M. Russell Ballard on the Principle of Repentance: Response to Aaron Shafovaloff

In a blog post entitled M. Russell Ballard's New Media: A Source of Active Member Missionary Participation that I posted 29 April 2008 Aaron Shafovaloff responded to my saying how busy Elder Ballard was...

"Of course Ballard is an extremely busy man. What I am saying is that he needs to manage his time such that he spends meaningful time in public in a manner that:

- uses the God-given medium of the internet

- comes with an institutional stamp of "official"

- addresses pressing doctrinal issues

I have outlined some suggested topics on my blog post. I have a hard time thinking that an issue like repentance---something that is so basic to authentic Christianity---is not important enough for him to clarify."

Since Mr. Shafovaloff doesn't understand that the LDS Church is very high tech and has indexed all official talks from official Church publications and Conference addresses I have conducted a quick review of what M. Russell Ballard has had to say about repentance for the past twenty years. It took me approximately one hour. I know that Elder Ballard speaks on the the basic principles of the gospel (faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism for remission, and laying on of hands for confirmation of the Gift of the Holy Ghost) on a regular basis as he conducts news conferences across the United States and internationally in his Church assignments. Everything he says is not recorded in the papers or on the LDS website. Many of his talks or interviews are summarized in the LDS Newsroom since he is over Public Affairs which is the official LDS public relations vehicle. You can actually Google M. Russell Ballard's remarks on repentance.

I perused the Internet on some of Elder Ballard's statements in his regional news meetings the last several months in December 2007 he said to the Boston Globe:

"IDEAS: Is there something central that you would want people to know about Mormonism, that you think they don't understand?

BALLARD: That we are very much a part of the Christian community. At the very core and center of all that we do is the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Though there are some doctrinal differences...we all need to be together in some common objectives of trying to help the human family at a very difficult time."

I did a search on the official LDS Website under M. Russell Ballard and repentance. I will only given a brief amount of excerpts on what he is said about repentance to show he covers basic Christian doctrines, you can click on a link to find out the entirety of his statements.

How to Prepare to Be a Good Missionary

M. Russell Ballard

Of course, repentance is possible and is a great blessing. I plead with the youth, don’t get into that!

Gospel Library > Magazines > New Era > March 2007

O Be Wise

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign November 2006 Brothers and sisters, while I was studying the Book of Mormon recently, one of the teachings of the prophet Jacob caught my attention. O that we may be wise enough to understand, to repent as necessary, and to let go of our guilt.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > November 2006

Creating a Gospel-Sharing Home

M. Russell Ballard

Without the Restoration we would not have the blessings of priesthood ordinances that are valid in time and eternity. We would not know the conditions of repentance, nor would we understand the reality of the resurrection. We would not have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

When we truly understand how great a blessing the gospel of Jesus Christ is in our lives, when we accept and embrace these eternal truths and allow them to sink deep into our hearts and souls, we experience a “mighty change” (Alma 5:14) in our hearts. We are filled with love and gratitude. As the prophet Alma wrote, we feel “to sing the song of redeeming love” (Alma 5:26) to all who will hear it.

“O, that I were an angel,” Alma said, “and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

“Yea, I would declare unto every soul … the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth” (Alma 29:1–2).

So it should be with us, my brothers and sisters. Our love for the Lord and appreciation for the Restoration of the gospel are all the motivation we need to share what gives us much joy and happiness. It is the most natural thing in the world for us to do, and yet far too many of us are hesitant to share our testimonies with others.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Liahona > May 2006

The Sacred Responsibilities of Parenthood

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign March 2006 As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I participated in the process of drafting “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” It was a remarkable experience for all of us.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > March 2006

Finding Freedom

President Boyd K. Packer Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles “The gospel teaches us that relief from torment and guilt can be earned through repentance. Elder M. Russell Ballard Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles “The everlasting peace Jesus promises is an inner peace, born in faith, anchored by testimony, nurtured with love, and expressed through continual obedience and repentance.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > September 2004

Be Strong in the Lord

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign July 2004 Long before the world was formed, Satan and those who followed after him raged against the forces of good and tried to overthrow the work of God. Both approaches have merit, but we need to go to the Topical Guide or the index from time to time and read all that the Lord has said on repentance, faith, or some other principle.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > July 2004

Bishops, branch presidents receive practical counsel

Elders M. Russell Ballard and Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve offered instruction to bishops, branch presidents and their counselors during the June 2004 Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting. Below are several of the questions posed by bishops, along with excerpts of responses from Elder Ballard and Elder Eyring.

Question: We are often very overwhelmed with things we have to do or that which we are not doing. . . . In a busy situation, how do you prepare yourself to receive the Spirit? Reading the scriptures is very important in a regular way. Perhaps you can give us a little insight on how you read the scriptures.
Elder Ballard: "I find that if I read towards a subject that I want to enlighten my mind with, I get better focus out of the scriptures than if I just pick it up and just read the scriptures. For example, if (you are) concerned about forgiveness or repentance or the Atonement or any of these kind of doctrinal issues, you can go to the Topical Guide, you can go to the resources, you can look at the cross references on a subject, and you come away — at least I do — come away with some enlightenment on that subject, because (you) study differently."
Elder Eyring: "I find I need to read enough, even as I go from one scripture to another, to get the context — what is happening, who is the person. Because if you're going to have it to use with someone, it isn't just words, it's how the words were used, where they come from."

Question: The first several times I had people come in with significant problems, I realized that Sunday School had not necessarily prepared me for helping someone else go through the repentance process. What is the goal of the repentance process, and how do you know when you've achieved it?
Elder Eyring: "(Members) have to be really penitent to even get started in the process. And you do that differently with different people. Sometimes in certain situations you do it by warning them, and it's quite severe. Other times you tell them about the great opportunities they're not going to be able to have if they don't repent. You have to find some way to have the broken heart and the contrite spirit. When that comes, you're on the way."
Elder Ballard: "(Ask members seeking repentance to) 'share with me how you feel about the Savior? What does He mean to you now? What does His Atonement mean?' And then just sit back and let them talk to you. If that's very shallow, their response, I don't know that they have paid the price yet, to be able to be washed clean by the blessing of the Atonement. There's a price that has to be paid. And one of the ways that I think a priesthood leader can determine whether or not that price is being seriously striven for by the member of the Church that's before you is if they can testify in their own words, with real feeling and meaning, and you can feel it and know that it's genuine and sincere."

(Church News, Saturday, June 26, 2004, p. 5).

The Atonement and the Value of One Soul

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign May 2004 This past January our family suffered the tragic loss of our grandson Nathan in an airplane crash. It was Jesus who said, “If … you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!” (; emphasis added).

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > May 2004

The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom

M. Russell Ballard

We sometimes fail to understand that the everlasting peace Jesus promises is an inner peace, born in faith, anchored by testimony, nurtured with love, and expressed through continual obedience and repentance. When we learned that they were going to be baptized, Sister Ballard and I attended the baptismal service.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Liahona > July 2002

“His Word Ye Shall Receive”

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Liahona July 2001 Brothers and sisters, have you ever had the experience of driving around and around the streets of a city with the driver saying, “I know where it is; I’m sure I can find it”? We encourage you who need to repent to go forward with faith and become clean before the Lord.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Liahona > July 2001

Like a Flame Unquenchable

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign May 1999 Brothers and sisters, this has been an inspirational two days, and I hope that my remarks will also add to the instruction and the spirit of this general conference. And when mistakes are made, the wondrous Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ must be understood and accepted so that through the complete and sometimes difficult process of repentance, forgiveness and continued hope for the future can be obtained.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > May 1999

Building Bridges of Understanding

M. Russell Ballard

A second reason why some people think Latter-day Saints are not Christian is their belief that we do not accept the doctrine of salvation through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wise are the members of the Church who can visit with those who have this misunderstanding and in kind and factual ways build bridges of understanding by teaching that we accept the doctrine of salvation through the grace of God and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe our Father in Heaven is a God of love and mercy. He is desirous that all of us have joy and eternal happiness. Therefore, before our world was created, He provided an eternal plan for our salvation. The Book of Mormon calls it the “plan of happiness” (Alma 42:16).

Our Heavenly Father’s loving grace or goodness is demonstrated in part by the creation of this beautiful earth with all its bounties. To each of us He has given the precious gift of agency, through which we choose between pathways that lead to happiness or ones that lead to misery (see 2 Ne. 2:27). With perfect foreknowledge, our Heavenly Father knew what His children would experience as a result of the Fall of Adam. Each of us would be subjected to the conditions of temptation, sin, bodily infirmities, and physical death.

Heavenly Father loved us so much that He sent to this earth His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior and Redeemer (see John 3:16–17). I mention only two of the many things that Jesus accomplished for us that we could not do for ourselves. First, at the conclusion of His mortal ministry, He suffered the Atonement, through which He took upon Himself all our sins and infirmities, suffering “these things for all, that [we] might not suffer if [we] would repent” (D&C 19:16). And second, He broke the bands of death and made it possible for all mankind to be resurrected. This means that after our physical death, we will gain a resurrected, physical body. And if we exercise faith in Him, repent, and are faithful to the gospel covenants we make in the ordinances of salvation, our body will be glorified like the sun (see 1 Cor. 15:40–41). With great emphasis I want to say that all of this is made possible through the grace of Jesus Christ. That is why the great Book of Mormon prophet Nephi wrote, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Ne. 25:26).

In the Christian world, there has been much debate regarding the relationship of grace and works. To The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both are core doctrines. Just as a pair of scissors requires two blades to function, the Lord’s grace and our works of faith in Christ, personal repentance, and receiving saving ordinances are required for eternal life in God’s presence.

Our works consist of placing our full confidence and trust in Jesus Christ and then exercising our desire and willingness to live by His teachings. We do this by repenting of all our sins and obeying the laws and ordinances of Christ’s gospel. As we do this faithfully over our lifetime, we are sanctified by the Holy Ghost and our nature is changed.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > June 1998

You Promised

M. Russell Ballard

Repentance is not easy; it takes time—painful time! Repentance for such behavior is difficult and painful and may take a long time.

Gospel Library > Magazines > New Era > February 1994

Steadfast in Christ

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign December 1993 Have you ever watched a large ship weigh anchor?

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > December 1993

Keeping Covenants

M. Russell Ballard

Repentance is not easy; it takes time—painful time! Repentance for such behavior is difficult and painful and may take a long time.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > May 1993

The Blessings of Sacrifice

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign May 1992 Last October we listened to many inspired conference messages. The sacrifice he requires of us is “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” () that can lead us to repentance.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > May 1992

Away from the Blinding Dust

M. Russell Ballard

A related misconception is that repentance is easy. Repentance is a great blessing, but you should never make yourself sick just so you can try out the remedy.

Gospel Library > Magazines > New Era > May 1991

Purity Precedes Power

M. Russell Ballard

A related misconception is that repentance is easy. Repentance is a great blessing, but you should never make yourself sick just so you can try out the remedy.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > November 1990

A Chance to Start Over: Church Disciplinary Councils and the Restoration of Blessings

M. Russell Ballard

I leaned over his bed and said, “I am Elder Ballard. Since repentance and reformation are the primary objectives of any Church disciplinary action, the bishop may feel that the person has done or is doing everything necessary to repent and that a disciplinary council would serve no useful purpose.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > September 1990

Small and Simple Things

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Ensign May 1990 Brothers and sisters, I suppose you are as amazed as I am with the monumental world events that we see unfolding. They know that faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, service to others, and keeping the commandments are the essentials for exaltation in the celestial kingdom.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > May 1990

Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not

M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard Tambuli March 1988 I recall attending the funeral of an older man who had taken his life.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Liahona > March 1988

Taking Time to Care

M. Russell Ballard

Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. He said, “Really, Brother Ballard?

Gospel Library > Magazines > New Era > October 1986

I agreed with Mr. Shafovaloff that perhaps LDS General Authorities might join the blogging movement but that they tend to use more traditional methods that employ the Internet officially such as their LDS websites, the LDS Newsroom, and the national papers. Ballard asked the general members to respond. I have his email and will forward on Shafovaloff's request. For now I will respond to counter Shafovaloff's point that Ballard as do the other general authorities do not speak on core doctrinal topics.

Shafovaloff might be right that Elder Ballard should put his money where his mouth is or some LDS general authorities should blog on a regular basis. I can't speak for Elder Ballard or get him to personally use the new media but I will make him aware of the desire by non-Mormons to engage LDS General Authorities in such a medium. I don't know if they would shy away because it can get pretty intense and downright contentious to respond back and forth. It is not a controlled environment like an official website where they can correlate and scrutinize what is posted. I think they would hold their own doctrinally but mostly it would be like preaching to the choir since members would mostly read their stuff. But who knows it is an intriguing idea to be able to personally engage an LDS leader on a daily or weekly basis.

Missionary Letters--Rome Italy

Cari Miei

This week was good. The summer is comming and it is heating up! The
city where I serve I have already knocked every street at least once and
am finishing time number two. I have been let into very few peoples
houses. I know that the secret to getting into peoples homes here is to use
members and to find a way to serve them.

We went to like a million places this week searching for the opportunity
to do service. We went to all of the old peoples homes and all of the
mensas where they feed the homeless and poor within 1 hours travel time
of our home. We went to the government and to social services.
Basically every one told us that we cannot serve there and they do not know
anywhere else where we can serve. So as we have been praying... I am
always trying to be creative. We thought of anything from begging people to
let us carry their groceries to picking up trash on the sand... God
responded like he always does for me on the mission... With an idea.

I thought if we cannot go to them to serve them we need to give them a
way to come to us. We already teach a free English class every week
which is going well. I thought what is like English class that people can
come to and can feel the spirit of the church building and presence of
the missionaries? Geneology!!!!!!!

Thank you mom and dad for loving to do your genealogy. I have a
testimony that converts really are the key to piece together generations. I
know that the generations of the past are working with us to help their
ancestors come unto the gospel.

We just got a permit to do a mostra aka set up stuff in a square in the
middle of town. We are getting our members to lend us their old
pictures of families, we are printing up a bunch of pedigree charts and
inviting people to come to the center to search more. It is a lot of work
but will be worth it. I will let you know how it turns out next week. But
I am really excited about it.

Family I will write next week when I decide when I will call home for
mothers day... crazy that it is already here yikes. If there is a time
when you will not be home, let me know so I can plan better.

Vi Voglio Bene

Gays and Missionary Work: Inclusion or Exclusion?

This is my own viewpoint and doesn't represent the viewpoint of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in any official way! I am just an ordinary Mormon Joe writing about what I think. But I do accept the responsibility for what I am about to say good or bad and own my decision to include Gay Mormons on my Mormon aggregator.

When I was a Mormon missionary in Canada under M. Russell Ballard I had a very unusual experience in my first area. We rented the basement from a chain smoking Word of Wisdom breaking man and his family the rest who were active and followed Mormon standards. Thankfully for me he only smoked on the driveway or away from the home since I am allergic to cigarette smoke.

Being a member of the church for a little over a year I wonder about the decision by my mission president to place us in such a home. One day I questioned him about it and was told "what would you rather have a man who faithfully goes to church every Sunday or person who stays home and feels badly about himself and leaves the Church. We need to make every one who desires to associate with us welcome in the church since this is the Savior's Church." I have wondered over the years if that statement applies to others including Gay Mormons.

I remember a quote that I read by David Buckner which I attributed to another writer but can't remember who it might have been Neal Maxwell: "Feelings of hopelessness and despair are some of Satan's greatest tools. More than anything in the world, he wants us to quit, give up, abandon our faith, throw away the helps the Lord has given us to get home, and declare ourselves lost. The adversary would have us believe that if we make mistakes, we cannot return to the path of righteousness. He would have us believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a country club for Saints, not a hospital for sinners. He must take pleasure in watching us quit, abandon our missions in life, and declare ourselves lost when we are standing only a few feet from the pathway of righteousness." The way I remember the quote was "the gospel of Jesus Christ is not a country club for saints, but a hospital for sinners."

Throughout my thirty years as a Mormon I have been taught that we hate the sin but love the sinner. I have brushed against Gay people throughout my life including a handful of Gays. I have usually just ignored the Mormon ones thinking to each his own. I have never felt totally comfortable with them but I have learn to accept that they exist among us both in the Church, the community and in our professional lives. Even in Vernal, Utah where I managed a county library I was very aware that they made up a small percentage of the population that would be equivalent to other cities of that size anywhere else in the country and Utah was no different. I occasionally place a book or video in the library because they were after all tax-payers like everyone else. I couldn't put in Brokeback Mountain which was too controversial for the major group of Mormons.

As a library manager in a profession that prides itself on allowing others with differing viewpoints I have had lesbian and homosexual librarians on my staff. In fact I have hired several of them on the basis on their professional qualifications despite their militant openness in proclaiming themselves i.e. "a Wiccan practicing Lesbian." This doesn't mean that I accept their lifestyle it just means I believe in hiring the best qualified person irregardless of their orientation, religion, or appearance. I can hold a Mormon recommend and sleep well at night and still feel I support high standards by associating with diverse people.

There is another angle that is not often discussed that of missionaries discovering they are gay while on a mission. It is the policy of the LDS church that practicing gays cannot serve a mission. It is understood that since two males are in close proximity twenty-four hours a day that they might grow to have affection for one another. Intimacy is more than sexual so they might be some problems whether it is tacit or openly shown. If a missionary discovers he has a same-sex attraction he should consult with his mission president. In consultation with the Executive Missionary Committee and the mission president they would make a determination whether the missionary should stay or go home. It really depends on the missionary himself or herself and what they do about their feelings. It is a sensitive issue. I don't set the practices or rules I just am stating what I have believe is the practice.

Missionaries do not reject anyone as an investigator even a self-proclaimed gay. During the baptismal interview if it comes out that a person is practicing immorality in any form then they will not be able to be baptized irregardless of whether homosexual or heterosexual. If a person has homosexual tendencies and doesn't act on them they can be a member in good standing. The matter would be passed on up to the mission president by the missionaries in such a matter and he would make that determination after interviewing the person.

Let me make it clear that I am an ultraconservative Mormon who believes that practicing homosexuals should not hold a temple recommend. I have come to believe though over the years that if we are indeed Christ's church and he did atone for the sins of all men and women maybe there is a place for gays in the Mormon Church. I know such a statement will stir up some who are homophobic. In some ways I am very homophobic also. In my married life my wife has chosen to befriend several lesbian Mormon women. One who happens to have had a family and dumped a husband and come out. They go to some crazy Rosewood Retreat where they all dance under the stars and talk about Mormon feminist issues. I never liked the fact that the two women breastfeed their babies together as they talked years ago when she was supposedly straight. I was aware of the woman proclivity years before she came out of the closet. I also didn't like the way she treated her less active husband. I frankly never trusted her not because she is gay but because she never seemed sincere to me and just didn't like her. My wife has assured me she has no tendencies that way. I liked several gays I have known over the years and promoted one man to be my assistant director telling him he could be role model for other gays. Only once was I ever uncomfortable when a gay professor would talk to me while stroking my arm but I knew he was trying to push my button and I ignored him since he served on the library committee.

I was even featured by my wife in Carol Lyn Pearson's No More Goodbyes as an example of a homophobe. I believe I was unjustly vilified by my wife. I in no way support the lifestyle of practicing Gay Mormons. I attended the play by Carol Lynn Pearson Facing East in Salt Lake City, which raised my consciousness to why so many Mormon Gays commit suicide but it really didn't change my mindset about why Mormons don't condone homosexuality. Even though Pearson shows many stereotypical views that she felt Mormons practiced I think it is more complex than her caricature of us as a group. It succeeded as a play because it made you think. It was conscious raising. I am sure there are active Mormons across a whole spectrum bleeding heart liberals that say everyone is welcome irregardless of what you do to uberMormons who say shoot the b_ _ _ _ _ _. Living in Utah I have heard both by practicing Mormons. Pearson's examined the viewpoints. I am not sure how many people she converted towards being tolerant but you can check out her site maybe she has a few testimonials.

I am not sure that most Mormon lay leaders such as bishops and stake presidents are equipped to deal with large numbers of gays in the Mormon Church. But if more would stay in the Church after coming out of the closet Mormon leaders would become better adept at interacting with them. I am sure there are many bishops and stake presidents as well as General Authorities on a personal basis that are caring and understanding of them. Institutionally and doctrinally we have certain mores and despite intellectual gays declaimers there exists a theology about openly practicing gayism. It is argued in many blog posts and can be traced through the statements of the LDS authorities for the last fifty years.

I have become aware recently as I have started an aggregator the Mormon Blogosphere of just how many active men and women have same sex attractions or are open about their gayness. I have decided to include them under a category I call Bodiggity's. It may be stereotypical that I chose a gay bar name but since I was using places in Salt Lake associated with Mormons in some way that is what I used. If you are an gay Mormon in any sense I include you on my aggregator. I have included Mormon gay blogs if they have no objectionable materials like porn pictures or raw themes or language. I have been impressed with the honesty of expression by many as they tell their experiences. It really has raised my consciousness. I gained some knowledge about them. I wouldn't say that I am more tolerant or had my opinions changed but I am more aware and more sensitive to the issues they face.

I have given Mormon gays some thought over the last thirty years. I have not come to any clear conclusions whether they are biologically programmed that way or whether they have consciously chosen to be gay. I am of a mind that some are and some are not. The test of religiosity is that either way you have to make a conscious determination to practice your gayness. There will be some who will argue pro and some who will argue con that is not the purpose of this post. Rather it is to say I think there is a place for everyone within the Church so I have included you in my aggregator.

Just like the man who chose to come to Church in my earlier example, or Black members who spent over a hundred years without the priesthood, Gay Mormons need to stay on the inside rather than on the outside. Do I think that the LDS Church leadership will any time just accept them and let them live openly? I doubt it so the answer is not in my lifetime, particularly not in view of the Proclamation on the Family being one man and one woman. I am not even sure if they ever will gain mainstream acceptance by the LDS Church, but one thing I am sure is that if they are on the outside looking in then they will have no chance at all.

I know Mormon Gays wish it were otherwise and have taken to citing C.S. Lewis about conscience sake. Unfortunately conscious objectors have not fared well in any society. Maybe they will wear down the leadership but I doubt it. If they hope to have any chance no matter how minuscule they need to stay in the fold even if it takes decades or centuries. I believe Gays need to be honest and open and with time and familiarity the Mormon leadership will change how they interact with Gays. It is hard to ignore any group if it has a sizable percentage. Only God himself will be able to sort it out at the judgment.

After having perused a few of the blogs on my aggregator, I am sure Gay Mormons face an uphill battle towards inclusion that I can not fathom. I realize that I do not understand you nor condone what you do but I do acknowledge that I recognize you exist within the church. This post is meant to raise consciousness that you exist and represent a valid segment of the Mormon bloggers so I am including you on the Mormon Blogosphere.

Being included on my aggregator is not an endorsement or a rejection of any type of Mormon blogs or their contents. I am just including different segments of the Mormon experience whether I like them or not. If you have a Mormon theme I have included you. There are too many Mormons that don't have a Mormon theme so I can only include about a thousand of you on my blog aggregator. I even have whacko Mormons that my wife suggested who are interesting. Mormons come in all shapes, sizes and viewpoints.

I do draw the line when you leave the Church so I will remove former Mormons whether gay or not they can get their own aggregator. I only have three new blogsites and I prefer to keep it to one or two aggregators if possible for single blogs. I don't have the energy to do more. I don't care whether you are homosexuals or heterosexuals or Martian Mormons or Mormons from Kolob. I just care if you are considered a Mormon in some way and people read your stuff.

M. Russell Ballard's New Media: A Source of Active Member Missionary Participation

M. Russell Ballard, head of the LDS Public Affairs Committee and an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has proclaimed in three public addresses during the last six months that we as LDS members should use the New Media as a source in educating nonmembers about the Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints.

Elder Ballard who has also served for many years on the Executive Missionary Committee has as a goal correcting misinformation about the Church. Having associated with Elder Ballard for over thirty years being a former missionary under his direction in Toronto Canada thirty years ago I have attended several missionary reunions where he has spoken about Church efforts to use the media effectively to tell our story. The Church has employed during the last decade non-Mormon public relations firms to help us be understood as being mainstream. The New Media has come to his attention during the last two to three years as a way to better do member missionary work.

To the graduating classes of both BYU-Hawaii (Saturday, December 15, 2007) and BYU-Idaho (Friday, April 11, 2008) he called upon the graduates and their guests to take our message to the world. On 21 April 2008 Elder Ballard was honored for his life-time achievement by the Brigham Young University Management Society in Washington D.C. where he addressed the group which included such notable people as Senators Harry Reid, Orrin Hatch, Robert Bennett, and Gordon Smith and said that we as members need to be "active participants" in correcting misinformation. He cited Mitt Romney's failed presidential bid due to the Mormon factor, and the erroneous belief that the FLDS in Texas were associated in any way with the Church. He discussed his efforts to go to several large regional media providers in Washington, Chicago, New York, Boston, Cleveland, and other cities to meet with the editorial boards, correspondents, and managers of some of the country's major newspapers and electronic media outlets.

At BYU-Hawaii (See Video Clip) he encouraged students to "join the conversation by participating on the Internet…to share the gospel and explain in simple, clear terms the message of the Restoration. " He said:

"How different your world is today. If you read newspapers, the chances are you read them on the Internet. Yours is the world of cyberspace, cell phones that capture video, video downloads and iTunes, social networks like Facebook, text messaging and blogs, hand-helds and podcasts. As many in my generation are just getting onto email, that’s already becoming old hat to most of you.

That word conversation is important. There are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches.

Most of you already know that if you have access to the Internet you can start a blog in minutes and begin sharing what you know to be true. You can download videos from Church and other appropriate sites, including Newsroom at LDS.org, and send them to your friends. You can write to media sites on the Internet that report on the Church, and voice your views as to the accuracy of the reports."

Tim Malone at Latter-day Commentary related Elder Ballard's talk in an insightful way that related to why he even blogs. Several people jumped on the bandwagon to declare Elder Ballard's New Media Talk either the best or worst thing on the Bloggernacle. Elder Ballard was actually nominated for a Niblet even though he lost out in both categories.



At BYU-Idaho he told them "Along with the terrible effects of pornography, the Internet and other media are often used to spread falsehoods. Every month there are 60 billion searches for information on the Internet. Many are seeking information about the Church; and while some are finding the truth, others find anti-Mormon sites that mislead them and defame the
Church. . . .

Today I want to encourage you to reach out to others in the world to help change the perception and even the hearts of millions of our Heavenly Father's children by correcting misunderstandings by sharing with them the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ."

Elder Ballard talking with Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong. Photo by Kiersten Isom.

At the BYU Management Society Dinner he said about overcoming false perceptions about the Church about the same things about using the Internet as he did in Idaho:

"So let me pose a question. What are you prepared to do about it? If you are a member of the Church, what is your responsibility during this period of unusual attention and debate?Interest has continued at a high level and probably will for some time. If a national conversation is going on about the Church, are you going to be an active participant or a silent observer?

Church leaders must not be reluctant to participate in public discussion. Where appropriate, we will engage with the media whether it’s the traditional, mainstream media or the new media of the Internet. But Church leaders can’t do it all, especially at the grass-roots, community level. While we do speak authoritatively for the Church, we look to our responsible and faithful members to engage personally with blogs, to write thoughtful, online letters to news organizations, and to act in other ways to correct the record with their own opinions. . . .

However, I emphasize that it is not always about correcting misinformation. Sometimes it is about getting solid information and ideas out there in the first place. Share your experiences – those from your own life – that show how your values and your faith intersect. It doesn’t matter whether that’s face to face with another person, or whether you do it by participating from your own blog or contributing to someone else’s blog. The most important thing is that you let people know that you are a Latter-day Saint, and that your behavior and attitude always reflect the high standards of the Church and what is expected as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, you will be speaking as an individual member and not as an official representative of the Church."

The LDS Church even released an official press release on the FLDS issue trying to distance ourselves.

As a result of Elder Ballard's statements several bloggers have entered the fray particularly on the FLDS issues that have been pervading the bloggernacle. There have been dozens of blogs started by members who took his counsel to heart from the two BYU graduation talks. Dave at a SoftAnswer has been keeping track of the blogs and recently did a post "Elder Ballard’s Call to Inform"on his management society talk. The ldsWebguy also posted about the recent talk in a post Elder Ballard Urges Participation in Internet Conversations. Nathan Gwilliam did the same thing as did Steve St. Clair. All the posts were pointing out how members should be aware of his statements with had limited commentary and depended on commenters.

The ldsWebguy also included the earlier Elder Ballard Urges Students to Use New Media to Share the Gospel and BYU-Idaho news release and solicited a handful of comments just by including the text. Dave at a SoftAnswer had this to say "Instead of focusing solely on sharing the Gospel with the aim of conversion, members need to feel comfortable in sharing their beliefs in a natural and comfortable way to help others understand the truth about the Church." Even Giuseppe Martinengo, an Italian member weighed in Italian about Ballard's BYU-Hawaii talk Gli Apostoli della Chiesa Mormone useranno l’ internet.

The MoreGood Foundation Blog has taken his Management Society talk to heart in a post entitled Elder Ballard’s Questions Can Now Be Answered on MormonTestimonies.org and have cooped it to push people to their Mormon Testimonies site. They have implied they have some formal connection with him. They are trying to answer the following questions:

• How do your beliefs lift and shape your life for the better?
• How does the gospel help you as a parent engage with your teens?
• How do your values encourage you to participate in civic affairs?
• How has your experience as a home or visiting teacher enlarged your compassion or care for the sick and needy?
• How has your Church life helped you to avoid such things as pornography and immorality?
• How have family councils or home evenings helped you resolve differences of opinion with members of your family?
• How has your experience in speaking in church helped you address large public groups?
• Where did you learn to respect and not to criticize other faiths?

They have a concept of creating some kind of social networking site for Mormons. I am just not sure it will catch on as the place that non-Mormons will go to find out the definite answers. It is too Mormony. I think the wild and woolly world of blogging with people commenting give us more exposure and is more comfortable for people to just jump in to the conversation. Their site serves its purpose but is too sanitized for most people who want to know the down and dirty from every day members.

A critical post was written in Mormon Coffee, an anti-Mormon blog, by Aaron Shafovaloff entitled Hiding Behind Skirts who calls Russell Ballard out. Shafavaloff uses Todd Wood's, a anti-Mormon 's post about Apostles engaging the New Media personally. Wood said:

"I am telling you guys, a real LDS general authority or better yet, an LDS apostle, needs to start blogging.

Where are the bold prophets and apostles for times like these in America?

Can you imagine if the prophet Isaiah or apostle Paul lived in 2008? Would they be crying out, “Someone hand me the keyboard! I want to share some truth unapologetically on the matter!”

Shafovaloff attacks Elder Ballard by saying, "M. Russell Ballard, I’m talking to you. While you understandably call upon your membership to use the internet to spread the message of your mainstream sect, your quorum cowardly hides behind unofficial voices for the majority of compelling issues. Be a man and start wearing some institutional pants. Start a blog and put an official stamp on your posts."

I don't think Shafovaloff understands just how much Elder Ballard does do as he goes around giving press statements on a weekly basis, manages the Public Affairs Department, serves on the Executive Missionary Committee, goes on speaking assignments, attends Church functions and meetings, and serves on several civic and business boards. The man is frankly busy. I agree that a Mormon General Authority perhaps a few members of the Seventy or even BYU Religion teachers should be assigned to blog as official representatives of the Church.

As a result of Elder Ballard's influence I personally started my Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord site. I am merely pitch hitting unofficially sharing experiences and witty sayings that might come out of the mouth of M. Russell Ballard. My site is a product of his influence. It may not be an official site but it sure deals with issues affecting people interested in member missionary work. Elder Ballard is using a viral marketing technique by harnessing the members. People want to know what the general member thinks since the Mormon leaders are like the Pope or Billy Graham to outsiders very busy. If M. Russell Ballard told everyone what to say then it would be what the detractors want that we are a mindless cult incapable of free expression or will.

Mission Presidents Need to Care for Their Own Familes

One of the instructions that mission presidents and their wives receive is to take care of their families while they are on a mission. Gerald J. Day in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism says "An important concern of the mission president and his wife is naturally the continued nurture and care of their own children who have come with them."

George D. Durrant shared what he did with his family while president of the Kentucky Louisville Mission in 1972-1975: "“When I was called to be a mission president, I was fearful that at a most critical time in the lives of my eight children I might not have sufficient time to be a good father. I was determined that being a father was a more important call from the Lord than being president. That meant that even though I would dedicate myself to the mission, I would double my dedication as a father. I knew that in order to preside effectively in the mission, I must first preside well at home. I spent much time with my family, knowing they were the only ones who would still be mine at the end of my mission. If they felt secure and happy in the early days of our mission, things would go from good to better.

“One of the first orders of business was to throw a big rope over a high limb on the huge ash tree that towered over our front yard. [A missionary] climbed the rope and tied it to the limb. Thus the giant mission home swing was born. With the swing came instant neighborhood friends for our younger children.

“A few months after our arrival, we attended a mission presidents’ seminar. Each president, asked what he felt was his best idea so far, reported on some program which he felt had enhanced the work. When my turn came, I said, ‘The best thing I’ve done so far is to build a swing.’ Everyone laughed. President S. Dilworth Young was amazed and asked, ‘What?’ I described the swing and explained that my major goal was to be a good father. … The swing became my symbol of this setting of priorities. Later came a basketball standard and a sandpile. Our yard became a park where I spent much time with my children and where they settled for three happy years. I believe they will forever remember with joy their time in Kentucky and Tennessee” (George D. Durrant, Love at Home, Starring Father [1973], 18–20).

In 1982 George D. Durrant reiterated his experience in greater detail: "When I was called to be a mission president, I was fearful that at a most critical time in the lives of my eight children I might not have sufficient time to be a good father. I had determined that being a father was as important a call from the Lord as being a mission president. That meant that even though I would dedicate myself to the mission, I would have to double my dedication as a father.

With that in mind, one of my first important tasks was to tie a big rope to a high limb on the huge ash tree that grew in our front yard and make a swing. With the swing came instant neighborhood friends for our younger children.

A few months after our arrival, we attended a mission presidents’ seminar. Each president was asked what he felt was the best idea he had put into practice so far in his mission. When my turn came, I said, “The best thing I’ve done so far is to build a swing.” Everyone laughed. I described the swing and explained that my major goal was to be a good father and that the swing was my symbol of this priority. The leader sustained my action.

I’ve found that I allow more time for my family if I remind myself that playing with the children is church work. While I was mission president, I would often go to a beautiful amusement park with my family. I would just walk around the park with a smile on my face, holding hands with my children, eating candy.

Once in a while, the thought would enter my mind. “You’re the mission president. You’d better get back to the office.” But then I’d smile again and say to myself, “Well, I’m doing my church work here. I’m with my children and my wife. We’re having a fun day, and tonight I’ll be able to write in my journal that I did six hours of glorious church work today.” I’d eat a little more candy and let the children lead me wherever they wanted to go.

Church work with your family doesn’t mean you leave other church work undone. It merely means that you do both—and you can do both. Some days you can spend a whole day with the children. Other times it will have to be a ten-minute wrestle or one paper airplane constructed after the evening meal."

Durrant added a different experience where he chose his children over his assignment: "Once while serving as a mission president in Kentucky, I was faced with a direct conflict on family activity and Church activity. The Kentucky Derby was soon to be held, and our family had looked forward to going for weeks. Three days before the big event, the schedule for the Lexington Stake conference was shifted one week forward, and the Saturday leadership meeting was now scheduled for Derby Day. As mission president, I was invited in a midweek phone call from the visiting general authority to be at those sessions.

In the conversation, I told the leader about my previous plan and asked him his opinion. He replied, “Sometimes we just have to choose.” And that is all he said.

What would you have done?"

Church work often requires that fathers be away from home. But by setting proper priorities, planning, and delegating, a father can organize himself to be effective in church duties and to be home much more often than he would suppose.

Some fathers who spend undue amounts of time in church callings are proud of these long hours away from home and consider them a sign of dedication. Often it is dedication, but in some cases it is just a way of not going home. Some fathers feel more capable in activities away from home than they do with their families. We should examine ourselves to see if, under the guise of “dedication,” we’ve left to our wives the most important of all causes to which we should be dedicated—our families."

Mission presidents need to make sure they don't lose their own children along the way. They should support their children in their lives and be there for them. David O. McKay rightly said "No success can compensate for failure in the home." The greatest conversion a mission president and their wives can have on their mission is converting their children to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not only should the members pray for the missionaries but for the mission presidents and their families throughout the world.

Serving a Couples Mission When You Hadn't Served A Mission Before

When I was a young man President Spencer W. Kimball began the forward thrust that every young man should serve a mission. Growing up in Las Vegas and joining the church in 1974 I knew many people who had joined the church in their early twenties who did not serve on a mission. As the years have gone by I have encountered many men in leadership positions who never served a mission in the late 60s, the 70s or even the 80s. I have even run across young guys starting out in married life that have never gone on a mission. If you do the numbers you will see there are hundreds of thousands of priesthood holders who have never served a proselyting mission. Since women are not pressed to go there is an amazingly large percentage of them who want to go with their husbands to share the gospel.

Robert D. Hales discussed those who hadn't served earlier in their lives: "Now, to those who were not able to serve a mission in their youth, may I speak directly to you. Perhaps over the years you have been burdened by feelings of regret or felt less than adequate because you did not have a missionary opportunity to serve and grow when you were younger. My advice to you: look forward, not back. Begin preparing for your mission as a senior missionary couple today! Save a little money each month. Study the scriptures. Accept Church callings. Pray to feel the Lord’s love for others and receive His love and confidence in you. You can one day claim all the blessings of missionary service!

And what marvelous blessings they are! After 51 years of marriage, I was asked, “What part of life would you want to live over again?” I did not hesitate to reply, “When my wife and I served together in the great missionary work of the Lord.” The sentiments of another missionary couple echo those of my wife and myself: “Our decision to go on a mission brought new vigor, new emotions, new friends, new places, new challenges. It brought us closer together as husband and wife; we had a common goal and a real partnership. And best of all, it brought new spiritual growth, instead of spiritual retirement.” Brothers and sisters, let us not go into spiritual retirement." (Robert D. Hales, “Couple Missionaries: Blessings from Sacrifice and Service,” Liahona, May 2005, 39–42).

Couples should not be afraid of going on a mission if they haven't served. I recommend couples checking out the video presentation Couple Missionaries A Time to Share. The video helps you understand the process and is well worth your time to view it might help alleviate some of your concerns. The Church has some suggestions on personal items to take care of prior to going entitled How You Can Prepare to Serve, which covers practical things like what to do with your house, etc. The most important thing a couple can do is find someone in a similar position that can give you an accurate assessment of what you might encounter. Talk to your bishop and stake president they can steer you in the right direction. As a wise man once said you have nothing to fear but fear itself so gain some information and overcome your barriers.

I wonder if there are couples who never served who could recommend ways of adjusting. It would be interesting to hear from a few couples who served first time missions together.

Mormon Blogosphere: New Solo Blog Aggregator

If you are looking for a place to aggregate your solo LDS blog than the Mormon Blogosphere is the place for you. At this site, I will feature single person blogs since there isn't an aggregator devoted to people like us. That is the scope of my aggregator. I am not here to take away traffic from the four or five people already aggregating Mormon blogs. I am establishing this aggregator as an alternative and place for the single person blogs. I am going to work in the reverse -- I am going to include as many as I can. If you want to opt out go to mormon-blogs@hotmail.com and leave me a message to remove you.

And if you are a larger blog and no one will touch you because of your content I will on a case by case basis include you like I did for gay Mormons in my new section Bodiggity's. I will not discriminate on the basis of sex, orientation, nationality, or content. If you are a Latter-day Saint in any way or associated with LDS I will be glad to aggregate your blog irregardless of your doctrinal position.

Personally I am an ultraconservative Republican Mormon but I can live with ambiguity and as far as I am concerned I don't want to get in to judging others. However, I live currently in a Muslim country that filters all content. A few sites wouldn't come up that I clicked on so I couldn't add them if I wanted. The ones I have are no worse than what my feminist Mormon wife has on her site. But the standard is high for me to remove someone. In my work as a librarian, I only removed three things in twenty years. If it is offensive enough I will remove it. As I learned managing a public library in Utah what is art to one person is porn to another. It would take a lot of complaints for me to remove a person's blog let alone a book from a library. That is why you can have an invite only blog if you are morally challenged.

Being a librarian I adhere to the American Library Bill of Rights which I will apply to Mormon blogs on my aggregator:

• Books [blogs] and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

• Libraries [blogs] should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

• Libraries [blogs] should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

• Libraries [blogs] should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

• A person’s right to use a library [aggregator] should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

• Libraries [aggregators] which make exhibit [blog] spaces and meeting rooms [blog feeds] available to the public they serve should make such facilities [aggregators] available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

I recently came to understand that there isn't an LDS aggregator for single blog sites. Most of the major Mormon aggregators include some singles blogs but they cater mostly to the larger blogs with multiple posters which dominate. I want to be more inclusive. I cannot include hundreds of blogs on one aggregator but I will try. If I don't succeed I have picked up two other sites which can be used later. They can be quickly put in to operation with about ten or fifteen hours work.

In addition most other aggregators are ultraconservative and selective in who they allow to have a feed on their site. I was briefly thrown off of a couple recently for posting on a subject they didn't like. Another is so selective he won't include me. I have begged him for the six months I have been in the bloggernacle to include me.

The interesting thing was that I took the Mormon apologetic approach to my post and still got booted. I personally learned my lesson and was culturized to avoid Mormon sexual discussion since they considered it bad PR. Since I wanted to stay in their good graces I promised to be more circumspect on my own site. I promised the administrators I would create my own aggregator in the future to keep from being in the terrible position of having half my readership cut. Since I produce my blog as a service with a six hundred page book by Mormon general authorities it would have been a great loss for me.

I consider my blog an expression of my way to do missionary work. Since my former mission president encouraged us to help out in the new Mormon Media I do my part by blogging about missionary work. My opinions are not endorsed by the LDS Church but my topics are supported by information they write or say in addresses. The interpretation is mine and for that I am solely responsible. I actually even had a guy at the Washington Post take on something I quoted at his own newspaper which he questioned. I liked his twist on the matter and would have appreciated it if he had even commented on my original post. Blogs are about expression and counter-expression.

I was upset at the time I was booted from the aggregators since I was trying to drum up some business for couples going on a mission. If you want to be read you need to be included on as many aggregators as possible in order to drive traffic to your site because google doesn't get you much traffic until after you have been established for a while. Right now google accounts for forty percent of my readership I would be almost dead in the water without an aggregator. Since I didn't have an aggregator I was at the mercy of the owners and operators of the aggregators. This new aggregator I am launching is my way to gain some control over whether or nor I or anyone with a different opinion can be heard.

Now I have my own aggregator with me at the top of the section in one of the conservative categories. I am not faulting the aggregators because they have high ethical standards I just believe in a consistent application across the board. I was returned after one of the "big guys" posted on the same topic but using "the M word" instead of the word I used. Those who own aggregators make their own rules and can select who they want. For the most part I believe they have high standards and stand by their principles. Being new to the bloggernacle no one indoctrinated me in to the rules. It is a valuable service they provide to those they aggregate and I hope they will continue aggregating me. Even in the library world there is a discussion of selection versus censorship. Since you cannot include everyone there has to be some selection.

Even though I understand technology I am not by any means a webmaster type like some of the other aggregators. I have utilized the new features in draft Blogger that allows for multiple feeds and creatively produced an aggregator. It is not sophisticated in any way and will only list blogs with three lines of summary and how old the post is but it gets the job done. It is very unstable if you are thinking about doing the same. I created three different sites and had it crash on every one of my sites. I am now a great beta tester for blogger. I have had dozens of code errors. Aggregating is not for the weak as I have had to do this over now about five times.

There is a madness to my schemata. I have chosen Mormon place names as well as places in Salt Lake City. If necessary I will include departments and floors of Mormon places as I develop this site. I am also including fringe blogs so I have a few places like Cosmic Airplane, Grandpa's Books, and Bodiggity's. Places are attached to my intellectual categorizing which is selection versus censorship. If you have better names for places or would like to be changed to another category, feel free to share them.

Let me know if we can add or delete you. I hope my aggregator will uncover unknown blogs and drive traffic to your blog. I hope will be more inclusive of the larger world of the bloggernacle and take in all segments of the LDS population since we are after all children of our Heavenly Father no matter what our views are. I hope this aggregator meets a niche in the bloggernacle. If you ever say anything I don't like I promise I won't remove you. Bear with me as this site develops and be patient if it crashes from time to time. Happy reading.

Getting In Shape to Go On An LDS Mission

I discussed the higher physical standard for going a mission in an earlier post. I have decided to share with you what the LDS leaders have said about how LDS prospective missionaries should get in shape. What they say on the subject might offer some ideas on how to get ready physically and serve a mission. I will try to find material dealing with missionaries but there are some general statements on exercise that are applicable to all Latter-day Saints including prospective missionaries.

Thomas S. Monson said: "Nutritious meals, regular exercise, and appropriate sleep are necessary for a strong body, just as consistent scripture study and prayer strengthen the mind and spirit” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1990, 60; or Ensign, Nov. 1990, 46).

In 2007 in the New Era Special Missionary Issue, M. Russell Ballard counseled: "Missionaries need to be self-reliant. Young people ought to learn to take care of themselves and not be so dependent on their mother or father.

They need to be able to handle the physical demands of missionary work. Young people should keep their weight under control and be physically fit. The missionary daily schedule has built into it a 30-minute-a-day exercise program. Being physically tuned up enhances mental capacity."

The Religion 130 Missionary Preparation Manual says: "An understanding of the rigorous nature of missionary service and proper physical and emotional preparation will enhance a prospective missionary’s ability to adjust to a new lifestyle and succeed in the work of the
Lord. . . .

Missionary work is rigorous and demanding. Prospective missionaries are expected to qualify for service in the mission field. This involves not only their level of worthiness but also their physical, mental, and emotional preparation. If a missionary is struggling with physical or mental health, he or she will be at a disadvantage in this aspect of building the kingdom of God. Mental and emotional health is also critical to the success of a missionary in serving the Lord with “all your heart, might, mind and strength” (D&C 4:2). Developing good habits of eating, exercising, sleep, and personal hygiene before the mission call will enhance the likelihood of successfully adapting to the environment of missionary service. (Religion 130 Missionary Preparation Student Manual, Salt Lake City, UT.: Intellectual Reserve, 2005, p. 90).

The 130 Missionary Manual also says: "Missionaries should not begin their mission with bad habits that have the potential to grow into serious problems. Every person can change and improve. Prospective missionaries who have developed poor diet, hygiene, and physical activity habits can begin now to change their behavior. Self-discipline can be learned at any age, but the process is not always easy. If you master the task before entering missionary service, you will save yourself from much grief and frustration." (Religion 130 Missionary Preparation Student Manual, Salt Lake City, UT.: Intellectual Reserve, 2005, pp. 90-91).

Finally, the 130 manual offers: "

All young men and women should participate in regular exercise. Three basic requirements of a physical activity program, regardless of a person’s age or ability, are exercises for flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular endurance (aerobic or oxygen-using exercise).

• These exercises stretch muscles, tendons, and ligaments and should be done daily.
• Strength—Each major muscle group should be exercised.
• 3. Cardiovascular endurance—These exercises strengthen the heart, increase overall fitness, and improve mood. Walking and bicycling are good activities to prepare for missionary service.

(Religion 130 Missionary Preparation Student Manual, Salt Lake City, UT.: Intellectual Reserve, 2005, pp. 91-92).


Russell M. Nelson a former doctor when asked about his opinion on exercise and jogging suggests: "Proper physical conditioning is facilitated by regular exercise, but it should be suited to the abilities and preferences of the individual. For Elder Joseph Anderson, now in his ninety-sixth year, it is swimming. For Elder Neal A. Maxwell, it is tennis. Others enjoy jogging.

Like many other good things, exercise has benefits when applied wisely and in moderation. But I offer a word of caution regarding excess. It is folly to assume that if a little of anything is good, a lot is therefore better. We should be mindful of Paul’s counsel, “Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Jogging seems to fulfill the prophecy of Daniel of the latter-day explosion of knowledge throughout the world, “[At] the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4). (Russell M. Nelson, “Twenty Questions,” Address to CES Religious Educators , Temple Square Assembly Hall, 13 September 1985).

He also said: "Appropriate physical activity helps to combat depression." (Russell M. Nelson, Conference Report, Oct. 1988, 8; or Ensign, [November 1988]: 8).

For those who have a hard time losing weight you might consider reading Garth Fisher's article in the Ensign entitled "The Weight-Loss Battle:Helping Your Body Win." I actually used this diet when a student at BYU and lost a lot of pounds by baking whole wheat bread with honey rather than sugar. In 2004 Larry A. Tucker also of the BYU fitness department shared some ideas on "Move More, Stress Less. In 1981 S. Scott Zimmerman had some interesting ideas on losing some weight in a provocative Ensign article "Running Away from It All." Clarence F. Robison's 1972 article "Keeping Physically Fit" is still pertinent today.

Marvin K. Gardner says at the MTC "five days a week, missionaries go to the gym for fifty minutes of exercise and their choice of activities such as basketball or volleyball, jogging, jumping rope, or lifting weights. They’re also encouraged to work out every day during their missions, using a tape-recorded copy of the exercises." So it is important to be in shape before you get there.

In the Young Women's Manual 2 it says:

"Regular exercise provides many benefits to our bodies. Following is a summary of how exercise affects the body systems:

• Exercise strengthens the muscles. Stronger muscles provide better support for the skeletal system. Strong, firm muscles hold the bones of the body in their proper position, decreasing the stress and damage that can result from bad posture. Back pain and stiffness may be largely due to inactivity. Furthermore, with proper posture of the spine, the head, arms, and legs can move more easily. Proper exercise keeps the entire body limber. Muscles and joints that are seldom used tend to be stiff and inflexible. Adequate activity also helps maintain bone strength. Starting at about age twenty, the bones begin to weaken. Regular exercise can help stop this decline and prevent the brittleness and fragility of bones that often accompanies old age.

• Exercise affects the metabolism. Exercise strengthens our bodies and helps them function more efficiently. Exercise uses up calories, usually without causing an increase in appetite. Many people who exercise find that they eat less than those who do not. Exercise and moderation of eating habits can work well together to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

• Exercise improves the nerves. Vigorous exercise improves overall coordination. It also releases nervous tension and stimulates and clears the mind. Many people use a period of daily exercise to plan the day, to gain a fresh perspective on life, or simply to relax. Physical exercise tires the muscles and releases tension and so helps most people sleep better."
  

( “Lesson 38: Physical Health,” Young Women Manual 2, 146.)

Joe J. Christensen formerly of the Seventy thought we should "Choose some sport or other vigorous physical exercise that is consistent with your situation and physical condition and be regular in pursuing it. Get the blood circulating and give your major muscles a workout. An appropriate amount of time and effort spent in exercising will help you to be more effective in all other areas of your life.

“I don’t know what your choice will be. Personally, I prefer racquetball or walking to jogging. . . . Of course, you need to make your own choice but resolve to do something physical regularly. . . .

“Some of you are not getting the rest that you need. Some are habituated to going to bed late and sleeping much longer than your system really needs and thus missing out on some of the personal inspiration you could be receiving.

“Adequately rested, there is great value that can come to you as an early riser. Years ago, Barbara and I were asked to drive President and Sister Marion G. Romney from Provo to their home in Salt Lake City. Along the way, President Romney shared some of his personal experiences when he was first called to serve as a General Authority way back in 1941. He had been serving as a stake president at the time and had gone to General Conference where he was called, without prior knowledge, to be a General Authority. He was shocked and very nervous. He felt that he needed some advice, and so he went to Elder Harold B. Lee, a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve and former associate as a stake president. He asked him for advice about how to be successful as a general authority.

“Elder Lee said:

“‘If you are to be successful as a General Authority, I will give you one piece of advice: Go to bed early and get up early. If you do, your body and mind will become rested and then in the quiet of those early morning hours, you will receive more flashes of inspiration and insight than at any other time of the day.’

“President Romney said,

“‘From that day on, I put that counsel into practice, and I know it works. Whenever I have a serious problem, or some assignment of a creative nature with which I hope to receive the influence of the Spirit, I always receive more assistance in the early morning hours than at any other time of the day. Following that counsel has helped me a great deal through the years.’ (See: Joe J. Christensen, To Grow in Spirit [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983], pp. 27–28).

“You can have a similar experience in your own life. You can change, even if you consider yourself a ‘night person.’ Set the habit in 21 days. When it comes right down to it, it is a matter of strong resolve and ‘mind over mattress.’” (Resolutions [CES fireside for college-age young adults, Jan. 9, 1994], 5).

M. Russell Ballard cautioned that "Many people . . . have difficulty finding the time for sufficient rest, exercise, and relaxation. We must schedule time on our daily calendars for these activities if we are to enjoy a healthy and balanced life. Good physical appearance enhances our dignity and self-respect." (Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 17; or Ensign, [May 1987]: 15).

Whatever your condition in life get up off the couch and get moving. Do something which burns a few calories--skateboard, walk, run, swim, trampoline, roller skate, bike etc. Consistent exercise for thirty minutes a day at least five days of the week should get you in shape for a mission. Before launching in to any program make sure to consult with your parents, physician, and other health care professionals. Good luck in getting ready for a mission.

Higher Physical Requirements for LDS Missionaries

Recently in the Raising the Bar talk by Elder L. Tom Perry he discussed the ability of missionaries to meet the physical challenges of serving a mission.

President Gordon B. Hinckley chimed in on the topic in a Worldwide Leadership Conference:

"We ask you brethren to be more selective in those you recommend. Let your young people know what will be expected of them if they are to serve missions. Let their parents know what will be expected of their sons and daughters. . . .

I recognize that the position we have taken will appear unreasonable and harsh to many parents, who will plead that their sons and daughters have the opportunity of missionary service. But, brethren, we feel that we must bring back into focus the real purpose of missionary work and the need for certain qualifications in order to accomplish that purpose. I hope that all concerned will realize that it is better not to go, than to go out and have to return in disappointment and with a sense of failure after a very short time. Brethren, may the Lord bless you with inspiration, with direction and guidance, with love for those for whom you are responsible, and with the courage to stand up for what you know to be right and reasonable. . . .

Permit me to emphasize that we need missionaries, but they must be capable of doing the work. . . .

There should be an eagerness and a desire to serve the Lord as His ambassadors to the world. And there must be health and strength, both physical and mental, for the work is demanding, the hours are long, and the stress can be heavy.

We are not asking for perfection. The work of the Lord is done by ordinary people who work in an extraordinary way. (Gordon B. Hinckley, First Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 2003, 18).

President Hinckley in the same address went on to say: "

This work is rigorous. It demands strength and vitality. It demands mental sharpness and capacity. . . .

. . . Missionary work is not a rite of passage in the Church. It is a call extended by the President of the Church to those who are worthy and able to accomplish it. . . .

Good physical and mental health is vital. . . .

There are parents who say, ‘If only we can get Johnny on a mission, then the Lord will bless him with health.’

It seems not to work out that way. Rather, whatever ailment or physical or mental shortcoming a missionary has when he comes into the field only becomes aggravated under the stress of the work.

We simply must face up to the facts. We are spending millions of dollars on medical care and countless hours assisting those with problems that make it impossible for them to perform the work. . . .

. . . There are other areas where those with serious limitations may work and have a satisfying experience. And the Lord will bless them for what they are able to do. . . .

Permit me to emphasize that we need missionaries, but they must be capable of doing the work. . . .

There should be an eagerness and a desire to serve the Lord as His ambassadors to the world. And there must be health and strength, both physical and mental, for the work is demanding, the hours are long, and the stress can be heavy. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Missionary Service,” First Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 2003, 17–18).

When I was on a mission the question of whether an elder or sister could meet the challenges was assumed. Physical education was taught in the elementary school all the way up to high school. Most of us participated in the president's physical fitness challenge. Even overweight elders and sisters seemed more vigorous and were seldom considered a major problem in most missions. When a missionary had a problem it usually stemmed from some ailment like breaking a leg usually caused during a P-day activity like basketball.

There were only a handful that had serious physical limitations and they were accommodated by being in missionary areas with cars. Most of them were even mentally and physically tough.

Vaughn J. Featherstone showed the tough attitude that missionaries had back in the 1970s : "An elder in our mission has had some pretty serious health problems. He has a skin allergy, bronchial problems, and sinus problems. When I arrived in the mission, he was sleeping in for fear of coming to a weakened condition and catching the flu. Then when he came in for lunch, he was sleeping for a couple of hours to keep from catching a cold or the flu. His companion was frustrated and called me.

I called the elder’s doctor. He said, “Well, his condition is bad, but it’s better than it was when he came into the mission field. It’s not going to change much no matter how many hours he works.” I called the elder into the office and suggested that I would rather see him sick with the flu legitimately than always worrying about it. I discussed with him the principle of suffering in silence, of simply going to work and doing what the Lord had called him to do. I said, “The doctor says your condition isn’t going to change no matter how much or how little you do. We’ve done and are doing all we can do. Why don’t you learn to bear your health problems without mentioning them to anyone else or showing any signs of being ill.”

Bless his great heart, he took the counsel and put it into practice. He has become one of the top missionaries in the mission. He was made a training senior companion and then a district leader, all within about six weeks. What a great missionary he is now. He discovered how to suffer in silence and do the work. He is a great example of self-denial.

Another missionary had a bad back. He was in pain constantly. He did not know that I knew of his condition. He loved missionary work so much he had kept it a secret for fear that he might be released from his mission. Another great elder had ruined both knees in sports competition. He asked for a blessing from the previous mission president and was unable to endure another full year. Every step he took he was in pain. When I interviewed him to be released, he pleaded with me to let him stay two more years in the mission.

The mission life is not easy. It requires self-denial, mental and physical exertion, maturity, self-mastery, spirituality, and a very strong, positive mental attitude. It requires an elder to be a man, not a boy. A mission should be a Spartan life. It will require resiliency and total commitment." (Vaughn J. Featherstone, “Self-Denial,” Tambuli, Jan 1979, 45).

The number of overweight children has more than tripled over the past three decades since I went on a mission. In 2008 the U.S. Surgeon General reported: "Today, more than 12.5 million children -- 17.1% of children and adolescents 2 to 19 years of age -- are overweight in the U.S., up from 13 % in 1999. Overweight children are at far greater risk for numerous health consequences, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. The most immediate consequence of overweight as perceived by the children themselves is social discrimination sometimes resulting in poor self-esteem and depression."

An interesting article described an elder losing 120 pound from 400 to 280 in the New Era in 2005. He describes his program of weight reduction. I wonder if they factor in height and bone density.

As a consequence of this growing trend, in November 2007 Elder L. Tom Perry stated: "The minimum physical standard for full-time missionary service refers to a potential missionary’s physical health and strength. For example, one of the questions on the missionary recommendation forms asks if you “can work 12 to 15 hours per day, walk 6 to 8 miles per day, ride a bicycle 10 to 15 miles per day, and climb stairs daily.” Missionary work is hard, and full-time missionaries must be in good physical condition to serve. Raising the bar to a higher physical standard could involve further physical conditioning."

Missionary candidates need to work on physical conditioning prior to serving a mission. In March 2007 Donald B. Doty, Chairman of the Missionary Health Department said:

"Physical and mental preparation should begin at least two years before a full-time mission.

During 35 years of practice as a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, I performed thousands of operations on the heart. After cardiac surgery, patients would often ask me how they could prevent future surgery. And even if they didn’t ask, I felt obligated to advise them anyway. I would talk to them about the importance of a healthy diet, appropriate weight, aerobic exercise, adequate rest, and stress reduction. Those who acted on my advice were generally blessed with years of comfortable living. Many of those who lacked the resolve to make the necessary lifestyle changes had to face the surgical knife again—often sooner rather than later."

He goes on to say:

"Regular (daily) exercise. A missionary must be able to walk an average of six miles (10 km) per day and ride a bicycle 12 miles (19 km) per day. Prospective missionaries who aren’t walking more than from the car to a class or a job will likely get sore feet and blisters when they reach the mission field. Those who are not used to riding a bicycle regularly will also become very “saddle sore” when a bike becomes their primary means of transportation. A missionary who is out of shape will be fatigued by missionary work, and a tired missionary is more open to discouragement and health concerns than a missionary who is physically fit.

Prospective missionaries can prepare for the rigors of missionary life by establishing a regular pattern of aerobic exercise—walking, running, or cycling for one hour every day. Those whose primary form of exercise is playing electronic games or text messaging will take at least four months to achieve the level of conditioning that will allow them to actually enjoy a workout."

A few potential missionary candidates can not meet this standard even after trying and several won't put in the effort suggested. Doty says "Today about 3 percent of missionaries have their missions shortened by either physical or mental health problems. Losing 3 out of 100 missionaries may not seem like very many. But to the individual and his or her family, it is very significant."

The standard according to Doty is "that missionaries have a body mass index no higher than 37. This is actually on the border between obesity and morbid obesity. Prospective missionaries should strive to keep their weight in the normal range, thereby avoiding obesity-related health problems. Being markedly under normal weight can also have serious health consequences."

It is hard to know who really has a physical problem and who just doesn't have the motivation to be physically active. It is a complex problem in a culture that prides itself on living "The Word of Wisdom." Serving a mission is a voluntary program that has criteria associated with acceptance by the LDS missionary committee.

Those who cannot meet the standard are considered honorably excused from a regular proselyting mission. They can serve in other ways back in their home communities on service missions. LDS families need to consider the impact of lifestyle choices well in advance of a child serving. It is very disappointing to not serve a mission due to the fact you might have ate too much fast food or spent your life playing video games or watched too much television.

If I applied for a mission today at my current weight I would be turned down for not just obesity but for morbid obesity. I don't criticize those who can't meet the standard. I think if you can handle the work but your body mass isn't low enough you should still apply I am sure they consider every missionary's situation in making a determination. My dear departed father used to say "They can only say no." As an LDS parent I am going to repent and encourage my children to be more physically active since when the "going gets tough the tough get going." I would hate to see them not be qualified for a mission because I didn't make them exercise by going out to play each day.