Dear Elders and Sisters,
President David O. McKay once said to a group of Church
employees:
Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a
personal Priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested,
I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly
responsibilities.
First, He will request an accountability report about your
relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy
and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, He will want an accountability report about each of
your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a
family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each
and every child.
Third, He will want to know what you personally have done
with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.
Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your
church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments
you have had, for in his eyes the home teacher and a mission president are
probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service
to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.
Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your
living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.
Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have
done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country, and
the world.”
Imagine for a moment what it would be like to have an
interview with the Savior at the end of your mission. What questions do you
think He would ask? Do you think He would ask you how many people you baptized?
I think He would want to know about your relationship with
each of your companions and what you did to serve them and help them reach
their potential. He might then ask
what you did to influence other missionaries in your district and zone. What
kind of example did you set? Did you strive to lift and encourage? Then He
would want to know how you used your talents to serve others, including members
and investigators. I don’t think He would be as interested in whether you were
a junior companion or an assistant to the president as He would in how you
served and strengthened others during your time in the mission. He would ask
you if you were strictly obedient and would be interested in what you learned
about obedience as you served your mission. He would want to know what you did to use your time wisely
and “leave your area stronger than you found it” (PMG, p. 137).
I invite you to take time this week to contemplate these
questions and ask yourself what specific changes you might make in order to give
an accounting to the Lord. Remember that, “Accountability does not come only at
the end of your mission. It is a principle that influences how you begin, how
you think and feel about the responsibility the Lord has given you, how you
approach your work, and how well you endure. The attitude you have toward your
mission experience is a reflection of your love toward your Heavenly Father and
His Son and your respect for the priesthood” (PMG, p. 164). You have the
opportunity to give a personal accounting each day and receive personal
inspiration as to how you can be a more successful missionary. As you act upon
that inspiration, you can make progress every day and receive daily a
confirmation of His commendation, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant:
thou hast been faithful over many things… enter thou into the joy of thy lord”
(Matt. 25:21).
My prayer is that you may experience this joy each and every
day of your mission!
President Blickenstaff
Mentor of Champions
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