Natural and Not So Natural Laws
We grow up in this world learning about laws of nature. If you touch the hot stove you will get burned. If you step in front of a moving object the collision can be painful. If you forget to eat you will get hungry. These and many other truths become natural to us. We don’t have to think too much in order to remember them. In each case normally one or two experiences is all it takes to learn to obey these natural laws.
There is another set of laws that does not always follow our natural thought patterns. These are some of the most important laws of this life. As we follow these laws at first it may seem to be the path of less happiness, more effort and it is not at first natural to see how this course of action can help us. Yet as we learn the power of following these rules, we unlock the great secrets of true happiness. Many of these Key Principles were exemplified in the life and teachings of our Master.
For example if someone hits you we are told to “Turn the other cheek”. Now this is not what we usually would be inclined to do. Something natural in most of us wants to react by returning the hit to the giver with even more strength behind the blow than their initial assault.
After working hard at a job to earn the money that you need perhaps it does not seem natural to put a tenth of it into an envelope and give it to God. Yet, many of us can testify brings powerful blessings into our life.
In our Mission we have some commandments (rules) that at first may seem difficult or not natural to follow. These rules are rules that protect us and protect the dignity of the Church. As we keep them we find strength that can only come to us by obedience. As we repent we feel the Spirit more able to abide with us. As we enter a time of increased harvest, let us humbly show obedience so that the blessings of success will be unrestrained. Below are three areas of obedience that I feel we should be reminded of. These are not complete guidelines just areas that I feel we should review.
Phones…are for missionary work only. Please use them sparingly. Call only within your district except calls to Zone Leaders, the office and the President. So to live this rule can we call old companions to catch up? No. Can we call just to chat with others on our ‘free time’? No. Can I text for fun? No. Can I play games on the phone? No. As we think about this rule we can start to see how it will bless the work and us by saving the Lord’s money and time, not separating us from our companions and keeping us focused on the work.
Internet…is to communicate with mission leaders and immediate family only. (Some who are not able to correspond with family have permission from the President to contact pre-approved surrogates) But what if returned missionaries and friends get my E-mail address? Don’t open electronic mail that is not from mission leaders and immediate family. Paper letters through the postal service are OK provided the guidelines of in or near mission boundary rules are followed. What WEB SITES are approved and when? During your 45 minutes on P-day you may visit LDS.org and MORMON.org remembering that your companion MUST be where he/she can view the screen. Do not visit or use Facebook. Do not open your old email accounts or visit blogs. If your parents set up a blog or Facebook for you at home, make sure that it is clear that it is not you managing the account or you will send a wrong message to friends, members and potential missionaries. Please don’t write special “blog articles” but just focus on correspondence to family… let them do the editing and posting.
Cameras…are for P-days. Don’t look like a tourist. You have permission to bring a camera to zone conference and leadership meetings to snap a few discrete shots of missionary friends. DO NOT TAKE A CAMERA TO SPECIAL CONFERENCES WITH GENERAL AUTHORITIES. You may take a camera one day a week to take INDOOR discrete photos of special members/investigators. Again do not come across touristy, but explain that they are important to you and you would like a photo to remember them by. Goofy photos are to be taken only when no one but other missionaries are around. We have been asked not to use the video feature on our cameras.
Cars…are to be used for missionary service only. If you have any questions about car policy please contact me. Two Elders and Two Sisters should never be alone in a car. Please understand this rule and though inconvenient, follow it. If the President suggests an exception that is the only case to not follow this rule. It is hard for me to have to say no to your convenience, so please help me out by not asking.
Feelings…are to be platonic between missionaries and the opposite sex. If you start to feel attracted to another missionary or a member, don’t even think about it…call the President. Romantic relationships are for after the Mission. If you feel an attraction, do not voice it to the other person while a missionary. Let us give our hearts to the Lord alone for this period of time.
P-day dress…is different only when we are participating in activities where it makes sense. Young Missionaries should always wear their tags when outside the apartment. You should not wear grubbies or sporting clothes to public places or downtown areas. Please take advantage of the traditional culture in our mission on p-days. As a trainer or Senior companion please take the time to show your companion some of the wonderful historical sites in your area. As you learn the history of your area, you gain another topic that you can use in contacting.
Traveling to a former area for a baptism or other special event. Each week I get at least one call from a missionary who would like to travel to a former area to see someone that they are close to be baptized. If we were to allow this we would soon have no missionaries to take care of business in their new areas … they would all be travelling. There is an important principle to be learned in “staying at your assigned position”. We should help the new members to adjust to new and changing situations in the church by helping them to not be too tied to one missionary.
Along with this is the idea of not travelling for volleyball tournaments. Each year the members of the wards want the missionaries to train with and go to Groningen with them to compete in a volleyball tournament there. THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE ACTIVITY FOR MISSIONARIES even though each year the members will tell you that missionaries have been doing it for years. Unless you live in the Apeldoorn Stake, less than an hour by train from Groningen AND take an investigator please to not show up at this event. Please do not “practice with the team” to prepare to play in the event. Limit your activity to “day of” participation if the above qualifications are met.
The ultimate not so natural law is showing concern for and serving others before worrying about you own desires. You are all here to serve others. Thank you for the mature decision to serve a Mission. Together with the above “not so natural to follow” laws you have demonstrated your desire to keep the 2nd great commandment as you “love thy neighbor as thyself”. I can promise you and our Mission great blessings as we show concern and love for our companions and God’s children through righteous missionary service.
Now as a mission how are we doing in bringing souls unto Christ? 2-2-5 has made all the difference in the world! We are seeing a great increase in progressing investigators. Finding new investigators fell dramatically last week as efforts turned to teaching the new investigators that you found the previous few weeks. BEWARE THE TRAP of letting up on the finding. To keep your teaching pool fresh and vibrant we will need to KEEP FINDING every day!!!
Have a wonderful week and know of our love and admiration for each of you.
President Brubaker
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