"Good afternoon, brothers and sisters. [BAH-REE OARHS BARON YEV TAKEEN. AYO, YES HASKANUM EM YEV HOSUM EM HAYREN ME KEETCH BITES VOTCH SHOT LAV. SHORDHAKALUTSOON YEV TSE-TEH-SOO-TYOON]. In English, good morning sirs and madams. Yes, I can understand and speak Armenian a little but not very well. Thank you and good-bye. It is a privilege and blessing to be speaking here today in front of family and friends. As was said, I have been called to serve in the California Arcadia Mission speaking Armenian.
I don’t
know about everyone else but I had no idea there was even an Armenian
population in California, let alone a mission.] [Nevertheless,] I am thrilled
to be called to serve the Lord and the Armenian people in California.
Not only do I get to learn and
be immersed in such an exotic language and culture, but I also get the luxuries
of home such as Taco-Bell and hot showers. But I’m sure most of you, just like
I did, are wondering how many Armenians could possibly be in California and how
often I’d really be speaking the language. So let me read you some facts about
Armenian Arcadia.
a.
The 2010 American Community
Survey estimates that there are a little less than 1.5 Million Armenian
Americans here in the U.S. The highest concentration of Armenian descent in the
Los Angeles area with estimates of 450,000 – 800,000.
b.
Ironically, Glendale, California, [an area
inside my mission] is widely known as the center of Armenian American life.
With about 40% of the city's population of Armenian origin.
c.
And approximately 53% of the ethnic Armenians
living in the United States referred to the Armenian language as the 'Language
Spoken at Home'.
I have
to admit, this is my first talk in Church. I’m not sure how this happened
seeing how I have been in this ward for about 12 years… but I guess I should
get used to speaking seeing how I will be doing it everyday for the next two
years.
Today I
have been asked to speak about how being steadfast in Christ strengthens
missionaries. To begin I’d like to discuss what it means to be a missionary,
and why the church
places such a
strong emphasis on missionary work. Elder M. Russell Ballard wrote, “ We
know the
purpose of life. The rest of the world doesn’t. It rests on the
shoulders
of every young man to prepare himself to declare that message to the
world.”
This is
precisely the reason that young men in the church should want
to serve a full time mission, to fulfill the commandment
given in Doctrine and Covenants section 88 which
reads, “Behold
I sent you
out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who
hath been
warned to warn his neighbor.” We as members
of the church have been
given a great
blessing by already receiving this Gospel, and because we have
been given
much, we too must give. It is for this reason
that I have made
the same choice to serve an
honorable full time
mission. I want to testify to the world about the
truthfulness
of the Book of Mormon and the comfort, and joy it brings to my life.
If the
Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion, then Christ is the foundation
upon which the arch is built. His time on this earth provides an
example of
what it is to live a perfect life, and it is for our eternal benefit
to follow
his example. As missionaries work harder to gain Christ-like
attributes,
they will
become more in tune with the spirit, and
therefore better able to bring souls
unto Christ. Doctrine and Covenants section 18 says, “Remember the
worth of souls is
great in the sight of God”.
Christ loves each
and every
individual, regardless of sin. What a
great blessing this is to know that our Father in Heaven will love us no matter
our mistakes. Missionaries must develop this Christ-like love in order to effectively
serve and teach the people that they too can become
worthy of all the blessings He has to give.
2)
What makes a good missionary?
A good
missionary
is one who not only serves the people,
but truly loves the people with the pure
love of Christ. Preach
My Gospel, a guide to
missionary service,
says that “Charity is a gift from God….your love
for all
people will increase, especially those among whom you
labor. You will come to
feel a sincere
concern for the eternal welfare and happiness of other people.
You will
see them as children of God with the potential of becoming like our
Heavenly
Father, and you will labor in their behalf….You will develop charity
as you look
for opportunities to serve others and give of yourself.”
Christ was
the perfect
demonstrator of charity, as His mortal ministry was centered on
love. He
provided the ultimate example of love, when He sacrificed himself so
that all
mankind may be saved. By following Christ and His example, missionaries
can truly become strengthened
and be better
qualified to teach His word. But in order to follow Christ, we
must first
have faith in Him.
Faith, as defined
in Alma chapter 32 “is not to have a perfect knowledge of things, therefore
if ye have faith ye
hope for things
which are not seen which are true”.
Faith is a cycle;
in
order to come to know for ourselves what things
are true, we must first have
faith in those
things, and the Holy Spirit will then manifest to us of the
truthfulness
thereof. Missionaries who have faith in Christ will have their
faith
increased, just like the old Primary song: “Faith is like a little seed; if planted
it will grow”. Proverbs 3, verses
5 and 6 advises to “Trust
in the Lord
with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In
all thy
ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths”. If we have faith in
the Lord, we find ourselves blessed.
I found
this to be
particularly true in the BYU Testing Center:
During this last year at BYU, I got into the habit of praying before a test. So,
sometimes when I would forget to pray
before a test, I felt
like I wasn’t as able to recall the information I had studied. But when I would
pray for help and guidance, I found myself better
able to recall
information, and, as a result, did much better on those tests. And I know this
principle will be true in the mission field. If missionaries will trust in the
Lord and rely on His divine intellect
to guide them by
following Christ’s perfect example, then they will be blessed with
being true Disciples of Christ.
According
to Elder M. Russel Ballard, the most important knowledge you can acquire will
be the assurance that you are a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The
word disciple comes from the Latin word discipulus, meaning “pupil”. Many
people think that to be a disciple means simply to follow, with a connotation
of following blindly. But becoming a true disciple is nothing of the sort.”
Being
a disciple requires us to learn and to know of Jesus Christ, to study the
principles of truth for ourselves and to receive answers; in other words, to
receive knowledge. Once we have knowledge of the simple principles of the
Restoration, combined with a deep and abiding faith in the truths we do not yet
know, we become true disciples of Jesus Christ, and not simply followers.
The
difference between being a disciple and a follower is like the difference
between a ship’s anchor that is lodged solidly at the bottom of the sea,
holding the ship fast, and an anchor that is merely suspended in water because
the chain is too short. Such an anchor may appear to be doing its job when the
seas are calm, but it serves no purpose when waves are high or during storms. Remember
these words from the prophet Nephi:
“Wherefore,
ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect
brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall
press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold,
thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”
Every
great prophet, including those in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the
Book of Mormon, has had to go through the process of becoming a true disciple
by coming to an unshakable knowledge of Christ. Each one has had to ask
himself, Is Jesus Christ the Son of God, our Eternal Father? Does He live and
does He preside over His church today? As I strive to become the best
missionary I can be, I will have the opportunity to testify of the knowledge
that I have of these things, so I can touch the lives of others and bring them
to the knowledge of the gospel.
The
knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world provided
the courage for Meshach, Shadrach, and Abed-nego to enter a fiery furnace
without fear. Abinadi’s
knowledge of Christ gave him the power to testify of Christ while being burned
to death by the wicked priests of King Noah. And
the same knowledge that Christ lives gave Nephi the power to endure the
incessant insults of his brothers and gave him the strength to suffer until his
brothers broke the strong cords that held him bound during a storm at sea.
The
scriptures are filled with righteous acts and testimonies of men and women who
came to know for themselves that Jesus is the Christ. I know at times that the
knowledge that Christ is the Savior has provided me courage and comfort when I
have needed it most.
Two
years ago this upcoming spring, one of my best friends mother passed away and
left this Earthly life to join her Heavenly Father again after having fought
the good fight against cancer. I was heartbroken to hear of the loss because
she was like a second mother to me after having grown up with her always there
to greet me at the door or to offer me breakfast after I’d let myself into the
house on Saturday mornings. So as I attended the service the following week, my
heart wept as I spoke with my friend, his two younger brothers’, and his
father. I was upset because it seemed so unfair that this had to happen to such
a dear family to me. Not only to me, but also to her three little boys whom I
had grown up with. But as the service went on I noticed a smile on the family’s
face. A smile that lifted up my spirits because they knew that their wife and
mother was in a better place. That she was in the arms of her Father and knew
they would see her again. Their smiles and my friends desire to continue on the
path to serve a mission inspired and drove me to go on a mission. I knew this
was the path I needed to follow so I could give others the knowledge and faith
in Christ that I have and has kept me anchored in happiness, even when the
times were dark. To give them the knowledge that even though they may have lost
a loved one, that through Christ, they could see their families again. They say
that every missionary is sent to a specific mission for one specific reason or
family. I know that I have been called to serve in Arcadia because some family
needs me to teach them that families can be together forever.
That
same testimony of Christ can be yours, because the gospel has been restored in
its fullness in these last days. So I challenge you to have a steadfast faith
in Christ. My testimony and knowledge
came as a result of my personal faith and prayers. I ask my Heavenly Father to
bless me with faith and courage, and I know He will help you endure any
challenges you may face if you simply ask it of Him. He will help you overcome
loneliness, feelings of desperation and hopelessness, setbacks of a personal,
emotional, financial, and even spiritual nature, or will strengthen you when
you are simply feeling overwhelmed by all of the demands of daily life.
I know
this church is true, and I am ready to go and proclaim these things and this
gospel to the people of Arcadia. I can’t wait to enter the mission field just
like my good
friends and even better examples:
Elder Hulbert, Porter, Barton, Newman, and soon to be Elder Bennet. They have provided such an excellent
example to
me of what it means to truly serve God and forget oneself. I
hope to be
able to achieve the same level of righteousness that they have while
I serve the
Lord. I have been truly blessed to have such great
friends who have
always been there to love, support and help me grow. I know that Jesus is the
Christ: that He died not only for
the sins of all
mankind, but for my pains and afflictions. It brings me
great
comfort to know that Christ
will always be able
to comprehend the pain and affliction I have gone through in my life. I know
that the prophet Joseph Smith restored the fullness of the Gospel to this Earth
and that families can be together forever through our Heavenly Father’s plan.
And I know that through the Savior’s atonement we can be made clean.
It is this message
that I am to deliver to the people of Arcadia. I know that by following
the
example of Christ, I will be able to be
lifted
up and empowered with the Spirit as I go forth
and serve. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the opportunity
that has
been given me to grow up as a member of the church in a kind, loving
family. I
would like
to take this opportunity and thank my
wonderful parents for always being there
for me. I
appreciate all that you do for me, and I
wish you and the
rest of the family happiness and safety for the next two years. I love you all,
and I say these things in the name of
Jesus Christ, Amen. "
Tanner sounds like he is doing great. He requested I ask everyone to send him letters through dearelder.com (an online service which allows you to type an email to him but they print it and get it to him that day - also you can send treats and gifts to him through that website as well). I will add his email up later today or tomorrow!
Thanks everyone -
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