'This isn't a time for spiritual weakness'
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In discussing the battle "for the souls of men," Elder M. Russell Ballard drew a parallel from the incident in Alma 53 about the 2,000 young Lamanite stripling warriors who covenanted to fight for the liberty of the Nephite nation.
"These inexperienced young men were so spiritually and physically prepared, and so powerful, that they frightened their foes into surrendering!" exclaimed Elder Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve in his priesthood session address
"Brethren, today we are fighting a battle that in many ways is more perilous, more fraught with danger, than the battle between the Nephites and the Lamanites. Our enemy is cunning and resourceful. We fight against Lucifer, the father of all lies, the enemy of all that is good and right and holy."
He cited the prophecy of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:2-5 about conditions in the last days and men being "lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud," and quipped: "Does this sound familiar, brethren? To me it sounds like a night of prime time television."
Holding to the battle imagery, he warned, "These are 'perilous times.' We battle literally for the souls of men. The enemy is unforgiving and relentless. He is taking eternal prisoners at an alarming rate. And he shows no sign of letting up."
Expressing gratitude for those who are doing great things in the battle for truth and right, he said it is still not enough. "And so, as the people of Ammon looked to their sons for reinforcement in the war against the Lamanites, we look to you, my young brethren of the Aaronic Priesthood. We need you. Like Helaman's 2,000 stripling warriors, you also are the spirit sons of God, and you too can be endowed with power to build up and defend His kingdom. We need you to make sacred covenants, just as they did. We need you to be meticulously obedient and faithful, just as they were."
He declared that what is needed now is the "greatest generation of missionaries in the history of the Church.
"We need vibrant, thinking, passionate missionaries who know how to listen and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit," he said. "This isn't a time for spiritual weaklings. We cannot send you on a mission to be reactivated, reformed, or to receive a testimony. We just don't have time for that."
Stating his role as an apostle of the Lord, he called upon young men to keep themselves pure by avoiding pornography and harmful substances and to resolve to be honest, to be good citizens and to refrain from vulgar language.
Additionally, "we expect you to have an understanding and a solid, secure testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ," he said. "We expect you to work hard. We expect you to be covenant makers and covenant keepers."
Elder Ballard declared: "The bar that is the standard for missionary service is being raised. The day of the repent-and-go missionary is over."
To fathers, he said that "raising the bar" for their sons means Church leaders are "raising the bar" for the fathers as well.
"Some fathers don't think they have the right to ask worthiness questions of their children . . . . Parents should be so intimately aware of what is going on in their children's lives that they know about problems before the bishop does."
To bishops, Elder Ballard said they should recommend only young men and women they judge to be "spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to face today's realities of missionary work.
"Not every young man needs to be called to serve away from home; some may best serve under your direction as ward missionaries."
