To sacrifice 18 months of your life to be a missionary serving complete strangers requires a lot of love for your fellow man. I often struggle with feeling Christlike love for people, so I often pray for help in loving all of God’s children. I ask for help in understanding the struggles of those with whom I am frustrated and finding opportunities to serve them individually. When serving God’s children, we often hear about serving “the one” after trying to understand them as an individual. Making a difference in someone’s life may be a small act on your own part, but it may make a big impact on someone. The important thing to remember when serving “the one” is to follow the Spirit to know what they need.
Often times being a missionary will force you outside of what may be your normal routine and outside of your comfort zone. As a missionary, people will consistently fall short of your expectations and hopes for them, but you will be blessed with the gift of empathy to love them anyway. Missionaries who seek the gift of empathy will see the best in those that they meet. They can look at others and see the potential of who they can become.
When Ashley was called as Relief Society President, she was given a blessing that she would love the sisters of our ward. As the husband of the Relief Society President, I often struggle in that area. It’s very difficult to see your wife unfairly criticized for following the inspiration and doing what is right. So, I have begun praying to feel more love – and less judgment – for the sisters of our ward.
The details of the service that I did in honor of our missionary Darcy is not something I should share because of the sensitive nature of those involved. I have sent Darcy an email with some of the details of my actual service for an individual sister in our ward. But I can say that I was blessed with an opportunity to serve a sister who is struggling. I am especially humbled (and relieved) that when the opportunity arose, I actually found it very easy to serve her. Clearly, the Lord’s hand was with me that day, as I only felt compassion for this sister.
I love you Darcy and are so grateful for your desire to serve the Lord as a missionary. And as you now are going through the trials of health that are impeding you from the (so-called) normal mission experience, I pray that you will know that what matters most is your willingness and worthiness to serve. I pray that everybody in your life will choose to smother you with love and support.
Thank you for the wonderful example you are to all of your cousins.
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