Applying the Gospel to Missionary Work: Repentance

     Since being on my mission I have gained a deep appreciation for daily repentance.

     As some of you may be aware, once a week missionary companionships conduct a 3-4 hour “Weekly Planning Session” during which we set goals and makes plans as to how we can best forward the work in our area. There are thirteen guidelines which we use to direct our weekly planning session, the final of which is “Conduct companionship inventory.”

     “At the end of your weekly planning session, share with your companion appropriate goals, and ask for his or her help to accomplish them. Discuss the strength of your relationship with your companion. Discuss any challenges that may be keeping your companionship from working in unity or from being obedient. Resolve conflicts. Share with your companion what you think his or her strengths are. Ask for suggestions on how you can improve. If needed, set goals that will improve your relationship. Conclude with prayer.” (Preach my Gospel)

     There are a lot of situation-specific conversations that come as a result of living with another human being 24/7. You no longer have the luxury of keeping ANYTHING to yourself. Any bad habit or silly quirk or annoying tendency you may have quickly becomes apparent within the first week. No one is exempt; we all do at least one thing that will drive our companion nuts. I imagine that spending so much time together in such a manner gives us a taste of what an omnipotent being gets to experience. Unfortunately, human beings tend to be a lot less forgiving than said omnipotent being when for the 489^th time they have to say, “Sister Ashworth, will you PLEASE stop leaving all the cupboards open whenever you get something from the kitchen??” (I have a problem.) Companionship inventory gives you the wonderful opportunity to acknowledge a need for improvement, and the to “share with your companion appropriate goals” and “ask for suggestions on how you can improve.”

     As missionaries we have been called by a prophet of God to preach the restored truths of the plan of salvation and of the gospel, but we are not perfect. As Paul taught, we “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 5:23) Each of us has broken a commandment or failed to act righteously despite our knowledge of the truth. We learn from the Book of Mormon that “for all [our] doings [we shall] be brought into judgment. Wherefore if [we] have sought to do wickedly in the days or [pour[ probation, then [we] are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God, wherefore, [we] must be cast off forever. (1 Nephi 10:20-21) How fortunate it is then that we have access to Christ's mercy through conditions of repentance. “If we confess our sins, [Christ] is faithful, and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

     Laying aside for a moment the eternal ramifications of sin. Ere and now there is another real consequence to defiling our lives with disobedience. After we are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. This gift of the Spirit is essential in missionary work. As missionaries we are called to “preach [Christ's] gospel by the Spirit (D&C 42:14) we are admonished that “if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.” Disobedience drives away the Spirit, and therefore even the smallest acts of rebellion or neglect inhibit our ability to fulfill our purpose. If we are to be effective disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, if we are fulfill our missionary purpose, which includes calling others to repent, we must learn to repent properly and completely ourselves.

     Elder David A. Bednar taught 

     “Repentance is a principle of hope and healing- not of discouragement and despair. Repentance indeed is humbling- but not frightening. Repentance is simultaneously demanding and comforting, rigorous and soothing.” What a gift it is to repent! Indeed it “is a priceless gift made possible through the atonement of him whom we love, serve, and follow.” (Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary, Seminar for new Mission Presidents 2011)

     In Isaiah we read, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:16-18)

     When our spirits become dirty or disfigured, we are not told to wallow in our fallen state, but rather to “Awake! And arise form the dust... put on the Armour of righteousness. Shake of the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity.” (2 Nephi 1:14,23) The Lord is calling us to action; to free ourselves from the bonds of sin by coming unto Jesus Christ and being made clean through his priceless gift of the atonement. And when we answer that call, when we repent, it is then that we are made effective servants of the Lord. It is then that we are able to “thrust in [our] sickle with all [our] soul, and be laden with sheaves upon [our] backs.” (D&C 31:5) 

     Of this I testify in Jesus' name, amen.