From the late 1990’s, I wrote: “Bishop Adams was one of the speakers in Sacrament meeting today. One of the interesting things he shared I had forgotten about, but which makes a lot of sense, revealed how some can stay so excited about the gospel while others of us don’t seem to be able to retain or get that excitement. Though he didn’t say so, it was also a ‘revelation’ on why missionaries, for the most part, are so ‘pumped up’ about their work if they do it the way the Lord would have it done.
With her permission, our Bishop shared the example of a new convert he had visited with: She does a number of things that keep her excited about the gospel. She is immersed in the Book of Mormon. She splits off with the missionaries… regularly – this is no easy thing for her as she lives 40 miles away, so anything she does is well over an hour round trip- just in travel. When the missionaries need a ride she is available, again making that round trip and then coming back, if needed on their return.
She is focused on going to the temple again and again, at significant sacrifice. She does a number of other things revealing to the Lord where her heart is. His point is that she is constantly making sacrifices for the kingdom.
When I look at this, adopting it into my setting, I ask myself: ‘what level of sacrifice am I willing to give the Lord?’ (for untold blessings He may be willing to give—based upon ‘proactive faith’)
And, the bigger picture of such discipline, under the Lord’s caring / loving influence unfolds multiple opportunities where godly joy prevails. That certainly is in stark contrast to where we now are and, at best, the mediocre potential and reward this fallen world has to offer! k
