When I was a
missionary in Florida in the early 1970s, I wrote a story that has had a life of its
own. I titled my story Find Me. It told of two boys who were friends in the
pre-existence. One came to earth as a
member of the Church and the other didn’t.
Before they left
the presence of the Father, the second boy asked the first boy to find him and bring the gospel to
him. In the story I was the first boy
and I told of finding Paul, the second boy, and fulfilling my promise. I may have been taking a certain amount of
license in writing this story, but this idea resonated with missionaries around
the world as my story became famous as it was transmitted on the so called missionary grapevine.
I
have always felt that the charge Jesus gave to his apostles to “Go ye into all
the world, and preach my gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15) applied to us
today, and to me particularly. I also
have accepted the Doctrine and Covenants invitation (section 4, verse 4) which
states, “For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that
thurstedth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he
perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul.” Thus, it is incumbent upon the Elders and
Sisters in this dispensation to find those who are seeking the gospel.
Perhaps
there is another side to this challenge.
What of those who are seeking to find the truth? What is their responsibility? What is their scriptural charge?
I am reminded of
the parable of the pearl of great price that is recorded in the book of
Matthew. Here, Jesus told of a merchant
man who was seeking goodly pearls.
Apparently he found one “pearl of great price, and went and sold all
that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46). Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus
taught in parables so those who would hear might hear, and those who would see,
might see. Those who did not want to
hear or see would not be held responsible for their blindness or deafness. The point is that the merchant man was
seeking. After seeking, and we are not
told how long he had been seeking, but when he found what he was seeking, he
was willing to give all he had to obtain it.
Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like that.
In that same chapter of
Matthew are several other great parables.
All of them compare the Kingdom
of Heaven
In
the great vision that was shown to Lehi, and later to Nephi, Lehi reported that
he “saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward,
that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood” (1
Nephi 8:21). It is of note that these
people were trying to get on the path, not yet pressing forward on the
path. Once they got on the path they
encountered the mist of darkness and were dependant on the rod of iron for
safety.
The first message
is that there are “numberless concourses of people” trying to get on the path.
I
have always been struck by the common theme expressed by new converts. Almost universally they say that they have
been looking for this gospel all of their lives. Many tell of their individual searches that
truly resemble the parables of Jesus.
They were seeking and searching for the treasure. Most had to make significant sacrifices once
they found the treasure in order to obtain it.
Section
123 of the Doctrine and Covenants was written in March of 1839 from the Liberty
Jail following a bitter winter. The
Prophet Joseph gave instructions to the scattered church regarding seeking
reparations for their sufferings and losses.
He concludes that there is a “duty that we owe to all the rising
generation, and to all the pure in heart” (D&C 123:11). Of course that duty is to carry the gospel to
them, the pure in heart, and to the entire world.
The
Apostle Paul told the Romans that all who “call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved. How then shall they call on
him in whom they have not believed? And
how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?”
(Romans 10:14-15). Thus, the imperative
is in place to us to both send and to preach.
But
the Prophet Joseph said, “For there are many yet on the earth among all sects,
parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth
because they know not where to find it” (D&C 123:12).
I
am struck by the phrase in Doctrine and Covenants section 132 wherein the Lord
states, and this is in reference to the New and Everlasting Covenant and
exaltation in his Kingdom, he says, “For strait is the gate, and narrow is the
way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it” (D&C
132:22 emphasis added).
This adds to the
scriptural charge to find them, the challenge for them to find it. Still, why is it that so many in this world
are only kept from the truth because
they know not where to find it? Does that seem fair? Why are some born into the truth, or why are
some able to find it early in their lives?
And yet it seems that others must search their entire lives to find the truth?
We
recently listened to a presentation by Apostle Jeffery R. Holland where he said
that in some parts of Africa, right now, you can stand on a street corner and
say that you want to talk to them about religious truths and you will
immediately have 200 people stop and listen to you. That seems fantastic to us. These people are truly “pressing forward,
that they might obtain the path which (leads) unto the tree.”
It
is my hope and desire that we can help them get on the path, hold to the iron
rod, and eventually get to the place where they can partake of the fruit of the
tree of life, which fruit is described as “being most desirable, above all
other fruit.”
This
is why I am going on a mission.
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