Go Ye Therefore by Silvia H. Allred

Sister Allred spoke of her conversion and the importance of missionary work. I've been impressed lately with the idea that those who speak in General Conference aren't given topics to speak on but choose their own. I love that she shared her conversion story. There is such power in these accounts.


A few Stake Conferences ago, our stake president challenged all of us in the congregation to seek out the stories of those who first joined the church in our families and have those recorded somewhere where we could refer to them from time to time. I set out to be as obedient as possible and contacted Z's mom to share the Hess and Anderson family stories. Both families came west with the pioneers and I believe, were great record keepers. Z's mom was great about getting those to me.


My mom was the first in her family to join the church. She joined when my sister was a little girl. My dad became a member of the church as a child when his dad joined. My paternal grandmother Julia Dye was already a member. I didn't know much beyond that until the further story found me.


A cousin I had become acquainted with while compiling and scanning my mother's family photos for Christmas last year found the story for me. I hadn't asked. She just found it while doing a search online in the newspapers local to her for some of my family names. My dad's family all came through the Bitter Root of Montana. This cousin still lives there. Here is the story. I don't know that I ever would have found that story otherwise. The most amazing part of this is the fact that this cousin is not LDS.


Christ had instructed his disciples to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”2

Things haven't changed. We are still to proclaim the Gospel as the original church members were.
Sister Allred said that our job is to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through:

• faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement
• repentance
• baptism
• receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost
• enduring to the end

She said that the missionaries started out by teaching her family about the true nature of God and how to pray. They taught them about the Restoration and the plan of salvation.

I love what she shares about the experiences of her and her sister. She said they "felt the witness of the Holy Ghost in our hearts and received the spiritual confirmation that the message was true....We bought a copy of the Book of Mormon."

What an amazing book it is! They would race home from school to get to it first. I wondered as I read this, if I feel this same way. I know it is a book from God, and I know the great lessons I learn from it every time I read it. Her testimony shared here sparked my desire to have that same enthusiasm for the Book of Mormon.

Sister Allred said that although the rest of the family had stopped listening to the missionaries (all but she and her sister), they came to her baptism. Her mother felt the Spirit, and within a few weeks were baptized. It's wonderful how the Spirit guides us to the correct changes in our lives--the ones that are best for us and our progression. Just proof that our Father in Heaven knows each of us individually.

"My life changed forever," said Sister Allred. "The gospel of Jesus Christ became the compelling force in my life." You can just feel the gratitude in her heart from these words.
Her heart turned to missionary work, and she served a full-time mission herself. On this mission, she learned these things:

• to rely more on the Lord.
• to seek the guidance of the Spirit.
• to feel an overwhelming love for God’s children.
• knowledge of the scriptures and understanding of the doctrines increased
• desire to be obedient and to keep the commandments with exactness.
• testimony of the Savior and His infinite Atonement was strengthened.
  

"My missionary experiences became part of who and what I am." I agree with Sister Allred on all of these points. It's funny, but even in some of the little things I do now, my mission plays a role--songs I sing to my children, taking my shoes off in the house, sitting on the floor (whenever I can), the meetings I have with my husband on Sunday evenings, etc.

"It has impacted my life and that of my family more than anything else."

"A couple of years ago, my grandson Christian was turning eight and planning his baptismal service with great anticipation. He asked his mother if I could be one of the speakers and share my conversion story. When I asked him why he wanted me to do that, he replied, 'Grandma, that is so important. Do you realize that if you hadn’t accepted the gospel, I wouldn’t be getting baptized? I wouldn’t even be who I am.'"

"I don’t know if missionaries realize the far-reaching impact of their work." I know the missionaries that were sent to my grandfather were meant for him. They had the same quirky sense of humor he had. It was because of this humor that they shared that my grandfather joined the Church. Miraculous in and of itself. I'll have to share that story sometime.

These sentiments have increased my appreciation for those who have gone before me and their desire to know the truth and for those who taught them. My mother was an only child. Her own mother died when she was five years old. It's a very sad story, but it made my mother who she was. I believe the only reason I'm here on the earth is because my parents desired to do what was right. They wanted to follow what the Spirit taught them. I was born when my mother was a month away from turning 41 years old. They had been told in a blessing that they would have more children. They had been unable to have children for sixteen years. No one knows the rhyme or reason behind the sudden fertility, but me and my two brothers are the result of that blessing. I'm grateful to have been raised by people of great faith.

Sister Allred said, "Didn’t President Gordon B. Hinckley say that 'when we save a girl, we save generations'?" I hope that I can raise my own daughters and sons to choose the right.
"I got married in the temple and have eight children. They are all faithful members of the Church, endowed in the temple. Six of them are now married and have their own children. At present there are 34 of us. And that is not all. Both my husband and I served missions, and our two sons and three of our six daughters have also served missions. Collectively we have helped hundreds embrace the gospel in many countries. Some of those converts and their children have also served missions," remarked Sister Allred.

As for my parents family, from a mother who was an only child raised by a rather serious father and stepmother, came six children. Five of the six served full-time missions, all were married in the temple and all continue to be active, contributing members of the Church. To me it is miraculous.Sister Allred continues with , "The message of Christ and His restored gospel is the most important gift you have to give." As I was in the temple this past week, it struck me how not sharing this important give is selfishness, and I have been very selfish.

Here are Sister Allred's tips for being a good missionary:

• Set an example of righteousness and kindness.
• Let your smile radiate love, peace, and happiness.
• Live a gospel-centered life.
• If you have children at home, help prepare them for missionary service.
• Prepare yourself for missionary service.
• Seek for opportunities to reach out to others.
• If you have family members or friends on missions, send them letters of love and encouragement, and pray for them.
  

And the promised for being a better missionary:

• You will experience joy in the fruits of your labor.
• A greater enthusiasm for missionary work will strengthen your entire ward or branch.
• The whole Church will feel the effects of your labor.

I am firmly of the mind that the Lord sees our efforts and rewards them, so any little thing we do to improve and help others is rewarded. Eve n if we just put forth a little effort, we are blessed. So, therein is the challenge. What are you going to do to be a better member of the Church and a better missionary?

Sister Allred closes with this, "This is the Lord’s work, and He will help us do it. His gospel has to go to every nation, and we can be instruments in His hands to bless the lives of others by sharing with them His truth. We will be greatly blessed in the process.
"We are the children of a loving Heavenly Father. He sent His Son to open the way so we can live with Him forever."

Isn't it all a wonderful miracle?!