The Early Missionaries

This week I read more of the book of Acts (9,13-18 to be specific), and I found it very interesting that Paul and the other missionaries of the time had such a monumental task ahead of them, but the challenges they faced were no deterrent to them because their conversion was such that the trials they faced were used for their strength and growth.

Paul is the most "famous" of those early missionaries, and I believe it is because he was instrumental in spreading the gospel to the gentiles, who up to not long before Paul was converted, were denied the blessings of the gospel and the gift of the Holy Ghost. His three missions took him where to started in Antioch and ended in Rome where he was martyred.

When I read about Paul and the other missionaries, I cannot help but think about when I was a full-time missionary and I experienced what I thought were challenges, but as I read the account of the apostles I realize that I could have been a much more instrumental missionary. But alas, that was 10 years ago and the only thing I can do at this point not make the same mistake and keep working hard to make sure that Heavenly Father can use me as an instrument in His work. In case somebody out there has struggled (or is currently struggling with being discouraged), I have learned three important principles that I pray will help discourage the discouragement (from Acts 13:1-5):

1. Missionaries are called and set apart by the Holy Ghost (who works through inspired leaders), but simply being called is not enough. The early missionaries were not called to missions without first being prepared. Acts 13:1-2 states that Paul and others that were with him were not sitting around waiting for the Holy Ghost to call them to missions. They spent their time "[ministering] to the Lord, and [fasting]. The Lord will not call to his service those who are not prepared, and He does know us every intimately and He know about our hearts and preparations, and the more we prepare for the work, the more help He will give us when we need it.
2. It is impossible for missionaries to succeed without the assistance of the Holy Ghost. No amount of fasting and praying will help us if we are not doing our part. I love what has been said in church many times: pray like everything depends on the Lord and work like everything depends on us. If we do everything we can for our part, the Lord will do His and fill the gap.
3. The Holy Ghost will guide us to where we need to be. I had an experience on my mission that illustrates this point. My companion wanted to change things a little and he suggested we individually look over the map of our area and pray for inspiration to know what five areas we should focus our efforts on for that day. I was skeptical and unfortunately could have had my heart more into it, but we went through with the plan and because I had a bad attitude I was happy inside when our inspirations took us nowhere. Then as we were walking we noticed a red car that was parked and the lady that was inside of it came out wanting to talk to us. It turned out that she was a faithful member of the church who had come to California to visit someone and she had become lost and sick. When we had walked by her car, she told us she had been praying to know what to do and we were the answer to her prayer.

For some of his travels, Paul had by his side a companion who was instrumental in his ministry. Barnabas induced Paul to join him in the ministry, and the rest is history. Paul became such a strong force for the gospel, specially among the gentiles, and Barnabas can be credited for that. Reading about Barnabas in the Manual "The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles", I think about how important it is that the Lord has placed his missionaries in pairs. Barnabas and Paul supported each other through difficulties and even better, they were each other's witnesses of the truth they were teaching, and there is much more power in the testimony of two or more persons than just one person alone (although one should always spread the gospel regardless of who is with him).

Paul and Barnabas were so powerful in their preaching that the people of Lystra thought of Paul and Barnabas as Roman Gods Jupiter and Mercurius and were ready offer sacrifices for them. As inspired servants of the Lord, Paul and Barnabas took the opportunity to preach the gospel and were successful in stopping the people from sacrificing to them.

In contrast, Paul and Barnabas were treated badly later when Paul was stoned and left for dead, which he later explained that would be similar to how we enter the kingdom of God. "...and that we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God". Life was never meant to be easy as we knew from the very beginning that life would be filled with difficulties, and missionary work is not exception (if it's not even more challenging), but it reminds me of the promise given in Revelations 3:21: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."