My Lesson on Christ's Sacrifice

The greatest lesson Heavenly Father gave me about Easter and the Savior's gift to us of the Atonement happened while I was a missionary serving in the small city of Yeo-su, South Korea. It revolved around an inter-city (go-sok) bus and English classes.

While serving in Yeo-su, my companion and I decided we'd try teaching an English class as a way of getting the name of the Church and the Book of Mormon into the community. We found a company that would do it. I forget its name, but they actually agreed to our proposal with one catch: they insisted on paying us to teach the class. Then they paid us up front for the classes! My district leader called the mission home on what to do with the money. I forget the amount, but it was a lot, especially for two American missionaries used to living on $120 a month.

The mission home wouldn't take it. They suggested we use it instead to do something for the branch. After some brainstorming we came up with the idea of chartering a bus. District conference was coming in a month or so. Since most of the members wouldn't go because they couldn't afford the bus fare, we decided to charter a bus so they could. 

After we got the bus, there was just enough money left over to buy some ice cream to share amongst ourselves. (There were six missionaries working in Yeo-su at the time.) We then announced at the next branch Sacrament meeting a bus was available to whomever wanted to use it to attend conference.

I remember thinking of what we were offering to the members in the days leading up to conference. Would they appreciate that two missionaries were going to be teaching English for one night a week for three months to pay for their trip? Would they care? Would the bus be full? I wanted that bus full! I got so caught up in my "great sacrifice for them," that I felt I'd be angry if they didn't take full advantage of it.

And then the lesson came.

While praying and pondering about the situation, the Holy Ghost touched my mind and pointed out the similarities between that bus and the Atonement. I realized then, I'd never fully appreciate what the Savior did that night and day as He bled and died for me (us.) And then I was shown that just as I wanted that bus full (so our gift to them would not be wasted,) in a much more perfect and holier way, the Savior wanted the same for us.

He wants us to repent! He wants us to have every advantage we can of His marvelous gift. When I contemplate it even today, more than 40 years later, I am filled with awe and gratitude. I think of a silly young missionary and the parallels between that small gift to a few dozen Korean saints and the Savior's unspeakably wonderful gift to us all. While I see the parallel, there is no real comparison. The lesson has remained with me to this day.

Oh, and the bus? While my companion and I filled the last two seats on the way to conference, the bus was completely full of branch members on the return trip. We missionaries had to ride home on a different bus.

Alma 17 - Ammon, A Son of Mosiah

Ammon is a poster child for missionaries or any one who chooses to serve the Lord. He’s bold yet humble, optimistic, faithful and passionate in his desire to do God’s will. When I think of Ammon as a missionary, I think of a teenage friend of mine who served in Korea years after I did. I spent two years of my life trying to proselyte by the book, knocking doors, street meetings and the like. I was blessed with some success and I’m grateful for my experiences.

My friend, on the other hand, felt impressed to proselyte by playing table tennis. He was pretty good at it and was instrumental in baptizing a multitude of people because of it. To appreciate this you have to understand that table tennis (ping pong) is popular there. Back in the day, there were many businesses where hundreds of people would play the game for hours. By connecting with the people this way, he got in many doors I was never able to enter. Once inside, people would ask, “why are you here?” And off he went.

Such is the case with Ammon. Following impressions from the Holy Ghost, he offered to be Lamoni’s servant rather than son. He ends up with a job no one wanted, sheep herder. It was literally a dead end job, where if you failed, you died — at the king’s hand. I’m pretty certain, he had no idea what lay in store for him. Throughout their preparations to come and in his own stated desires, all they hoped to do was save a few Lamanites. The Lord had bigger ideas.

Unlike me, he followed where the promptings took him. At the end of the chapter, he not only has the respect of the other sheep herder servants, he’s got the King’s attention. What happens next, is in the next post.

I just have to add this observation: for want of a better phrase, I’ll call it “God’s promise of protection to the obedient son of a righteous father.” God promises Mosiah his sons will be protected in their mission to the Lamanites. Ammon knew of this and when he faces off against a group of Lamanites who mean to kill him, he does so fearlessly. True to His promise, God protects Ammon. If it didn’t happen again, I’d say it’s a one-time deal, but the Sons of Helaman, have similar divine protection when they go to war for the Nephites. Is this a universal promise? No. But if the need ever arose, I want to live worthy of asking for it.