Why A Mission?

Bishop Richard C. Edgley of the Presiding Bishopric

"I don't care what your background is, you are a missionary and the mantle rests upon you. You are only the receptacle for the Spirit, you are not alone. Each of you is going to the second best mission in the church and you'll have the second best mission president, (the first was mine.) "

The presiding bishopric build the buildings of the church -- actually we go to the meetings and others build them. Pres Hickley was in Manhattan, and it was very expensive to buy land there. I told him when I served there on my mission we didn't have even one baptism in 15 months. Pres. Hinckley responded, "Well, now we have better missionaries."

Meeting at the MTC is Bishop Edgley's his favorite meeting (and he goes to a LOT!) He was once asked by an African delegate: How do you get your people to serve missions?" The delegate needed more volunteers to help with the AIDS epidemic.

He answered, "They are converted and are compelled to serve by a power greater than mine."

From a Mother's email letter to a mission president: "I have a very important request."

She had a son who was at college on a football scholarship. After the first semester, he called and said "I'm joining the Mormon Church! She said "You get home now! He went home, he insisted and she disowned him.

The next message was "Mother I'm going on a mission for the Mormon Church!" "No, you aren't, this family doesn't send Mormon Missionaries!"

Shortly thereafter two missionaries tracted to her house (as they do on occasion) and she asked them, "What are you doing in this city? Why are you here?"

They responded, "Ma'am, that's exactly what we wanted to talk to you about." They gave her the mission president's number at the MTC. She asked him, "How are you brainwashing these people?"

He responded, "Let me get someone to help you." She was asked to come to the MTC in her city where she talked to missionaries, they took her into a class, and took her to the huge lunchroom. At the end of the experience, she again emailed the Mission President and said,

"So, this is my request. In two hours, my son will get off the plane and come into your mission, when he does, please wrap your arms around him and tell him it's from his mother and she is so sorry."

"I promise if you share your experiences with your family, you will go him and see a change, even--no especially--if they don't understand why you are doing this now."