Book of Mormon: Day 58: An Ensign to the Nations

Today’s Reading:  2 Nephi 14-15

15:26.  And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary or stumble among them.

I will admit, these chapters in the Book of Mormon can sometimes be hard for me to understand.  I have to dig a little deeper to grasp the meaning of what I’m reading.  One verse that stood out to me is in chapter 15, verse 26.  It states, “he will lift up an ensign to the nations.”  This ensign is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Lord calls His missionaries to take it to all the world.

Joseph Fielding Smith said,

“Following the raising of this ensign, the Lord sent forth his elders clothed with the priesthood and with power and authority, among the nations of the earth, bearing witness unto all peoples of the restoration of his Church, and calling upon the children of men to repent and receive the gospel; for now it was being preached in all the world as a witness before the end should come, that is, the end of the reign of wickedness and the establishment of the millennial reign of peace. The elders went forth as they were commanded, and are still preaching the gospel and gathering out from the nations the seed of Israel unto whom the promise was made.” (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, pp. 254-5)

Today there are over 74,000 full time missionaries serving in more than 400 missions throughout the world. (mormonnewsroom.org)

The Lord is hastening His work as never before.

I love missionary work.  I can’t say that I’m always good at doing missionsary work, but having been a missionary myself,  having taught missionaries in the MTC, and having spent time with missionaries in my parent’s mission when my father served as a mission president, has given me a great love for missionaries and missionary work.  I love to see the full time missionaries that are serving where I live.  They work hard and have strong testimonies.  They are well prepared and have a vision of the work they are doing. They are bringing light and truth to those around them.  They teach fearlessly and boldly testify of gospel truths. They understand the eternal significance of the message they share.

My nephew, who is currently serving as a full time missionary in England, says this about missionary work; “I love being out here more and more every week!  Although it is tough at times, it is worth it!  I love seeing people begin to accept the gospel, and see the changes it brings in their lives!”

I love the enthusiasm of missionaries!  I love that they love what they are doing.  They are strong, faithful, amazing young men and young women. That the Lord trusts these missionaries to carry His message of truth to all the world, is a testament to who they are.

Speaking of missionaries, Elder H. Bryan Richards said,

“The greatest army of missionaries ever assembled in the history of the world is serving today. They are choice spirits that have been held in reserve to come forth in this day.”  As for Me and My House, We Will Serve the Lord

I believe this is true.  I am grateful for these missionaries.  The next time you see the missionaries that are serving in your ward or stake, take a minute to think about who they are and what their calling is.  Think about the sacred and important work they are doing. Think about what you can do to help them.  Thank them for their service.  I know I will – because they deserve that recognition.

Jenny Richards Rockwood

I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. I served a Spanish-speaking mission in Toronto, Canada. I attended BYU and taught at the MTC. I am a wife and a mother and I love being a stay at home dance/basketball/football/soccer mom. I love the beach, anything chocolate, Santa Fe sunsets, and all things Jane Austen. I’m a thyroid cancer survivor, a big fan of BYU Soccer, and I love teaching the gospel. Over the last twenty years, I’ve lived in San Francisco, California; New Haven, Connecticut; Miami, Florida; Kalispell, Montana; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Utah. I have loved each place I’ve lived and I’ve been blessed with amazing friends and all kinds of experiences along the way! My motto has become: “Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace.” 💜