Counting Blessings - Day 6

Leesburg Zone

Sister Janna Blair - bottom right

Zone Conference with Elder Walker

I am thankful for having a missionary in the field.  Granted, I'm thankful for Janna, but having her serve as a missionary is a special blessing in our home.  I've had three other children serve and I just know from experience that there is an added measure of the Spirit in our home and in our lives as they served. I sometimes wonder if it is simply the fact that you have sacrificed in letting them go and like all service Heavenly Father rewards.  Having someone serving constantly day in and day out in this special way blesses you.  That goes for Hughie serving as bishop again.  I feel it daily and I am grateful for it.

President Kimball said that "the missionary work, like the tithing, will pour out blessings, as Malachi said, so many blessings that there'll hardly be room enough to receive them."

(From an Area conference Report, Korea, August 1975, p. 61, also see Malachi 3:10.)

This was quoted by Elder Carlos E. Asay at a Prospective Missionary Conference in Provo, Utah September 20 1984.  An edited version is in the October 1985 Ensign, "The Blessings of Sharing the Gospel" - he lists 17 blessings that come from missionary service.  He says there are more blessings.  I do not doubt that some of those extra blessings spill over into the family of the missionary. I am so glad to be part of it.  We serve as we support missionaries.  It is just one part of sharing the gospel.