Success‏ (from the president)

Dear Parents and Families,
Another week has flown by and today is the communication day with your missionary. Isn't e-mail an amazing thing! Again let me say how much we enjoy the contact we have with you. It seems like the circle of faith for this mission has unified and expanded. Let me say that if you ever need to communicate anything of a sensitive nature I do have another e-mail address: sistergee@myldsmail.net (or james.gee@ldschurch.org)
I have been thinking about how I felt when our children were on their missions. One son was sent to a particularly difficult mission, where the number of baptisms was similar to the number here in Oklahoma. I was often concerned that he would get discouraged because it was so hard. From my limited point of view, the number of baptisms was the measuring stick for success. Now that I am in the mission field I realize there are several ways to measure success. Before we came to Oklahoma we would meet people who had served here and they would say, "I loved my mission in Oklahoma!" They were always sincere and enthusiastic. I wondered how they could love a mission if they didn't baptize many people. Let me share some of the other ways I have discovered make for a successful mission.

My favorite analogy is to visualize the mission as a big sprinkling system. Each missionary is one of the sprinklers. If they cover their area with diligence the grass will be green. If they slack off, the grass will burn and some repair work needs to be done. A missionary who can be trusted to stay on task and keep working, no matter what is worth his or her weight in gold.

We often recite the missionary purpose when we have meetings. It is to INVITE others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. President Gee often says if at the end of the day they can look back and see they have invited several people to hear the message they have had a pretty good day and they have been successful. The people have their agency but we can control the inviting. The mission as a whole is stepping it up right now. They are working hard. We do measure the number of people we contact, teach, who attend church, who have a baptismal date, and who have been baptized. We are seeing a positive, upward trend. We are encouraged. We feel there is an increase of faith. We are sure your prayers and faith are helping.

President Gee has done a little playing around with the numbers. If we have to find people on our own, the numbers indicate we have to talk to 800 people to get one person baptized. The phrase, "labor with all your might" comes to mind. If the members help us get referrals it is more like one in twenty who will be baptized. We have also learned that people usually need several positive contacts with the church before they are ready to accept the gospel. We keep telling the missionaries that they never know what will happen down the road, even if they are rejected now. In fact one recent convert told us in her testimony that her sister not very politely turned the missionaries away from their door. Now that sister is taking the lessons herself. We have to have faith to keep trying.

Another thing I have observed is how difficult it is to determine who "gets the baptism." There are so many people involved in teaching the gospel and so much overlap that it is hard to answer the question, "How many baptisms did you get?" It is almost impossible to answer. Transfers often take them away just before the baptism occurs. Sometimes it is months before baptism occurs.

Probably the most important measure of success is absolutely under the control of the missionary. That is how diligent he/she is in following the morning schedule. If they are obedient they are up early, they exercise so they stay in shape physically, they eat a healthy breakfast, they have personal prayer, they have personal study for an hour, and they study with their companion for an hour. They learn to plan and prepare for the people they will be teaching that day. They work on memorizing some scriptures, and they open themselves to personal revelation. When they do this faithfully they experience incredible growth. If you want to know how your missionary is doing, that is where you should look. That is a big part of the price they pay to receive the blessings available to them.

Another important way to determine success is how obedient they are to the rules in the missionary handbook. They have heard this until they are sick of it, but it is true. Apostles and prophets know the tactics of Satan and they have made these rules for the protection of the missionaries. They are young and sometimes naive. They often don't realize how hard Satan is working on them or how subtle he can be. If they can stand up for the things they have promised to do they are successful, even if they never baptize a soul. Please keep praying for them against the power of Satan.

A subject for another time is leadership positions. This can become a false measuring stick yet leadership does give great opportunity for service and growth. I will have more to say about this in the future.

Well, that is about enough for today. I hope this gives you an expanded perspective. You are sensitive to the spirit and will get a feeling of how your missionary is doing. Keep offering encouragement to keep up the fight. Let them know you can see the good things that are happening. If necessary, tell them as President Hinckley's father did, to "Forget yourself and get to work!" That is some of the most pertinent advice you can give. We appreciate your wonderful influence and your concern. President Gee is enjoying these communications along with me. He sends his love. Have a good week.

Love, Sister Gee