Bring Them Home

Monday, May 27, 2013 Faith , Forever , Inspiration , Love , Sister Missionary , video 1 Comments

I've been awake for three hours, and have spent all three of those hours trying to think of something to write for all of you.

Since last night I've been having a hard time, full of doubt, fear, and insecurity. This isn't the first time during the past month and a half since receiving my mission call that I have felt this way, and certainly not the first time within the past year and a half, as I prepared to graduate from college and put in my mission papers, that I have felt alone and without worth.

Sometimes I see girls receiving calls to the places I used to dream about being called to and am filled with pained jealousy. Sometimes I read through my patriarchal blessing, looking for solace and direction, and only feel frustrated, as if my blessing were just a blank page.

Sometimes I think about serving a mission and wonder, "why bother?"

This is how I've been feeling.



When I woke up this morning, I was determined not to leave my bed, and the precious morning moments of closeness I felt with my Savior and my Heavenly Father, until I felt better.

So I searched for an answer for three hours. I read my patriarchal blessing again. I read through the blogs of fellow sisters and the posts on the Facebook group "Many are called... But few are sisters," searching for something that I could write about that would not only make me feel better, but help you. I started on at least five different topics, then stopped.

Bothered that I couldn't find something to stick, I went back to check Facebook. At the top of my news feed was a post by Deseret News: a video of The Piano Guys's version of "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables, dedicated to the servicewomen and men of our country in honor of Memorial Day. I love Les Mis something terrible, so I clicked on it.

It felt like a fire erupted in my heart, and words started to rush into my head.

Bring them home. Bring back our brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren, mothers, fathers. Bring him home. Bring her home. Bring them home.

All of the souls in Heaven were speaking to me in one voice through that music.

I have been entrusted by generations and generations to bring family members to the fold. It is my duty, as a missionary for the next eighteen months and forever, to bring people in from the darkness to the straight and narrow path, so that when they reach the gates of Heaven they can pass through and be reunited with their family members. I am blessed to take my brothers and sisters by the hand and bring them to the all-encompassing love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Children are entrusting their parents to me. Parents are entrusting their children. This work is not trivial, and the workers of the field are not worthless, pointless beings. Christ Himself has entrusted us to continue the same work that He began during His mortal ministry.

Feed his sheep.

Leave the ninety and nine to save the one.

Help bring those who are lost to repentance and salvation.

Sisters, never doubt yourself or the importance of this work we are about to begin. Families are watching you, waiting for you. When you save a girl, you save generations. When you save a boy, you introduce the blessings of the Priesthood into homes. When you bring others closer unto Christ, you are drawing nearer unto Him yourself.

When you are feeling alone, you are not alone. So much is resting on your valiance, on your ability to say "I will try again tomorrow." It's not your scripture mastery, your Preach My Gospel studies, or the number of years of your church membership that will bring people to Christ. It is your sincere, heartfelt testimony of Him, your knowledge that He knows and loves each one of us, and the love that He lends us that you can bring to others.

Think of your own future children, of your family members beyond the veil, and how important you are to them. Think of how proud they will be each day you decide to try again, each day you are courageous, armed with their love and the love of your Heavenly Father. Think of how grateful families will be when they are sealed together because you bravely shared the Gospel with a heart that was ready to receive it. Think of how wonderful it will be to reach your Heavenly Father's kingdom at the end of the day and be met by those who you helped to find the Celestial Kingdom.

We are blessed, sisters. We are blessed. We are blessed to be called to serve the members of this Church and to be entrusted with the work of Christ. We are blessed to be a small part of this wave of missionary work. We are blessed to be sent to places where we will meet friends who we promised that we would find and help. We are blessed to have the support of billions behind us as we try to live each day with charity and boldness in sharing the Gospel.

Bring them home, sisters. Bring them home.