My father requested a letter for the youth in our ward.

Letter to the Youth

Depending on your age and your circumstance, you probably have a different understanding for what a mission is. For example, I had about a 5% idea of what a mission was going to be like, because I had seen a few episodes of the district. The principle reasons that I left everything to serve a mission were:

• Wanting to be obedient. 
• Support from my family. 

The obedience is important. The current prophet has affirmed that it is a responsibility of all worthy and able priest holders to serve a mission. That is a statement from God to the only man authorized to have all the keys of the priesthood here on the earth. Do not take it lightly, because there is no excuse for faulting missionary service unless you are phsically unable. The second reason was that support from family and friends. For those without that support from parents, there is a bishop, young mens presidency, and quorom advisers that are willing to help you in any way to go on a mission. Because they know what's at stake; Salvation, Eternal happiness, and Eternal life. I am so convinced that a mission is the fastest way to gain an unbreakable conviction and powerful testimony in the Lord Jesus Christ and of His church. When you dedicate your life to it, you change in a way that wouldnt otherwise be possible if you were at home with the millions of distractions and temptations. A mission is more satisfying than anything I have ever done in my life. I know that God has given me everything and if I would have stayed home I would have been turning my back on Him, the source of those blessings.

There are hundreds of reasons to serve a mission, and no excuse to miss it. This is the opportunity to assure your happiness here on the earth. There isn't a better way, and probably not another way, to learn and grow as spirtually as you do on a mission.  The atonement is something we must use everyday or we won't be able to become like Him. If you currently are not worthy, get worthy now, don't wait. If you have doubts or lack the faith right now, lean on my testimony, your teachers, your bishops. Most of all trust in God, He provides the way to fufill his commandments. And be not confused. Serving an honorable full time mission is just that, for every able and worthy young man. You can't exclude yourself. Let that motivate you and i promise you will see the ´´whys´´ very soon. It is for the everlasting blessings.

I am not in the room with you as you read this but if I were I could look each one of you in the eye and testify that I know that God is our Eternal Father, and that His son Jesus Christ is our Savior and Master and only through his merits are we saved. Under condition to repentence and obedience to his commandments. But the sweetest part of testifying that is that I can and will do it genuinely, truthfully meaning every single word. God loves each one of you. Show him that you love Him too by doing all the things you should now to prepare yourself for the rest of life and fortify yourself against the evil of this world. Do so, and i promise you, you will never regret it. Never.  I feel so much love for all God's children now and I write this to you while serving a mission to maybe help you understand how great and important it is to serve.

May God bless you.  

Sincerely,

Elder Garrett Smith