In Jacob 1:8 we are told that Jacob labored diligently because he would to God that he could persuade all men to believe in Christ. If we are truly converted, we want to share with others the joy that we have found. Jacob's father, Lehi, had a dream where he was led to the Tree of Life, which had fruit which filled Lehi with such exceedingly great joy when he partook of it. Lehi's joy was so full that he desired to share the fruit with his family. If we have found such joy, we should want to share it with everyone.
In Mosiah 28: 3 we read that the sons of Mosiah were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature because they could not bear that any human soul should perish. The sons of Mosiah had been running around with Alma the Younger who was persecuting those who believed in Christ. When the angel appeared to Alma, calling him to repentance, the sons of Mosiah also experienced a mighty change of heart. Like Alma, they had seen the awful state which awaited those who rebelled against God, and they wanted to save others from that fate. So the sons of Mosiah went on a mission to the most difficult place imaginable, the land where the Lamanites lived. They risked many things, including death, to declare salvation, and ended up converting thousands.
In Alma 29:1, Alma the Younger spoke of his desire to be an angel so that he could declare unto every soul the plan of redemption. Alma had been on several missions to preach the gospel, having success in some cities, but being imprisoned or cast out from others. Alma had known frustration even as he desired to share the gospel with everyone, and so he desired to be an angel. But he knew he was not entirely right to have such a wish. Missionaries will experience frustration, but should seek to retain a desire to share the plan of redemption with everyone they can.
In Alma 38:3-5 we read that Shiblon labored diligently despite being stoned by the Zoramites. No one ever threw rocks at me -- though someone did throw an orange peel at me -- and I found it helpful to know that other missionaries had had it worse than I. Later in verse 14 Alma tells his son to always acknowledge his unworthyness before God. Alma and Shiblon had watched Zoramites pray from a tower and thank God for setting them apart from others, for making them better than others.
The "chosen people" attitude is decidedly the wrong one for the whole missionary, instead we must be humble, meek and submissive. We must do as Alma counseled Shiblon and always acknowledge our weaknesses and our unworthyness before God. As Paul wrote to the Romans, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." One of the biggest lies is that you or anyone else is superior while others are inferior (or viceversa), for we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father; we all have value, but we all have weaknesses, too, and we all have sinned.
In Jacob 6:12, we are admonished simply to be wise, what more need be said?
There will be moments of frustration as an elder or sister seeks to be a whole missionary. Everyone has down times occasionally, and everyone experiences feelings of inadequacy. This is in no small part due to the conditions we face here in mortality and the ideals or teachings we aspire to live by. There is a gap between reality and the life we strive to live in keeping the commandments and following the Savior's example. We are commanded to “be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” and yet we keep falling short.
Some people respond by discarding the ideal. They say it is too hard so why even try; we will be much happier if we accept reality and not try to live an impossible ideal. Others ignore reality and say that they have already reached the ideal, even as they continue to fall short just like the rest of us. Falling short does not mean that we are willfully rebelling against God, it only means that we are human. The Atonement is not just for sinners, it is also for those striving for perfection.
Remember what the Lord told Moroni in Ether chapter 12, “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble.” Those who deny reality and claim that they have reached the ideal are not humbling themselves, and as a result will miss out on the opportunity which the Lord then describes to Moroni: “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness . . . and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”
Grace is not needed just by sinners, it is also needed by those of us who, accepting reality, strive to reach the ideal. We strive, we stretch, we reach, yet we fall short. “It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” We strive to have charity, but come up short when we encounter particularly rude behavior (a door slamming shut), yet by humbling ourselves and having faith in Christ we can by lifted by His grace. We stretch and struggle, but as we humble ourselves and have faith our weakness becomes strong unto us through His grace.
Pray always and seek to humble yourself and have faith. Strive always to be humble, meek and submissive. “Be diligent and temperate in all things. See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength. . . . Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy – yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times” (Alma 38:10-11, 14).
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