MLS Missionaries

August 19, 2014
Many people ask what is it MLS missionaries do.  It stands for member and leader support.  We do a great variety of things.  We work mostly with less-actives, but we also see times when we can love and support those who are coming to church on a regular basis.  After all, everyone has challenges.  We fill assignments from the mission president, the bishop and the stake president.  We support the young missionaries in their work and assist where we can with their teaching of investigators.  We feed young missionaries and give them a feel of home while they are here.  We often serve as family for those in the church who don't have a lot of family support.  We fill whatever callings we are asked to do in the ward and help lighten the load for some very dedicated people.  We encourage temple attendance and visit the lonely and the sick.
We have been visiting a woman lately in a hospital for the mentally ill.  She is far away from her home ward and she needs visitors.  When we first started visiting with her, she asked us not to talk about the church.  That was challenging, because that is our assignment right now.  Little by little she has allowed to discuss the Gospel with her.  The last time we came, she told us not to talk about the Gospel with her on that visit.  It was hard to think of what kind of message to bring her.  Then I remembered a Reader's Digest article we had shared with our children in a family home evening, "Lessons from Aunt Grace".
It turned out to be inspired as we visited with her and realized what her need was that day.  It is a good feeling when we feel we have been guided to just the right message for someone we teach.
Our oldest daughter had reminded us of that article recently when she told us she shared it with their children for family home evening.  It is comforting to see the ripple effect of the things we do.