or nonmembers, service, kindnesses, etc.

5-expert advice-prophets, other successful missionaries, Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is the best and easiest way to know how to do the work, who to start with and what to say. In our reading sections today, there are 6 different sections given to 6 different men all received the same counsel D&C 11:3& 33:3; all were successful missionaries, in their own ways.

Story: I love the story in the book about Samuel Smith, Joseph Smith’s bother. He went out and door after door he was rejected, he left Books of Mormon with a couple and it was through those couple of books many were converted, including Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, who in turn converted many. Samuel thought his mission unsuccessful, but He now can see what his meager efforts have done.

We aren’t asked to go out on missions necessarily, however we have been asked to join in this work; through our families, neighbors, and callings. We can look to Samuel’s example and at least try to do the work. Do something We will talk more about what merely trying will do for us in a minute, even if we don’t ever see success like Samuel eventually saw.

4-pattern-These men were given a pattern to do their work. By reading this we have been given the same pattern with which to do the work. D&C 4:2, (with all heart; emotions, with all might; service, with all mind; thoughts, and all strength; spirit) be attitudes, Christ is our ultimate pattern

3-the right tools-scriptures, ideas, basic knowledge and testimony of gospel, callings (patterns, or assignment given out of our handbooks)

*When I was first called to YW I had only a vague idea of how a program was to be run because of a wonderful YW pres. I had when I was a Laurel. Through her guidance, of teaching me how to lead by having meetings and helping me learn to plan, and follow through with activity ideas and how to reach out to other YW, I knew enough to come into my calling as a counselor that I could teach my YW, however I had many questions, I didn’t know my specific duties, where and when I stepped off to let the YW take the lead, what my exact duties as a counselor were. Brandy Wood the other counselor gave me a copy of the handbook that had my specific duties in it. That helped tremendously. I finally had a great tool to give me direction. I could’ve been frustrated and stated: “They don’t need me, I haven’t been trained, I don’t know what I’m doing so I won’t show up, our presidency doesn’t have meetings, doesn’t plan anything, why go?” I could’ve easily given up; I chose to have missionary experiences. I made the choice to force myself into those girls’ lives. To tell you the truth I look at some of those YW and think, nothing I did made a difference to them, at least not right now, but I’ve learned that is not what matters! I had a great time, I had a missionary experience, one that brought me great joy at that time in my life, I brought blessings unseen and seen into my family’s lives, I experienced the Lord being on my right and left hand as I planned activities and lessons. I received the blessings of my missionary experience and isn’t that a lot of times why we serve? So we can feel the love of the Lord in our own lives? Maybe I’m selfish, but sometimes that is why I serve and will continue to serve. Yes, I eventually love the people I serve and that is all good too, but it is all God’s work.

2-Motivation-I just stated some of my motivations that I received while serving in YW. I recognized them as such as I read these scriptures. These scriptures have been given to us as some inspiration and possible motivation to wanting a missionary experience of our own. (D&C 18:15-16-Great Joy; 31:5-thy sins forgiven, and a place will be prepared for your family in the Father’s kingdom (it doesn’t say you have to be successful to get these blessings, just that you tried); 31:5-hearts of people opened to us (how many of you have enough friends?); 109:55-57-obtain favor; 84:88-Christ will be with us, angels to bear us up; 84:80-shall not be weary of mind, neither darkened in body or limb, nothing will happen to us that won’t go unnoticed, shall not go hungry or athirst (this is both a spiritual and a temporal promise); 100:7-8 Holy Ghost is with you.
*I believe that not all of these will be motivators for you but if even 1 is a motivator, let that be the key to you doing the work.

1-Desire Now here is the tough one. Gail Banks our Stake RS pres. gave a lesson a couple of weeks ago in RS where she asked us how many of us have prayed for a missionary experience. Only a couple raised their hands, I found that thought provoking. As I prepared this lesson her question came back to my mind. Why don’t we desire to do the Lord’s work? Why not, where has our desire gone? When she first asked this I thought is it because when we think of missionary experience we automatically think of getting a convert to listen to the missionary discussions? I believe that in our case our missionary experiences need to happen in our worlds, in our homes, our neighbors, our home teaching families, the people we serve and with in callings etc. In order to get to the core of why we don’t desire to have missionary experiences, we need to dissect our excuses.

*What are our excuses for not going to work? No Time, Fear, Where do I start, Anxiety, doesn’t do anything for me, don’t like people, don’t see the blessings, the motivators aren’t tangible enough, don’t know how.

Perhaps we could go on and on, but this is a pretty inclusive list; what do all these things have in common? As I look over this list I see that Satan the great destroyer and motivator of all evil has taken a great hold on our hearts, he has replaced our love of the Lord, our desire to follow Him to the ends of the earth, with apathy, with lack of concern, with dislike of fellowmen, and dislike of ourselves, and the apathy we have concerning our families.

Does this worry any of you? That satan has hold of our hearts? If it doesn’t, carry on, He will continue to carefully lead you down to hell till you are as miserable as he is.
If it does bother you, what can you do? Find that desire, find that testimony that first brought you to church, how? Pray to feel the love of the Lord, ask Him to give you the desire, use the motivators to get you going again. Study the scriptures, use the tools we have been given to get us that desire, follow the Savior, study every aspect of His life, do what He did, magnify your priesthood, or motherhood power, listen to and follow the counsel we will receive next week from the Brethren, change something in your life, and finally, baby steps, don’t overwhelm yourself, take baby steps. There is no particular order or place to start, just start somewhere; in your home, change the things that give you the biggest promises, go to your home teaching families, do your callings; there are YM, YW, sisters and Brothers who need someone to be there for them, to bring them along. The Lord loves us, He doesn’t command us to do His work because He isn’t capable, He commands and invites us to live happy, to find that true joy, live as though your eternal livelihood and that of your family, depends on it!

I have a testimony of missionary work. I know that missionary experiences are all around us without converting all the nonmembers in our neighborhoods. I know that we can convert ourselves through service, I know that we are all capable adults and can make our own choices. I also know that just as the Lord’s love is real, so is Satan’s influence, I testify if one doesn’t have hold of our hearts the other does, I know that it is by our actions that we will know which one has a hold of us. I know that our happiness is hinged upon the work we engage in. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.