Is rarely convenient- Vitalizes the Church

Viewing the Church video production, "Called to Serve," caused Elder Gardner H. Russell to reflect in the Sunday afternoon session on his own mission call as a young man to Argentina.Elder Russell, who was released Saturday afternoon as a member of the Seventy, said when he received his call he sought out his mentor, a former U. S. senator who was not a member of the Church, to tell him of the call.

"He was not impressed. He let me know in no uncertain terms that if I insisted on serving a mission, upon my return all the good jobs would be taken, and I would never amount to anything. I was disappointed. But I realized that he saw my future only as the world perceives."

Elder Russell realized years later that his mission had focused his life toward family, service and gospel principles, and as an added bonus, he was far ahead of most of his classmates in worldly achievements.

"Somehow I understood even then that the call to full-time service in the Church is an unchanging, eternal miracle. Later I learned it is unique, and the call drives the Lord's Church, ever vitalizing and strengthening it every minute of the day."

Noting that a call to serve the Lord rarely comes when it is convenient, he mentioned several people who had answered such a call, including President Ezra Taft Benson, his own father who left on a mission shortly after his wedding, and his great-grandfather who left on a mission to England during his mature years.

"When my call came to full-time service as a mission president to the nations of Uruguay and Paraguay, there were commitments of civic and business nature. All were overcome miraculously. The call was accepted. As a member of the Seventy, after more than five years, I can still, as the hymn says, `scarcely take it in.' There is the same feeling of awe and humility today in the call as the day we were called."

Noting that there are 45,000 full-time missionaries in the world today, he said many young men and women decide early to serve missions if called and that in many wards and stakes, mission calls are so sacred every young man and many young women accept them.

Elder Russell said in stake conference sessions he has often asked congregations to indicate by show of hand if they would do anything their Heavenly Father asks if they only knew the Lord Himself was asking it. In each case, a forest of hands have been raised.

"Perhaps the calls should be even more bold and direct," he suggested, adding that no one asked the early missionaries of the Church whether they "would like to serve" or whether it "would be convenient."

"At present, less than half our faithful young men serve missions from the United States and Canada," he said. "In the rest of the world one or two of 10 are called. Once we, as leaders and parents, embrace the eternal miracle of the call in all its force and magnificence, untold thousands more will serve full-time missions."