Sister Wright Underscores Traits of a Successful Missionary

By virtue of this covenant connection, missionaries will receive help and strength from the Lord in the complex situations and challenging times they face, taught Sister Amy A. Wright, First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, at a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Tuesday, August 27.

Sister Wright, a member of the Church’s Missionary Executive Council, was accompanied by her husband, Brother James M. Wright, who also spoke.

In the Book of Mormon, Ammon turned to the Lord, focused on his missionary purpose and most particularly focused on Jesus Christ — not the outward results of his missionary work — and thus provided an inspiring and valuable example of how missionaries should define success.

Sister Wright invited the training missionaries to learn from what can be found in Alma 17 and “Preach My Gospel” Chapter 1.

In Alma 17, Ammon and his brethren are reunited 14 years after beginning their missions. They have become “seasoned men of faith and understanding,” Sister Wright said, because they “had searched the scriptures diligently and more fully understood Jesus Christ’s doctrine and Heavenly Father’s plan of redemption.”

Verse 3 speaks of much fasting and prayer. “Missionary service is not purely a covenant journey but also a sacred and holy covenant relationship,” Sister Wright said. “A successful missionary invites Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, through prayer, to be part of their daily walk as they set goals, plan and work to fulfill those goals.”

As they began their missions, Ammon and his brethren set aside the things of the world, obeyed God’s commandments and moved forward with faith in Jesus Christ. Successful missionaries today obey God’s commandments and observe the missionary standards.

“A successful missionary focuses on leaving the world behind, which includes the judgment of the world,” Sister Wright said.

Ammon and his brethren prayed to be able to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord (see verses 9-10). Just as instruments need constant maintenance and fine-tuning, so it is with direction from the Holy Ghost.

“There needs to be continual course corrections, spiritual nourishment and polishing for the Spirit to abide with us. Because of Jesus Christ, we have the potential to be mighty instruments in His work of salvation and exaltation even though at times we may seem small and simple,” Sister Wright said.

Sister Wright invited the missionaries to seek out holy places of peace, comfort and security where they can feel the Holy Ghost and find Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ — through the scriptures, words of the living prophets and house of the Lord; through serving and forgiving, keeping the commandments and honoring the Sabbath, praying, teaching and testifying of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A successful missionary strives to live so the Spirit can guide them, taught Sister Wright, knowing that they are doing the work of the Lord and He does not fail.

In verse 11, the Lord told Ammon and his brethren to go among the Lamanites, “thy brethren.” Loving and inviting others through a familial lens can lead to others feeling God’s love — and miracles can happen.

“Successful missionaries love people sincerely and do their best every day to bring souls to Christ,” Sister Wright said.

Ammon trusted in God’s power to change hearts and natures. He served the people first, which Sister Wright said is another trait of successful missionaries — they “go about doing good and serving people at every opportunity, whether they accept the gospel of Jesus Christ or not.”

As disciples of Jesus Christ, Ammon and his brethren understood they were doing a great work — the work of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Sister Wright told the missionaries they have each been given unique talents and gifts to use in the Lord’s work — and all gifts are important and needed. Everyone also has different challenges and things in life that are uniquely hard for them.

“The marvelous thing is that we have been blessed with strengths, talents and gifts that will help us successfully navigate the hard. As you know, our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the manifestation of all gifts of the Spirit. That is the character of Christ,” Sister Wright said.

Ammon and his brethren exhibited Christlike attributes of faith, hope, charity and love, virtue, integrity, knowledge, patience, humility, diligence and obedience. As missionaries strive to become more like Jesus Christ, they will establish a foundation for the rest of their lives.

“When you have done your best, you may still have disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself. You can feel assured that the Lord is pleased with your efforts when you feel the Spirit working through you,” Sister Wright said.

Note: Church News managing editor Scott Taylor contributed to this report.