PROVO, Utah — In a season known for gifts and giving, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught missionaries worldwide about “a gift that you give to the Savior and a gift that He gives to you — the gift of teaching and testimony.”
Elder Andersen and his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, spoke at a Dec. 10 Provo Missionary Training Center devotional that was broadcast to the Church’s 10 other MTCs around the globe.
Elder Andersen explained that full-time missionaries share a charge with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “We rejoice together that our calling gives us the privilege of speaking the name of Christ across all the world, to declare His divinity and to help people know that His restored gospel is again upon the earth,” he said, adding, “It is your charge, and it is my charge.”
The responsibility
And why do the First Presidency, the Twelve and the missionaries have such a responsibility? Elder Andersen said that as President Russell M. Nelson taught in October 2024 general conference, the Savior is returning.
Said Elder Andersen: “And across all the world, there will be a righteous people, a people of every culture, every race, every nation that believe in Christ and worship Him and serve Him, that when He comes again, they might receive Him — and that is what we are doing. …
“This gift that we give to the Lord is the gift of teaching and testifying,” he continued. “We teach and testify, and we do it constantly.”
In return, the Lord provides the ability to teach and the ability to testify,” Elder Andersen said. “He gives to us an assurance, a confidence, a confirmation of those things we believe.”
He shared testimonies of Peter, Alma, Joseph Smith and President Nelson, one of the several times he cited the President of the Church throughout his devotional message.
Added Elder Andersen: “And this is your calling — to teach and testify — and we need you.”
Seeds of an apple
Elder Andersen pulled out an apple from behind the podium to illustrate the adage “You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the apples in the seed.” He cut the apple with a knife and extracted a seed.
“How many apples in this seed? We don’t know, because its life is just beginning,” he said. “And here is my statement to you: ‘You can count the testimonies you share, but you can’t count the consequences and blessings the testimonies will bring.’”
In support of that statement, he shared two anecdotes of teaching and testimonies that lead to conversions — one from San Antonio, Texas, nearly a half-century ago and another just days ago from a grandson serving in the Italy Milan Mission.
Key measurements
Elder Andersen acknowledged that the number of baptisms varies from mission to mission throughout the world — “but the number of baptisms is not the major factor, because we seek out the elect wherever they are.”
He added: “That is not your key measurement. Your measurement is how you teach, how much you teach, how you testify, how you feel and how willing you are to bring that message to those around you.”
In concluding with his love and appreciation for the missionaries and his testimony of Jesus Christ and the messages of prophets and apostles, Elder Andersen said: “We are the recipients of the teaching and testimony of thousands who have blessed us. It has created in us the faith that we share.
“Now we take that faith, and we teach and we testify. As we do, the Lord sends His Spirit upon us, and we grow and we become who we hope to become.”
Sister Andersen: ‘You are the faithful’
Speaking before her husband, Sister Andersen underscored the MTC choir’s rendition of “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful,” reciting and emphasizing the lyrics. She reminded the missionaries that “you are the faithful” and said the “oh, come, let us adore him” repeated phrase “is exactly what each of you are doing as you begin your missions.”
After highlighting excerpts of the Savior’s birth from Luke 2, Sister Andersen testified of Elder Andersen’s apostolic call. “If there are any among you, as you begin this extraordinary moment in your life, who have fear or concern or uncertainty, the Lord this night has sent one of His servants to comfort you and to bring His message to you.”
What missionaries learned
Sister Lindsey Uhl — of Provo, Utah, preparing to serve in the Nevada Henderson Mission — said the Spirit taught her during the devotional the importance of seeking out and teaching the elect wherever they are and of serving the Savior. “By serving Him, you will learn of Him,” she said. “If you keep walking in faith, you will be blessed with knowledge.”
And Sister Cara Davidson — of Burlington, Wyoming, assigned to the Texas Austin Mission — said she gained an understanding of the emphasis of teaching over baptismal totals. “It’s about how you teach, how much you teach, how you feel when you teach and how willing you are to testify,” she said.
