Lean In - An Important Life Lesson

Many important life-lessons can be learned while serving a mission. We invite all of our missionaries to "lean in" during their 18 or 24 month period of service.

To lean in is to be proactive in thought, word and deed. It is to serve others, seeking nothing in return. It is to put forh real effort in all that one does. This message is shared often, but the real learning takes place in the daily doing of missionary work.

I was pleased to receive the following email from one of our missionaries this past week. He has learned the value of leaning in. He has let go of a teenage way of living and is developing skills and abilities he never knew he had.

"Dear Pres. Murray,


Recently the Zone Leaders came into our area and worked with my companion and me. It went well. I learned that I shouldn't be afraid to work hard and to exceed. For the longest time I have been afraid to work as hard as I can. I felt like if I did I would be forced into doing so much more for many others and less for me. That was something that was holding me back.


Looking back I feel like I was a mouse afraid of it's shadow. But the shadow in this case is my potential. If we work hard we shall not fear, no matter what we are given or how God wants us to serve. We will receive strength and learn more about everything. So that is my new breakthrough. Hope you have a great week."

Another important life-lesson has been internalized.  This will hopefully become a successful pattern of living throughout this young man's life.