General Conference April 2005 - Pages 39 - 42

Life's spiritual growth seems to have great similarities to the construction of a new building.

The initial phase of the construction of any building is the structural excavation and footings or bearing system for the buiding. It is the footings that will support all the internal and external loads and forces exerted on the building. Without properly designed footings, the building may not stand. An individuals morals and spiritual footings generally are developed from birth to early adolescence. Just as with a new building, from a distance, nothing much seems to be being constructed, but what is being constructed is essential to the integrity of the building.

The next phase of building construction is the foundations systems. The foundation systems extend from the footings to generate the support of the building as all will see. Like the footings, foundations systems too can take substantial time with no apparent change or real evidence of a building. The same is with the youth. Much time is spent with young people through there teenage years teaching and training giving the individual a strong foundation in moral and spiritual matters. Like the youth, foundation systems are periodically tested, inspected, and tried for assurance of integrity.

The next phase is the erection of the building structural frame. This is where the building shape begins to take place. Relative to the other components of building construction, this is the phase where structure and form seem to happen over night. In a very short time period the building takes shape. I can't help but compare this to the short time period between final teenage years and adulthood, ages 19-21, the missionary years. Young men give full-time service to the Lord and in a very short time their spiritual form and structure amazingly takes shape to which future experience and growth will rely upon.

It is after the building structural frame is completed that the construction work seems to slow down dramatically. But that is not necessarily the case. The exterior enclosure, thermal and weather protection systems begin to be framed and installed. The building begins to take on its architectural beauty. Inside the building much of the operations, mechanical, equipment, conveying, electrical, and control systems are installed for the building to meet its intended purposes. A construction of the building may seem to be growing and developing at a snails pace. But in fact, great strides and essential work are being done that will make the building functional, safe, and beautiful. So also is our spiritual growth as young people marry, support and raise families. It is the family unit that is created and developed that really brings about the fulness of life.

The final stages of the building construction is the interior finishes. This is the phase that covers and finishes the interior of the building with beauty, comfort and use, such as appliance, fixtures, wall coverings, floor coverings, etc. In the latter stages of life, elderly people have developed many years of skills, knowledge, wisdom, and experience that can be a great assest in providing service to others. Limiting physical strength and mobility may have nothing to do with many opportunities of service.

The story is told of couple who had been active in the Church their entire lives, they attended primary, young mens & young womens and received their awards, served missions, raised a valiant family, and had been called and fulfilled many callings and leadership positions. Finally they reached the age of retirement and having worked so hard decided to retire from employement and church work. After years of such diligent work, they felt in there retirement years it would be just fine to kick back with their friends and rest out the end of their days. And they did just that.

The day finally came when they passed on to the next life. After entering the pearly gates, they were assigned an angel to excort them to their mansion that had been prepared for them. As they approach their new home they were dumbfounded with its magnitude and beauty. They couldn't wait to move in and live "eternally happy ever after". But as they entered their mansion, they couldn't believe what they found. The inside wasn't finished! Sure the heating and air conditioning was in place and so was all the plumbing. But there was no carpet, or wall coverings, just bare studs. Returning back to their escort they inquired, "the mansion is beautiful, but the inside isn't finished?". To which the escort recalled, "Oh yea! I remember now. It was when you stopped working, so did we".

I believe this is the message Elder Robert D. Hales expressed in his address - Couple Missionaries: Blessings from Sacrifice and Service

"If you are or will soon be the age of a senior missionary, I come to you this afternoon to witness of the blessings that can change your life forever. Your Heavenly Father needs you. His work, under the direction of our Savior Jesus Christ, needs what you are uniquely prepared to give. Every missionary experience requires faith, sacrifice, and service, and these are always followed by an outpouring of blessings."

"As we discuss these blessings, you will naturally consider what I have called the four F's: fear, family concerns, finding the right mission opportunity, and financial challenges. May I yet add another more important and powerful F—faith. Only through our faith can we heed God's counsel to "choose ye this day, whom ye will serve" 3—"to serve the Lord God who made you." And only through a trial of our faith can we receive the miraculous blessings we seek for ourselves and our families. "For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith." "

"The scriptures tell us, "God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles." Thus, God's work is carried out by His children: "That faith also might increase in the earth. . . . That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world."

"To an earlier generation of missionaries called to leave their families, the Lord offered this reassurance: "And if they will do this in all lowliness of heart, . . . I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that I will provide for their families."

"Certainly family concerns are real and should not be considered lightly. But we cannot meet our family challenges without the blessings of the Lord; and when we sacrifice to serve as full-time missionary couples, those blessings will flow. "

"As we consider couple missionary service, it is appropriate to involve our families in the same way. In family council meetings, we can give our children the opportunity to express their support, offer special assistance we may need, and receive priesthood blessings to sustain them in our absence. Where appropriate, we may be able to receive priesthood blessings from them as well."

"The principle is true for all who say to the Lord, "I'll go where you want me to go." I testify that as we put our trust in the Lord, He will find the right missionary opportunity for us. As He said, "If any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

"Whether or not the results of every mission are this obvious to mortal eyes, all those who serve make an invaluable contribution in the sight of the Lord, for all "have compassion, making a difference." Couple missionaries are role models and examples of strength to full-time missionaries and to priesthood and auxiliary leaders throughout the world. I express my gratitude for all these and the thousands of others who are serving in so many capacities, contributing millions of hours in service to their fellow man."

"My brothers and sisters, if you have felt stirrings to engage in this work, however quiet those feelings may be, do not procrastinate the day of your service. Now is the time to prepare; now is the time to be called, the time to sacrifice. Now is the time to share your gifts and talents, and now is the time to receive God's blessings for you and your family. "There is a constant need for more couple missionaries," President Gordon B. Hinckley has said. As this work rolls forward, that need is increasing. Let us, in our richest years of experience, maturity, wisdom, and most of all, our faith, rise to meet that need as only we can."

"As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is our greatest privilege to return His love through sacrifice and service and claim His holy promise: "And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name's sake, shall find it again, even life eternal."