June 11, 2025 • 53 mins
This episode introduces Principle Number Three: An Open Mouth Finds Listeners. We emphasize that this principle is both practical and spiritual, offering a path to an "amazing, life-changing experience" on your mission and coming home "firmly on the foundation of Jesus Christ".
Discover the profound importance of opening your mouth and talking to everyone:
•
The Most Valuable Work: The podcast highlights that the "most valuable thing" you can do is to "declare repentance unto this people that ye may bring souls unto me". The most effective way to do this is to "open your mouth and talk to everyone".
•
Practical Benefits: You'll learn how to approach people, gain confidence, and quickly learn a foreign language through constant practice and repetition. As the host recalls Elder Holland's advice, missionaries are encouraged to "work so hard that you will be brought home on a stretcher," talking to "every soul that is in earshot".
•
Spiritual Power: When you, as a missionary, open your mouth, you are doing so "by the spirit". You are Christ's representative, and the Spirit will confirm the truth to His "sheep" who "hear my voice". This means that the Lord will bless your efforts and "give the increase," regardless of immediate results. Lauren emphasizes that "charity truly has to be the motivation" behind every missionary action, making it easier to talk to people.
•
Stories of Impact:
◦
Hear the inspiring anecdote of Steven Robinson as a bishop, illustrating that true belief in Christ's Atonement leads to faith in His power to save us fully.
◦
Shawn shares a "true miracle" from his mission where, after four hours of relentless effort, he found one couple who, 28 years later, were revealed to have become foundational members of the Church, bringing "dozens and dozens of people" to Christ.
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Lauren recounts a powerful experience in Carmel, Indiana, where a sincere prayer during a challenging day led directly to finding a family who was literally "looking for this church".
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Learn about Elder Bruce C. Porter's promise that missionaries would become fluent in Russian within six months if they consistently talked to everyone they saw.
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The episode also references President Gordon B. Hinckley's impactful counsel to "forget yourself and get to work," which dramatically changed his mission.
This episode underscores that opening your mouth finds listeners, enabling miracles and leading to both personal conversion and "pure, absolute joy". As Lauren, for whom this principle "changed my mission", puts it: "You're called to serve, not stay quiet".
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
All right, Mission Threat Series podcast.
Or like we said before, MissionStories podcast.
It's one or the other.
Yeah, we talk about both becausethis really is a mission.
These are based on our missionprep classes that we teach, but
(00:20):
really the podcast itself isjust about mission stories that
emphasize these lessons.
And this is today doing lessonnumber three, or principle
number three.
And again, just to give a quickcontext or background, our
missions were amazing.
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
There is no young woman that loves her mission
more than I do.
SPEAKER_01 (00:40):
Oh, I'm glad you qualified that by saying young
woman, because if you would havesaid there's no person...
than we would have fought rightnow.
Punched you in the face.
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Yeah, and contention is of the devil.
So let's sit with that for asecond.
SPEAKER_01 (00:54):
Well, it was just a really bold claim.
Anyway, you're right.
But we loved our missions so,so, so, so, so much.
And I just, I'm like, okay,well, how does everyone have
this kind of experience?
Come home to have life-changingstories.
to be built so firmly on thefoundation of jesus christ and
to have worked with all theirheart might mind and strength
(01:14):
and leading souls to christ iwant everyone to have that
experience and not everyone doesand that is just a sad sad thing
to me so we teach theseprinciples about if you'll do
the mission this way and applythese ideas and and principles
then you have a better chance ofhaving this amazing amazing life
life life changing experience ona mission so We've done the
(01:35):
first two principles.
Here's principle number three.
And this one is super practical,but as well spiritual.
SPEAKER_00 (01:42):
Do
SPEAKER_01 (01:42):
you like this one?
SPEAKER_00 (01:43):
This is my favorite one.
SPEAKER_01 (01:44):
Oh, I was going to ask you why, but then that would
give away what the principle is.
So let's, I'm going to ask youlater why it's your favorite
one.
Okay.
Okay.
We'll start off with a littleanecdote.
So you and I, I think I want totake credit for, because I have
told everyone that I know who'sgoing on a mission to read the
book, Believing Christ by StevenRobinson.
(02:06):
And you love that book, right?
SPEAKER_00 (02:07):
I love it.
I'm rereading it right now.
SPEAKER_01 (02:09):
Oh, you are?
SPEAKER_00 (02:10):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (02:11):
So I'm pretty sure I take credit for having you read
that book because back when wewere doing mission prep, I told
everyone to read that book.
SPEAKER_00 (02:19):
I read it for the first time on my mission.
I don't remember you sayingthat.
SPEAKER_01 (02:22):
Oh, well, I would have definitely told you to read
it and you just didn't do it.
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
Sorry.
Thanks very much.
SPEAKER_00 (02:28):
Active disobedience.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Yeah.
So this book, there's such a,just a great, one of the
greatest parable style books atteaching the atonement of Christ
in a really understanding wayand just a powerful, powerful
book.
Well, there's an anecdote inthere where I think, I think it
was Steven Robinson when he wasa Bishop, he would do this thing
with all of the members of hisward where he would call them in
(02:50):
or, or they would have aninterview, right?
For the temple or whatever, or acalling and, And he says he
really enjoyed doing thefollowing thing.
And I'm going to ask you aquestion.
He would sit him down and hewould say, well, that was, you
know, everything's good.
And I will sign off on yourtemple, recommend interview and
all that.
But he says, but I have aquestion for you.
And I'll ask you the question,Laura.
If for whatever reason,randomly, you just killed over
(03:12):
and died right now, you're dead.
And judgment happens right away,let's say, right?
There's no waiting.
The question is this.
What...
kingdom and what glory will youinherit when you're dead like
right now
SPEAKER_00 (03:30):
are you asking me personally
SPEAKER_01 (03:31):
no we won't ask you personally because we'll get
back to it but he would askthese members and guess what
most members would say
SPEAKER_00 (03:37):
probably not the celestial kingdom
SPEAKER_01 (03:40):
yeah you've read it right they'd be like they'd
probably and I he draws thepicture like they think about
their lives and they did almostthis you could see in their head
this almost like balancing actokay I do these things pretty
good and faithfully but here'sall the non-perfect things I do.
Here's where I don't obey.
Here's the mistakes that I make.
And most of them would kind ofdo this balancing act, and then
(04:02):
in the end conclude with alittle bit of depression, I
guess the terrestrial kingdom.
And Bishop Stevenson would say,oh, oh.
SPEAKER_00 (04:11):
Robinson.
SPEAKER_01 (04:12):
Robinson, thank you.
He would say, oh, well, why?
And he says their answer isalways the same, somewhere
around the area of, I guess I'mjust not celestial material.
UNKNOWN (04:23):
Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01 (04:23):
None of
SPEAKER_00 (04:24):
us are.
Let's be cool
SPEAKER_01 (04:25):
here.
But then he'd have thisdiscussion about what it means
to be celestial.
And if you're trying on your ownto get there, yeah, you're not
going to be celestial.
So he would go through thisexercise with him, and here's
how he would really drill downthe point.
He would say, oh, theterrestrial, huh?
That's too bad.
I'm so sorry.
So what you're saying is youjust lied to me about all those
(04:47):
questions in the templerecommend interview.
And they'd get offended.
Well, no, I told you all thetruth.
Oh, well, then.
you're dishonest like in yourbusiness like are you stealing
from your partner like no i'mnot stealing what do you mean oh
so you're cheating on yourspouse and they get upset like
no i'm not i i answered questionbut your question is probably no
(05:08):
what do you mean and he sayswell i i can't imagine then why
you're not going to thecelestial kingdom oh i know what
it is You
SPEAKER_00 (05:15):
don't have faith in Jesus Christ.
You don't
SPEAKER_01 (05:17):
believe in Jesus Christ.
And then they'd really getupset, right?
And be like, of course, what doyou mean?
Like, I've been a member of mywhole life.
I served a mission.
I do believe.
And he had the audacity to lookat him and say, I don't think
you do.
Because he says, and then he'dquote scriptures like in Isaiah
that says, though your sins bered as scarlet, I will make them
(05:38):
white as snow.
And he says, you don't believethat.
You don't believe that for you.
And they'd be like, well, Ibelieve in Christ.
I'm a disciple of Christ.
But you don't believe him.
You don't believe him when hesays, I forgive you of your sins
if you come unto me in faith andrepentance and the covenants of
(05:59):
baptism of the Holy Ghost.
And it was what a beautifulteaching moment for him to be
able to teach that person.
You have to believe in theSavior and believe him when he
says, I will save you.
Let's go to the scripture, Moses139.
We ask ourselves, like in thisanecdote, what really is the
(06:20):
purpose of God?
For behold, this is my work andmy glory to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life ofman.
And so in this interview, hewould be able to say to the
person, so you believe God isnot able with you to bring to
pass your immortality or eternallife, right?
I mean, that's a great way tophrase it.
(06:42):
Yeah, Isaiah 118 says, If Godsays your sins are red, or they
make you red, and unworthy to bein God's presence, and then
Christ says, if you come to methrough faith, repentance,
baptism, and the Holy Ghost, Iwill wipe them away.
I will have bled and died foryou so that you won't have to,
so that you will be cleansed andinnocent in the presence of God.
(07:03):
And you have the audacity tosay, no, you can't, not me.
It's a great little lesson.
I love it.
Now, it brings my mind towardssomething really powerful that I
read in D&C 15 the other day.
This is when Joseph Smith was atthe early parts of the
Restoration, and he wasrestoring the gospel, and he had
(07:25):
this burning question to God.
What is—like, there's all thesethings we need to be doing in
temple and organizing and—translating and building the
church and all this.
What is the most important thingthat I need to focus on?
What is the foundational mostimportant thing?
And here's what he answered.
He says, For many times you havedesired of me to know that which
would be of most worth unto you.
(07:48):
Behold, blessed are you for thisthing and for speaking my words
which I have given unto youaccording to my commandments.
And behold, I say unto you thatthe thing which will be of most
worth unto you will be todeclare...
Repentance unto this people,that ye may bring souls unto me,
that they may rest with me inthe kingdom of my Father.
SPEAKER_00 (08:05):
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (08:07):
So what is it?
What's the most important, themost valuable thing that could
possibly we be doing?
SPEAKER_00 (08:12):
Preaching repentance and helping God bring to pass
the immortality and eternal lifeof all men.
SPEAKER_01 (08:17):
And how did you do that?
Or how do we do that?
Or one way we do that?
SPEAKER_00 (08:22):
By opening our mouths and talking to everyone.
SPEAKER_01 (08:25):
And we can do that at home.
We can do that on a mission,but...
Most specifically, thisprinciple about when you're
serving on a mission, we have tounderstand how valuable, how
special every soul is to theFather.
And that's why it's the mostimportant work is for us to go
out and lead souls to Christ.
(08:46):
And one of the most effectiveways of doing that is to open
your mouth and talk to everyone.
Never shut up.
Never stop talking.
Not for a year and a half, notfor two years, you open your
mouth and you talk to everyone.
So a little story.
So when I was in the MTC, ElderHolland, who was my favorite, he
(09:07):
was young and vibrant back then.
SPEAKER_00 (09:10):
Now he's old and vibrant.
SPEAKER_01 (09:11):
Yeah, he's old and vibrant.
So he came to the MTC and theyspeak very differently in the
MTC or in person than they do ingeneral conference, right?
So he gets up on the podium andhe says, all right, every single
missionary in the MTC was inthis room.
right?
Thousands of kids.
And he says, all right, I'mgoing to tell you something, but
before I tell it to you, you allhave to promise that you will
(09:32):
not tell your mothers what I'mabout to say to you.
And we were like, well, thatsounds sketchy.
And he's like, I mean it.
Unless I see all of you raisingyour hand that you promise not
to tell your mothers what I'mabout to say, I'm not going to
tell you.
So we were all like, okay.
So we raised our hands andhere's what he said.
He said, you go out there andyou work so hard hard, that you
(09:55):
are so exhausted by the end ofyour mission that you will be
brought home on a stretcher.
Skip lunch.
Skip dinner.
Don't rest.
Run.
Don't walk.
And open your mouths and speakto every soul that is in earshot
of you.
Stop them in groups.
Stop them on the publictransport.
(10:19):
Everywhere.
And we thought, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (10:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (10:22):
What do you think of that, Lauren?
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
That is awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (10:25):
Why do you think that's awesome?
SPEAKER_00 (10:26):
I mean, you have an apostle of the Lord just giving
you advice on how you can be themost effective missionary you
can be.
Like at the beginning of yourmissionary service too.
SPEAKER_01 (10:37):
Was that not a little irresponsible for him to
tell us to come home on amission?
By the way, I looked yesterdayat the photo of me coming off
the airplane.
I get off the airplane and I'mso excited to see my family.
I see them in the distance and Ifirst connect eyes with my mom
and she looks at me and her facechanges like, what the?
And she starts bawling.
And I'm like, why are youcrying?
And later on she told me, youlook like an emaciated, sick,
(11:01):
dirty person.
And it's true.
I weighed like 110 pounds.
Like I was really, and it'sbecause Elder Miles and I at the
end, I mean throughout reallyour whole mission, but at the
end we were like, let's go, man.
We only have like two monthsleft.
Let's just go nuts.
Let's just go work and open ourmouths and find people to teach
and let's just go.
Probably unhealthy, but that'sokay.
We turned out okay.
(11:22):
Turned out okay.
So what do you think, Lauren?
What do you think about thisconcept or what would you say
about this concept of an openmouth finds listeners.
What do you think that means?
Why do we word it that way?
SPEAKER_00 (11:35):
I mean, in order to help people be converted unto
Christ, they have to hear hisgospel, right?
And the Lord will make miraclesout of what you give him, right?
He will work miracles with whatyou have to offer.
And I love the saying, I was onexchange with a sister once in
(11:55):
this had come up in one of ourconversations, but to be in
relentless pursuit of the joy ofGod's children.
And when you are in therelentless pursuit of the joy of
God's children, you want theirsalvation, right?
You want to share this goodnews, but you're not going to
find listeners if you never openyour mouth.
And so maybe you go out.
I mean, it's like, you know,relating it to sports, right?
(12:19):
Like that stupid saying that'slike, oh, you miss 100% of the
shots you don't take.
But it's true.
Say you go out and you talk tolike five people.
Okay, maybe you went zero forfive.
But imagine if you go out andyou open your mouth and you talk
to 100 people within the span of30 minutes, an hour.
(12:39):
How many more people are you...
more likely to find, right?
You never know who is waiting toreceive you.
SPEAKER_01 (12:47):
Okay, so watch this.
So we were in, I was in, I toldthis story before, but I was in
Donetsk with Elder Barnes, and Igot a call from my mission
president saying, hey, ElderRector, pack your bags.
You're going to Hardcovetomorrow, and don't get caught.
You're not supposed to be there,but all the missionaries didn't
get their visas renewed.
And he's like, in the missionthere, I don't know what's going
on there.
They're just not serving likethe rest of the mission.
There's something wrong withthat area, so go clean house.
(13:09):
Go find out what's going on.
get them straight.
I was like, Oh man.
Okay.
So I packed my bags, get on theHarry Potter train, go to
Harkov, get off.
And the elders were there andthey hated me because they
weren't working hard.
And I was not willing to notwork hard.
Like I was in their phase.
Like, listen, I was like, guys,I'm not here to make buddies.
I'd love to be your buddy, butI'm here to work.
(13:31):
So you have to be out here withme.
So every day they just sit thereand watch.
And I told the story beforeabout how these guys got
arrested, that whole story.
Well, another day they werestill kind of grumpy and I could
tell all day he was just kind ofreally upset, this one elder.
And he finally at the end of theday goes, look, Elder Record, I
don't care anymore, man.
I'm just going to tell youstraight up and you can, you got
(13:52):
nothing to say about this.
once a month we all get togetherwith all the missionaries with a
couple of districts and we havea party at one of the, one of
the, one of the houses.
He's like, I know you're goingto hate that and be upset, but I
don't care.
We're doing it.
And I just looked at him andwent, what the heck did you just
say to me?
You're telling me that I can'tgo work tonight because I have
(14:14):
to be with you to go to a what?
A gathering of missionaries tohave a party with And he's like,
dude, we don't do anything bad,man.
We just play games.
We share stories.
Like it's nothing.
We're like, good.
We're doing good.
I'm like, this is so, I don'tlike this at all.
Like I came here to work andlead souls to Christ that you
wanted.
So anyway, he's like, well,we're going.
(14:35):
And if you don't come, you'rebreaking the rules.
You got to be with us.
I was like, so we get on thetrain.
I'm preaching to people.
I'm opening my mouth.
I'm talking to people andthey're just sitting there.
Sure enough, we get to thisapartment out of our area.
We open the door, and I open it,and there's like 15 missionaries
in there.
And I'm like, what?
And from the get-go, they didn'tlike me at all.
(14:58):
They hated me.
And at the get-go, I stop, and Igo, hey, you don't know me.
I'm sorry to be annoying here,but this is dumb.
No one else in the mission isdoing this.
I got to go out and work, but Ican't do it on my own.
I need someone to go with me.
And they all stopped and lookedat me like, who is this punk?
Like, what?
judging us like I'm like lookI'm not judging anyone just I
(15:21):
need to go work I don't care toparty here with you they hated
me and finally this greenie waslike I'll go with you I know I
missed this part in the story Igot so fed up I said look I
promise that if any of you willgo out with me tonight for the
next four hours on this rainycold like just gross day I
(15:41):
promise you in the name of theLord we will find people to
teach and finally this greeniewas like alright I'll come with
you And so we go.
And I'm just preaching to thiskid the whole time.
I'm like, dude, what are youdoing, man?
Did you come out here to haveparties with buddies?
Or did you come out to work?
Like, let's do the work to leadsouls to Christ.
And guess what happened, Lauren?
No one was on the freakingstreet.
(16:02):
No one was out because it was socold and so nasty.
But I'm like praying this wholetime.
Like, I made this kid a promise.
Let's work.
Like, let's go look.
So for four hours, we were outthere looking, searching.
Hardly anyone was out.
You'd go find someone, and theywere running off to get cover.
And I'm praying, and I'mpraying, but we're working.
I see someone else.
We go open their mouths, andthey kind of talked to us.
(16:22):
It didn't go so well.
Another person.
We go across the street.
I open my mouth.
Not really taking it.
We're working, though, and I'mgoing to keep opening my mouth.
Okay, it's time to go back.
I'm like, oh, man.
We're going back, and I'll neverforget this.
We look off.
And there's a street lamp, it'snighttime, and this rain's
coming down, and there's astreet lamp.
And right underneath that streetlamp and the rain coming down,
(16:43):
there's one dude just standingthere.
And I feel the spirit, and Isay, let's go.
And we go up to this guy, andhe's like, He's like, guys, this
is great.
I've been looking for somethinglike this.
I would love for you to come andteach me.
So we write down his informationon the blue planner.
And we turn around, we startwalking back to the apartment,
(17:06):
and this kid just kind of hashis head down on the ground and
just kind of thinking, thinking,thinking.
And right before we get back togo in, he looks at me and he
goes, what am I doing?
What am I doing?
Like that one soul could besaved and come to Christ.
And it took us four hours ofnothing, no success, yet we
searched and we found this oneguy.
(17:26):
And if I was stuck up in thatroom partying, that one soul
would never even have beenfound.
He's like, what am I doing?
I'm like, good, good, you'regetting it.
That's it.
The spirit of the work of theLord only happens if we
participate and we put the workin and we open our mouth and
talk to people.
Now, I wish I could have areally great ending to that
(17:47):
story and be like, and that dudetook the lessons from this kid
and this kid baptized him andthey went out and worked hard.
I don't know what happenedbecause I was called to move on
to other areas of my life, but Iknow that that was an example to
that entire area of Harkov.
I developed a reputation forbeing the guy that is kind of a
jerk, but he works like crazy.
(18:07):
He talks to everyone all daylong.
And it brings you joy.
It really does.
Like, it was just so fulfilling.
SPEAKER_00 (18:17):
I think it's funny because, well, first of all,
it's an awesome story.
But I think it's funny because alot of experiences that I've had
that are similar to that whereI'm just praying and praying.
I'm like, Heavenly Father,please, I am out here.
Oh my gosh.
Wait, I have a really coolstory.
Okay.
So once, so there was a transferwhen I was serving in an area
(18:39):
called Carmel, Indiana, and Ihad just become a sister
training leader and I was onexchange with one of these
sisters and my companion and I,at the beginning of the
transfer, I'd said, okay, we'regoing to set a finding goal
every day.
Cause you know, that's what youdo.
You set a finding goal everyday.
And we were like, we're not,stepping in our house until we
reach our finding goal.
And so we were on exchanges oneday and I was leading out the
(19:01):
area and I had a sister with meand we had set our finding goal
that day to seven people, sevenpeople that day.
And it was, you know, we have tobe back at home by nine, nine
30, if you have a lesson.
And so it's, it's getting prettyclose.
It's like eight 15.
We're probably like 20 minutesaway from our house maybe.
And we, uh, had only found twopeople that day.
(19:25):
And we went to visit a referral.
The referral didn't end up beinginterested.
So we're standing in the middleof this apartment complex, just
in the middle of the street,like in the middle of the
parking lot.
And I look at her, I'm like,Sister Stark, let's say a prayer
really quick.
And so we say a prayer and I'mjust pleading there with
Heavenly Father.
I said, Heavenly Father, I'vetalked to so many people today.
(19:45):
I've knocked on so many doorsand I need to hit this finding
goal.
Please, please help us.
And on the second, I'm not evenkidding you, Sean.
The second I opened my eyes, Ilook up and I see this man at
his trunk.
He's just in his trunk doingsomething.
And the sister I was with runsover to him.
(20:05):
And I'm like, yes, go, go, go.
And she talks to him and hesays, oh, I'm about to leave,
but come talk to my family.
And so he walks us inside.
We go into his house.
We sit down and he goes intoevery single room.
He's like, come out here, comeout here.
There's people sharing amessage.
Come out here, come out here.
And his four kids and wife comeout.
(20:25):
So that's five people.
Wow.
And they come out and they'resitting around the table and
we're just sitting there andthey're like, who are you?
And we called up the Book ofMormon and we start talking
about we're from the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
We have a message to share.
And The wife, so the husband'sfrom the Bahamas.
The wife is from Haiti.
(20:46):
And so their kids speak English.
The wife doesn't really speakthat much English.
They mainly speak Haitian Creolein the house.
And so we're holding up the Bookof Mormon.
And you can see like on the backof it.
So the mom takes it and she'slooking at the back.
And it says Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints.
And she said, I'm looking forthis church.
And she goes onto her phone andshe finds a picture.
(21:06):
And it's a sign.
of the church.
It's the Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints, but it's
the bishop's storehouse, likethe food warehouse.
And she goes, I went to thischurch on Sunday, but it was
closed.
They told me it wasn't open.
And I'm like, no, that's justnot the right building, but I
can help you find one.
So she had already beensearching for the church.
(21:26):
Like she was looking to go thereand she just couldn't find it.
And so I had so many experienceslike that where maybe, I don't
know what happened to thembecause I got transfers out of
the area and we had to pass themoff to Creole missionaries.
But I had so many experienceslike that where I just pled with
the Lord and I told him, look,I'm going to work like it's all
on me, but I have faith likeit's all on you.
And with that mentality, withthat attitude, he was able to
(21:50):
bless me so much just because Iwas willing to do so.
I had so many times, especiallywhen I started learning the
language where I went up and Imade a fool of myself.
I'm sitting there like, andthey're like, dude, what are you
saying to me?
Go away, gringa.
Like, you don't have anythingimportant to say to me.
And I'd mess up and i'd tripover my words and i'd sit there
(22:10):
and literally just likeconjugate verbs in my head just
looking like an idiot but thelord blessed me with what i gave
him to work with and i you knowit it made me better at the
language it made me be able totalk to literally anyone like i
could have a conversation withanyone about anything and it's
just like The Lord blesses youwhen he sees that you're
(22:32):
consecrated, when he sees thatyou're willing and just like
hungry to just get after it.
SPEAKER_01 (22:37):
Okay, there's two, you brought in the most
important part of thisprinciple.
There's really two aspects ofthis principle that make it
work.
So the principle being an openmouth finds listeners, right?
So open your mouth and talk toeveryone, like be committed to
do that.
So the two aspects that reallymake that work, the one is the
one we've been talking about.
It's the pragmatic part, right?
It's a numbers game.
Obviously, like you said, if Italk to a hundred people, I
(23:00):
could find two that'll belistening.
If I talk to 10,000 people, I'mgoing to find a thousand, right?
So it's pragmatic.
And the other pragmatic giftsthat come from opening your
mouth and talk to everyone is ifyou go foreign speaking, you
learn the language, right?
We learned on our mission inUkraine, the very wise and evil
Vladimir Lenin said, which
SPEAKER_00 (23:24):
is
SPEAKER_01 (23:25):
repetition is the mother of all learning is what
he'd say.
And so we'd be like, hey, themore we talk, the better we will
learn.
So obviously if you open yourmouth, so another pragmatic
benefit is you'll learn how toapproach someone.
You'll gain the confidence,right?
You'll know what to say, whetherit's in English or another
language.
So there's all these pragmaticreasons why open your mouth and
find listeners will, is soeffective.
(23:46):
But you started introducing thespiritual side of things.
So there's a couple of reasonswhy spiritually this is such a
powerful, powerful principle.
Here's one, D&C 50.
Wherefore, I, the Lord, ask youthis question.
Unto what are ye ordained as amissionary?
Yeah?
And he says, you are ordained topreach my gospel, period.
(24:07):
No, it doesn't say that.
It gives you the exact way thatyou're supposed to preach the
gospel.
To preach my gospel by theSpirit.
even the comforter which wassent forth to teach the truth.
Okay, this is fascinating.
Okay, you listeners, understandthis.
You as a missionary have themantle and authority of Jesus
Christ, which means if you arefaithful and obedient, when you
(24:29):
open your mouth, it is as if youare speaking and Christ is the
one speaking for you.
You are his representative.
So when you as a disciple ofChrist open your mouth, the
Spirit will confirm the truth.
So it says, to preach, you'recalled and set apart and
ordained to preach my gospel bythe Spirit.
And then he says this, behold,if you received other spirits
(24:50):
you could not understand andreceive them to be of God.
Sorry, go to 16.
Behold, ye shall answer thisquestion yourselves.
I will be merciful unto you.
No, skip that.
17.
He that is ordained of me andset forth to preach the word of
truth by the comforter, thespirit of truth, doth he preach
it by the spirit of truth orsome other way?
So in other words, youmissionaries listening, when
(25:10):
you're out there, you're eithergoing to be effective and be
able to teach by the spirit oryou're going to do it by some
other way.
What are some other ways?
Like use your charisma.
Use your intelligence.
I don't know, tell, use, I don'tknow.
What's it called?
Object lessons.
(25:31):
Draw pictures.
There's all these differentways.
I think most of us kind of relyon our charisma or, oh, this
young kid is really cool or theylike me.
These are other ways.
These are not the ways you'resupposed to teach the gospel.
So it says this in 18.
And if it be by some other way,it is not of God.
And again, he that receiveth theword of truth, doth he receive
it by the spirit of truth orsome other way?
(25:53):
If it be some other way, it isnot of God.
Therefore, why is it that ye canunderstand and know that he that
receiveth the word by the Spiritof truth receiveth it as it is
preached by the Spirit of truth?
Wherefore, he that preacheth andhe that receiveth understand one
another and both are edified andrejoice together.
And that which doth not edify isnot of God in his darkness.
(26:15):
That which is So many times I'veheard missionaries go out and
go, I'm a scriptorian.
I've studied the scriptures.
I'm ready.
I'm going to go prove to peoplethe truth of things by that.
That is some other way.
Yet, if you give someone thescriptures and invite them to
(26:38):
read it, what will come intotheir hearts while they're doing
it?
The Spirit.
The Spirit.
And that's how you teach it.
So again, I love this principle,the spiritual side of this.
If you go out and open yourmouth and your intent is you
love these people and you wantto lead them to Christ, the
Spirit will be there, right?
It says, before you read whatyou're going to do, in John 10,
it says, what does it say?
But ye believe not because yeare not of my sheep and I said
(26:59):
unto you, and this is Christ.
He says, my sheep hear my voiceand I know them and they follow
me.
I love that.
I got to the point of my missionwhere I was like, I just know
that if I open my mouth and talkabout Jesus Christ or Joseph
Smith or the Bible or the Bookof Mormon, the Spirit will
confirm it, not to everyone,because maybe not everyone's
looking, but if I talk to 10,000people, seven of them are
(27:22):
looking, and they will recognizethe Spirit, just like that lady
you did, right?
When you walked in and she'slike, wait a minute, there's
something here.
I know it.
I recognize it.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:33):
Now, there's a couple of good points that you
just made.
Something that I love.
Well, the first chapter ofPreach My Gospel talks about
your purpose as a missionary,and it talks about the authority
and power behind your calling.
And studying that and putting itinto play really helped me
realize that, you know, it's aprivilege to give everything you
have to building the kingdom.
And you've been set apart to doso, like it says in Doctrine and
(27:55):
Covenants.
And you know, it's our job asmissionaries to hold ourselves
accountable to theresponsibility that we have in
this work, right?
Like we've literally been calledand set apart to do it.
Let's hold ourselvesaccountable.
Like, let's just go do it.
I know so many, and I too,myself, I was so scared of
talking to people at thebeginning.
(28:16):
Were you?
I was scared.
I remember in my first area, Iwas biking through the streets
with my trainer and she was, Shewould like fall off of her bike,
trying to run to people, justlike hop off while it was still
going.
Be like, hey, hey.
And just like shove a Book ofMormon in their face.
And I remember my first coupleof days, I was like, dude, this
(28:37):
girl is nuts.
What is she doing?
And it was just, it was so goodfor me to see because she just
had no shame.
And I remember sometimes I'd bescared to talk to people at the
Book of Mormon.
Cause I'd be scared about whatthey say to me or I didn't want
to get yelled at or whatever.
And then I read John 15 andthat, that book, that chapter
(29:01):
changed my life.
Cause Jesus Christ himself says,you know, if you, If the world
hates you, remember that theyhated me first.
And he just talks about how, youknow, he's been in the shoes of
his disciples.
He's been there.
He's felt that.
And I came to realize with timethat they're not rejecting me.
They're just not ready to hearthe gospel.
It's not our job as missionariesto decide who gets to accept the
(29:23):
gospel.
It's our job to open our mouthand declare.
And then those that are willingand ready will accept it.
SPEAKER_01 (29:29):
One more real quick to confirm that.
This is DNC 29.
And ye are called to bring topass the gathering of mine
elect.
And mine elect hear my voice andharden not their hearts.
Okay, keep going.
Sorry.
SPEAKER_00 (29:41):
No, that's awesome.
The other thing that I was goingto say is that you talked about
having charity.
And I spent every day since theday I was set apart praying for
charity.
And there's a quote that I havehanging up on the mirror of my
car.
It says, charity is the quickestway to identify a true disciple
(30:03):
of Jesus Christ.
And there's a section in chaptersix, Christ-like attributes of
preach my gospel.
And there's a section on loveand charity.
And after studying and afterpraying for and praying for, I
realized that charity truly hasto be the motivation you have
behind everything you do as amissionary.
Not even as a missionary,though, as a disciple, you must
have Christ-like love to be ableto do anything.
SPEAKER_01 (30:25):
And the only way for you listeners, you missionaries,
if you don't feel like you havethis changed heart full of
charity, the only way for you toget that is to come to Christ
through faith, repentance,baptism in the Holy Ghost.
Now you will say, you listeners,I've already been baptized.
That's right.
But the covenant that youentered into, you promised that
that you would have faith andyou would repent every day of
(30:48):
your life.
So if you haven't done thosethings, you must begin.
Because once you really trulybegin, and again, the way to
build your faith is to feastupon the words of Christ every
day.
Feast for an hour, feast foreight hours.
What else you got going on?
And pray and ask questions, seekand knock.
And in that process, your faithwill grow.
(31:08):
and lead you to repentance.
And once you've done that, youwill truly then be keeping your
part of the covenant which youentered into in baptism.
So once you do that, your heartstarts to change and you start
to have this charity and love.
And then you do, like you justsaid, you want to go outside and
find people so that they'll feelthe love that you feel.
And you just have this burningdesire to do it.
SPEAKER_00 (31:28):
Charity is so influential in the discipleship
of others.
And to you listening, I promiseyou, if you strive to be filled
with charity, like you willbecome such a good missionary,
but you will help others feelthe love of Christ.
I think there's so many peoplejust waiting, waiting, waiting
(31:50):
for their prayers to beanswered.
And if you're able to convey amessage through the love of
Christ, they're in, like they'reso in.
I just, there's something sospecial about Truly like that
story that you shared a coupleepisodes ago of that man that
you just loved you just felt somuch love for him I remember
sitting in a Relief Societylesson and there was a lady in
(32:13):
our ward who's originally fromArgentina and And her English
wasn't very good.
And she was so nervous becauseshe had to teach the lesson.
And I was talking to her and shewas like, I'm so nervous.
My English is not good.
Like, I don't know.
And she just put all that behindher and she just got up and
started preaching.
And I remember getting soemotional during the middle of
(32:33):
this.
Because you just loved her somuch.
I just loved her.
But to see that a disciple wasso willing to face their fears
because they love Christ so muchis amazing.
It just touched me to my core.
Like I was just crying in themiddle of second hour.
It's crazy.
But to be able to feel that lovefor others is the most healing
(32:55):
feeling that you can everexperience.
And
SPEAKER_01 (32:57):
would you say, Lauren, do you think that this
concept of open your mouth andtalk to listeners, is that a
result of you coming to Christand being converted and feeling
the love?
And I just want to share itor...
Is the process of helping youcome to Christ and be converted
and learn to love people aresult of you opening your mouth
and talking to people?
SPEAKER_00 (33:16):
Honestly, it's like a mix of both, I'd say.
But I think the key formissionaries is to be able to
meet people where they're at,but to see them for who they can
become.
Because you open your mouth andmaybe you...
are knocking a street and yousee this guy out on his porch
just boozing it up with the cigin his hand just like cussing
(33:38):
you out like your first thoughtisn't like oh this guy's gonna
get baptized right but seeingseeing who they can become my
mission president always saidpicture them in white when you
see them when they open the doorpicture them in white when
they're walking down the streetpicture them in white because
then you go up to them with thislike predetermined love for them
SPEAKER_01 (33:57):
That's powerful.
One of my favorite companions ofthe Barnes would always say to
me, you know, we live in finitemortality, right?
We have a birth and a death andthat's the, that's all we
understand.
But God, our father lives ineternity and Lauren, God doesn't
see you with these limitations.
He doesn't see you now withwhatever weaknesses or lack of
(34:18):
knowledge.
He doesn't see that.
He sees you as you really trulyare in eternity, right?
And that is the person that heloves so much.
The real you, the eternal you.
Like he sees where you become.
He sees what you are.
Because he's not limited by thisbirth and death.
So that's a fascinating concept.
Knock on a door, see some guythat's not exactly temple
(34:42):
looking.
But if you can picture thatperson that way because of how
much you love them.
then you're seeing them trulyhow God sees them.
And all you want to do is justfind more and talk more and find
more.
Yeah, we were halfway throughour mission, maybe, not even
half, I was four months in, andElder Bruce D.
Porter, I swear this guy wasseven foot tall and little kind
(35:05):
of interesting looking guy.
But, oh man, I loved him.
We loved him.
He gathered all the missionariesat Dom Kino and he got us all
there and he stands there, thistowering guy, and he spoke
Russian.
We were shocked about that.
And he says, look, you guyscan't find people to teach and
teach the gospel of Christ ifyou don't understand each other,
(35:25):
if you can't speak the language.
So he says, I'm going to make itreal easy for you.
He says, I have authority togive you a promise in the name
of the Lord.
He says, I promise you in thename of the Lord that if you'll
do this one thing, all of youwill be fluent in the Russian
language by your six-monthpoint, and you'll be able to
teach and find.
We're like, oh, okay.
Say
SPEAKER_00 (35:43):
less.
SPEAKER_01 (35:43):
Yeah.
He's like, it's not studying.
It's none of the things thatyou're doing now.
I'll give you the one secret.
We're like, yes, tell us.
He says, if you will go outsideafter this meeting and talk to
every soul that you see and openyour mouth and talk to everyone
and never stop, then you will befluent by your six-month point.
And me and other moms looked ateach other like, let's do it.
(36:05):
Let's do it.
And we just went out and we justdid it.
And again, it's that there's thepragmatic side, then there's the
spiritual faithful side.
Obviously, the more you talk,the quicker you're going to
learn the language, the moresuccess you're going to have.
So it's kind of like he wastricking us to just go out and
do it more.
But the effect that it had onour souls and the souls of
people we found was way moreprofound than just, oh, good
(36:26):
job.
You're learning how to beconfident and talk to people or
learn a language.
That spirit of working with allyour heart, mind, and strength
has a Christ-like power in it.
Yeah, when we hunger and thirstto bring souls to Christ and not
just, okay, I'm here, let's, youknow, what are we doing today?
No, if you go out and justhunger and thirst and therefore
(36:47):
open your mouth and talk toeveryone, the Spirit will
confirm truth of it all topeople and you'll find those.
And so we did it, man.
When we were in the line for thebread, No, you don't want to
talk to me?
Okay, next guy.
You know, we just go person toperson.
It was embarrassing and amazing.
When we'd be on publictransport, it's like shoulder to
shoulder packed in there.
(37:07):
You turn to one guy, hey, can Italk to you for a minute about,
and he'd say, no, get out of myface.
No problem.
You literally turn your head tothe guy next to him.
Hey, can I talk to you for aminute?
Like this dude just heard whatyou're saying.
It was embarrassing in thegreatest way.
And we would do that.
And we would look at each other.
Like, we would purposely standapart from each other so we
could tackle everyone on thatbus.
SPEAKER_00 (37:26):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (37:27):
It's pure joy, Lauren.
It's pure, absolute joy.
I
SPEAKER_00 (37:31):
remember being in Little Tiendas.
And when I was training,especially, I told my greenie,
I'm like, look, I'm not going tobe, like, anywhere near you.
You got to go and talk to peopleyourself.
You're not coming out until youtalk to them.
What a good trainer.
Seriously,
SPEAKER_01 (37:44):
that is a great trainer.
SPEAKER_00 (37:46):
It was funny, but...
I remember just being in theselittle tiendas and we'd go when
it's just like rush hour andit'd be packed.
And I'd just go up to someone.
I'm like, hey, go on that.
Then I'm on my side.
And they'd just be like, uh, no,like whatever.
And then I'd turn around to theperson next to them.
Just like you said, like youthink it'd be like scary or
(38:07):
you'd get afraid of like therejection.
But man, you just find the oneat the end of the day and it's
so worth it.
SPEAKER_01 (38:13):
So you said at the beginning of this podcast that
this is your favorite principle.
And to be honest, Lauren, Ididn't know what to expect from
you kids going out.
You never do, right?
So you guys go out, but I'mgoing to take a guess.
This is the one thing that youdecided to do that made more
difference than anything.
Is that right?
SPEAKER_00 (38:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (38:32):
Because just...
You always hear stories of likeGordon B.
Hinckley, the prophet, was outon his mission in London, I
think he was, and he wrote homewithin a couple of months.
He's like, Dad, this isterrible.
I'm doing not well.
SPEAKER_00 (38:43):
I want to come home.
And
SPEAKER_01 (38:45):
his dad wrote him a letter back and said, Son,
SPEAKER_00 (38:47):
forget
SPEAKER_01 (38:48):
yourself and get to work.
Work! And he did, and it changedeverything, and he became the
prophet.
So why do you say this is yourfavorite principle?
SPEAKER_00 (39:00):
This principle changed my mission.
And that's why it's my favorite.
Cause I remember learning aboutit when I was in your class,
when I was junior, senior inhigh school, but I wasn't really
listening to what you weresaying.
And I remember getting out intothe field and I was kind of
like, this is kind of scary.
Like I know I'm supposed to talkto everyone, but I, I don't know
why this is hard.
Yeah.
And you know, missionaries, whenyou go out there, I'm not
(39:21):
downplaying it.
Like it is scary to go up,especially when you feel like,
Oh, I don't know enough.
Oh, I don't know.
Whatever excuse you have.
But I remember getting switchedto Spanish work.
And I was like, I'm already fourmonths into my mission.
I got to learn how to do thisfast.
I don't have time to waste.
And I remember getting with twocertain companions.
(39:43):
I was in a trio and they were sogood at talking to everyone.
And so it took me up until...
maybe like seven months to getreally, really good at this.
But I remember those twocompanions, man, they just
chased after people, like chaseddown the streets.
Like we'd walk into stores.
I remember we were walking to aWendy's and there was people
(40:03):
doing construction on thebuilding right next to us.
My companion walked over andlike climbed the ladder and I
was like, Hey boys, whatever.
But this like kind of what wewere talking about, like the
charity that comes is, it comesso much easier when you talk to
people.
I don't know why, but for somereason it does.
And, you know, charity becamethe motivating factor and the
(40:26):
intention that I placed behindevery action.
And it's so much easier when youget, I don't know, it's so hard
to explain, but you just talk toeveryone and you kind of just
get on fire.
You're like, okay, well I got tofind this one person.
And the only way I'm going tofind them is by talking to
everyone.
And yeah, you know, as amissionary, you should expect
(40:46):
miracles in the work becausethat's what you're ordained to
do.
You're ordained to preach thegospel and you'll see miracles
from it, but you're never goingto get that if you don't open
your mouth.
And there's more people than Ican keep count of that I found
because I opened my mouth.
Like every, well, I guesseverybody finds because you open
your mouth, but it's such apowerful principle.
(41:08):
And it, it taught me a lot justto principle of faith as well.
Because when you have faith inyour message, when you have
confidence in your savior, itdoesn't, it's not scary anymore
to open your mouth.
Like I could go stand on thetable at Chick-fil-A and just
like yell to everyone.
And it, it didn't embarrass meone bit.
Like you have the greatestmessage.
(41:29):
I remember telling a couple ofmissionaries that were telling
me they were struggling with,with this principle.
And I was like, you don't theywere like oh well what do i say
to them like that i don't haveanything in common with them i'm
like you don't need anything youhave the world's greatest
message to share just go up andshare with them it's just it's
the principle that changed mymission honestly
SPEAKER_01 (41:49):
well i like what you said too is you were we ordained
right we read the scripture thatsays one to what are you
ordained to preach my gospel bythe spirit and there's many ways
that we can use the Spirit,invite the Spirit, right?
That's your purpose is to invitethe Spirit, help them feel it
because that leads them tofaith, which leads them to
repentance.
The Scriptures, obviously, ifyou can get them to read the
(42:12):
Scriptures, they're going tofeel the Spirit.
If you can get them to pray,they're going to feel the
Spirit.
Bring them to the sacrament,it's going to feel the Spirit.
One really powerful way, again,is if you have faith that you
are a disciple of Christ, acalled and separated missionary
of Christ, he will not allow youin faith as you open your mouths
to not have the spirit present.
It will be present.
(42:33):
And so the more you open yourmouth, the more of his, his
sheep will, will feel thatspirit and miracles will happen.
SPEAKER_00 (42:40):
Can I share this part?
So in chapter one, I preach mygospel, the section that I had
mentioned previously, theauthority and power of your
calling.
It talks about this.
So it talks about authority andthat you need for your calling,
but also talks about thespiritual power.
And it says, And I remember Iwas struggling so hard with
(43:16):
feeling like I had the spiritwith me.
And I went to my missionpresident about it.
Smartest man, wisest man, bestman I've ever met.
Nice.
And he said, I started doingthis when I was a missionary and
I've done it every day sincethen.
He says, I set a timer on mywatch for every hour on the hour
it goes off and I say a prayer.
Oh my goodness.
Doesn't have to be a long thing.
That's amazing.
And I was like, okay, let's seeif I'm going to try it.
(43:39):
Did you?
Yes.
For the rest of my mission,every hour on the hour, my timer
would go off and I'd look at mycompanion and I'm like, okay,
it's time.
And so we'd say a prayer.
And it changed so much, eventhough it was such a simple
thing to do.
But the Spirit changeseverything.
And I'm not saying I was themost obedient missionary.
(43:59):
I wasn't the perfect missionary.
SPEAKER_01 (44:01):
You're a good missionary.
UNKNOWN (44:03):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (44:03):
But I always sought to have the Spirit with me, and
that changes the work that makesyou a successful missionary.
SPEAKER_01 (44:10):
So this is great, and I love your passion for
this.
And I watched you do it, and Ijust had so much joy as you did.
I was so happy and so proudbecause this really is
fulfillment of DNC4, right?
If you have a desire to serve,I'm going to call you to the
work, but see that you servewith all your heart, mind, and
strength.
So can I share a story where...
Really, this is a true miracleto me.
(44:31):
Like, this is such a powerfulstory to me.
So...
Yes.
One day, we were inDnepropetrovsk, and it was a
particularly, for whateverreason, it was a hard time where
not a lot was happening.
Now, Lauren, I've told thisstory.
You've heard this story.
But what you don't know is, Ireached out to a kid who sent me
photos of these people.
And he sent them...
(44:52):
Okay, I'm going to show you thephotos.
Okay.
And I haven't had these for 30years.
I'll tell you the story.
Okay, so...
particularly hard mom or time.
We weren't really having a lotof success.
We were working very hard, butyou don't really, when you're in
this habit of working hard,faithful, you don't really ever
give up hope.
You're just like, I know, Idon't care.
I'll go another day.
Okay.
(45:12):
Another two day.
Okay.
Another week.
I know someone's going to bethere.
So one particular day when itwas kind of the hardest, same
like your story, we were outthere, he was late.
We were exhausted.
We were a little hard.
It was hard.
We weren't finding anyone.
And we just said, look, We got10 more minutes.
Let's just go as hard as we can.
So you go and you open and youtalk and you talk and you talk.
(45:34):
And at the very end, I see downthe road, two people walking.
And I go, I'm definitely talkingto these people.
And as I got closer, now welived in this city called
Dnepropetrovsk, which is on theDnepr River.
And the river at the head, many,many miles away, there's a city
at the head of this river calledChernobyl.
(45:56):
You ever heard of Chernobyl?
SPEAKER_00 (45:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (45:58):
Yeah.
Chernobyl is the site of theworld's worst nuclear disaster.
That nuclear contaminant gotinto the river, got into the
water, affected everything.
Good.
So in this city of Dnepr, atleast one time a day, I met
someone who was very physicallyaffected by that radiation.
(46:20):
Deformed, like pretty badsicknesses.
Kind of, it was a commonplace,really scary.
And as I got closer to thiscouple walking, I kind of
realized real quickly, oh,there's something different
about that woman, like the wayshe looks.
There's something, something.
And I never verified if it wasChernobyl or what.
But as I got closer, like it waskind of odd.
(46:41):
Like she, it was as if her skinhad like wrapped around her
bones and she was just like askeleton woman.
And she was this sweet lady whohad this like scarf around her
head.
But I looked and just like, wow,that is not healthy.
I hope she's okay.
Whatever.
I love them.
I'm going to open my mouth.
So I opened my mouth, and it wasa man and this woman.
And I have a message about JesusChrist and the restored gospel.
(47:07):
And immediately they wereinterested.
And they were like, yeah, cometeach us.
This is great.
So we set up an appointment forthe next day.
We come by to these lovelypeople.
We sit down.
We teach them.
They're so smart.
They were so smart and sointerested in participating.
And they would read.
That was the fun thing aboutUkraine.
They're all ex-Sovjets.
(47:27):
And Soviets were very educated,very, very smart, very
hardworking.
So it was good.
They would always engage in suchan intriguing way.
And I could tell after I leftthat meeting, the spirit was
there, they felt it, and theywere really interested.
The next day, transfers, I'mout.
I never really, I never heardabout them or from them ever
(47:49):
again.
But I knew from the spirit that,all those weeks of me finding
with no success, that's who Iwas supposed to find.
Wow.
I opened my mouth and I foundthem.
Okay.
Now fast forward about two yearsago.
So this is like 28 years later.
I'm in my ward here inCalifornia teaching a lesson.
And I bring up that story for,to make some point.
(48:10):
And I look in the crowd, thisnew kid, I'd never seen him
before.
And he's eyes light up and he'slike, dude, after this class, he
goes, dude, I served in yourmission.
Like I was in Donetsk.
I just got home like three yearsago.
I'm like, no way, that'sawesome.
Let's talk, let's talk.
So we get, you know, kind of sitaside and we start talking.
I said, so tell me, tell mewhere you served.
I served in Dnepropetrovsk.
He's like, oh, me too.
I said, who'd you know there?
(48:31):
Like, what are the names andwhat was the best time of your
mission?
And this is what he said.
He said, you know, I had a greatmission, but the most moving
part for me was when I got toDnepropetrovsk and we got to
this ward where the church wasso strong.
He's like, I've never seen thechurch before.
be so strong.
And it's crazy because it wasreally revolving around this one
(48:51):
family who was so faithful andso strong.
They had brought dozens anddozens of people into the church
to be baptized.
I'm like, oh, that sounds socool.
I was like, do you have apicture of them?
I'm going to show you thepicture that he showed me that
caused me to cry because when heshowed me this, this is him
standing there and the lady onthe left and the man on the
(49:12):
right are the two people that Ifound that day.
And I looked at that picture andAnd I said to this kid, I says,
are you kidding me?
I says, I found them.
I, on a long day, exhausted,committed to open my mouth and
talk to everyone.
I found those people and Itaught him a lesson.
Then I left and I never saw andheard of him again.
He's like, you're kidding me.
(49:34):
These are the strongest peoplein Nepper.
They have brought dozens ofpeople to the church of Jesus
Christ.
Oh my gosh.
And look at them.
Look how great they are.
Look how amazing those people
SPEAKER_00 (49:45):
are.
She's so sweet.
SPEAKER_01 (49:46):
Yeah, she is.
So this principle of open yourmouth, you'd never know, like
you don't measure your successin this labor of trying to lead
souls to Christ in how manybaptisms you see, right?
Paul even said it.
His companion for a while wasSilas, right?
And he said, Paul said one timein the Bible, he says, I watered
(50:07):
and Silas watered.
planted.
No, I planted water or Silaswatered, but then the Lord God
gives the increase.
In other words, we all play acertain role.
And in this case, because Iopened my mouth, I found some
people to teach and then I left.
And then other missionaries wereable to come in, maybe who are
more suited to teach.
So I don't know.
And they taught them and theyhelped them to conversion.
(50:30):
And now they're here and they'vebrought dozens.
And it's funny because I I'llsee them in 200 years from now
in the celestial kingdom and go,it's you.
Like I opened my mouth one dayjust to find you and we were
exhausted, but I knew we couldfind you.
And I think they're going to beso grateful, right?
And then the dozens and dozensand hundreds and hundreds and
(50:50):
thousands of people who are aresult of their work will gather
around us and it will be joy,just pure joy.
All because one person waswilling to open their mouth.
And that's the power you canhave, you guys, as missionaries.
Don't stop.
Be exhausted.
Come home on a stretcher.
Work so hard by talking toeveryone, and I promise you, you
(51:13):
will have success and lead soulsto Christ.
And in that process, youyourself will come to Christ.
It's a powerful, powerfulprinciple.
I'm glad it's your favorite.
SPEAKER_00 (51:24):
I mean, I had this sticky note on my door that I
looked at every day before Ileft.
It says, you're called to serve,not sit quiet.
Okay.
And because I just thought of itlike one day, actually, while I
was studying this principle andit's just the greatest, like the
joy that I feel from listeningto the story that you just
shared.
Yeah.
I'm like, oh my gosh, that'slike the best feeling ever.
(51:46):
That has got to be the greatestfeeling ever because you know
that Heavenly Father is just upthere like, yes, yes, yes, keep
going, keep going.
And you know, there are somedays, some weeks where you just
feel like you're in a dry spot.
You're like, I cannot findanyone that wants to be
baptized.
But then there's that one personthat will change the life of so
many people.
I'm
SPEAKER_01 (52:07):
so grateful that you are faithful enough and humble
enough to and all of it to havedone this on your mission and to
have watched you do this becauseI know that that's partially
what helped you to conversionyourself.
But then I know how effectiveyou were out there.
I know how many lives youtouched.
I know the reputation you have.
And missionaries listening orthose preparing, it's just such
(52:29):
a practical and useful thing.
Open your mouth.
And talk to everyone, because anopen mouth will find the
listeners.
The Lord's sheep know His voice.
You are the representative ofthe Lord.
They will feel the Spirit as youopen their mouth.
All right.
That's a good episode.
Please join us next week.
Thanks.
All right, Mission Threat Series podcast.
Or like we said before, MissionStories podcast.
It's one or the other.
Yeah, we talk about both becausethis really is a mission.
These are based on our missionprep classes that we teach, but
(00:20):
really the podcast itself isjust about mission stories that
emphasize these lessons.
And this is today doing lessonnumber three, or principle
number three.
And again, just to give a quickcontext or background, our
missions were amazing.
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
There is no young woman that loves her mission
more than I do.
SPEAKER_01 (00:40):
Oh, I'm glad you qualified that by saying young
woman, because if you would havesaid there's no person...
than we would have fought rightnow.
Punched you in the face.
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Yeah, and contention is of the devil.
So let's sit with that for asecond.
SPEAKER_01 (00:54):
Well, it was just a really bold claim.
Anyway, you're right.
But we loved our missions so,so, so, so, so much.
And I just, I'm like, okay,well, how does everyone have
this kind of experience?
Come home to have life-changingstories.
to be built so firmly on thefoundation of jesus christ and
to have worked with all theirheart might mind and strength
(01:14):
and leading souls to christ iwant everyone to have that
experience and not everyone doesand that is just a sad sad thing
to me so we teach theseprinciples about if you'll do
the mission this way and applythese ideas and and principles
then you have a better chance ofhaving this amazing amazing life
life life changing experience ona mission so We've done the
(01:35):
first two principles.
Here's principle number three.
And this one is super practical,but as well spiritual.
SPEAKER_00 (01:42):
Do
SPEAKER_01 (01:42):
you like this one?
SPEAKER_00 (01:43):
This is my favorite one.
SPEAKER_01 (01:44):
Oh, I was going to ask you why, but then that would
give away what the principle is.
So let's, I'm going to ask youlater why it's your favorite
one.
Okay.
Okay.
We'll start off with a littleanecdote.
So you and I, I think I want totake credit for, because I have
told everyone that I know who'sgoing on a mission to read the
book, Believing Christ by StevenRobinson.
(02:06):
And you love that book, right?
SPEAKER_00 (02:07):
I love it.
I'm rereading it right now.
SPEAKER_01 (02:09):
Oh, you are?
SPEAKER_00 (02:10):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (02:11):
So I'm pretty sure I take credit for having you read
that book because back when wewere doing mission prep, I told
everyone to read that book.
SPEAKER_00 (02:19):
I read it for the first time on my mission.
I don't remember you sayingthat.
SPEAKER_01 (02:22):
Oh, well, I would have definitely told you to read
it and you just didn't do it.
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
Sorry.
Thanks very much.
SPEAKER_00 (02:28):
Active disobedience.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Yeah.
So this book, there's such a,just a great, one of the
greatest parable style books atteaching the atonement of Christ
in a really understanding wayand just a powerful, powerful
book.
Well, there's an anecdote inthere where I think, I think it
was Steven Robinson when he wasa Bishop, he would do this thing
with all of the members of hisward where he would call them in
(02:50):
or, or they would have aninterview, right?
For the temple or whatever, or acalling and, And he says he
really enjoyed doing thefollowing thing.
And I'm going to ask you aquestion.
He would sit him down and hewould say, well, that was, you
know, everything's good.
And I will sign off on yourtemple, recommend interview and
all that.
But he says, but I have aquestion for you.
And I'll ask you the question,Laura.
If for whatever reason,randomly, you just killed over
(03:12):
and died right now, you're dead.
And judgment happens right away,let's say, right?
There's no waiting.
The question is this.
What...
kingdom and what glory will youinherit when you're dead like
right now
SPEAKER_00 (03:30):
are you asking me personally
SPEAKER_01 (03:31):
no we won't ask you personally because we'll get
back to it but he would askthese members and guess what
most members would say
SPEAKER_00 (03:37):
probably not the celestial kingdom
SPEAKER_01 (03:40):
yeah you've read it right they'd be like they'd
probably and I he draws thepicture like they think about
their lives and they did almostthis you could see in their head
this almost like balancing actokay I do these things pretty
good and faithfully but here'sall the non-perfect things I do.
Here's where I don't obey.
Here's the mistakes that I make.
And most of them would kind ofdo this balancing act, and then
(04:02):
in the end conclude with alittle bit of depression, I
guess the terrestrial kingdom.
And Bishop Stevenson would say,oh, oh.
SPEAKER_00 (04:11):
Robinson.
SPEAKER_01 (04:12):
Robinson, thank you.
He would say, oh, well, why?
And he says their answer isalways the same, somewhere
around the area of, I guess I'mjust not celestial material.
UNKNOWN (04:23):
Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01 (04:23):
None of
SPEAKER_00 (04:24):
us are.
Let's be cool
SPEAKER_01 (04:25):
here.
But then he'd have thisdiscussion about what it means
to be celestial.
And if you're trying on your ownto get there, yeah, you're not
going to be celestial.
So he would go through thisexercise with him, and here's
how he would really drill downthe point.
He would say, oh, theterrestrial, huh?
That's too bad.
I'm so sorry.
So what you're saying is youjust lied to me about all those
(04:47):
questions in the templerecommend interview.
And they'd get offended.
Well, no, I told you all thetruth.
Oh, well, then.
you're dishonest like in yourbusiness like are you stealing
from your partner like no i'mnot stealing what do you mean oh
so you're cheating on yourspouse and they get upset like
no i'm not i i answered questionbut your question is probably no
(05:08):
what do you mean and he sayswell i i can't imagine then why
you're not going to thecelestial kingdom oh i know what
it is You
SPEAKER_00 (05:15):
don't have faith in Jesus Christ.
You don't
SPEAKER_01 (05:17):
believe in Jesus Christ.
And then they'd really getupset, right?
And be like, of course, what doyou mean?
Like, I've been a member of mywhole life.
I served a mission.
I do believe.
And he had the audacity to lookat him and say, I don't think
you do.
Because he says, and then he'dquote scriptures like in Isaiah
that says, though your sins bered as scarlet, I will make them
(05:38):
white as snow.
And he says, you don't believethat.
You don't believe that for you.
And they'd be like, well, Ibelieve in Christ.
I'm a disciple of Christ.
But you don't believe him.
You don't believe him when hesays, I forgive you of your sins
if you come unto me in faith andrepentance and the covenants of
(05:59):
baptism of the Holy Ghost.
And it was what a beautifulteaching moment for him to be
able to teach that person.
You have to believe in theSavior and believe him when he
says, I will save you.
Let's go to the scripture, Moses139.
We ask ourselves, like in thisanecdote, what really is the
(06:20):
purpose of God?
For behold, this is my work andmy glory to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life ofman.
And so in this interview, hewould be able to say to the
person, so you believe God isnot able with you to bring to
pass your immortality or eternallife, right?
I mean, that's a great way tophrase it.
(06:42):
Yeah, Isaiah 118 says, If Godsays your sins are red, or they
make you red, and unworthy to bein God's presence, and then
Christ says, if you come to methrough faith, repentance,
baptism, and the Holy Ghost, Iwill wipe them away.
I will have bled and died foryou so that you won't have to,
so that you will be cleansed andinnocent in the presence of God.
(07:03):
And you have the audacity tosay, no, you can't, not me.
It's a great little lesson.
I love it.
Now, it brings my mind towardssomething really powerful that I
read in D&C 15 the other day.
This is when Joseph Smith was atthe early parts of the
Restoration, and he wasrestoring the gospel, and he had
(07:25):
this burning question to God.
What is—like, there's all thesethings we need to be doing in
temple and organizing and—translating and building the
church and all this.
What is the most important thingthat I need to focus on?
What is the foundational mostimportant thing?
And here's what he answered.
He says, For many times you havedesired of me to know that which
would be of most worth unto you.
(07:48):
Behold, blessed are you for thisthing and for speaking my words
which I have given unto youaccording to my commandments.
And behold, I say unto you thatthe thing which will be of most
worth unto you will be todeclare...
Repentance unto this people,that ye may bring souls unto me,
that they may rest with me inthe kingdom of my Father.
SPEAKER_00 (08:05):
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (08:07):
So what is it?
What's the most important, themost valuable thing that could
possibly we be doing?
SPEAKER_00 (08:12):
Preaching repentance and helping God bring to pass
the immortality and eternal lifeof all men.
SPEAKER_01 (08:17):
And how did you do that?
Or how do we do that?
Or one way we do that?
SPEAKER_00 (08:22):
By opening our mouths and talking to everyone.
SPEAKER_01 (08:25):
And we can do that at home.
We can do that on a mission,but...
Most specifically, thisprinciple about when you're
serving on a mission, we have tounderstand how valuable, how
special every soul is to theFather.
And that's why it's the mostimportant work is for us to go
out and lead souls to Christ.
(08:46):
And one of the most effectiveways of doing that is to open
your mouth and talk to everyone.
Never shut up.
Never stop talking.
Not for a year and a half, notfor two years, you open your
mouth and you talk to everyone.
So a little story.
So when I was in the MTC, ElderHolland, who was my favorite, he
(09:07):
was young and vibrant back then.
SPEAKER_00 (09:10):
Now he's old and vibrant.
SPEAKER_01 (09:11):
Yeah, he's old and vibrant.
So he came to the MTC and theyspeak very differently in the
MTC or in person than they do ingeneral conference, right?
So he gets up on the podium andhe says, all right, every single
missionary in the MTC was inthis room.
right?
Thousands of kids.
And he says, all right, I'mgoing to tell you something, but
before I tell it to you, you allhave to promise that you will
(09:32):
not tell your mothers what I'mabout to say to you.
And we were like, well, thatsounds sketchy.
And he's like, I mean it.
Unless I see all of you raisingyour hand that you promise not
to tell your mothers what I'mabout to say, I'm not going to
tell you.
So we were all like, okay.
So we raised our hands andhere's what he said.
He said, you go out there andyou work so hard hard, that you
(09:55):
are so exhausted by the end ofyour mission that you will be
brought home on a stretcher.
Skip lunch.
Skip dinner.
Don't rest.
Run.
Don't walk.
And open your mouths and speakto every soul that is in earshot
of you.
Stop them in groups.
Stop them on the publictransport.
(10:19):
Everywhere.
And we thought, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (10:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (10:22):
What do you think of that, Lauren?
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
That is awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (10:25):
Why do you think that's awesome?
SPEAKER_00 (10:26):
I mean, you have an apostle of the Lord just giving
you advice on how you can be themost effective missionary you
can be.
Like at the beginning of yourmissionary service too.
SPEAKER_01 (10:37):
Was that not a little irresponsible for him to
tell us to come home on amission?
By the way, I looked yesterdayat the photo of me coming off
the airplane.
I get off the airplane and I'mso excited to see my family.
I see them in the distance and Ifirst connect eyes with my mom
and she looks at me and her facechanges like, what the?
And she starts bawling.
And I'm like, why are youcrying?
And later on she told me, youlook like an emaciated, sick,
(11:01):
dirty person.
And it's true.
I weighed like 110 pounds.
Like I was really, and it'sbecause Elder Miles and I at the
end, I mean throughout reallyour whole mission, but at the
end we were like, let's go, man.
We only have like two monthsleft.
Let's just go nuts.
Let's just go work and open ourmouths and find people to teach
and let's just go.
Probably unhealthy, but that'sokay.
We turned out okay.
(11:22):
Turned out okay.
So what do you think, Lauren?
What do you think about thisconcept or what would you say
about this concept of an openmouth finds listeners.
What do you think that means?
Why do we word it that way?
SPEAKER_00 (11:35):
I mean, in order to help people be converted unto
Christ, they have to hear hisgospel, right?
And the Lord will make miraclesout of what you give him, right?
He will work miracles with whatyou have to offer.
And I love the saying, I was onexchange with a sister once in
(11:55):
this had come up in one of ourconversations, but to be in
relentless pursuit of the joy ofGod's children.
And when you are in therelentless pursuit of the joy of
God's children, you want theirsalvation, right?
You want to share this goodnews, but you're not going to
find listeners if you never openyour mouth.
And so maybe you go out.
I mean, it's like, you know,relating it to sports, right?
(12:19):
Like that stupid saying that'slike, oh, you miss 100% of the
shots you don't take.
But it's true.
Say you go out and you talk tolike five people.
Okay, maybe you went zero forfive.
But imagine if you go out andyou open your mouth and you talk
to 100 people within the span of30 minutes, an hour.
(12:39):
How many more people are you...
more likely to find, right?
You never know who is waiting toreceive you.
SPEAKER_01 (12:47):
Okay, so watch this.
So we were in, I was in, I toldthis story before, but I was in
Donetsk with Elder Barnes, and Igot a call from my mission
president saying, hey, ElderRector, pack your bags.
You're going to Hardcovetomorrow, and don't get caught.
You're not supposed to be there,but all the missionaries didn't
get their visas renewed.
And he's like, in the missionthere, I don't know what's going
on there.
They're just not serving likethe rest of the mission.
There's something wrong withthat area, so go clean house.
(13:09):
Go find out what's going on.
get them straight.
I was like, Oh man.
Okay.
So I packed my bags, get on theHarry Potter train, go to
Harkov, get off.
And the elders were there andthey hated me because they
weren't working hard.
And I was not willing to notwork hard.
Like I was in their phase.
Like, listen, I was like, guys,I'm not here to make buddies.
I'd love to be your buddy, butI'm here to work.
(13:31):
So you have to be out here withme.
So every day they just sit thereand watch.
And I told the story beforeabout how these guys got
arrested, that whole story.
Well, another day they werestill kind of grumpy and I could
tell all day he was just kind ofreally upset, this one elder.
And he finally at the end of theday goes, look, Elder Record, I
don't care anymore, man.
I'm just going to tell youstraight up and you can, you got
(13:52):
nothing to say about this.
once a month we all get togetherwith all the missionaries with a
couple of districts and we havea party at one of the, one of
the, one of the houses.
He's like, I know you're goingto hate that and be upset, but I
don't care.
We're doing it.
And I just looked at him andwent, what the heck did you just
say to me?
You're telling me that I can'tgo work tonight because I have
(14:14):
to be with you to go to a what?
A gathering of missionaries tohave a party with And he's like,
dude, we don't do anything bad,man.
We just play games.
We share stories.
Like it's nothing.
We're like, good.
We're doing good.
I'm like, this is so, I don'tlike this at all.
Like I came here to work andlead souls to Christ that you
wanted.
So anyway, he's like, well,we're going.
(14:35):
And if you don't come, you'rebreaking the rules.
You got to be with us.
I was like, so we get on thetrain.
I'm preaching to people.
I'm opening my mouth.
I'm talking to people andthey're just sitting there.
Sure enough, we get to thisapartment out of our area.
We open the door, and I open it,and there's like 15 missionaries
in there.
And I'm like, what?
And from the get-go, they didn'tlike me at all.
(14:58):
They hated me.
And at the get-go, I stop, and Igo, hey, you don't know me.
I'm sorry to be annoying here,but this is dumb.
No one else in the mission isdoing this.
I got to go out and work, but Ican't do it on my own.
I need someone to go with me.
And they all stopped and lookedat me like, who is this punk?
Like, what?
judging us like I'm like lookI'm not judging anyone just I
(15:21):
need to go work I don't care toparty here with you they hated
me and finally this greenie waslike I'll go with you I know I
missed this part in the story Igot so fed up I said look I
promise that if any of you willgo out with me tonight for the
next four hours on this rainycold like just gross day I
(15:41):
promise you in the name of theLord we will find people to
teach and finally this greeniewas like alright I'll come with
you And so we go.
And I'm just preaching to thiskid the whole time.
I'm like, dude, what are youdoing, man?
Did you come out here to haveparties with buddies?
Or did you come out to work?
Like, let's do the work to leadsouls to Christ.
And guess what happened, Lauren?
No one was on the freakingstreet.
(16:02):
No one was out because it was socold and so nasty.
But I'm like praying this wholetime.
Like, I made this kid a promise.
Let's work.
Like, let's go look.
So for four hours, we were outthere looking, searching.
Hardly anyone was out.
You'd go find someone, and theywere running off to get cover.
And I'm praying, and I'mpraying, but we're working.
I see someone else.
We go open their mouths, andthey kind of talked to us.
(16:22):
It didn't go so well.
Another person.
We go across the street.
I open my mouth.
Not really taking it.
We're working, though, and I'mgoing to keep opening my mouth.
Okay, it's time to go back.
I'm like, oh, man.
We're going back, and I'll neverforget this.
We look off.
And there's a street lamp, it'snighttime, and this rain's
coming down, and there's astreet lamp.
And right underneath that streetlamp and the rain coming down,
(16:43):
there's one dude just standingthere.
And I feel the spirit, and Isay, let's go.
And we go up to this guy, andhe's like, He's like, guys, this
is great.
I've been looking for somethinglike this.
I would love for you to come andteach me.
So we write down his informationon the blue planner.
And we turn around, we startwalking back to the apartment,
(17:06):
and this kid just kind of hashis head down on the ground and
just kind of thinking, thinking,thinking.
And right before we get back togo in, he looks at me and he
goes, what am I doing?
What am I doing?
Like that one soul could besaved and come to Christ.
And it took us four hours ofnothing, no success, yet we
searched and we found this oneguy.
(17:26):
And if I was stuck up in thatroom partying, that one soul
would never even have beenfound.
He's like, what am I doing?
I'm like, good, good, you'regetting it.
That's it.
The spirit of the work of theLord only happens if we
participate and we put the workin and we open our mouth and
talk to people.
Now, I wish I could have areally great ending to that
(17:47):
story and be like, and that dudetook the lessons from this kid
and this kid baptized him andthey went out and worked hard.
I don't know what happenedbecause I was called to move on
to other areas of my life, but Iknow that that was an example to
that entire area of Harkov.
I developed a reputation forbeing the guy that is kind of a
jerk, but he works like crazy.
(18:07):
He talks to everyone all daylong.
And it brings you joy.
It really does.
Like, it was just so fulfilling.
SPEAKER_00 (18:17):
I think it's funny because, well, first of all,
it's an awesome story.
But I think it's funny because alot of experiences that I've had
that are similar to that whereI'm just praying and praying.
I'm like, Heavenly Father,please, I am out here.
Oh my gosh.
Wait, I have a really coolstory.
Okay.
So once, so there was a transferwhen I was serving in an area
(18:39):
called Carmel, Indiana, and Ihad just become a sister
training leader and I was onexchange with one of these
sisters and my companion and I,at the beginning of the
transfer, I'd said, okay, we'regoing to set a finding goal
every day.
Cause you know, that's what youdo.
You set a finding goal everyday.
And we were like, we're not,stepping in our house until we
reach our finding goal.
And so we were on exchanges oneday and I was leading out the
(19:01):
area and I had a sister with meand we had set our finding goal
that day to seven people, sevenpeople that day.
And it was, you know, we have tobe back at home by nine, nine
30, if you have a lesson.
And so it's, it's getting prettyclose.
It's like eight 15.
We're probably like 20 minutesaway from our house maybe.
And we, uh, had only found twopeople that day.
(19:25):
And we went to visit a referral.
The referral didn't end up beinginterested.
So we're standing in the middleof this apartment complex, just
in the middle of the street,like in the middle of the
parking lot.
And I look at her, I'm like,Sister Stark, let's say a prayer
really quick.
And so we say a prayer and I'mjust pleading there with
Heavenly Father.
I said, Heavenly Father, I'vetalked to so many people today.
(19:45):
I've knocked on so many doorsand I need to hit this finding
goal.
Please, please help us.
And on the second, I'm not evenkidding you, Sean.
The second I opened my eyes, Ilook up and I see this man at
his trunk.
He's just in his trunk doingsomething.
And the sister I was with runsover to him.
(20:05):
And I'm like, yes, go, go, go.
And she talks to him and hesays, oh, I'm about to leave,
but come talk to my family.
And so he walks us inside.
We go into his house.
We sit down and he goes intoevery single room.
He's like, come out here, comeout here.
There's people sharing amessage.
Come out here, come out here.
And his four kids and wife comeout.
(20:25):
So that's five people.
Wow.
And they come out and they'resitting around the table and
we're just sitting there andthey're like, who are you?
And we called up the Book ofMormon and we start talking
about we're from the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
We have a message to share.
And The wife, so the husband'sfrom the Bahamas.
The wife is from Haiti.
(20:46):
And so their kids speak English.
The wife doesn't really speakthat much English.
They mainly speak Haitian Creolein the house.
And so we're holding up the Bookof Mormon.
And you can see like on the backof it.
So the mom takes it and she'slooking at the back.
And it says Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints.
And she said, I'm looking forthis church.
And she goes onto her phone andshe finds a picture.
(21:06):
And it's a sign.
of the church.
It's the Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints, but it's
the bishop's storehouse, likethe food warehouse.
And she goes, I went to thischurch on Sunday, but it was
closed.
They told me it wasn't open.
And I'm like, no, that's justnot the right building, but I
can help you find one.
So she had already beensearching for the church.
(21:26):
Like she was looking to go thereand she just couldn't find it.
And so I had so many experienceslike that where maybe, I don't
know what happened to thembecause I got transfers out of
the area and we had to pass themoff to Creole missionaries.
But I had so many experienceslike that where I just pled with
the Lord and I told him, look,I'm going to work like it's all
on me, but I have faith likeit's all on you.
And with that mentality, withthat attitude, he was able to
(21:50):
bless me so much just because Iwas willing to do so.
I had so many times, especiallywhen I started learning the
language where I went up and Imade a fool of myself.
I'm sitting there like, andthey're like, dude, what are you
saying to me?
Go away, gringa.
Like, you don't have anythingimportant to say to me.
And I'd mess up and i'd tripover my words and i'd sit there
(22:10):
and literally just likeconjugate verbs in my head just
looking like an idiot but thelord blessed me with what i gave
him to work with and i you knowit it made me better at the
language it made me be able totalk to literally anyone like i
could have a conversation withanyone about anything and it's
just like The Lord blesses youwhen he sees that you're
(22:32):
consecrated, when he sees thatyou're willing and just like
hungry to just get after it.
SPEAKER_01 (22:37):
Okay, there's two, you brought in the most
important part of thisprinciple.
There's really two aspects ofthis principle that make it
work.
So the principle being an openmouth finds listeners, right?
So open your mouth and talk toeveryone, like be committed to
do that.
So the two aspects that reallymake that work, the one is the
one we've been talking about.
It's the pragmatic part, right?
It's a numbers game.
Obviously, like you said, if Italk to a hundred people, I
(23:00):
could find two that'll belistening.
If I talk to 10,000 people, I'mgoing to find a thousand, right?
So it's pragmatic.
And the other pragmatic giftsthat come from opening your
mouth and talk to everyone is ifyou go foreign speaking, you
learn the language, right?
We learned on our mission inUkraine, the very wise and evil
Vladimir Lenin said, which
SPEAKER_00 (23:24):
is
SPEAKER_01 (23:25):
repetition is the mother of all learning is what
he'd say.
And so we'd be like, hey, themore we talk, the better we will
learn.
So obviously if you open yourmouth, so another pragmatic
benefit is you'll learn how toapproach someone.
You'll gain the confidence,right?
You'll know what to say, whetherit's in English or another
language.
So there's all these pragmaticreasons why open your mouth and
find listeners will, is soeffective.
(23:46):
But you started introducing thespiritual side of things.
So there's a couple of reasonswhy spiritually this is such a
powerful, powerful principle.
Here's one, D&C 50.
Wherefore, I, the Lord, ask youthis question.
Unto what are ye ordained as amissionary?
Yeah?
And he says, you are ordained topreach my gospel, period.
(24:07):
No, it doesn't say that.
It gives you the exact way thatyou're supposed to preach the
gospel.
To preach my gospel by theSpirit.
even the comforter which wassent forth to teach the truth.
Okay, this is fascinating.
Okay, you listeners, understandthis.
You as a missionary have themantle and authority of Jesus
Christ, which means if you arefaithful and obedient, when you
(24:29):
open your mouth, it is as if youare speaking and Christ is the
one speaking for you.
You are his representative.
So when you as a disciple ofChrist open your mouth, the
Spirit will confirm the truth.
So it says, to preach, you'recalled and set apart and
ordained to preach my gospel bythe Spirit.
And then he says this, behold,if you received other spirits
(24:50):
you could not understand andreceive them to be of God.
Sorry, go to 16.
Behold, ye shall answer thisquestion yourselves.
I will be merciful unto you.
No, skip that.
17.
He that is ordained of me andset forth to preach the word of
truth by the comforter, thespirit of truth, doth he preach
it by the spirit of truth orsome other way?
So in other words, youmissionaries listening, when
(25:10):
you're out there, you're eithergoing to be effective and be
able to teach by the spirit oryou're going to do it by some
other way.
What are some other ways?
Like use your charisma.
Use your intelligence.
I don't know, tell, use, I don'tknow.
What's it called?
Object lessons.
(25:31):
Draw pictures.
There's all these differentways.
I think most of us kind of relyon our charisma or, oh, this
young kid is really cool or theylike me.
These are other ways.
These are not the ways you'resupposed to teach the gospel.
So it says this in 18.
And if it be by some other way,it is not of God.
And again, he that receiveth theword of truth, doth he receive
it by the spirit of truth orsome other way?
(25:53):
If it be some other way, it isnot of God.
Therefore, why is it that ye canunderstand and know that he that
receiveth the word by the Spiritof truth receiveth it as it is
preached by the Spirit of truth?
Wherefore, he that preacheth andhe that receiveth understand one
another and both are edified andrejoice together.
And that which doth not edify isnot of God in his darkness.
(26:15):
That which is So many times I'veheard missionaries go out and
go, I'm a scriptorian.
I've studied the scriptures.
I'm ready.
I'm going to go prove to peoplethe truth of things by that.
That is some other way.
Yet, if you give someone thescriptures and invite them to
(26:38):
read it, what will come intotheir hearts while they're doing
it?
The Spirit.
The Spirit.
And that's how you teach it.
So again, I love this principle,the spiritual side of this.
If you go out and open yourmouth and your intent is you
love these people and you wantto lead them to Christ, the
Spirit will be there, right?
It says, before you read whatyou're going to do, in John 10,
it says, what does it say?
But ye believe not because yeare not of my sheep and I said
(26:59):
unto you, and this is Christ.
He says, my sheep hear my voiceand I know them and they follow
me.
I love that.
I got to the point of my missionwhere I was like, I just know
that if I open my mouth and talkabout Jesus Christ or Joseph
Smith or the Bible or the Bookof Mormon, the Spirit will
confirm it, not to everyone,because maybe not everyone's
looking, but if I talk to 10,000people, seven of them are
(27:22):
looking, and they will recognizethe Spirit, just like that lady
you did, right?
When you walked in and she'slike, wait a minute, there's
something here.
I know it.
I recognize it.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:33):
Now, there's a couple of good points that you
just made.
Something that I love.
Well, the first chapter ofPreach My Gospel talks about
your purpose as a missionary,and it talks about the authority
and power behind your calling.
And studying that and putting itinto play really helped me
realize that, you know, it's aprivilege to give everything you
have to building the kingdom.
And you've been set apart to doso, like it says in Doctrine and
(27:55):
Covenants.
And you know, it's our job asmissionaries to hold ourselves
accountable to theresponsibility that we have in
this work, right?
Like we've literally been calledand set apart to do it.
Let's hold ourselvesaccountable.
Like, let's just go do it.
I know so many, and I too,myself, I was so scared of
talking to people at thebeginning.
(28:16):
Were you?
I was scared.
I remember in my first area, Iwas biking through the streets
with my trainer and she was, Shewould like fall off of her bike,
trying to run to people, justlike hop off while it was still
going.
Be like, hey, hey.
And just like shove a Book ofMormon in their face.
And I remember my first coupleof days, I was like, dude, this
(28:37):
girl is nuts.
What is she doing?
And it was just, it was so goodfor me to see because she just
had no shame.
And I remember sometimes I'd bescared to talk to people at the
Book of Mormon.
Cause I'd be scared about whatthey say to me or I didn't want
to get yelled at or whatever.
And then I read John 15 andthat, that book, that chapter
(29:01):
changed my life.
Cause Jesus Christ himself says,you know, if you, If the world
hates you, remember that theyhated me first.
And he just talks about how, youknow, he's been in the shoes of
his disciples.
He's been there.
He's felt that.
And I came to realize with timethat they're not rejecting me.
They're just not ready to hearthe gospel.
It's not our job as missionariesto decide who gets to accept the
(29:23):
gospel.
It's our job to open our mouthand declare.
And then those that are willingand ready will accept it.
SPEAKER_01 (29:29):
One more real quick to confirm that.
This is DNC 29.
And ye are called to bring topass the gathering of mine
elect.
And mine elect hear my voice andharden not their hearts.
Okay, keep going.
Sorry.
SPEAKER_00 (29:41):
No, that's awesome.
The other thing that I was goingto say is that you talked about
having charity.
And I spent every day since theday I was set apart praying for
charity.
And there's a quote that I havehanging up on the mirror of my
car.
It says, charity is the quickestway to identify a true disciple
(30:03):
of Jesus Christ.
And there's a section in chaptersix, Christ-like attributes of
preach my gospel.
And there's a section on loveand charity.
And after studying and afterpraying for and praying for, I
realized that charity truly hasto be the motivation you have
behind everything you do as amissionary.
Not even as a missionary,though, as a disciple, you must
have Christ-like love to be ableto do anything.
SPEAKER_01 (30:25):
And the only way for you listeners, you missionaries,
if you don't feel like you havethis changed heart full of
charity, the only way for you toget that is to come to Christ
through faith, repentance,baptism in the Holy Ghost.
Now you will say, you listeners,I've already been baptized.
That's right.
But the covenant that youentered into, you promised that
that you would have faith andyou would repent every day of
(30:48):
your life.
So if you haven't done thosethings, you must begin.
Because once you really trulybegin, and again, the way to
build your faith is to feastupon the words of Christ every
day.
Feast for an hour, feast foreight hours.
What else you got going on?
And pray and ask questions, seekand knock.
And in that process, your faithwill grow.
(31:08):
and lead you to repentance.
And once you've done that, youwill truly then be keeping your
part of the covenant which youentered into in baptism.
So once you do that, your heartstarts to change and you start
to have this charity and love.
And then you do, like you justsaid, you want to go outside and
find people so that they'll feelthe love that you feel.
And you just have this burningdesire to do it.
SPEAKER_00 (31:28):
Charity is so influential in the discipleship
of others.
And to you listening, I promiseyou, if you strive to be filled
with charity, like you willbecome such a good missionary,
but you will help others feelthe love of Christ.
I think there's so many peoplejust waiting, waiting, waiting
(31:50):
for their prayers to beanswered.
And if you're able to convey amessage through the love of
Christ, they're in, like they'reso in.
I just, there's something sospecial about Truly like that
story that you shared a coupleepisodes ago of that man that
you just loved you just felt somuch love for him I remember
sitting in a Relief Societylesson and there was a lady in
(32:13):
our ward who's originally fromArgentina and And her English
wasn't very good.
And she was so nervous becauseshe had to teach the lesson.
And I was talking to her and shewas like, I'm so nervous.
My English is not good.
Like, I don't know.
And she just put all that behindher and she just got up and
started preaching.
And I remember getting soemotional during the middle of
(32:33):
this.
Because you just loved her somuch.
I just loved her.
But to see that a disciple wasso willing to face their fears
because they love Christ so muchis amazing.
It just touched me to my core.
Like I was just crying in themiddle of second hour.
It's crazy.
But to be able to feel that lovefor others is the most healing
(32:55):
feeling that you can everexperience.
And
SPEAKER_01 (32:57):
would you say, Lauren, do you think that this
concept of open your mouth andtalk to listeners, is that a
result of you coming to Christand being converted and feeling
the love?
And I just want to share itor...
Is the process of helping youcome to Christ and be converted
and learn to love people aresult of you opening your mouth
and talking to people?
SPEAKER_00 (33:16):
Honestly, it's like a mix of both, I'd say.
But I think the key formissionaries is to be able to
meet people where they're at,but to see them for who they can
become.
Because you open your mouth andmaybe you...
are knocking a street and yousee this guy out on his porch
just boozing it up with the cigin his hand just like cussing
(33:38):
you out like your first thoughtisn't like oh this guy's gonna
get baptized right but seeingseeing who they can become my
mission president always saidpicture them in white when you
see them when they open the doorpicture them in white when
they're walking down the streetpicture them in white because
then you go up to them with thislike predetermined love for them
SPEAKER_01 (33:57):
That's powerful.
One of my favorite companions ofthe Barnes would always say to
me, you know, we live in finitemortality, right?
We have a birth and a death andthat's the, that's all we
understand.
But God, our father lives ineternity and Lauren, God doesn't
see you with these limitations.
He doesn't see you now withwhatever weaknesses or lack of
(34:18):
knowledge.
He doesn't see that.
He sees you as you really trulyare in eternity, right?
And that is the person that heloves so much.
The real you, the eternal you.
Like he sees where you become.
He sees what you are.
Because he's not limited by thisbirth and death.
So that's a fascinating concept.
Knock on a door, see some guythat's not exactly temple
(34:42):
looking.
But if you can picture thatperson that way because of how
much you love them.
then you're seeing them trulyhow God sees them.
And all you want to do is justfind more and talk more and find
more.
Yeah, we were halfway throughour mission, maybe, not even
half, I was four months in, andElder Bruce D.
Porter, I swear this guy wasseven foot tall and little kind
(35:05):
of interesting looking guy.
But, oh man, I loved him.
We loved him.
He gathered all the missionariesat Dom Kino and he got us all
there and he stands there, thistowering guy, and he spoke
Russian.
We were shocked about that.
And he says, look, you guyscan't find people to teach and
teach the gospel of Christ ifyou don't understand each other,
(35:25):
if you can't speak the language.
So he says, I'm going to make itreal easy for you.
He says, I have authority togive you a promise in the name
of the Lord.
He says, I promise you in thename of the Lord that if you'll
do this one thing, all of youwill be fluent in the Russian
language by your six-monthpoint, and you'll be able to
teach and find.
We're like, oh, okay.
Say
SPEAKER_00 (35:43):
less.
SPEAKER_01 (35:43):
Yeah.
He's like, it's not studying.
It's none of the things thatyou're doing now.
I'll give you the one secret.
We're like, yes, tell us.
He says, if you will go outsideafter this meeting and talk to
every soul that you see and openyour mouth and talk to everyone
and never stop, then you will befluent by your six-month point.
And me and other moms looked ateach other like, let's do it.
(36:05):
Let's do it.
And we just went out and we justdid it.
And again, it's that there's thepragmatic side, then there's the
spiritual faithful side.
Obviously, the more you talk,the quicker you're going to
learn the language, the moresuccess you're going to have.
So it's kind of like he wastricking us to just go out and
do it more.
But the effect that it had onour souls and the souls of
people we found was way moreprofound than just, oh, good
(36:26):
job.
You're learning how to beconfident and talk to people or
learn a language.
That spirit of working with allyour heart, mind, and strength
has a Christ-like power in it.
Yeah, when we hunger and thirstto bring souls to Christ and not
just, okay, I'm here, let's, youknow, what are we doing today?
No, if you go out and justhunger and thirst and therefore
(36:47):
open your mouth and talk toeveryone, the Spirit will
confirm truth of it all topeople and you'll find those.
And so we did it, man.
When we were in the line for thebread, No, you don't want to
talk to me?
Okay, next guy.
You know, we just go person toperson.
It was embarrassing and amazing.
When we'd be on publictransport, it's like shoulder to
shoulder packed in there.
(37:07):
You turn to one guy, hey, can Italk to you for a minute about,
and he'd say, no, get out of myface.
No problem.
You literally turn your head tothe guy next to him.
Hey, can I talk to you for aminute?
Like this dude just heard whatyou're saying.
It was embarrassing in thegreatest way.
And we would do that.
And we would look at each other.
Like, we would purposely standapart from each other so we
could tackle everyone on thatbus.
SPEAKER_00 (37:26):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (37:27):
It's pure joy, Lauren.
It's pure, absolute joy.
I
SPEAKER_00 (37:31):
remember being in Little Tiendas.
And when I was training,especially, I told my greenie,
I'm like, look, I'm not going tobe, like, anywhere near you.
You got to go and talk to peopleyourself.
You're not coming out until youtalk to them.
What a good trainer.
Seriously,
SPEAKER_01 (37:44):
that is a great trainer.
SPEAKER_00 (37:46):
It was funny, but...
I remember just being in theselittle tiendas and we'd go when
it's just like rush hour andit'd be packed.
And I'd just go up to someone.
I'm like, hey, go on that.
Then I'm on my side.
And they'd just be like, uh, no,like whatever.
And then I'd turn around to theperson next to them.
Just like you said, like youthink it'd be like scary or
(38:07):
you'd get afraid of like therejection.
But man, you just find the oneat the end of the day and it's
so worth it.
SPEAKER_01 (38:13):
So you said at the beginning of this podcast that
this is your favorite principle.
And to be honest, Lauren, Ididn't know what to expect from
you kids going out.
You never do, right?
So you guys go out, but I'mgoing to take a guess.
This is the one thing that youdecided to do that made more
difference than anything.
Is that right?
SPEAKER_00 (38:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (38:32):
Because just...
You always hear stories of likeGordon B.
Hinckley, the prophet, was outon his mission in London, I
think he was, and he wrote homewithin a couple of months.
He's like, Dad, this isterrible.
I'm doing not well.
SPEAKER_00 (38:43):
I want to come home.
And
SPEAKER_01 (38:45):
his dad wrote him a letter back and said, Son,
SPEAKER_00 (38:47):
forget
SPEAKER_01 (38:48):
yourself and get to work.
Work! And he did, and it changedeverything, and he became the
prophet.
So why do you say this is yourfavorite principle?
SPEAKER_00 (39:00):
This principle changed my mission.
And that's why it's my favorite.
Cause I remember learning aboutit when I was in your class,
when I was junior, senior inhigh school, but I wasn't really
listening to what you weresaying.
And I remember getting out intothe field and I was kind of
like, this is kind of scary.
Like I know I'm supposed to talkto everyone, but I, I don't know
why this is hard.
Yeah.
And you know, missionaries, whenyou go out there, I'm not
(39:21):
downplaying it.
Like it is scary to go up,especially when you feel like,
Oh, I don't know enough.
Oh, I don't know.
Whatever excuse you have.
But I remember getting switchedto Spanish work.
And I was like, I'm already fourmonths into my mission.
I got to learn how to do thisfast.
I don't have time to waste.
And I remember getting with twocertain companions.
(39:43):
I was in a trio and they were sogood at talking to everyone.
And so it took me up until...
maybe like seven months to getreally, really good at this.
But I remember those twocompanions, man, they just
chased after people, like chaseddown the streets.
Like we'd walk into stores.
I remember we were walking to aWendy's and there was people
(40:03):
doing construction on thebuilding right next to us.
My companion walked over andlike climbed the ladder and I
was like, Hey boys, whatever.
But this like kind of what wewere talking about, like the
charity that comes is, it comesso much easier when you talk to
people.
I don't know why, but for somereason it does.
And, you know, charity becamethe motivating factor and the
(40:26):
intention that I placed behindevery action.
And it's so much easier when youget, I don't know, it's so hard
to explain, but you just talk toeveryone and you kind of just
get on fire.
You're like, okay, well I got tofind this one person.
And the only way I'm going tofind them is by talking to
everyone.
And yeah, you know, as amissionary, you should expect
(40:46):
miracles in the work becausethat's what you're ordained to
do.
You're ordained to preach thegospel and you'll see miracles
from it, but you're never goingto get that if you don't open
your mouth.
And there's more people than Ican keep count of that I found
because I opened my mouth.
Like every, well, I guesseverybody finds because you open
your mouth, but it's such apowerful principle.
(41:08):
And it, it taught me a lot justto principle of faith as well.
Because when you have faith inyour message, when you have
confidence in your savior, itdoesn't, it's not scary anymore
to open your mouth.
Like I could go stand on thetable at Chick-fil-A and just
like yell to everyone.
And it, it didn't embarrass meone bit.
Like you have the greatestmessage.
(41:29):
I remember telling a couple ofmissionaries that were telling
me they were struggling with,with this principle.
And I was like, you don't theywere like oh well what do i say
to them like that i don't haveanything in common with them i'm
like you don't need anything youhave the world's greatest
message to share just go up andshare with them it's just it's
the principle that changed mymission honestly
SPEAKER_01 (41:49):
well i like what you said too is you were we ordained
right we read the scripture thatsays one to what are you
ordained to preach my gospel bythe spirit and there's many ways
that we can use the Spirit,invite the Spirit, right?
That's your purpose is to invitethe Spirit, help them feel it
because that leads them tofaith, which leads them to
repentance.
The Scriptures, obviously, ifyou can get them to read the
(42:12):
Scriptures, they're going tofeel the Spirit.
If you can get them to pray,they're going to feel the
Spirit.
Bring them to the sacrament,it's going to feel the Spirit.
One really powerful way, again,is if you have faith that you
are a disciple of Christ, acalled and separated missionary
of Christ, he will not allow youin faith as you open your mouths
to not have the spirit present.
It will be present.
(42:33):
And so the more you open yourmouth, the more of his, his
sheep will, will feel thatspirit and miracles will happen.
SPEAKER_00 (42:40):
Can I share this part?
So in chapter one, I preach mygospel, the section that I had
mentioned previously, theauthority and power of your
calling.
It talks about this.
So it talks about authority andthat you need for your calling,
but also talks about thespiritual power.
And it says, And I remember Iwas struggling so hard with
(43:16):
feeling like I had the spiritwith me.
And I went to my missionpresident about it.
Smartest man, wisest man, bestman I've ever met.
Nice.
And he said, I started doingthis when I was a missionary and
I've done it every day sincethen.
He says, I set a timer on mywatch for every hour on the hour
it goes off and I say a prayer.
Oh my goodness.
Doesn't have to be a long thing.
That's amazing.
And I was like, okay, let's seeif I'm going to try it.
(43:39):
Did you?
Yes.
For the rest of my mission,every hour on the hour, my timer
would go off and I'd look at mycompanion and I'm like, okay,
it's time.
And so we'd say a prayer.
And it changed so much, eventhough it was such a simple
thing to do.
But the Spirit changeseverything.
And I'm not saying I was themost obedient missionary.
(43:59):
I wasn't the perfect missionary.
SPEAKER_01 (44:01):
You're a good missionary.
UNKNOWN (44:03):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (44:03):
But I always sought to have the Spirit with me, and
that changes the work that makesyou a successful missionary.
SPEAKER_01 (44:10):
So this is great, and I love your passion for
this.
And I watched you do it, and Ijust had so much joy as you did.
I was so happy and so proudbecause this really is
fulfillment of DNC4, right?
If you have a desire to serve,I'm going to call you to the
work, but see that you servewith all your heart, mind, and
strength.
So can I share a story where...
Really, this is a true miracleto me.
(44:31):
Like, this is such a powerfulstory to me.
So...
Yes.
One day, we were inDnepropetrovsk, and it was a
particularly, for whateverreason, it was a hard time where
not a lot was happening.
Now, Lauren, I've told thisstory.
You've heard this story.
But what you don't know is, Ireached out to a kid who sent me
photos of these people.
And he sent them...
(44:52):
Okay, I'm going to show you thephotos.
Okay.
And I haven't had these for 30years.
I'll tell you the story.
Okay, so...
particularly hard mom or time.
We weren't really having a lotof success.
We were working very hard, butyou don't really, when you're in
this habit of working hard,faithful, you don't really ever
give up hope.
You're just like, I know, Idon't care.
I'll go another day.
Okay.
(45:12):
Another two day.
Okay.
Another week.
I know someone's going to bethere.
So one particular day when itwas kind of the hardest, same
like your story, we were outthere, he was late.
We were exhausted.
We were a little hard.
It was hard.
We weren't finding anyone.
And we just said, look, We got10 more minutes.
Let's just go as hard as we can.
So you go and you open and youtalk and you talk and you talk.
(45:34):
And at the very end, I see downthe road, two people walking.
And I go, I'm definitely talkingto these people.
And as I got closer, now welived in this city called
Dnepropetrovsk, which is on theDnepr River.
And the river at the head, many,many miles away, there's a city
at the head of this river calledChernobyl.
(45:56):
You ever heard of Chernobyl?
SPEAKER_00 (45:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (45:58):
Yeah.
Chernobyl is the site of theworld's worst nuclear disaster.
That nuclear contaminant gotinto the river, got into the
water, affected everything.
Good.
So in this city of Dnepr, atleast one time a day, I met
someone who was very physicallyaffected by that radiation.
(46:20):
Deformed, like pretty badsicknesses.
Kind of, it was a commonplace,really scary.
And as I got closer to thiscouple walking, I kind of
realized real quickly, oh,there's something different
about that woman, like the wayshe looks.
There's something, something.
And I never verified if it wasChernobyl or what.
But as I got closer, like it waskind of odd.
(46:41):
Like she, it was as if her skinhad like wrapped around her
bones and she was just like askeleton woman.
And she was this sweet lady whohad this like scarf around her
head.
But I looked and just like, wow,that is not healthy.
I hope she's okay.
Whatever.
I love them.
I'm going to open my mouth.
So I opened my mouth, and it wasa man and this woman.
And I have a message about JesusChrist and the restored gospel.
(47:07):
And immediately they wereinterested.
And they were like, yeah, cometeach us.
This is great.
So we set up an appointment forthe next day.
We come by to these lovelypeople.
We sit down.
We teach them.
They're so smart.
They were so smart and sointerested in participating.
And they would read.
That was the fun thing aboutUkraine.
They're all ex-Sovjets.
(47:27):
And Soviets were very educated,very, very smart, very
hardworking.
So it was good.
They would always engage in suchan intriguing way.
And I could tell after I leftthat meeting, the spirit was
there, they felt it, and theywere really interested.
The next day, transfers, I'mout.
I never really, I never heardabout them or from them ever
(47:49):
again.
But I knew from the spirit that,all those weeks of me finding
with no success, that's who Iwas supposed to find.
Wow.
I opened my mouth and I foundthem.
Okay.
Now fast forward about two yearsago.
So this is like 28 years later.
I'm in my ward here inCalifornia teaching a lesson.
And I bring up that story for,to make some point.
(48:10):
And I look in the crowd, thisnew kid, I'd never seen him
before.
And he's eyes light up and he'slike, dude, after this class, he
goes, dude, I served in yourmission.
Like I was in Donetsk.
I just got home like three yearsago.
I'm like, no way, that'sawesome.
Let's talk, let's talk.
So we get, you know, kind of sitaside and we start talking.
I said, so tell me, tell mewhere you served.
I served in Dnepropetrovsk.
He's like, oh, me too.
I said, who'd you know there?
(48:31):
Like, what are the names andwhat was the best time of your
mission?
And this is what he said.
He said, you know, I had a greatmission, but the most moving
part for me was when I got toDnepropetrovsk and we got to
this ward where the church wasso strong.
He's like, I've never seen thechurch before.
be so strong.
And it's crazy because it wasreally revolving around this one
(48:51):
family who was so faithful andso strong.
They had brought dozens anddozens of people into the church
to be baptized.
I'm like, oh, that sounds socool.
I was like, do you have apicture of them?
I'm going to show you thepicture that he showed me that
caused me to cry because when heshowed me this, this is him
standing there and the lady onthe left and the man on the
(49:12):
right are the two people that Ifound that day.
And I looked at that picture andAnd I said to this kid, I says,
are you kidding me?
I says, I found them.
I, on a long day, exhausted,committed to open my mouth and
talk to everyone.
I found those people and Itaught him a lesson.
Then I left and I never saw andheard of him again.
He's like, you're kidding me.
(49:34):
These are the strongest peoplein Nepper.
They have brought dozens ofpeople to the church of Jesus
Christ.
Oh my gosh.
And look at them.
Look how great they are.
Look how amazing those people
SPEAKER_00 (49:45):
are.
She's so sweet.
SPEAKER_01 (49:46):
Yeah, she is.
So this principle of open yourmouth, you'd never know, like
you don't measure your successin this labor of trying to lead
souls to Christ in how manybaptisms you see, right?
Paul even said it.
His companion for a while wasSilas, right?
And he said, Paul said one timein the Bible, he says, I watered
(50:07):
and Silas watered.
planted.
No, I planted water or Silaswatered, but then the Lord God
gives the increase.
In other words, we all play acertain role.
And in this case, because Iopened my mouth, I found some
people to teach and then I left.
And then other missionaries wereable to come in, maybe who are
more suited to teach.
So I don't know.
And they taught them and theyhelped them to conversion.
(50:30):
And now they're here and they'vebrought dozens.
And it's funny because I I'llsee them in 200 years from now
in the celestial kingdom and go,it's you.
Like I opened my mouth one dayjust to find you and we were
exhausted, but I knew we couldfind you.
And I think they're going to beso grateful, right?
And then the dozens and dozensand hundreds and hundreds and
(50:50):
thousands of people who are aresult of their work will gather
around us and it will be joy,just pure joy.
All because one person waswilling to open their mouth.
And that's the power you canhave, you guys, as missionaries.
Don't stop.
Be exhausted.
Come home on a stretcher.
Work so hard by talking toeveryone, and I promise you, you
(51:13):
will have success and lead soulsto Christ.
And in that process, youyourself will come to Christ.
It's a powerful, powerfulprinciple.
I'm glad it's your favorite.
SPEAKER_00 (51:24):
I mean, I had this sticky note on my door that I
looked at every day before Ileft.
It says, you're called to serve,not sit quiet.
Okay.
And because I just thought of itlike one day, actually, while I
was studying this principle andit's just the greatest, like the
joy that I feel from listeningto the story that you just
shared.
Yeah.
I'm like, oh my gosh, that'slike the best feeling ever.
(51:46):
That has got to be the greatestfeeling ever because you know
that Heavenly Father is just upthere like, yes, yes, yes, keep
going, keep going.
And you know, there are somedays, some weeks where you just
feel like you're in a dry spot.
You're like, I cannot findanyone that wants to be
baptized.
But then there's that one personthat will change the life of so
many people.
I'm
SPEAKER_01 (52:07):
so grateful that you are faithful enough and humble
enough to and all of it to havedone this on your mission and to
have watched you do this becauseI know that that's partially
what helped you to conversionyourself.
But then I know how effectiveyou were out there.
I know how many lives youtouched.
I know the reputation you have.
And missionaries listening orthose preparing, it's just such
(52:29):
a practical and useful thing.
Open your mouth.
And talk to everyone, because anopen mouth will find the
listeners.
The Lord's sheep know His voice.
You are the representative ofthe Lord.
They will feel the Spirit as youopen their mouth.
All right.
That's a good episode.
Please join us next week.
Thanks.
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