Today, one of our daughters arrives home from an 18-month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are so excited to see her!
We are also impressed with the way she has served. Every time she was assigned to a new area, she adapted quickly and with enthusiasm. For example, a few days after her first transfer, she wrote, “Even though I’ve only been in Woodbury for a little over a week, I know this is where I need to be. I love the people, and I’m witnessing so many miracles!”
All of that movement and change reminds me of Paul’s first mission, as recorded in Acts 13 and 14. When he and Barnabas were set apart for missionary service, they may have had no idea how far their service would take them: across the island of Cyprus, to the coastal city of Perga, and hundreds of miles through what is now Turkey. Every place they went, “they preached the word of God” (Acts 13:5, 16, 42, 44; 14:7, 21, 25). When they were persecuted, they bounced back quickly, traveled to the next city, and continued their work. (See, for example, Acts 14:5-7.)
The prophet Alma similarly traveled from city to city, teaching the people and establishing “the order of the church” (Alma 6:4). After preaching in Zarahemla (Alma 5), he went to Gideon (Alma 7), Melek (Alma 8:3-5), and Ammonihah (Alma 8:6). Even though he experienced horrific persecution in Ammonihah, as soon as he left the city, he began preaching in Sidom (Alma 15:13-14).
The hymn “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” conveys this adaptability beautifully. I love this arrangement of the hymn by Mack Wilberg, and I love this performance by a choir of missionaries, because each one of them exemplifies the spirit of this hymn:
Today, I will guidance from my Heavenly Father. I will remember the examples of missionaries and will choose to go where God wants me to go.