Alma 31:36-38; 3 Ne. 13:25-34; Matt. 6:25-34; D&C 18:15; 84:80-81,85; refer in this text to Alma 29:1-2; Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 24; Ensign, Backman, Oct. 1992, pp. 13-15
[To the young men of the Church] “You have missions to perform. Each of you should plan for missionary service. You may have some doubts. You may have some fears. Face your doubts and your fears with faith. Prepare yourselves to go. You have not only the opportunity; you have the responsibility… . Is it too much to ask that you give two years totally immersed in His service? … You know what is right. You know what is wrong. You know when and how to make the choice. you know that there is a power in heaven on which you can call in your time of extremity and need… . Stand up and walk as becomes the sons of God.
[Speaking of the Sister Missionaries] They perform a remarkable work. They can get in homes where the elders cannot… . Now having made that confession, I wish to say that the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve are united in saying to our young sisters that they are not under obligation to go on missions… . Some of them will very much wish to go. If the idea persists, the bishop will know what to do… . missionary work is essentially a priesthood responsibility. As such, our young men must carry the major burden. This is their responsibility and their obligation. We do not ask the young women to consider a mission as an essential part of their life’s program. Over a period of many years, we have held the age level higher for them in an effort to keep the number going relatively small. Again to the sisters I say that you will be as highly respected, you will be considered as being as much in the line of duty, your efforts will be as acceptable to the Lord and to the Church whether you go on a mission or do not go on a mission… . I certainly do not wish to say or imply that their services are not wanted. I simply say that a mission is not necessary as a part of their lives.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1997, p. 52)
“The question is frequently asked, Should every young man fill a mission? The answer to this inquiry has been given by the Lord. It is yes. Every young man should fill a mission. While every young man should serve a mission, we realize that every young man is not physically, emotionally, nor morally prepared. As a consequence, some may be deprived of missionary opportunities. But all should prepare to go—to be worthy to serve the Lord… . Some young men, because of transgression, say they are not interested in serving a mission. The real reason, of course, is feelings of unworthiness. If such young men would go to their bishop, confide to him their problem, and sincerely repent, they may yet fill honorable missions.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp. 182-183)
“And I say to you … Elders, Awaken up! God has placed the priesthood upon you, and he expects you to magnify it… . We want some manhood, and some priesthood and power of God to be manifested in Israel… . And I pray God, the Eternal Father, to waken up these Elders, that the spirit of their mission may rest upon them, and that they may comprehend their true position before God.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 20:23)
“The Lord wants every young man to serve a full-time mission. Presently only a third of the eligible young men in the Church are serving missions. This is not pleasing to the Lord. We can do better. We must do better. Not only should a mission be regarded as a priesthood duty, but every young man should look forward to this experience with great joy and anticipation. A young man can do nothing more important. School can wait. Scholarships can be deferred. Occupational goals can be postponed. Yes, even temple marriage should wait until after a young man has served an honorable full-time mission for the Lord… . Remember, young women, you may also have the opportunity to serve a full-time mission. I am grateful my own eternal companion served a mission in Hawaii before we were married in the Salt Lake Temple, and I am pleased that I have had three grand-daughters serve full-time missions. Some of our finest missionaries are young sisters.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp. 190,194)
“Now you young unmarried sisters from twenty-one to sixty-nine with good health, there is no obligation to serve, but you are certainly welcome and wanted if the Spirit encourages you to volunteer… . Now you young men, unmarried, nineteen to twenty-six (eighteen outside the United States), … a mission has been emphasized as a priesthood responsibility of such priority that again today we stress, your mission comes before marriage, education, professional opportunities, scholarships, sports, cars, or girls… . You will have twenty-four years’ worth of spiritual adventures. You will see people change; soften; become more humble, more obedient; have their prayers answered; and come to a knowledge that our message is true.” (Robert E. Wells, Conference Report, Oct. 1985, p. 36)
“A mother and father were in my office accompanied by a 265-pound BYU sophomore All-WAC tackle. They had asked for an appointment to help resolve a confusing family situation. After we greeted the mother and the father and their son, Lance Reynolds, we had a few words of friendly conversation. I knew why they had come. The trying decision was does Lance go on a mission or does he stay and play football? I looked at the mother and said, ‘What do you think your son should do?’ She said, ‘I think he can render a special service and example to the Church if he maintains his standards and continues to play football and hopefully help in bringing football fame to BYU and the Church. I think his football playing can be his mission.’ I looked at the father, and I said, ‘What do you think Lance should do?’ He was smart enough not to disagree in that setting with his wife, so he merely said, ‘I’m not quite certain.’ I looked at Lance and I said, ‘Lance, what do you want to do?’ He said, ‘I want to go on a mission.’ I responded with, ‘Why don’t you?’ He said, ‘I will.’ Our interview was over. Lance went on his mission, was an outstanding missionary, came back and reaped all-conference honors, and is now on the BYU’s football coaching staff. He is a special friend of mine today.” (Marvin J. Ashton, BYU Devotional, Aug. 24, 1992)
“An acquaintance of mine grew up not far from here… . Many universities offered him scholarships to play basketball. After his first year playing at a university, he told his coach that he would like to be excused for two years to go on a mission. The coach said, ‘If you leave, you can be sure of one thing: you will never again wear one of our basketball uniforms!’ Many thought that his ‘mission’ ought to be playing basketball. Even some family mambers, including his parents, tried to convice him not to serve a mission. But he was totally committed… . He was called, and he served an honorable mission. When he returned, … his coach decided to repent… . In his senior year, his team not only won the conference championship but went on to the finals in national competition… . Modern prophets have taught that every young man who is physically and mantally able should prepare himself to serve an honorable mission. The Lord did not say, ‘Go on a mission if it fits your schedule, or if you happen to feel like it, or if it doesn’t interfere with your scholarship, your romance, or your educational plans.’ Preaching the gospel is a commandment and not merely a suggestion… . Even though for some of you there may be very tempting reasons for you not to serve a full-time mission, the Lord and his prophets are counting on you.” (Joe J. Christensen, Ensign, Nov. 1996, pp. 40-41)
“One young man, when called on a mission, replied that he didn’t have much talent for that kind of thing. What he was good at was keeping his powerful new automobile in top condition. He enjoyed the sense of power and acceleration, and when he was driving, the continual motion gave him the illusion that he was really getting somewhere. All along, his father had been content with saying, ‘He likes to do things with his hands. That’s good enough for him.’ Good enough for a son of God? This young man didn’t realize that the power of his automobile is infinitesimally small in comparison with the … priesthood power that he could have been developing in the service of the Lord. He settled for a pitiful god, a composite of steel and rubber and shiny chrome.
An older couple retired from the world of work and purchased a pickup truck and camper and, separating themselves from all obligations, set out to see the world and simply enjoy what little they had accumulated the rest of their days. They had not time … for missionary service… . Their experience and leadership were sorely needed … but, unable to ‘endure to the end,’ they were not available.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, June 1976, p. 5)
“I have a vision of thousands of missionaries going into the mission field with hundreds of passages memorized from the Book of Mormon so that they might feed the needs of a spiritually famished world. I have a vision of the whole Church getting nearer to God by abiding by the precepts of the Book of Mormon. Indeed, I have a vision of flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, Nov. 1988, pp. 4-6)
“I throw out a challenge to every young man within this vast congregation tonight. Prepare yourself now to be worthy to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary… . Prepare to consecrate two years of your lives to this sacred service. That will in effect constitute a tithe on the first twenty years of your lives… . I promise you that the time you spend in the mission field, if those years are spent in dedicated service, will yield a greater return on investment than any other two years of your lives… . You will develop powers of persuasion which will bless your entire life. Your timidity, your fears, your shyness will gradually disappear as you go forth with boldness and conviction. You will learn to work with others… . The cankering evil of selfishness will be supplanted by a sense of service to others. You will draw nearer to the Lord than you likely will in any other set of circumstances. You will come to know that without His help you are indeed weak and simple, but that with His help you can accomplish miracles. You will establish habits of industry. You will develop a talent for the establishment of goals of effort. You will learn to work with singleness of purpose… . If you serve a mission faithfully and well, you will be a better husband, you will be a better father, you will be a better student, a better worker in your chosen vocation.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1995, pp. 51-52)
“Prepare now to go on a mission. It will not be a burden. It will not be a waste of time. It will be a great opportunity and a great challenge. It will do something for you that nothing else will do for you. It will sharpen your skills. It will train you in leadership. It will bring testimony and conviction into your heart. You will bless the lives of others as you bless your own. It will bring you nearer to God and to His Divine Son as you bear witness and testimony of Him. Your knowledge of the gospel will strengthen and deepen. Your love for your fellowman will increase. Your fears will fade as you stand boldly in testimony of the truth.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 1997, p. 50)
“Now, my dear young friends, I hope all of you are pointed in the direction of missionary service. I cannot promise you fun. I cannot promise you ease and comfort. I cannot promise you freedom from discouragement, from fear, from downright misery at times. But I can promise you that you will grow as you have never grown in a similar period during your entire lives. I can promise you a happiness that will be unique and wonderful and lasting. I can promise you that you will reevaluate your lives, that you will establish new priorities, that you will live closer to the Lord, that prayer will become a real and wonderful experience, that you will walk with faith in the outcome of the good things you do.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1998, p. 52)
“We must be willing to release the death grip which we have on things, which have become as a security blanket in our lives. Count the many hundreds of needed missionary couples who would be serving in the field if that firm grip on the familiarities of home and of children and grandchildren could be loosened. The Lord is prepared to perform the miracle that will follow, which miracle is that both they and you will survive, even grow, with an eighteen-month separation.” (Graham W. Doxey, Conference Report, Oct. 1991, p. 34)
“In addition to the need for more young men and women to serve, there is an urgent need for couples. Each time we visit a mission, the universal request is for more couples. The need is great for mature couples who are financially able, possessing strong testimonies, and with reasonably good health. Their entry into the mission field adds strength and maturity to our missionary effort… . Is this not the special time of decision for all of you … special mature older couples? Have you ever sat down and contemplated what kind of entries you will prepare for your life’s history? Will yours be one comprised of slides and videos of worldly acquisitions of boats and motor homes, of travel and entertainment for personal gratification and amusement? Or will your history express the joy you have experienced in preaching and teaching the message of our Lord and Savior to all who would hear your voice?” (Angel Abrea, Ensign, May 1992, pp. 24-25)
“The cause to which I speak is of missionary work as couples… . There is a need, not to leave homes forever, but for a time—then return and reap the rich harvest of the faithful labor. Your children and grandchildren will be blessed… . President Harold B. Lee taught the principle that only as we make ourselves totally available are we worthy disciples of Christ and obtain another promise that reaches beyond us. We worry and ache and pain over family members who have erred. The thirty-first section of the Doctrine and Covenants provides a great key in verse five: ‘Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.’ … The promise is sure, ‘Wherefore, your family shall live.’ Blessings will come to our wayward or wandering children, even those who are married and have children of their own… . As we come to the latter years of life, we come to a mature spiritual understanding. What better way have we to prepare to meet our God than to serve a mission when the autumn and winter of life is upon us?” (Vaughn J. Featherstone, Ensign, May 1992, pp. 42-44)
“There is an urgent need in the Church today for missionary couples, not to go first-contacting or teaching the discussions, unless you want to do so, but for meaningful missionary service in all of the activities of the Church throughout the world. There is far greater flexibility in the service opportunities of couples than for single elders or sisters. In consultation with your bishop, you can indicate your own preferences for missionary service. We must train a growing number of fathers and mothers and priesthood and auxiliary leaders throughout the world who want very much to serve the Lord but simply do not know how to do it. You can help them as a leadership missionary couple. You can serve in temples, family history, educational and medical activities, welfare service projects, public affairs, and visitors’ centers… . Your children and grandchildren will be positively influenced for good as witnessed by many couples who have honorably served, some on their third, fourth, or fifth mission. Don’t wait to be asked. I invite each of you to come forth to participate some way in the glorious and varied opportunities for missionary service… .” (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, Nov. 1997, pp. 36-37)