Joy in Missionary Work

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15). This was the final injunction of Jesus the Son of God. ¶

Joy in Missionary Work

Sixty thousand Mormon missionaries have heeded this admonition. And nearly sixty thousand have declared that the years they spent in the mission field were the happiest years of their lives. ¶

When the religion of a people evolves full, useful, joyous living, when their religious philosophy extends unbounded promise of eternal progression, when it points the way to that righteousness which fills men's hearts to overflowing with joy and gratitude, then the call for them to share these experiences with their fellowmen is regarded as a privilege rather than as a duty or a command. ¶

The interest of the members of the Mormon Church in missionary work, from its very inception in 1830, has gone forward with ever-increasing intensity and Church members are continuing to give to this great cause a surprisingly large percentage of both their time and their money. ¶

Sacrifice Required

Approximately 2,000 young men and women are maintained in the mission field all the time. Their parents, their friends and these young people themselves pay the entire cost of their maintenance while they labor as missionaries. The actual necessary cash outlay is roughly $1.50 per day per missionary. This means a daily cash expenditure of $3,000.00, or an annual cost in cash of $1,095,000.00. If on an average the missionary's time is worth $3.00 per day, this means an additional sacrifice of $2,190,000.00 per year, or a total annual expenditure of $3,285,000.00. This sum, which faithful members of the Church contribute for the good of their fellowmen must be acknowledged as a mighty gift from a Church membership of but 750,000. ¶

The sacrifices made are often very great. Widows, in many cases, toil to maintain their sons in the mission field. Many young women struggle at various kinds of labor in order to help pay the expenses of their brothers or their young husbands. Priesthood quorums, wards and other Church groups contribute to missionary funds and sometimes the well-to-do open their hearts and open their purses and maintain as missionaries some worthy and capable Church members who are not able financially to pay their own way. ¶

There is scarcely a family anywhere in the Church that has not borne, and borne gladly, a share of this burden. Many families have sent more than one missionary into the field at the same time, and many have also sent one after another until all their sons have rendered service. One father has performed four different missions himself and his wife has performed one. Together they have sent all of their five sons and three of their four daughters into the mission field and in addition they have given assistance to two other missionary relatives. This family therefore has to its credit the equivalent of maintaining one missionary in the field for a period of more than forty years. The value in money of the missionary service contributed by this one family on the basis above explained is $65,700.00. Such sacrifices made by people who never have had a dollar they did not earn by honest effort tend to prove that when people are genuinely converted to the cause of the Master there appears to be no sacrifice they will not make for its advancement. ¶

Those having in their souls a testimony and conviction that the original Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored "in these last days" through the Prophet Joseph Smith and that it must be preached in all the world "to every nation and kindred and tongue and people," as the scriptures say, feel a personal responsibility for carrying out the instructions of Jesus the Son of God. ¶

Living the Gospel Brings Testimony

Mormon missionaries devote themselves faithfully to a study of the Bible and other inspired literature and they struggle to live in accordance with the high standards and ideals set forth therein. By their efforts to teach to others the fundamentals of righteous living, they strengthen and fortify themselves in their own high ideals and standards. The teaching of Christian virtues has impressed on the missionaries themselves the importance and the value of living in conformity with the ideals and standards of the Church, and the high degree of spirituality found in the mission field has brought into their hearts a satisfying knowledge, testimony and certainty concerning the restored Gospel message which only the light and inspiration of Heaven can bring. ¶

Our missionaries have been humble men and humble women. They have not, except in very rare instances, been trained theological scholars. Perhaps their conduct, their ideals and their standards of living have been more effective in some cases as factors of conversion than have the words which they have spoken. The simple, straightforward manner in which these missionaries live, teach and preach you must admit is the method of Christ himself. And furthermore, that message has not changed. The Gospel today is the same Gospel which the Savior taught. Being the truth it will endure unchanged forever. ¶

Brief Report of European Mission

The European Mission of the Church, whose affairs in a general way I have directed as its president during the last two years, consists of twelve separate and distinct missions which are located in sixteen different nations of the Eastern Hemisphere. The geographical area it covers is bounded by and includes South Africa on the south, Palestine and Czechoslovakia on the east, Norway on the north and Ireland on the west. Each of these twelve different missions has its affairs carefully directed and its work carefully supervised by an able and experienced mission president who has had years of effective training in the different branches of Church activity. Mission presidents are called from ordinary pursuits and give three or more years of service without compensation other than payment of mere expenses. ¶

In general our Elders are kindly received and fairly treated in all of the sixteen different countries included in the European Mission. Old prejudices have largely disappeared. ¶

Last year President Heber J. Grant, world-wide head of the Mormon Church, visited all of the missions in the European Mission except South Africa and Palestine. He was greeted everywhere by the people and by the press with hearty words of welcome. Members of the Church and their friends came out in large numbers to see and to hear him. ¶

The missionaries live in accordance with that great fundamental teaching and practice of the Church appearing in our twelfth Article of Faith, namely: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." They refrain from discussing governments or governmental policies and they are all instructed positively not to participate in the politics of the countries where they labor. They are sent forth to give purpose to living, to improve the conditions of the present and to inspire in the hearts of the people hope for the future. ¶

Lives of Converts Transformed

The Gospel transforms many from an aimless life into a life of purpose ; it teaches thrift and industry to those who are poor ; to those who. ¶

are rich it brings the blessed unselfishness of sharing ; it teaches to the indolent the gospel of work ; it brings courage, hope and ambition into the souls of those who are cast down ; it fills the heart of the sinner with the glorious gospel of repentance ; it brings joy, happiness and satisfaction into the hearts of men and women by instructing" them how to live in accordance with the unselfish and satisfying ways of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

■ While large sums have been expended in both time and money and great sacrifices have been made to maintain our many missionaries in their fields of labor, rich and rare compensation for this expenditure has been realized again and again in many different ways. The great spiritual development and uplift these Elders have received has brought into their souls, and into the lives of Saints and converts also, as the scriptures say, that "peace of God which passeth all understanding." (Phil. 4:7.) ¶

Blessings of Missionary Work Far Reaching

But not by any means do all of the blessings that come as a result of missionary effort come to the Elders themselves, to the Saints in the mission field or to those who have been converted. As a result of the rich, broadening and deepening experiences missionaries get in the mission field, the homes of the communities which send them forth receive from these missionaries, after their return, the advantage and benefit of the experience, judgment, richer personalities, culture and polish which worldwide travel lends. ¶

Boys from the country, from the field, and from the herd acquire that education and refinement which extensive travel and contact with great historic centers and metropolitan life always seem to bring. And on the other hand, young men who have been brought up in the city are often times given that broadening experience and training which those are sure to get who participate in the rigors of primitive life to which many missionaries are subjected. It is certain that in no other section of the country is the percentage so great of those who have traveled and have seen the world as in Mormon communities. ¶

While enlarged information, experience and polish are important, at the same time, at most, these are but secondary. The outstanding feature of missionary work is the great exhilarating spiritual uplift, inspiration and ambition which it brings, combined with that stabilized character which it produces in the manhood and womanhood of the Church. ¶

Imagine the extent, importance and effectiveness of this missionary training and experience when we have, as at present, missionaries laboring in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hawaii, India, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, Syria, Samoa, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tahiti, Tonga, and all of the States of the United States. ¶

These workers of righteousness scattered as they thus are all around the world learn not only to respect the many different kinds and classes of people with whom they live and labor, but they acquire for them genuine admiration and affection and for them they have hearts filled with praise and commendation. They have learned that great fundamental principle that in general one needs only to know his neighbor in order to like him. ¶

Our returned missionaries are found in practically every large city of America, yes, in every section of the nation. With their deep interest in and their genuine affection for humanity, they are invariably ambassadors of good will from the various countries in which they have labored, and they therefore tend to create a sympathetic feeling for and a deep interest in the various people with whom, as missionaries, they became so intimately acquainted. Thus these young men and women create an impression for good. They play an important part in influencing public opinion. Two-thirds of them are college graduates or university students. After their return, many of them take front rank in civic, educational and religious affairs. Some become mayors of our cities, governors and legislators in our States, judges on the bench, and influential and powerful national congressmen and senators. They hold professorships in our seats of learning and become distinguished men of science. With one thousand of these returning annually from the various countries of the world, they are sure to wield an influence that will be an important factor in helping advance the great cause of good will among men and nations. ¶

Prophecies Being Fulfilled

It is the belief and conviction of our Church that as a result of our missionary work the mountain of the Lord's House, which prophets said anciently was to be established in the top of the mountains, is here built. It is our conviction that the kingdom spoken of by Daniel to be established by the God of Heaven, which is never to be destroyed but which is to stand forever, is the Church here established in these modern times, "in these last days," under the direction of and in accordance with the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith. ¶

In spite of the fact that practically every nation in the world is preparing for war, or for defense, at a rate and at a cost unknown and unequaled before in all history, it is our conviction that the last days are here in which, as the prophets say, the God of Jacob is to judge among many nations and rebuke strong nations afar off ; that the day is coming when nations are to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, when nation shall not lift up sword against nation and when nations shall not learn war any more, "but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree ; and none shall make them afraid : for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it." (Micah 4 :4.) ¶

For the mighty and important work which the ancient prophets said would come to pass "in these last days," it is our conviction that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will pave the way, and that in bringing about that great final international understanding, that peace on earth, and good will to men which Christ himself came to bring, the missionary activities of the Church will play a most important part. ¶

And it is our further conviction that the Kingdom of God is here established, that the Gospel will be preached to all the people in all the world, and that then will come again the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, to reign as King forever and forever. May we do well our part to speed his corning, I humbly pray. ¶

(End of Church of the Air Broadcast) ¶

The Choir and congregation sang the hymn, "Do What is Right." ¶