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How ‘First-Class Devotion to First-Class Causes’ Benefits Missionaries

At Provo MTC devotional, Elder Ringwood invites missionaries to ‘see your service differently’ in its lifelong impacts

This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.

By Scott Taylor, Church News

Full-time missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should give “first-class devotion to first-class causes” during their service, with one of those “first-class causes” how a mission can impact the missionary’s own future, said Elder Michael T. Ringwood of the Presidency of the Seventy.

He and his wife, Sister Rosalie Ringwood, spoke at the Tuesday, January 21, devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center.

Elder Ringwood said his message’s theme came from a line in the October 2012 general conference address by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who said some people “spend most of their time giving first-class devotion to lesser causes.”

Citing President Russell M. Nelson’s teaching to begin with the end in mind, Elder Ringwood expressed hope that his missionary listeners are thinking about — and setting goals on — what they want to gain from their missions.

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From left, Sister Rocio Ruiz and President Abel Ruiz — new leaders of the Mexico Missionary Training Center attending a weeklong seminar at the Provo MTC — and Mexico MTC director of operations Nicolás Casteñeda listen to the Tuesday, January 21, 2025, devotional at the Provo MTC in Provo, Utah. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company.

“I pray that this message tonight will help you see your mission differently,” he said, “and that you will give first-class devotion to the cause of who you should and can become from your service as a missionary.”

He acknowledged the “first-class causes” of missionaries helping in the gathering of Israel and teaching of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. “President Nelson called the gathering of Israel the greatest cause, and it is,” he said. “But I can’t think of a greater cause than your personal development. Your mission isn’t just about finding, teaching and baptizing, it is also about you.”

A member of the Church’s Missionary Executive Council, Elder Ringwood recalled that President Gordon B. Hinckley, the late Church president, frequently taught that every good thing that had ever happened to him he could trace back to a lesson he learned on his mission and that President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has repeatedly emphasized that nobody has benefitted more from mission service than he has.

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Tshepiso Mqadi, center, manager of operations for the South Africa Missionary Training Center, listens to the Tuesday, January 21, 2025, devotional at the Provo MTC in Provo, Utah. Photo by Adam Fondren, courtesy of Church News. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company.

“We don’t often talk about selfish reasons for serving a mission. Perhaps we should,” Elder Ringwood said. “If a mission did what it did for President Hinckley and for President Holland, it ought to be an opportunity for each of us to become better sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, students, employees, employers and leaders in the Church and in our communities. A great cause indeed — doesn’t this deserve first-class devotion?”

He continued: “What can you do to give first-class devotion to this first-class cause? Everything. You can learn from every moment of your mission. When you see someone who inspires you as a parent, be aware of what they do and make a note of what you liked. When you see a leader who inspires you, remember what they did and record what you liked. You can learn about careers, leadership, endurance, patience and everything else you can imagine.”

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Elder Michael T. Ringwood of the Presidency of the Seventy speaks during the Tuesday, January 21, 2025, devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Photo by Adam Fondren, courtesy of Church News. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company.

Elder Ringwood encouraged missionaries to look for such lessons and moments throughout their service, from being assigned companions and areas “that will feel like you are meant to be there” to meeting people “you will feel like you were meant to meet. …

“These moments will be the moments you can learn the most from as you focus on the first-class cause of becoming who God needs and wants you to become. This is worthy of first-class devotion.”

And the result will be similar to President Hinckley’s and President Holland’s declarations, Elder Ringwood said. “I know you will be able to say every good thing that ever happened to me I can trace back to a lesson I learned on my mission. You will also be able to say, ‘Nobody ever benefited more from a mission than I did.’”

Sister Ringwood spoke of “treasures” she had gleaned from her recent study of the Book of Mormon — treasures that came from the trying times described in the war chapters of Alma and Helaman. They included Alma the prophet feeling compelled to go forth preaching the word of God, the people being battle-ready and the zeal of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies.

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Sister Rosalie Ringwood speaks during the Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Photo by Adam Fondren, courtesy of Church News. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company.

“Our prayer is that you are zealous for God, living in passionate pursuit of your purpose,” she said, “and that you are now already armed with truth, righteousness and God’s word in your hearts — you have the greatest message in the world.”

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Elder Michael T. Ringwood of the Presidency of the Seventy speaks with new missionary training center leaders and directors of MTC operations — attending the 2025 Seminar for New MTC Leaders — following the Tuesday, January 21, 2025, devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Photo by Adam Fondren, courtesy of Church News. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company.

 
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