PROVO, Utah — Many years ago, Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman visited a small church built in a municipal landfill in Tijuana, Mexico.
Inside the church, her group met a man named Javier, who asked a simple question in broken English — “Are you here for to bless?”
The simple phrase imprinted a profound lesson on President Freeman’s heart and continues to resonate with her to this day, she told new mission leaders at the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Saturday, June 22.
“It is a phrase that I try to remember every time I walk into someone’s life: ‘I am here for to bless,’” she said.
President Freeman referenced Chapter 13 in “Preach My Gospel,” which highlights the importance of uniting with members in serving the Lord and accomplishing His purposes.
“How can you be successful at this? How can you help your missionaries be successful at this?” she said. “It begins by remembering the lesson from Javier, ‘We are here for to bless.’”
Lessons from Ammon
One of President Freeman’s favorite mission stories, found in Alma chapters 17 and 18, provides insights and lessons related to loving, supporting and strengthening others.
Although initially bound and taken before the king, a series of subsequent events allowed Ammon to come to know and love the people, find ways to support them and use his gifts and talents to lift and strengthen them.
“He builds trust and creates true friendships — and does all of this before he ever begins to teach or preach,” she said.
Much like mission leaders and missionaries, Ammon decided to “dwell among [the] people” and serve the people until he saw an opportunity to “win” their hearts so he could “lead them to believe in [his] words.
“He wanted to increase their faith in Christ, but Ammon knew there was a great work that had to be done before that could happen,” said President Freeman, who noted that it takes 38 verses before Ammon begins to preach to the king.
Because of his preparation, Ammon is able to testify of God, invite the Spirit, open the scriptures and teach the king, who believes his words.
“We can do the same,” President Freeman said. “Teach your missionaries how important it is to build trust. This will happen both by words and by actions.”
How can I help?
Another trait of Ammon is captured in four words repeatedly used in Chapter 13 of “Preach My Gospel” — “How can we help.”
“These four words remind me of Ammon because this is what Ammon did,” she said. “He walked into the situation and asked, ‘How can I help?’”
One way missionaries can help establish and build up the Church is by visiting the homes of members and look for opportunities to build faith in Jesus Christ.
“These visits will be more powerful if they enter each home with the intention to lift and inspire each individual there,” President Freeman said.
Returning to the landfill in Tijuana, Mexico, President Freeman told the story of a struggling, inactive 17-year-old young man whose faith was strengthened when he and others helped a single and destitute young mother.
“He had witnessed something powerful that strengthened his testimony of this Church and the great work that happens here,” said President Freeman, who added the young man later served a full-time mission in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Savior’s example
The Savior is the ultimate model of loving and lifting others, said President Freeman before providing several scriptural examples.
“The Savior was a master at going into homes and teaching there. He came to know and love the people. He found ways to support, uplift and strengthen them. He used every opportunity to strengthen their faith,” she said.
“Consider how the teaching in every home was different. The Savior knew who He was teaching. He knew their names. He knew their needs. He spoke the words that would help them progress, increase and transform into the person He knew they could become. There was purpose in healing. He was anxiously engaged in His mission.”
‘Keep back nothing’
At the end of his mission in Croatia, President Freeman’s son Caleb asked if he should dispose of his worn-out shoes. President Freeman said no, she wanted to see them in person. Today she keeps her son’s mission shoes in her office.
“They remind me that I want to waste and wear out my life in the cause of the Lord,” she said. “I want to keep back nothing.”
