Portugal Lisbon Mission: Mission Calls

Like I said in an earlier post, my brother Benjamin has been called to serve in the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission! It truly is so amazing how each call is inspired of The Lord. I have been to many call openings and at every single one of them I have felt the spirit confirming the place where the missionary is called to.

Usually nobody guesses where the missionary will go.. But as soon as they open the call and read the place it always just seems so right. You can see it in their eyes that they have had a personal confirmation and that their call is inspired of The Lord. I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to go to see some friends open their calls. It is always such a special experience!

For Benjamin's call opening most of us thought he would go to Europe or the States. As I was placing different people's guesses onto the map before he opened his call, we decided it would be fun to see where my little 1 year old sister Grace would place a sticker for her 'guess'. I gave her a sticker and she placed it right on Madagascar! I commented to those around me on how the missionary who recently died of a health problem (unrelated to the location) was in Madagascar. I thought it was cute of Grace to guess.. But I never thought he would actually be going there!

When he opened his call I was shocked! But I could feel the spirit and I felt joy for Benjamin. Madagascar is the perfect place for Benjamin. He is being sent there for a reason. There is someone there who needs his help! He will bless the lives of others and he himself will be blessed for his service. Mission calls are truly inspired by The Lord!

One of my favorite talks relating to missionary work is The Divine Call of a Missionary by Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy. In this talk, he discusses the process of assigning calls. Here is a little tidbit.

The Divine Call of a Missionary - Ronald A. Rasband

"I joined Elder Eyring early one morning in a room where several large computer screens had been prepared for the session. There was also a staff member from the Missionary Department who had been assigned to assist us that day.

First, we knelt together in prayer. I remember Elder Eyring using very sincere words, asking the Lord to bless him to know “perfectly” where the missionaries should be assigned. The word “perfectly” said much about the faith that Elder Eyring exhibited that day.

As the process began, a picture of the missionary to be assigned would come up on one of the computer screens. As each picture appeared, to me it was as if the missionary were in the room with us. Elder Eyring would then greet the missionary with his kind and endearing voice: “Good morning, Elder Reier or Sister Yang. How are you today?”

He told me that in his own mind he liked to think of where the missionaries would conclude their mission. This would aid him to know where they were to be assigned. Elder Eyring would then study the comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary.

He then referred to another screen which displayed areas and missions across the world. Finally, as he was prompted by the Spirit, he would assign the missionary to his or her field of labor."

It really is such an amazing process - completely inspired by The Lord. We need to remember that our calls are inspired. Every so often I like to read this talk because it reminds me that I am being sent to Portugal for a specific purpose. All of our calls are meant for us!

On a different note.. Here are some pictures (and video) from the day my little brother received his call!