In his talk “Raising the Bar” Elder L Tom Perry speaks to the future missionaries of the church. He begins by sharing a story about his son, Lee. When Lee was in high school he was a high jumper. He was practicing on a regular basis, and was consistently making his jumps. Elder Perry suggested that he raise the bar. Lee was afraid to do this because he might miss. Elder Perry pointed out that he couldn’t reach his full potential unless he raised the bar.
Elder Perry challenges the young men to raise the bar of being prepared to serve a mission. He reminds the young men that the minimum requirements for missionary service were raised in 2002. Missionaries need to be physically health and capable of handling the emotional stress that a mission entails. They also need to have studied the gospel so that they can teach it to others. Personal worthiness is of the utmost importance.
Elder Perry challenges the young men to prepare themselves now, and to the best of their abilities. He mentions specifically physical fitness, physical appearance and intellectual growth. He additionally stresses the importance of studying the “Preach My Gospel” handbook as well as attending Seminary and Institute classes.
Elder Perry points out that each missionary is going to need coping skills in place when it comes to a mission. Many young men cope by playing video games or listening to music, which is not an option while on a mission. He suggests looking for other coping skills. He also suggests getting a job, which will help the young men gain social skills and an understanding of hard work. He challenges the young men to save part of the money they earn for their mission.
This talk really emphasizes the importance of each young man being prepared to truly serve the Lord. As a parent you may want to have a family home evening lesson on this talk. You may want to challenge your sons to read it. You may additionally find ways that you can all improve spiritually as a family. I hope that you will take the time to read this talk.
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Young Men: Preparing Your Son for His Mission