I have been called for a few months to be a Mission Prep Adviser. It has been my pleasure to hear the boys of my ward (who are mostly Andrew's age) teach me what they know about the gospel. The boys know the gospel, but it's one thing to know it and another thing to teach it. I have great faith in them that they will learn how to teach the gospel as well as how to relate to people. After all, they are teaching people not just lessons.
I think the church's missionary program is inspired. Missionaries are mostly young boys who have primarily thought of themselves. At 19 years old, just when they get freedom, they are expected to go somewhere in the world and serve others for two years. They grow up and become mature from the experience. They learn how to think of others. They learn how to live with a companion. Some of them learn another language. They learn how to teach people. They give of themselves. And they learn a great deal about the gospel, about missionary work, and about the scriptures. It seems to me that they get a lot from the experience.
I believe that being a missionary for two years saves lives. I think this because it gives people a purpose and a chance to think about someone besides themselves. If some people choose to never be missionaries, I believe some of their lives go down hill until, eventually, they hit rock bottom. By the time they reach the bottom, they probably have children who learn from them and who don't get taught what their parent learned on their mission. Those children might not stay members of the church, or, if they do, they might not be strong members and may become people who bring others down. Plus, the person at the bottom now has to work just to get themselves up to the surface: it's good that at least they are going upward, but look at how much time they lost by being selfish - what a waste of time and life!
Young people are the church's next generation. When a person chooses to be a missionary, they become a necessary member of the church because they know the gospel. Other people who don't serve missions become necessary members of the church too, but oft times it takes more than two years for them to really know the gospel.
I think the church's missionary program is inspired. Missionaries are mostly young boys who have primarily thought of themselves. At 19 years old, just when they get freedom, they are expected to go somewhere in the world and serve others for two years. They grow up and become mature from the experience. They learn how to think of others. They learn how to live with a companion. Some of them learn another language. They learn how to teach people. They give of themselves. And they learn a great deal about the gospel, about missionary work, and about the scriptures. It seems to me that they get a lot from the experience.
I believe that being a missionary for two years saves lives. I think this because it gives people a purpose and a chance to think about someone besides themselves. If some people choose to never be missionaries, I believe some of their lives go down hill until, eventually, they hit rock bottom. By the time they reach the bottom, they probably have children who learn from them and who don't get taught what their parent learned on their mission. Those children might not stay members of the church, or, if they do, they might not be strong members and may become people who bring others down. Plus, the person at the bottom now has to work just to get themselves up to the surface: it's good that at least they are going upward, but look at how much time they lost by being selfish - what a waste of time and life!
Young people are the church's next generation. When a person chooses to be a missionary, they become a necessary member of the church because they know the gospel. Other people who don't serve missions become necessary members of the church too, but oft times it takes more than two years for them to really know the gospel.
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