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missiondrc1 (Elder Clarke ** )

Elder and Sister Don R. Clarke of the Seventy

Tuesday devotional,  July 25, 2017


Sister Clarke:
  • Dreams do come true.  Our granddaughter is in this congregation, preparing to serve.  We take each grandchild on a church-related trip when they turn 12.
  • Look at your mission through spiritual eyes.  Write down your daily miracles
  • Section 110 of the D&C tells us what the Savior looks like.  Review D&C 84:88 often.
Elder Clarke:
  • Look what she did with me!  I love my wife.
  • Your mission will change everything – school, work, who you marry.
  • I learned more on my mission about achieving success than in my entire MBA schooling experience.  I would pay $100,000 for the privilege to serve a mission.
  • Important truths in missionary work:  1) Christ – get people to the temple so they can live with Him forever.  Love Him, know Him 2) Help – that is the main word in Our Purpose 3) Follow the Spirit – study your scriptures, keep the commandments, apply what you learn  4) Keep a personal Book of Revelations – write down all your promptings and follow through.
  • You can’t ask people to do things that you are not doing yourself.
  • Why do we do missionary work?  Matthew 22:35-40
  • I found a little Bolivian family on my mission.  I will stay true to the church because by so doing I will stay true to THEM
  • The First Vision really happened, and EVERYTHING we teach depends on that one event!
  • Serving a mission is about BECOMING – will you simply pass through your mission or will your mission PASS THROUGH YOU??
  • General advice:
    • Don’t let others determine your happiness.  Your happiness is a CHOICE. 
    • Be happy always and content never.  
    • Love problems, love life. The Holy Ghost knows all the answers.
    • Never say, “That’s just the way I am”. 
    • Run first with your heart, then with your mind, and finally with your feet! 
    • Diligence is more important than intelligence.
  • We want investigators to come to Sacrament Meeting to have a spiritual experience, not just to fulfill a requirement for baptism:
    • They should pray to thank the Lord for the opportunity to attend.
    • They should pray to understand that the emblems represent Christ.
    • They should come having repented of at least some sins.
    • They should come with a question or with a problem to be solved.
    • They should sit on the front row and meet the bishop.
    • Missionaries should call those who are going to speak and tell them about the investigators that are coming and how they could tailor their message to their needs.
    • Never, never, never be late. What message are you giving the Lord and your investigators?  No excuses!
    • Do whatever is possible to get them to come. Go get them!
  • How many of you have complained about a branch president?  How many of you have prayed for him?  Bishops and branch presidents hold the keys to missionary work.  Love them, serve them, buy gifts for them (inexpensive is fine).
  • The 20/80 principle applies in the mission field  (20% do 80% of the real work)
  • I promise you that you will triple your future income if you read and apply Chapter 8 of Preach My Gospel.
  • Teach the “can’s” and the “wanna’s”.  Don’t spend fruitless time with the “wont’s” and “don’t wanna’s”
  • Retention:
    • Hold onto your converts.
    • Do you want them to stay active?
    • Alma – 1000’s were brought in, believed, were converted, and DID NOT FALL AWAY.
    • Keep visiting them and stay in contact with them after your missions
  • Finding is an attitude:
    • Don’t arrive at your assigned mission without obtaining at least one referral.
    • If God can trust you to open your mouth, he will put people in your way who are ready to listen.
    • “… kept from the truth because they know not where to find it…”
  • The importance of investigators keeping commitments:
    • Challenge them to stop smoking for one day.
    • Baby steps.
    • Be with them during their most tempting times to smoke or drink.
    • Pay tithing with them, let them watch you do this, help them.
  • Less-actives COUNT!  Help them come back.
  • Most missionaries are PROFESSIONAL TIME-WASTERS!
  • Meetings:
    • D&C 43:8-9.
    • Always carry a card with 5 things you are committed to change about yourself.  Bind yourself to act!
  • If you are not having fun, you should resign!

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