“STIMULATOR” message for the week of July 27, 1971
Message from President Eugene C. Ludwig, dated July 27, 1971.
“OF THOSE TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED” “600” in 1971
Dear Fellow Missionaries,
Have you noticed that a successful person is virtually always one who acts? He does not need to be told everything to do. He knows the mission policies and programs, he thinks clearly, makes a decision, then acts. When asked to do something, he goes the extra mile without being told, because he want to and because his not satisficed with the half-done job.
President David O. McKay once said: “Upon no other group of men in the world rests greater responsibility that upon the elders of the Church. In the full meaning of the term, they are priests of the Most High. It is their privilege to receive spiritual enlightenment and blessings; it is their duty to give these to their fellow men. Most apparent, therefore, is their responsibility as divinely authorized representatives.” He often quoted the lines, “Where ere thou art, act well thy part.”
Blessed is the missionary who realizes early in his mission, that he has accepted a call to truly serve the Lord. He is fortunate who realizes that, when faithfully fulfilled, a mission is a strong contributing factor to his own personal character development. He realizes that as he assumes his responsibilities as a missionary he will develop the characteristics of spirituality, knowledge, love, determination, dedication, humility, leadership and integrity — all as natural byproducts of the fulfillment of a profitable mission. He knows he should make his mission a happy time – a time to grow close to the Lord. It is a time of unceasing opportunity to do the Lord’s will, and to this end he should be dedicated. He also recognizes his responsibility to himself: “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God.” (Alma 34:32).
Those who have been taught to accept responsibility at an early age and carry it out willingly are fortunate. It is, however, a quality that can still be acquired. Though it is not easy, we develop individual responsibility through learning to recognize our responsibilities without them being continually pointed out to us, then we set out to accomplish, to the very best of our abilities, those things which we know we should be doing. It is a God-like quality which is worth any effort necessary to obtain.
The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. It is not possible to truly love God, without a burning desire to please Him. One may say He loves the Lord, but without this desire he is fooling himself. With the great love that we all have for the Lord, comes the greatest responsibility of all, as Joseph Smith said: “…the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel.”
May we all live up to the responsibility and trust placed in us as missionaries, is our hope and prayer.
Sincerely your companions,
President and Sister Ludwig
“IT ISN’T A MATTER OF WHETHER YOU ARE BETTER THAN THIS FELLOW OR THAT, BUT IT’S A MATTER OF WHETHER YOU ARE BETTER TODAY THAN YOU WERE YESTERDAY.” (President Hugh B. Brown)
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