To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice...

 
I entered the Missionary Training Center on September 2, 1992. Due to some conflicts with work schedules, my parents were not able to be with me as I entered those doors and began my full-time missionary service. However, they had made plans to drive out to Salt Lake City from Illinois to see me off at the airport (this was before 9/11, so they would have actually been able to see me off at the gate). I woke up early the morning of November 4th and was preparing to take the bus ride to the airport, when I received a note telling me to give my parents a call at a number provided. I gave them a call, wondering what was going on. You can imagine my disappointment (and theirs), as they let me know that due to a winter storm I-80 was closed and they were forced to stop in Cheyenne Wyoming. They had driven 14 hours of a 20 hour trip to come see me, and now they would not be able to. I couldn't speak long as I had to catch the bus so I said good-bye and told them that I would call them on Christmas.

I took the short bus ride to the Salt Lake City airport, followed by a flight to LAX, and was soon on my way to meet my mission president. As part of the orientation process, we reviewed the Missionary Handbook (a.k.a. the white bible) and my mission president specifically referred to page 29  (shown here):

As you can see, under the "Family Members and Friends" section, it specifically states: "Do not telephone parents, relatives, or friends."  My mission president then proceeded to tell us that there was not an exception granted in the handbook to allow missionaries to call home on Christmas and Mother's Day, and that in our mission we were going to be 100% obedient. It didn't matter that in every other mission in the world they allowed the missionaries to call home twice a year, this was going to be our rule. I was upset at first, and I admit my initial thoughts included some very unflattering descriptions of my mission president. I then had to write home and let my parents know that I wouldn't be calling them after all due to our mission rules. My parents were  my mom was pretty upset, which was understandable. She hadn't been able to properly see me enter the MTC, she hadn't been able to say good-bye in the airport, and now she was being told that she wouldn't even be allowed to talk to me on Christmas and Mother's Day, even though every missionary mom that she had ever known talked about how great it was to hear from their missionary on these two days. I'm sure she had thoughts such as these:

"Just who does he think he is to tell me I can't talk to my son like every other missionary mom in the world"

"I don't care if that is the rule, I'm going to tell Tom to call me anyway, since I missed the other opportunities. I'm sure the Lord will understand that my situation is different."

"It's a stupid rule and he's a stupid mission president."

"It's just not fair."

"Maybe the mission president will have a change of heart"

I don't remember writing this, but my mother later told me that I had included a statement something like "it's our mission rule and I know I'll/we'll be blessed by being obedient". I'll come back to this in a moment, but fast forward to May of 1993. Our mission had decided that we were going to set May apart as a month of consecration and fasting and work and obedience, and that we had a goal of having 200 baptisms in our mission that month (we had been averaging somewhere in the 90-100 range if I remember correctly). This was a goal that was unheard of, and seemingly unreachable. However, we had faith and were obedient and we ended up with 202 baptisms that month. I gained a sure and undeniable testimony that we truly are blessed by being obedient.

So why am I telling this story? It seems lately that I've been seeing a lot of issues being discussed online lately, having to do with subjects ranging from same-sex marriage to modesty to dating to what is appropriate to wear at church...you get the idea. As I've read the different opinions, comments, quotes, etc. I've come to the conclusion that a lot of us (myself included at times) are missing the point. The point is this:

Everything we are asked to do by the Lord and His servants is first and foremost a test of our obedience. 

• Tithing is not primarily a principle about money or finance-it is a test of our obedience.

• Modesty is not primarily a principle about what we wear-it is a test of our obedience.

• Being against same-sex marriage is not primarily a principle about the eternal nature of families-it is a test of our obedience.

• Attending our church meetings is not primarily a principle about learning together-it is a test of our obedience.

• Obeying the  word of wisdom is not primarily a principle about health-it is a test of our obedience.

• Paying a generous fast offering is not primarily a principle about taking care of the poor-it is a test of our obedience.

•  Doing our home and visiting teaching is not primarily a principle about taking care of the spiritual and temporal needs of the members of our ward-it is a test of our obedience.

What I agree with or what I disagree with or what I understand or what I don't understand or how much I like my church leaders or how much I don't like my church leaders or the fact that every other missionary in the world called home on December 25th 1992 and I didn't is completely and utterly irrelevant. We are commanded to be obedient and if we have a problem with that then we need to get down on our knees and plead as a distressed father once pleaded "Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief" (Mark 9:24).

Joseph Smith once said “Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until all of the events transpire.” This should be our guiding principle in all we are asked to do.

Additional reading material:

Obedience-N. Eldon Tanner October 1973 General Conference

Beware of Murmuring-H. Ross Workman October 2001 General Conference

Faith Obedience-R. Conrad Schultz April 2002 General Conference

Obedience Brings Blessings-Thomas S. Monson April 2013 General Conference