President Ezra Taft Benson fervently emphasized his love for missionary work - and for the leaders who move it forward - as he opened the annual New Mission President's Seminar at the Missionary Training Center here June 21.

"I love this work with all my heart," he said. Speaking about missionary work "almost brings tears to my eyes. And now, the Lord has spoken, and we are joined with Him in this marvelous work. You face the happiest years of your life. I know, I have been there."President Benson was the first speaker in the weeklong seminar for the 68 new mission presidents and their wives. Following his remarks to the mission presidents, he spoke briefly to missionaries at the center.

The new presidents, who come from a dozen countries and range in ages from 39 to 68, will head missions in 32 countries. They include physicians, teachers, attorneys, executives and farmers. Most will begin their service about July 1. Others, however, such as Pres. J. Duffy Palmer, have already begun their service. This is Pres. Palmer's second call as mission president; this time he is heading the Liberia Monrova Mission, a new mission created March 1.

In attendance at the first session of the seminar were all three members of the First Presidency, most of the Council of the Twelve and the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy, as well as members of the First Quorum of the Seventy and Presiding Bishopric.

The meeting was conducted by Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve, chairman of the Missionary Executive Council. Also speaking the morning of June 21 were Elder David B. Haight of the Council of the Twelve and a member of the Missionary Executive Council, and Elder Robert L. Backman of the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy and executive director of the Missionary Department.

Other General Authorities were to address the new mission presidents in later sessions throughout the week. They included President Gordon B. Hinckley and President Thomas S. Monson of the First Presidency; President Howard W. Hunter, president of the Council of the Twelve; and members of the Council of the Twelve and the First Quorum of the Seventy, including area presidencies.

In President Benson's address, which was delivered by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Council of the Twelve, mission leaders were offered eternal principles for success in missionary work.

First and foremost, mission leaders should love the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel and the special calling that is now theirs, they were told. "Truly love the work in which you are engaged. Love it with all your heart, and true joy and happiness will be yours."

President Benson also counseled mission presidents and their wives to love the missionaries who serve under them. "Express your love often to them personally and in meetings together. Love changes lives."

Love should also be extended to investigators, he encouraged.

President Benson said missionaries should also know how to work. "We want missionaries who every day arise early, who study diligently, who go tracting with the purpose of finding golden contacts, who challenge and teach with the Spirit, who return every evening `tired in the Lord,' who daily literally have their bodies renewed in His service."

He encouraged mission presidents to take time to study the scriptures with their wives on a daily basis.

"And you and your missionaries should read daily from the Book of Mormon," he emphasized. "There is a spiritual power in the Book of Mormon which is unique to all other scriptures. . . . Every missionary needs the power of the Book of Mormon to bring conversion to his own soul and to increase his own spirituality. With that power your missionaries should use the Book of Mormon as the heart of their proselyting work and as the great converter."

President Benson also observed that obedience brings perfection. "Some missionaries in your mission may suffer a little as they learn this principle, as they bend their will to the will of the Lord, but, oh, what blessings follow!

"You will bless the lives of your missionaries forever if by your example and your teachings they learn and love and live by the principle of obedience."

Elder Haight outlined the missionary role of early members of the Council of the Twelve under Brigham Young in Great Britain, and observed: "In the past century and a half, doors of nations have continued to open to us as prophesied. But we must be prepared and ready.

"We have built through knowledge and testimony a constantly growing membership of Latter-day Saints who are a credit to the Church and an asset to the countries in which they live," he said.

"This is an exciting but soul-searching time for you misison presidents and your lovely companions," Elder Haight continued. "You are to be involved in a continuing history of missionary work and especially to entwine your lives with the lives of others in this soul-saving work."

Elder Backman paid tribute to the mission presidents. "I give thanksgiving to the Lord that there are so many wonderful and great people such as you who respond to the call."

The goals of the missionary program, he reported, include increasing the number of missionaries, the number of converts, and the number of converts who remain active in the Church.

He said that members form a vital link between the missionaries and their converts. In the United States, most converts have been referred by about one-fifth of the members.