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Dear Gramps,

My husband and I would love to go on a mission. We are in a financial position to serve anywhere in the world and would love to serve in a third-world country. The concern we have is his elderly mother. She is not a member of the Church and would not understand our desire to serve a mission. Her feeling is that we should wait until after her death. Fortunately, she enjoys wonderful health, lives alone, and is very active in her ladies organizations. How do we make her understand that we are not abandoning her? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Christine

 

Answer

 

Dear Christine,

Seldom can we please everyone. But I have the feeling that if we acquiesce to the desires of those who do not have a full appreciation for the things of the Kingdom of God, we demonstrate to them that the things of the Kingdom of God are less important to us than is our relationship with some individual. However dear that relationship is, it would demonstrate that our commitment to the Lord is of lesser value.

We should do all we can to placate the feelings of the those who do not fully understand the sacredness and the importance of following the inspiration of the Lord, but it seems to me that far more harm would be done by putting at a low value our commitment to the Lord. If you have been to the temple you will sense some obligation to obey both the law of sacrifice and the law of consecration. The Savior gave clear instructions in matters like these, as recorded in Matthew.

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

 

And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

 

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

 

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:35-38).

Gramps

 

 

 

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