How to Be a Member Missionary

You're not Jewish? No Jewish heritage in your family or even on your neighborhood block? That's ok; you can still enjoy the rich cultural and religious history of the Passover by creating a learning experience for your family at home! It's a wonderful tradition, full of symbolism, history, and faith. This year Passover starts on April 20th and continues for 7 days. You'll probably start to see kosher items on shelves in your grocery store now.

Howard W. Hunter once said "I believe it is safe to say that Passover is without equal in the Jewish calendar of celebrations. The Passover in the Old Testament and Easter in the New Testament testify of the great gift God has given and of the sacrifice that was involved in its bestowal. Both of these great religious commemorations declaire that death would 'pass over' us and could have no permanent power upon us, and that the grave would have no victory." (Christ, Our Passover," Ensign, May 1985, 17)

The first Passover dinner I attended was at BYU, sponsored by the religion department. I was so impressed and wanted to learn everything I could about this beautiful Jewish celebration. Over the years I have attended Passover dinners with an Institute class, community center, and my local Jewish synagogue. Now I have a next door neighbor who is Jewish and I'm so excited to be able to share this tradition with our families. What a terrific day to open the door of understanding and begin a religious discussion that embraces the old and lovingly introduces the new. There is much we can learn from one another, especially when approached with kindness and understanding.

If you'd like to recreate the Passover dinner for Family Home Evening, there are some terrific web sites to help get you started. The experience can enrich your own understanding of the scriptures and gratitude for what the Lord has done for all of his children.

www.crivoice.org/seder.html
www.crosswalk.com/parenting/11570532/
www.byub.org/newtestament/episode.asp?id=30 - The Last Supper
www.byub.org/newtestament/episode.asp?id=29- Preparations for the Last Supper
www.wf-f.org/HolyThurs.html
www.markings.bc.ca/holidays/passover/index.html

I just discovered mission.net! It is THE place to go on the net to learn about every mission ever organized in the Church since 1837! You can spend quite a bit of time exploring the site and learning about the 350 missions currently operating in 162 nations. It has helpful links to mission web sites where newly-called or returned missionaries can register and reconnect with companions and friends where they served.

You can click anywhere on the map of the world and read about the missions in that area. Most of the mission "alumni" sites include photos, reunion information, statistics, updated news, and message boards. If you've served a mission, be sure to register in the alumni database so others can find you and you can receive important notices. Last year I spent countless hours trying to track down missionaries where I served so I could invite them to a special 20th anniversary reunion. Our mission president was from France and was coming to the United States for the first time and we didn't want any of our old companions to miss it! That reunion was one of the greatest nights of my life...but I'll tell you about that another time.

Another service I really love about this site is that it offers a glossary of terms where non-members can get accurate information about what a mission or the Missionary Training Center is. It's a great site to point your non-member relatives and friends to when you or a loved one gets a mission call!

Finally, another cool feature this site offers is the "Mission of the Day." Every morning a different mission is randomly selected and featured on the home page. Today, for example, is the Swiss mission. A friend of mine served there years ago, but it looks like the boundaries have changed since he was there. Looks like they have a new stake called the St. Gallen Stake too.

It's so much fun to browse the pages and see what's happening in the Church all over the world! It just makes my heart sing to see the growth of the Church on the earth and makes me feel like even my small efforts help build the kingdom. What an honor and a privilege to live in the dispensation of the fullness of times!

“It's not what happens to you that matters most, but how you respond to what happens that determines the difference between a bitter life . . . or a better life. Depth of character is tested at the edge of adversity; the way you respond to trials and troubles reveals the core of your character; and in every adversity, there is opportunity” (Changing Your Stripes, p. 14).

Through the redeeming miracle of Christ’s atonement, Joseph F. Smith found divine opportunity through his many adversities.

Days before Mary Fielding Smith was due to deliver her first child, her husband Hyrum and his brother Joseph were falsely imprisoned in the Liberty Jail. Thus, Mary gave birth to her son, Joseph F., without the supportive presence of her husband--a foreshadowing of future days to be endured alone. The imprisonment of Hyrum Smith and the prophet Joseph happened in conjunction with the infamous “extermination order” declared by Missouri Governor, Lilburn Boggs--an order to exterminate Mormons from Missouri that remained on “the books” for 137 years, and then rescinded in 1976.

It was near the end of the Smith brother’s four month incarceration in Liberty jail that the prophet Joseph, in answer to his prayers, received the following words of perspective and purpose:

“know thou my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” (D&C 122: 7, 8).

Joseph F. Smith was born into a life circumstance destined for affliction. An omniscient God could clearly foresee the trials that would arise at an early age; thus, Joseph F. was undoubtedly “called to pass through tribulation” (D&C 122: 5). He was a babe in arms, when his family was driven out of Missouri by an anti-Mormon mob, stirred up even more by Governor Boggs’ extermination order.

Five years later, his father Hyrum would be imprisoned again on false charges, this time in a jail at Carthage, Illinois. The inspired words written by his uncle, the prophet Joseph, became directly personal to this tender child: “if they tear thee from the society of thy father” (D&C 122: 6; please read the entire verse).

Joseph F. was in his 6th year of life when his father was murdered by an angry mob that stormed the Carthage Jail. Hyrum Smith was killed instantly as a “ball” passed through the wooden jail door, striking him in the head--this, as Hyrum forcefully pushed against the door trying to keep the malicious mob from entering. Hyrum’s brother Joseph was also shot as he tried to leap from the second story jail window. “They were both shot after they were dead, in a brutal manner, and both received four balls” (D&C 135: 1)

As he grew to manhood, imagine the psychological association that young Joseph F. might have had at the sight of a gun? Especially one that would be eventually pointed directly at him, in a moment that would test the depth of his character.

After the death of his father, the young boy began a journey from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake Valley. It was a trek that took almost two years to complete. At just 7 years of age, Joseph F. supported his mother's decision to go west with the saints, by driving an ox team across the plains.

During this difficult pioneer trek, the ox team “laid down in the yoke as if poisoned.” At this critical moment, Mary Fielding Smith taught her son about the power of prayer and about faith in Jesus Christ. With a brightness of hope, Mary prayed that the ox team might be healed; “to the astonishment of all” the oxen “got up and we drove along.”

Joseph F. was 13 years of age when his mother Mary died of pneumonia. His aunt Mercy, also a widow, continued to nurture him.

While a lesser man might have curled up into a protective ball and avoided further tribulations in life, at age 15, Joseph F. Smith accepted the call to serve; he began the first of five proselytizing missions for the Church. His first mission field was in the “Sandwich Islands” (later known as Hawaii when these islands became U.S. territories). His Hawaiian mission lasted four years.

Joseph F. Smith lived a life that was solely and wholly dedicated to doing the will of the Father. Because God is no respecter of persons, anyone who is faithful to the Father will receive His promise of protection:

“Therefore hold on thy way, . . . Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever” (D&C 122: 9).

In 1857, at the age of 19, Joseph F. was returning from the Sandwich Islands by way of the “Southern Route” from Los Angeles to Utah. The wagon train with which Joseph F. was traveling made camp, when some “toughs rode into the camp on horseback, cursing and swearing and threatening what they would do to the Mormons.” What happened then, is recorded as follows:

Joseph F. was a little distance from the camp gathering wood for the fire, but he saw that the few members of his own party had cautiously gone in the brush down the creek, out of sight. When he saw that, . . . the thought came into his mind, “Shall I run from these fellows? Why should I fear them?” With that he marched up with his arm full of wood, to the campfire where one of the ruffians, still with his pistol in his hand, shouting and cursing about the Mormons, in a low voice said to Joseph F.,

"Are you a Mormon?" And the answer came straight,

“yes, siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through.”

At that the ruffian grasped him by the hand and said: “Well, you are the [blankety-blank] pleasantest man I ever met! Shake young fellow, I am glad to see a man that stands up for his convictions” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Joseph F. Smith; p. 104).

Knowing that his father died at the end of a pointed pistol could have caused overwhelming fear to come over young Joseph F., but the promises of God are greater than any fear generated by malicious men; Christ's redeeming miracle is greater than all fear born of psychological associations to childhood trauma.

Indeed, Joseph F. was a “pleasant fellow.” He was a young man filled with the love of God and filled with faith to honor his holy calling--this was the primal Source that pushed aside all his fears!

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, . . . but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling” (2 Tim. 1: 7-9); “he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: . . . There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4: 16-18).

“In this life, it is not what happens to you that matters most, but how you respond to what happens that determines the difference between a bitter life . . . or a better life. Depth of character is tested at the edge of adversity; the way you respond to trials and troubles reveals the core of your character; and in every adversity, there is opportunity.”

In the afflictions through which the Lord “calls” us to pass, there is a possibility of divine redemption and renewal--turning every adversity into “good” (Gen. 50: 20) and “gain.”

"And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren. Nevertheless, . . . thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain" (2 Nephi 2: 1-2).

Gain and goodness are the absolute promise of God for all who will be “dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through” in every adversity.

Alma the younger and Paul the Apostle have much in common: they both persecuted the followers of God, and they both repented and became missionaries for the cause of Christ. Further, both men were jolted out of their wicked ways by a heavenly visitation, and both yielded to their revelation of Light by humbly receiving the call to serve. Paul and Alma are the most prolific contributors to the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, respectively.

Here’s how the Book of Mormon describes the wicked ways of Alma before his conversion:

“Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities. And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people” (Mosiah 27: 8, 9).

And then, as it was with Saul who became Paul, Alma was confronted with a call from Heaven, the call to serve:

“For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way. And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us. But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel. And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God. And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs” (Alma 36: 6-10).

Paul’s heavenly revelation caused him to lose his sight for three days (Acts 9: 9), and in Alma’s angelic visitation, he was struck dumb and lost the use of his limbs. This miraculous conversion account of Alma the younger is either a fact or a fable, and as one personally discerns what is real from what is rhetoric, consider this additional information:

The account of Alma’s conversion as contained in the Book of Mormon, is written in a literary style common to the Hebrew culture called chiasmus. This poetic form begins by expressing a set of ideas in order ( a, b, c ) and then the message is reinforced with a parallel reiteration in reverse order ( c, b, a ). A set of three ideas is just an example, the elements of chiasmus could be expressed in a parallel set as small as two, or in larger sets of any number. The most important message is typically found in the middle of the ascending and descending parallel sets.

The word chiasmus (pronounced ki-az'-mus) derives from the Greek letter chi (X) which symbolizes the top-to-bottom mirror reflection achieved in the repeating poetic form. Examples of chiasmus are found in the Bible (Matt. 19: 30; Psalms 124:7; Isaiah 6:10).

Now to a fact that is impossible to explain away using reasonable reason and evidence-based logic.

The Book of Mormon was first published in 1830. It was brought forth by its translator, Joseph Smith. So, how is it that the Book of Mormon contains so many rich examples of the Hebrew literary form of chiasmus, when academic scholars have only been aware of, and have written about, this form within the last century? How could an unschooled boy living in the early 1800's even know about chiasmus, much less replicate this style of writing? Yet the Book of Mormon contains many clear and elaborate examples of chiasmus.

Why would a Hebrew style of writing appear in the Book of Mormon in the first place? Because it is written by Hebrews--descendants of Joseph, the son of Israel. The Book of Mormon is “the stick of Joseph” of which Ezekial prophesied (Ezek. 37: 15-19).

The conversion story of Alma the younger is recorded in the 36th chapter of Alma in the Book of Mormon; this entire chapter is written in the poetic pattern of Chiamus. Here is an outline of Alma’s conversion; capitalized words indicate the repeating parallels:

a - My son, give ear to my WORDS (v. 1)
 b - KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS and ye shall PROSPER IN THE LAND (v. 2)
  c - DO AS I HAVE DONE (v. 2)
   d - in REMEMBERING THE CAPTIVITY of our fathers (v. 2);
    e - for they were in BONDAGE (v. 2)
     f - he surely did DELIVER them (v. 2)
      g - TRUST in God (v. 3)
       h - supported in their TRIALS, and TROUBLES, and AFFLICTIONS (v. 3)
        i - shall be LIFTED UP at the LAST DAY (v. 3)
         j - I KNOW this NOT OF MYSELF but of GOD (v. 4)
          k - BORN OF GOD (v. 5)
           l - I SOUGHT to destroy the church of God (v. 6-9)
            m - MY LIMBS were paralyzed (v. 10)
             n - Fear of being in the PRESENCE OF GOD (v. 14-15)
              o - PAINS of a damned soul (v. 16)
               p - HARROWED UP BY THE MEMORY OF SINS (v. 17)
                q - I remembered JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD (v. 17)
                q - I cried, JESUS, SON OF GOD (v. 18)
               p - HARROWED UP BY THE MEMORY OF SINS no more (v. 19)
              o - Joy as exceeding as was the PAIN (v. 20)
             n - Long to be in the PRESENCE OF GOD (v. 22)
            m - My LIMBS received their strength again (v. 23)
           l - I LABORED to bring souls to repentance (v. 24)
          k - BORN OF GOD (v. 26)
         j - Therefore MY KNOWLEDGE IS OF GOD (v. 26)
        h - Supported under TRIALS, TROUBLES, and AFFLICTIONS (v. 27)
       g - TRUST in him (v. 27)
      f - He will DELIVER me (v. 27)
     i - and RAISE ME UP at the LAST DAY (v. 28)
    e - As God brought our fathers out of BONDAGE and captivity (v. 28-29)
   d - Retain in REMEMBRANCE THEIR CAPTIVITY (v. 28-29)
  c - KNOW AS I DO KNOW (v. 30)
 b - KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS and ye shall PROSPER IN THE LAND (v. 30)
a - This is according to his WORD (v. 30)

The central message of Alma’s conversion account testifies of Jesus Christ and His redeeming atonement (Alma 36: 16-20). As the literary style of Chiasmus is studied thoroughly and carefully, the fact that Alma wrote his story of conversion using chiasmus is as compelling as a fireball from heaven or a heavenly visitation; yet, neither compelling logic nor spectacular manifestations will convince the hearts of those who will not hear and heed the continuous call of the “still small voice”--as did Alma the younger.

The Apostle Paul was a great missionary for the Lord. His mission was very demanding; it covered many countries and traveled many menacing miles. His ministry began on the day that the resurrected Lord Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. While preaching the gospel to King Agrippa, here's how Paul recounts the story of his conversion:

“Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."

"But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26: 12-18).

Key elements in Paul’s conversion story are worthy of note:

1) Paul was "called" to the ministry; he was “sent” by the highest Authority--being “sent” is the hallmark of all true missionaries.

2) The mission to which Paul was called, was to turn people from “darkness to light” from “Satan unto God” by seeking “forgiveness of sins” through “faith that is in [Christ].”

Some observers might imagine that if Christ could only appear to them in great glory, then they would become a great missionary like Paul. But this is not necessarily true! It is not a glorious appearance from God that changes hearts and minds (though such is a compelling invitation), instead it is answering the Lord’s call and humbly yielding to that call that is the tipping point of conversion.

Many people have been visited by angels, and yet failed to heed Heaven’s call--Laman and Lemuel are prominent examples from Book of Mormon history (1 Nephi 3: 31). And besides angelic visitations, even more people have seen mighty miracles, and yet failed to follow God’s mighty call--Pharaoh and his court saw dozens of miracles and their hearts were not softened (Exodus 7: 8-10).

Thus, it is possible to disobey the call of angels and deny the call of miracles; further, the harsh reality is that denial and disobedience to spectacular manifestations is the more probable trend (Matt. 7: 13). Now, consider the gentle call of the “still small voice” (1 King 19: 12), and how often this call goes unheeded. As it is for all, the tipping point for Paul’s conversion was the choice to hear and heed the call:

“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision” (Acts 26: 19).

Paul’s mission call was not an easy one. His labors for the Lord led him through much trial and tribulation:

“in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Cor. 11: 23-28).

So goes the life of a missionary--its hard work. And while shipwrecks and stonings are not the common cross to bear for most missionaries, still there are many hardships to endure. But through them all, we have the opportunity to reflect upon the suffering of our Savior and know that our burden is light compared to His. Because Paul was keenly aware of the Savior’s suffering (Philip 3: 10), he saw his own plight as a “light affliction.”

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4: 16-18).

Any church that claims to be Christ’s Church must necessarily be an organization dedicated to doing missionary work. The Savior said:

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matt. 24: 14).

By the “still small voice” a call is sent to the hearts of all humanity, to take up the cross and follow Him (Mark 8: 34). And to follow Him faithfully, we must all heed the call to be missionaries.

Elijah was a great missionary for the Lord. He is held in high esteem within Jewish tradition. In anticipation of Elijah’s predicted return to earth (Malachi 4: 5, 6), a place at the table is set, at every feast of the Passover. The scriptures describe him as a "hairy man" (2 Kings 1: 8) which explains the artist's impression of him.

About 900 B.C., the kingdom of Judah was ruled by Asa, a righteous king: “Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days” (1 Kings 15: 14). This good king led his people through forty years of peace and prosperity. During the same period of time, the neighboring kingdom of Israel was ruled by a string of evil kings: Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and Omri.

In the 38th year of good king Asa’s reign over Judah, a new king of Israel came to power: “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him” (1 Kings 16: 30). In response to the kingdom of Israel's great wickedness, the Lord Jehovah called Elijah to a mission: Confront evil king Ahab and call him to repentance.

Doing missionary work in Old Testament times was treacherous--a health hazard. It was customary for evil kings to kill all potential threats to their power (1 Kings 16: 8-11); also, evil kings had a penchant for killing prophets. Thus, Elijah’s mission was very dangerous, especially since Ahab was the most wicked of the evil kings:

“But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up” (1 Kings 21: 25).

Now Ahab’s wife was equally wicked and also had a proclivity for killing prophets (1 Kings 18: 13). Within this risky setting, Elijah confronted the dastardly duo of king Ahab and queen Jezebel.

From its Latin origin, the word “mission” denotes an “act of sending.” A true missionary is always “sent” by the highest Authority. Elijah was a true missionary. He was “sent” by God to do God's will.

Elijah possessed priesthood power to do the same mighty miracles that Jesus did. Elijah raised the dead (1 Kings 17: 17-23); he caused a widow’s scant food supply to expand beyond its natural course (1 Kings 17: 13-16); and in direct response to the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel, Elijah commanded the heavens to withhold its rain (1 Kings 17: 1). After three years of “sore famine” in the kingdom of Israel, the Lord directed the prophet to meet with king Ahab:

“when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim” (1 Kings 18: 17, 18).

Armed with the protection and power of God, the prophet boldly asked this question of Ahab and the people of Israel:

“And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word” (1 Kings 18: 21).

The word “halt” in this context is fascinating. The verb “halt” means “to be in doubt, hesitate, and waver.” But other meanings for the word halt, e.g., "lame, crippled, or limping," also apply to Elijah’s inquiry.

Consider the images that arise as the prophet’s question is framed this way: "How long will you be crippled and limp between two choices?" Elijah was exhorting the people of Israel to take a stand once and for all, to walk uprightly before God and cease all limping and wavering.

In contemporary vernacular Elijah might have said: “Don’t be lame brained, make up your mind about your Maker!”

After posing his bold question, what follows is the famous contest between one man of God, and four hundred and fifty pagan priests; a challenge to see which god . . . is God--who’s god will send down fire from heaven and consume a water-soaked sacrifice (1 King 18: 24-39).

It is important to note that the ensuing miracle of consuming fire from heaven did not cause Ahab or Jezebel to repent (in the very same manner that the mighty miracles of Christ did not sway the opinions of those who sought to crucify Him). How is it, that such a denial of God’s amazing might is possible? The answer is found in the following exchange between Elijah and the Lord:

“behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19: 9-12).

While a flaming burst of fire from heaven may temporarily cause wonder and awe, yet the Lord and His truth will not be found in spectacular feats; instead, the Lord will be found in a “still small voice.” The same still small voice of Spirit that will lead people to correctly answer the bold question of Elijah: “How long halt ye between two opinions?” If Baal be god then follow him, but if the LORD be God, follow Him!

The Latin etymology of the word “mission” denotes an “act of sending.” The definition of the word “missionary” from Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary is: “a person sent on the work of a religious mission.”

The idea of “being sent” is key! A “mission” is never something that an individual conjures up on his/her own. True missionaries follow the footsteps of Christ, yielding their individual wills to the will of the Father. Jesus led the way: “I Do Always Those Things that Please Him” (John 8: 29).

The first definition of “missionary”--the most common meaning--is embedded within a context of religion--“belief in God.” This means a missionary is a person “sent from God to do God’s work”--a missionary in its purest form is . . . an angel!

The word “miracle” is most often thought of as an “event that exceeds and defies the known laws of nature.” Such were the miracles of Jesus: raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, causing the lame to walk, feeding five thousand with a few loaves of bread, and turning water into wine.

However, the first definition given in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary suggests a broader sense for the word miracle: “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” This means any thought, word, or deed that transcends a person’s normal ability is . . . a miracle!

The word “miracle” derives from Latin words “miriculum” and “mirari” meaning “marvel” and “wonder.” It is beyond coincidence that the transcendent latter-day work of the Lord is described by the prophet Isaiah as “a marvelous work and a wonder” (Isaiah 29: 13, 14). This means the Lord’s latter-day missionary effort is . . . a miracle!

Clearly the awesome phenomenon of 50,000 full-time proselytizing missionaries and another 20,000 service missionaries (all willing to consecrate time and talents to the building of His kingdom without monetary pay), points to a transcendent miracle--“an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.”

In the coming days, at this particular page of LDSblogs.com, stories of Divine intervention manifest through the angels we call missionaries, will be presented in five categories:

1) Old Testament Missionary Miracles
2) New Testament Missionary Miracles
3) Book of Mormon Missionary Miracles
4) Missionary Miracles in Early Church History, and
5) Missionary Miracles from Today’s Mission Field

In light of the three-fold mission of the "Mormon" Church, a broad definition of “missionary” is completely appropriate: Anyone involved in an effort to Perfect the Saints, Proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or Redeem the Dead, is a ministering angel, . . . a missionary!

Who is it that diligently does genealogy? Who attends the temple? Who fulfills home and visiting teaching assignments? Who brings family members together to read the words of Christ? Who prepares, blesses, and passes the sacrament? Who makes special visits to the elderly, or administers to the sick and afflicted? Who prays for those in need, or even prays for an adversary? . . . Angels! Missionaries!

The familiar phrase “every member a missionary” has a meaning inclusive of every latter-day saint in all aspects of Church, family, and faith. There are a myriad of miracles that have occurred and will occur through ordinary and simple efforts:

“Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls” (Alma 37: 6).

The “eye single” (D&C 88: 67) focus and consistency of the Lord’s scriptural message is marvelous and wonderful! It is no accident that Alma’s admonition about “small and simple things” had a laser-beam focus upon God’s work and glory--“the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.”

And how does the Lord bring about His amazing mission of salvation and exaltation? He does it by small and simple miracles, through His willing saints, a.k.a., angels, missionaries.