Preparing for a Mission

"Young men, I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary...learn the lessons which will be beneficial to you...live the life you will need to have lived to be worthy." (Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2010)

Song: The Church of Jesus Christ (CS, 77)
Prayer: Collin
Scripture: Doctrine & Covenants 18:10, 15-16

Lesson:
A Prophet's Counsel
Latter-day prophets have counseled all worthy young men who hold the priesthood to serve a full-time mission. Pres. Monson in the last general conference reiterated that counsel. (See quote above.)

Preparing to Serve a Mission
Fill a bag with different items that represent lessons to be learned before a mission (e.g., scriptures, a tie, a cooking utensil, shoe polish, needle and thread, garden gloves, For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, consecrated oil, a journal, a testimony glove, a calendar, a toy iron, a piggy bank, a bicycle pump, etc.). Take turns pulling items out of the bag. Discuss ways you can prepare to serve a mission.

Blessings of Missionary Service
Read the story Pres. Monson shared about a young man who served a mission even though his parents were not members of the church (see Ensign, May 2010). How did serving a mission bless him and his family? Invite your Dad to share how serving a mission blessed his life.

Activity:
Set up four stations where family members can learn to do different things. We learned how to tie a tie, iron a shirt, polish a shoe and read a scripture in Spanish. You might also want to show children how to crack an egg, sew a button, share a testimony, serve another person, give a priesthood blessing, set measurable goals, schedule activities on a calendar, make a budget, or repair a flat tire on a bicycle.

Refreshment:
Apricot Cake

Song: Called to Serve (CS, 174)
Prayer: Dad