Fifty Years Ago My Father Was Approached...

• Fifty years ago my father was approached by our bishop as to the prospect of one of his sons going on a mission. After a dignified period of conversation, my father agreed to the proposition, and I was duly called. ¶

I remember that I wondered how my father could support a missionary. We were poor, income from his business was spotty and inadequate to meet the ordinary expenses, yet he did not hesitate to tell the bishop that he would support me. ¶

Financing of Mission

The first seven months went smoothly enough. I was working without purse or scrip for the first four months and required no more than $5.00 per month for incidentals. The next three months cost me about $40.00 per month. And then Father, caught in the inflation of 1920, was unable further to meet the cost of the mission. ¶

The fact that I stayed on the mission for 26 more months without help from home has been miraculous to me — not that I found money from miraculous sources or, like my maternal greatgrandfather, opened my purse and there it was as needed — none of that. The way opened by perfectly natural means, and there was barely sufficient to meet the needs of the moment. ¶

During that time, none of my family expected nor received any help or encouragement from the ward officials, stake officials, or from the Church. ¶

Quorum Assistance

I was ordained a seventy just before departing, but I didn't receive even a Christmas card from my new quorum for the 33 months I was away. The elders quorum to which I had belonged showed no interest in me either, although I had been quite active in the quorum. I didn't expect any attention from either quorum, and I suspect the quorum did not expect to do anything for me. My quorum in those days did not seem to recognize the importance of being of help to its members. To them it was not what can the quorum do for you, but what can you do for the quorum. We lived for the organization and not for the members. ¶

Not so today. Every quorum of the priesthood is alert to the needs of its members. Children of these members may go on missions. They know that they will be supported. No worthy member in the stakes of North America when ready for a mission will be refused. In their prosperity the quorums can easily take up the slack for those unable to bear the complete cost of the mission. They will be helped by their united brethren, and the burden is light. ¶

Missionaries Outside United States

It has not been so in the full-time missions outside of the United States. ¶

There, general economic depressions and the ravages of two great wars have taken an immense toll on the economic life of the people. Men and women of the Church in those nations have been unable to earn sufficient to send their children, with but few exceptions. ¶

The result has been that the young men and women of these nations, while worthy and anxious to go, have been unable to do so. ¶

This has caused a good deal of envy of their more affluent American missionaries, and it has caused some discouragement among them. To many of them it has appeared that the choice fruits of the gospel are not to be enjoyed, because of where they live. More serious has been the fact that these young people are the best possible missionary prospects for their countries. ¶

They know the language, the traditions, the mores of the people. They are the potential leaders of the Church in their lands. ¶

There is a tendency on the part of people of other nations to think of us as an American church. When the missionaries are native born, people can better understand the universal nature of the Church. Our members then see that the responsibility becomes theirs as much as ours, and this will result in greater effort on their part. ¶

Seventies Assistance to Missionaries

Several years ago, the body of seventies of the Church undertook to assist the young men and women in foreign lands. From among the seventies was raised a sum of money to assist these prospective missionaries. On the basis of the missionary and his family's doing all they are able to do, the seventies give assistance for the remainder. ¶

I am happy to report to the seventies this afternoon that to date the number of missionaries assisted has been more than 600 in number. Currently the number in the field is 275. ¶

In no mission has a worthy applicant been refused. We have had assistance from elders quorums, high priests quorums, and from individuals not attached to any quorum. One of the large contributions comes from a man not a Church member. We should like to let all these people know that their contributions are of material assistance in the project. ¶

Discharging Responsibility

It is difficult for many seventies to personally go on fulltime missions. ¶

They are rearing families and must support them. By supporting these young men and women in the missions, they in a sense project themselves into the mission field and thus discharge a part of their responsibility. ¶

Now in lands all over the earth our young men and women look forward to being able to become missionaries. ¶

On their return home they become the leaders in branches and districts. They are our future investment in stake presidents and bishops for stakes yet unborn. ¶

The quorums of seventy with a comparatively small membership of 23,000 may know that they are not laboring in vain. They are building a house to the Lord, and the fruits of their effort will continue to rain down blessings on their heads. ¶

The Calling of the Seventy

We constantly remember, as charged in the Doctrine and Covenants, that "the Seventy are also called to preach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world — thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling." (D&C 107:25.) Therefore, to further missionary work is what we should be doing. We must enlarge our efforts to the end that the whole world will hear the gospel and that those who are to come out of the world into the fold of the Lord Jesus Christ will come. ¶

Stake Missions

We realize too that the "whole world" is here as well as in the remote corners of the land mass of Eurasia. ¶

The stake missions are our most fertile sources of converts. Where our people are gathered, where we have wards and stakes, where we have buildings and facilities, is our best opportunity — there also is the world. By our merely living the principles of the gospel, people cannot help seeing the light shining on the hilltop, and seeing will want to partake of the good fruit of the gospel that it illuminates. For those whose heads are down, if we live as we should, all we need to do is to say to them, "Look up, see! The light shines for you." Earnest effort to this end will bring greater results. ¶

Large Field to Be Harvested

The seventies quorums are aware that the field to be harvested is very large and that the work must be pursued with great vigor while the day lasts. Our constant prayer is to be anxiously engaged in carrying forth the missionary work and to stand true to the First Presidency and the Twelve as they direct us and point the way we should go. ¶

This great work is under the divine guidance of God the Eternal Father, who is a living, exalted being of flesh and bone — not the flesh and bone that you and I know, but resurrected, glorified flesh and bone filled with light. Indescribable is his person. ¶

There are not words to picture that glory; it is not earthly — it is heavenly. ¶

His Son is like him. Through the Son of God, Jesus Christ, we have hope that eventually we can become like them. We must learn to know them, and knowing them we may share the truth announced by the Lord himself that to know them is to have eternal life. This church is their earthly kingdom, and President David O. McKay is the prophet through whom they speak in our day. This I witness in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶