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What Elder Renlund taught new mission leaders about love, trust and integrating service missionaries into their missions

The degree to which missionaries turn outward in Christlike service to others defines the degree to which they are becoming His disciples, Elder Renlund teaches new mission leaders

PROVO, Utah — Strive to build lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ in all missionaries — teaching missionaries and young service missionaries, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles told newly called mission leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, June 22.

“Remember, the degree to which service missionaries and teaching missionaries turn outward in Christlike service to others defines the degree to which they are becoming His disciples,” he said.

During his remarks at the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, Elder Renlund discussed two aspects of mission leaders’ roles in helping missionaries build faith in Jesus Christ and exercising their agency to follow Him — “Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ” and the integration of service missionaries into missions.

‘Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ’

For missionaries to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ, the law of the Lord needs to be written in their hearts, Elder Renlund said. “They need to understand that being a disciple of Jesus Christ is about loving Him.”

Mission leaders could create a culture that tries to ensure that missionaries do what is right, but that will not teach them correct principles. “It is not enough for them to be obedient. You need to help them choose to be obedient because they love God. There is a difference,” Elder Renlund said.

To help mission leaders show that they love and trust their missionaries, Elder Renlund suggested they ask each missionary two questions — “Is there anything that will prevent you from being the kind of missionary God wants you to be?” and “Can I trust you?”

If missionaries see no obstacle to being their best self and attest they can be trusted, accept their words, he said.

Mission leaders should rely on “Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ,” including the Supplemental Information, and “Preach My Gospel” to protect missionaries physically, spiritually and emotionally. They can emphasize the Savior in the work by not shortening “Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ” to simply “Standards.”

“Resist the temptation to create new rules to address every possible scenario,” he added. “If you add rules, you convey to missionaries that they are not trustworthy and you undermine their confidence in their ability to make correct decisions under the influence of the Holy Ghost.”

All missionaries will benefit if a mission is organized with senior companions, trainers, district leaders, sister training leaders, zone leaders and assistants to the president functioning within the framework of their stewardships, as explained in the “Handbook for Mission Leaders,” Elder Renlund said.

Mission leaders can also help missionaries become “considerate disciples of Jesus Christ” by setting boundaries to their availability. Ask missionaries to be respectful by not calling before a specific time in the morning or after a specific time in the evening, he said. “Teach missionaries what a real emergency is that would warrant an interruption.”

Elder Dale G. Renlund speaks at the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders.
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks at the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Provo, Utah. | Hunter Winterton, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Integrating service missionaries

Elder Renlund then highlighted a few items regarding the integration of service missionaries into missions. He encouraged mission leaders to become familiar with the new section in the “Handbook for Mission Leaders” and review “Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ — Service Missions.”

Because they live at home, young service missionaries serve under the keys of the stake president and bishop for ecclesiastical matters, including worthiness, temple recommends and priesthood advancement, he explained.

“Young service missionaries serve under your keys for the practical needs of the mission experience, spiritual growth and personal development,” Elder Renlund told mission leaders.

He reminded them of a crucial resource available to help — service mission leaders.

As senior couples who are called and set apart under the direction of the area presidency and serve under the priesthood keys of a mission president, service mission leaders provide day-to-day supervision and support for service missionaries.

“You will soon learn that you can rely on these experienced and talented senior elders and sisters,” Elder Renlund said.

How young service missionaries feel about being part of a mission is primarily up to the mission leaders. “You can help them and others understand that they are authorized representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “Serving others is, after all, serving God. Service missionaries can also be an example and demonstrate this principle to your teaching missionaries.”

Resist the temptation to compare the worth of their service with that of teaching missionaries, he added. A scriptural phrase that teaches this principle is “no less serviceable” (Alma 48:19).

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, quoting President Howard W. Hunter, taught that even though Helaman was not as noticeable or conspicuous as Moroni, “he was as serviceable; that is, he was as helpful or useful as Moroni” in accomplishing the Lord’s purposes.

“The same is true for your young service missionaries,” Elder Renlund said. “They are no less serviceable than your teaching missionaries. Teach this, believe this, and live this.”

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