Can you tell me the reasons why a person should serve as a missionary for the Mormon Church?

Question

Dear Gramps,

My nephew is 19 and wants to know what reasons he should serve a mission. I need another’s opinion. Can you help me here?

Bob

Answer

Dear Bob,

Reason #1–The Lord wants him to go.

Reason #2–The President of the Mormon Church wants him to go.

Reason #3–His Stake President, Bishop, parents and uncle want him to go.

Reason #4–He will be instrumental in bringing a number of our Father’s children into the Kingdom of God on the earth, and providing for their eternal salvation.

Reason #5–He will participate in warning the world of its wicked ways.

Reason #6–He will gain a spiritual testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Reason#7–He will come to know what it is like to become a close associate of the Savior of mankind.

Reason #8–It will be the most intense, productive period of his life.

Reason #9–He will learn to love others more than himself.

Reason #10–He will gain an intimate acquaintanceship with another culture that could be obtained in no other way in such a short time.

Reason #11–He will probably become very proficient in another language.

Reason #12–He will gain a poise and maturity in dealing with other people that he could gain in no other way.

Reason#13–He will learn the fundamental principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in great detail.

Reason#14–He will have gained more experience in how to think for himself, how to manage his time, how to study and how to present himself to others than he would in six years of university training.

—just for starters.

Gramps