Church needs more qualified missionaries
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Elder M. Russell Ballard voiced a call for more qualified missionaries — young men who have prepared to serve by accepting the challenge of President Gordon B. Hinckley "to practice self-discipline, to live above the low standards of the world, to avoid transgression and take the high road in all of their activities."
A member of the Quorum of the Twelve and chairman of the Missionary Executive Council, Elder Ballard said the expanding work of the Church will demand a corps of well-trained, devoted young priesthood holders prepared to teach the gospel.
"When our youth understand the significance of the Restoration of the gospel and know for themselves that God is our Heavenly Father and He loves all of His children, that Jesus is the Christ and that together They personally visited Joseph Smith to open this, the final dispensation of time, they will want to carry this message to the world," Elder Ballard said. "When our youth see the Book of Mormon as tangible evidence that the message of the Restoration is true, they will be filled with a desire to do their part in teaching these truths to our Heavenly Father's children."
Elder Ballard said missionaries at the Missionary Training Center have identified areas that would have helped them best prepare for their missions. Above all else, the missionaries wished they had: learned the doctrine better through focused scripture study; learned to study and to pray sincerely; been more disciplined and worked harder; understood better what is expected; had more teaching opportunities; and had more searching interviews by bishops and parents.
"Together we can teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, in its simplicity and power, to all of our youth in the Church," Elder Ballard said. "Working with parents, we can help them prepare for a mission and a lifetime of service. Let us go forward to search for every one of our precious youth, regardless of their activity level, illuminating the light of Christ that is within them." The adversary is working overtime to influence some LDS youth to disregard the teachings of the Church, he added. "That is why parents, leaders, and teachers need to counsel together to get to know every young man and young woman — every one. Whether they are active or not, we need to know them."
The bar has been raised for missionaries — and also for parents and leaders who need to increase their faith and efforts. Enlisting the words of President Hinckley, Elder Ballard said the message to raise the bar on missionary qualifications was not a signal to send fewer missionaries, but a call for parents and leaders to better prepare young men for missionary service.
"There is an incredible amount of work that needs to be done," Elder Ballard said. "The Spirit of the Lord is brooding over many of the nations of the world. Doors previously locked are opening to us. We need more hard-working, testimony-enriched missionaries in order to reach more of Heavenly Father's children who are now at a place where we can reach them."
Full-time missionary service blesses both the missionary and the people he or she teach. Elder Ballard challenged bishops and branch presidents to find and qualify at least one more young man from their units to serve a full-time mission beyond those young men already clearing the missionary bar and planning missions.
"If the over 26,000 wards and branches in the Church will send all those whom they are already planning to send into the mission field — plus one more — the ranks of our full-time missionaries will swell; and we will move that much closer to our divine mandate to take the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people," Elder Ballard said. Still, leaders should guard against pushing or pulling a young man into service. "But if someone puts an arm around a young man and walks alongside him, he is likely to follow along and desire to serve."
Those who are excused by priesthood leaders because it would not be wise for them to face the rigors and challenges of full-time missionary service should accept the decision and move forward, finding other ways to serve, he said.
"And we ask all of our members to be supportive and to show great love and understanding in assisting all of our faithful youth in their various Church callings."
