In an address filled with reminiscences and warmth, President Thomas S. Monson described to new mission presidents and their wives the joys of the gospel and rewards of missionary service.

President Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, gave direction to new leaders June 25 at the annual Mission Presidents Seminar at the Missionary Training Center here. He was accompanied by his wife Frances. Also in attendance were members of the Quorum of the Twelve, the Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric.Commending the mission presidents and their wives for their faith to accept their new call, he said, "You have been called to serve. Each of you has been set apart, and soon you will be on your way to one of the greatest adventures God can give a man - to serve as a mission president.

"I want to emphasize that you are never alone. We remember you in our prayers always."

He described the seminar as "the best training in the world," and promised the new mission presidents and their wives that "you will fall in love with the membership of the Church wherever you are."

He contrasted this training seminar with that of 1959 when Sister Monson and he were called to serve in the Canadian Mission in Toronto, Canada, with only three weeks' notice.

"Sister Monson was ill, expecting our third child. . . but about three weeks later we were on a train going to Toronto, Canada."

Among those who gave him brief instructions was Elder Harold B. Lee, then of the Quorum of the Twelve, who told him, "Whom God calls, God qualifies." President Monson continued: "Chapter by chapter, the Lord just takes you by the hand and gives you answers to your prayers. And when you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's help.

"But the promise I want you to carry in your minds and in your hearts and to instill within your missionaries is in the 84th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 88: `I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.' On disappointing days, if you just read that promise, the Spirit will enlighten your soul and you will be doubly prepared to move forward with that great band of missionaries," he said.

The scriptural mandate given by the Savior to His apostles is specific to missionary work, President Monson said. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28:19-20.)

"That's a wonderful instruction from the Lord to His apostles. It is an apropos instruction from one of His apostles today to each one of you."

In describing missionary work, he quoted a hymn, "Sweet is the work, my God, my King; To praise thy name, give thanks and sing; To show thy love by morning light, And talk of all thy truths at night." (Hymns, No. 147.)

The missionaries themselves "look great," he said. Referring to a missionary chorus that performed at the seminar, he said that as they entered, he whispered to Elder David B. Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve, who was seated next to him: "There stands before you the product of our homes, the most prized possessions of all.

"Remember each one could be your son or daughter," President Monson told the mission leaders. He encouraged the new mission presidents to require missionaries to write a letter home to their parents every week. "This letter from a missionary becomes an epistle to the family. Mother reads it, Dad reads it, tears come to their eyes.

"You have a sacred responsibility to help them be successful."

He continued, "A quotation of President Spencer W. Kimball is worthy of emphasis: `We expect to have complete cooperation between the stake and full-time missionaries and to involve the members of the Church generally in opening the gospel door to our Father's other children.' "

President Monson observed further: "I maintain that no mission will achieve its full potential unless it has a cooperative effort with the members of the Church in bringing that about."

He described the fellowshiping at a district conference in Italy under Pres. Leopoldo Larcher. There, he saw some members wearing white carnations.

"Leopoldo Larcher said, `We put a white carnation on every person who has been a new convert since our last district conference. That way we know that we must make them welcome.' "

President Monson said he mentioned that experience to priesthood leaders at a regional priesthood leadership meeting in Paris, France. The next morning at regional conference "I saw about 40 or 50 white carnations. It works. People like to know they are special, and the other members love to say hello to them and welcome them."

President Monson said that missionaries carry a fundamental message: "Jesus is the Christ. That is the message. God lives. Pray to Him." Teaching Heavenly Father's Plan, he said, answers some of the basic questions of humankind: "Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after the body dies? People are like Job, who asked, `If a man die, shall he live again?'

"I love to tell them yes," President Monson said. "Christ was crucified on the cross. He was placed in the tomb at the conclusion of His life and on the morning of the third day, He arose. Two men stood by the women at the tomb and answered Job's question with, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen." (Luke 24:5-6.)

Teaching this gospel message provides wonderful memories, said President Monson. He quoted the Scottish poet, James Barrie, who said, "God gave us memories that we might have June roses in the December of our lives," and added, "You are going into a magnificent rose garden and the flowers will bloom even brighter because you are there."