Hold Fast to the Fruits

"There is absolutely no point in doing missionary work unless we hold on to the fruits of that effort.  The two must be inseparable...Every convert is a great and serious responsibility."  

---Gordon B. Hinckley

No, talking to an investigator is not going to kill you.

Now, what would drive me to use a picture of snow white on a blog post?  Well, to find the answer to that question, let's analyze a potential situation.  A missionary gets a referral, follows up on said referral, and finds a wonderful woman and her son who end up coming to church services that Sunday.  The goal of getting an investigator to church is so they can receive revelation and feel the Spirit.  This is only possible through the members.  

Meaning we want scenario number 2, not number 1:

(1)  Sister Wonderful comes in and is surrounded by four full time missionaries in sacrament meeting.  This continues on to Gospel Principles, and she is eventually dropped off at Relief Society.

(2)  Sister Wonderful comes in and is immediately met by the members in Sacrament meeting, sitting next to a single full time missionary and a member family.  She is accompanied by a few of the members to Gospel Principles, and the Sisters of the ward promptly steal her away to Relief Society.

There are too many of them!  I can't shake 'em!

Gordon B. Hinckley goes on to quote a recently joined member: "When we as investigators become members of the Church, we are surprised to discover that we have entered into a completely foreign world, a world that has its own traditions, culture, and language.  We discover that there is no one person or no one place of reference that we can turn to for guidance in our trip into this new world."

So, I will extend the same challenge that President Hinckley did.  We of this Church are far more different from the world than we are prone to think we are.  Try to look from the outside in.  Imagine what it's like.  It can be scary.  It can be disappointing.  But the journey is always easier with a friend.  Or, maybe, a whole ward of friends :)  Hold fast to the fruits of our missionary work.  It's the only way the Lord will trust us enough to receive more (2 Nephi 28:30).

@lds-member