Dear Sisters and Elders,
We love you very much. Sister Ostler and I are so grateful that you chose to come and serve the Lord as missionaries. You are a great blessing to the people you serve and to your families.
The world is full of children, teenagers and adults who are looking for the "easy path to riches." They are looking for a hidden idea, a secret formula to bring success without having to work for it. Lotteries and other forms of gambling attract so many people because of the attraction of "getting something for nothing." The idea of striking it rich and then relaxing the rest of your life is a trick and trap of Satan.The idea of an easy path to eternal life is also false.
Our goal is not to avoid work. Our goal is not to avoid effort. Our goal is to work with all of our heart, might, mind and strength to save souls. Our goal is to work with everything we have to show our love to Heavenly Father. Even our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ are actively involved in work: "My father WORKETH hitherto, and I WORK." John 5:17 (Another translation: "My father is at his work to this very day and I too am working.")"This is my WORK and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." "I have finished the WORK which thou gavest me to do." John 17:4 The word "Work" is mentioned 1,226 times in the scriptures. Faith" is mentioned 1,012 times. We show our faith by our actions.
President Ezra Taft Benson said: "There is no greater exhilaration or satisfaction than to know, after a hard day of work, that we have done our best. I have often said that one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is WORK! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. Work, work, work--there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in in missionary work.
Don't worry about being successful. We are going to be successful--there is no doubt about it. The Lord has sent us to earth at the time of the harvest. He does not expect us to fail. He has called no one to this work to fail. He expects us to succeed."
We must not give Satan an opportunity to discourage us. Here again, work is the answer. Missionary work brings joy, optimism, and happiness. The Lord has given us the key by which we can overcome discouragement: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) Our work will be light and easy to bear if we will depend on the Lord and work." (Ensign, September 1990)
Why do you think Doctrine and Covenants, section for starts out with this famous line? "Now behold, a marvelous WORK is about to come forth among the children of men." This is followed by the the commandment: "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
Sisters and Elders, let's go to work. Let's rely on the Lord. The Lord has many blessings waiting for those who do His work in His way. The Lord promises those who serve Him: "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)
May the Lord bless you with the great joy and satisfaction of working the hardest you have ever worked in your life. The work you do is the most valuable in the world. You are truly doing "a marvelous work."
Mahal ko po kayo,
President Creg Ostler