PROVO, Utah — In every aspect of missionary work, no effort is wasted.
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles drew upon his personal conversion — a long journey of skepticism, persistent love and faith — to teach this principle to new mission leaders at the 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Saturday, June 21.
“Your efforts are not wasted,” he said, pointing to Chapter 9 of “Preach My Gospel‚” where “No Effort Is Wasted” is taught. “Your service and expressions of genuine love will bless both you and them. I’m here to remind you that no loving, Spirit-led effort is wasted.”
Elder Kearon said it is natural to be disappointed when a person does not accept the gospel. In those times, he encouraged missionaries to “turn to the Lord,” and as promised in Isaiah 41:10, “I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee.”
“Turn to the Lord, and He will uphold you,” Elder Kearon said.
Elder Kearon’s conversion
Elder Kearon was fortunate to have spent time with a wonderful family of faithful Church members. He had seen them living vibrant, joy-filled lives of service and devotion — at the beginning of his two-year journey towards faith.
At the seminar, he enlisted the help of several individuals to reenact the last six months of his journey before baptism.
In 1987, the 26-year-old Patrick Kearon was meeting with sister missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regularly in a cubicle at London’s Hyde Park Chapel Visitors’ Center.
Often repeating the theme of “No effort is wasted,” Elder Kearon detailed the relentless efforts of the missionaries to help him understand and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. These efforts included teaching about Jesus Christ, kneeling in prayer together, fasting and singing. They invited him to attend Church meetings. They baked him cookies and wrote him notes to read on days when they couldn’t meet together. They introduced him to new friends in the Church and a senior missionary couple. They invited him to be baptized between 15 and 20 times, never showing frustration despite his repeated refusals.
“It was all new to me, but it was beautiful, and I was touched,” he said. “They taught me about the plan of happiness, and what I was struck by is they were so happy. They embodied what they were teaching me. But I could just not believe. They were undaunted and listened to my myriad concerns. I was skeptical at best — sometimes cynical — but was being blessed by what they were doing, how they were doing it and what they were digging deep to convey.”
A pivotal point came when Elder Kearon received a blessing from a senior missionary. After the blessing, he experienced a profound spiritual feeling of exuberance and gospel light that changed his perspective. He was baptized on Christmas Eve in 1987. He credited the missionaries’ consistent love, patience and spiritual guidance.
“No effort is wasted. No effort is wasted,” he said, inviting mission leaders to teach their missionaries the same lesson. “Your missionaries must develop under your loving care and under your righteous expectations, glorious, faithful resilience and determination.”
Faith is power
Elder Kearon cited a statement from Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from the 2016 Seminar for New Mission Leaders that Elder Kearon felt was just for him.
“Some might say that baptisms are not determined by the missionary because it is a moral choice that [everyone] must make,” Elder Andersen said. “There is truth in that statement, but there is also truth in this one: There is power that can cause things to happen that need to happen. There is a spiritual force that can stir a mortal soul toward the spiritual. Faith is a power, and it can cause things to happen that need to happen. It can cause a soul who is good but dormant to awaken to God.”
Elder Kearon said that power is real.
“And that power can be facilitated by the kind of faith, devotion and effort of our young friends and our older friends too,” he said. “No effort is wasted, even if it takes time. … Every single one of your efforts and those of your missionaries will be a blessing to those you are seeking to bring to Christ.”
Elder Kearon concluded with his witness of the Savior and his testimony of the gospel.
“I am so grateful that I was re-found and I was blessed with wonderful missionaries who loved me and cared for me,” he said. “I testify of a loving God, of our Father in Heaven. I testify of His Son, Jesus Christ.”
