The Hour of Your Mission Is Come

Invite God’s Children to Come unto Christ

Bishop Douglas explains that missionaries receive a divine commission to help God’s children come unto Jesus Christ. Their purpose centers on the doctrine of Christ, and their lives help illustrate the message they teach.

They are uniquely set apart from the world and divinely commissioned by the Savior.

You are an army of righteousness with the doctrine of Christ as your purpose.

You are not only the messengers but also living examples of the message.

You have a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement that can bless a world suffering without knowledge of His divine mission.

• Missionaries assist in inviting people to come unto Christ through repentance, baptism, and confirmation.
• Missionaries of all ages contribute to building the kingdom of God.
• Faith, power, love, and joy characterize the missionary work Bishop Douglas describes.
• A missionary’s example reinforces the gospel message.
• Testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement offers hope to people who do not know His divine mission.

• When does someone’s Christlike example help you understand or accept a gospel principle?
• What experience helps you recognize the value of sharing your testimony of Jesus Christ?
• How does a missionary help you or someone you know come closer to the Savior?
• What opportunity do you have to invite someone toward Christ with love rather than pressure?

Prioritize Missionary Service over Competing Ambitions

Bishop Douglas describes missionaries whose desire to serve the Lord takes precedence over other personal ambitions. He teaches that the rising generation is prepared for this work and urges young people not to allow distractions to displace it.

Their desire to serve the Lord rose above every other personal ambition.

For a season, all else takes a back seat—education, dating, careers, family time, and even sleeping in on Saturday mornings.

God held you in reserve for this time.

Take care not to become distracted. Prioritize it; don’t let anything get in the way. You are needed!

• The sons of Mosiah exemplify a deep desire for the salvation of others.
• Love for the Lord motivates missionaries to place other pursuits on hold for a season.
• Missionary service involves high expectations and meaningful sacrifice.
• Bishop Douglas teaches that young people receive preparation before birth to invite others to Christ.
• Recognizing the importance of missionary work helps young people resist distractions.

• When do you choose a spiritual priority over another worthwhile opportunity?
• What helps your desire to serve the Lord grow stronger?
• What experience helps you feel that the Lord prepares you to bless someone else?
• How do you recognize and reduce distractions that compete with serving the Savior?

Help Others Prepare to Follow the Savior

Elder Merlin Sanchez’s experience illustrates how faithful friends and leaders help someone return to Church participation and prepare for missionary service. His desire to draw close to Jesus Christ becomes the central reason for serving, and Bishop Douglas describes the Lord removing obstacles after Merlin decides to go.

A faithful friend helped him begin to fill out his mission papers and schedule a physical exam, even though Merlin had not yet decided to serve a mission.

With the help of friends and leaders, Merlin returned to church at age 25.

Once he made the decision to go, it was miraculous to see how the Lord removed seemingly insurmountable obstacles one by one.

I only want to be close to Jesus Christ and to follow Him.

• Faithful friendship and leadership support can help someone renew Church participation.
• Practical help with preparation can accompany spiritual encouragement.
• A desire to be close to Jesus Christ provides a powerful motivation for missionary service.
• Merlin’s experience illustrates the Lord’s help in overcoming obstacles; it does not establish that every difficulty disappears for every prospective missionary.
• Young converts can consider missionary service even when it is not part of their earlier plans.

• Who helps you take a spiritual step when you feel uncertain, and what makes that support meaningful?
• When does practical help from a friend or leader make it easier for you to act on a righteous desire?
• What experience helps you want to be closer to Jesus Christ and follow Him?
• How do you recognize the Lord’s help while working through an obstacle to service?

Continue Discipleship beyond Missionary Service

Bishop Douglas presents missionary service as one significant step on a lifelong path of following Jesus Christ. Elder Sanchez’s experiences with companions, marriage, family, and Church leadership illustrate how conversion and service continue beyond a mission.

He became a wonderful missionary, converted to Jesus Christ and His doctrine.

His every experience, trial, and companion was consecrated for his gain.

Though opposite in personality, they became united in purpose—assigned together by divine design.

After all, serving a mission is just one of many significant steps on the path of lifelong discipleship.

• Missionary service offers opportunities to deepen conversion to Jesus Christ and His doctrine.
• Trials and relationships can contribute to spiritual growth.
• People with different personalities can become united through a shared gospel purpose.
• Discipleship continues through family life, Church service, and ongoing faithfulness.
• The influence of missionary service can extend into later stages of life.

• When does serving with someone different from you teach you charity or unity?
• What difficult experience becomes an opportunity for spiritual growth?
• How do habits of gospel service continue to bless your life after a calling or assignment ends?
• What helps you continue following Christ during a major life transition?

Respond to the Prophet’s Invitation to Serve

Bishop Douglas reaffirms prophetic counsel that every worthy, able young man prepares for and serves a mission as a priesthood responsibility. He also emphasizes that missionary service is a powerful but optional opportunity for young women, who seek the Lord’s direction through prayer.

To you wonderful young converts of the Church, a mission may not have been on your radar, but it ought to be now.

To all the rising generation of the Church, I invite you to place serving a full-time mission high on your list.

For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity.

Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission.

There is still plenty of room and a special place reserved for each one of you! We need you!

• Bishop Douglas invites the rising generation, including young converts, to seriously consider full-time missionary service.
• Prophetic counsel identifies missionary service as a priesthood responsibility for every worthy, able young man.
• Young women receive an invitation to consider missionary service as an optional opportunity and seek personal direction through prayer.
• Amulek’s acknowledgment that he does not initially hear repeated calls provides a warning against ignoring spiritual invitations.
• Bishop Douglas celebrates missionaries of all ages and emphasizes that more are needed.

• When does prophetic counsel help you clarify a decision about service?
• How does prayer help you discern the Lord’s direction for a significant choice?
• What experience helps you become more willing to respond to a spiritual invitation?
• How can you encourage someone’s missionary preparation while respecting personal circumstances and the distinction between counsel for young men and young women?

Trust the Lord’s Promises as You Serve

Bishop Douglas concludes with the Savior’s words to Thomas B. Marsh and invites listeners to place their own names in the passage. The revelation connects wholehearted service with joy, divine help, forgiveness, care for family, and the opening of people’s hearts.

I pray that you will make the Savior’s grand commission your very own.

Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.

Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back.

I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand.

• Bishop Douglas invites listeners to personally apply the Savior’s commission.
• The Lord calls His servants to rejoice and declare glad tidings.
• The revelation encourages wholehearted effort and promises divine assistance.
• The Lord’s words to Thomas B. Marsh include assurances concerning his family.
• The Lord opens hearts and directs the establishment of His Church.

• When does a scripture feel personally relevant as you prepare to serve the Lord?
• What experience helps you trust the Lord when you feel inadequate to share the gospel?
• How do you experience joy through wholehearted service?
• When do you recognize the Lord preparing someone’s heart to receive a gospel message?
• What helps you trust the Lord with family concerns while fulfilling a calling or service opportunity?