PROVO, Utah — In addressing the annual seminar for new mission presidents June 26 at the Provo Missionary Training Center, President Thomas S. Monson drew from his vast experience in missionary service — using insightful anecdotes and scriptures — to illustrate for the 112 newly called mission presidents how they might improve effectiveness.

Photos by Shaun Stahle

Newly called mission presidents and their wives listen to direction from President Thomas S. Monson June 26 at the Provo Missionary Training Center. Participants in the annual training conference included 112 couples.

Photo by Shaun Stahle

President Thomas S. Monson addresses mission presidents and their wives regarding charge and privilege.

Missionaries have a call from the Lord and want to serve and honor Him, President Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, told the new leaders and their wives. "Yours is the privilege of showing them how to do so. They have the spirit. They just need to be shown and taught how they might be most effective.

"You have a charge, they have a charge," continued President Monson, quoting the Lord's mandate in Matthew 28:18, 20 to "teach all nations."

"After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel," President Monson affirmed, referring to the admonition of the Prophet Joseph Smith (see History of the Church 2:478).

"There is a promise to go with the charge," said President Monson. He then quoted from Doctrine and Covenants 84:88: " 'I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

Directing his remarks to the personal challenges mission presidents and their wives face, President Monson acknowledged, "You are no doubt worried about your children and your grandchildren. You may wonder how they will get along without you."

Referring to Doctrine and Covenants section 100, President Monson said, "Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith had been long absent from their families and they were worried about them."

Quoting verse one, he read, " 'Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you,' and He called them by name, 'your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.' "

Drawing on his 20 years of experience serving as a member of the Missionary Executive Committee — having served under the direction of President Spencer W. Kimball and with Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, Elder David B. Haight and Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve — President Monson said, "We personally called every missionary. One of us would read the name and the detail recorded on the sheet — no computers in those days — and then . . . whomever was in charge that day of assigning would indicate . . . where each would go."

President Monson told of having made one assignment but then didn't feel well about it. After naming a second assignment, he said he still didn't feel well about it. After reviewing the material a third time, he found additional information that had previously gone unnoticed. Once he learned that this young man had learned Spanish at his mother's knee, President Monson felt inspired to send him to a Spanish-speaking country, where "he served faithfully and well."

"This is the kind of call that comes to your missionaries," President Monson testified.

Directing comments to the wives of the mission presidents, President Monson remarked, "You sisters have a most significant role to play." He spoke of having been called to preside over the Canadian Mission from 1959 to 1962. Observing how his wife, Frances, bore her challenges as a young mother with three children while guiding the Primary, Young Women and Relief Society auxiliaries in 56 branches and caring for the concerns of 190 missionaries, President Monson told the mission presidents' wives, "You have the ability, with the Lord's help, to do all that is required of you."

President Monson shared his wife's "special formula" to help missionaries who were discouraged. "Such a missionary would be invited to stay a few days at the mission home, eat at our table, and enjoy some special treats which Sister Monson would cook. Within the mission home, Sister Monson had a small cupboard where the baptismal clothing was kept. She would ask the discouraged missionary if he would help her with a little project — namely, painting the inside shelves of this cupboard. She kept a gallon of ivory-colored paint on hand for this purpose. The elder would remove the baptismal clothing from the shelves, wash the shelves, let them dry, and then would apply a coat of paint. While waiting for the paint to dry, he would stay a few more days and then would return to his proselyting area, renewed in spirit and ready to resume his labors." President Monson continued, "Of course the cupboard never did need painting, but it saved many missionaries."

Mission presidents build character, explained President Monson. "That's what you are doing. And your missionaries will want to emulate you. Your favorite scriptures will be their favorites. Your favorite songs will be their favorites. You will give a talk and find out that it's been given all over the mission by your missionaries. They will love you that much."

He quoted President Harold B. Lee to offer "a little reassurance to you from an apostle and a former president: 'When you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's help.' "

E-mail to: shaun@desnews.com