Discipleship - Our Highest Priority
Discipleship - Our Highest Priority
President Quinn’s Weekly Message
California Santa Rosa Mission
October 21st, 2024
Sister Quinn and I extend a loving and warm welcome to the 17 missionaries who joined us this week in CASRM. We were impressed by your energy and spirit. We look forward to serving with you in CASRM. You are in our prayers as you transition to fulltime missionary work.
Sister Quinn and I teach often about the importance of building our discipleship to Jesus Christ. We do this because of the invitation President Nelson extended to us when he called us to be mission leaders. He asked us to do those things that would help our missionaries become lifelong disciples of the Savior. We have sought inspiration every day since our meeting with the prophet to help build your discipleship to Jesus Christ. It has been a richly joyful experience.
In his most recent general conference address, President Nelson taught us that building our discipleship should be our highest priority:
“Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.”
Making our discipleship our highest priority is a powerful statement and invitation from the prophet. The prophet did not leave much room for interpretation of where our priorities should be. To follow this counsel, we need to constantly be seeking ways each day to strengthen our relationship and discipleship to Jesus Christ.
Our motto in CASRM is, “Disciples Go Deep.” We have chosen this motto to remind us that deepening our discipleship to the Savior requires spiritual work and effort. Doing the work and extending the effort to deepen our discipleship will qualify us for spiritual power. In PMG, we are taught:
“God gives spiritual power as you consistently work to strengthen your testimony of Him, Jesus Christ, and the gospel truths you teach. He bestows spiritual power as you pray, study the scriptures, and seek to fulfill your missionary purpose. He grants spiritual power as you strive to keep His commandments and the covenants you made when you received the ordinances of salvation.” (PMG, page 3)
I invite you to find ways to “go deep” each day in strengthening your discipleship to Jesus Christ. Ask yourself if you can deepen your discipleship by having more meaningful, faith filled, and grateful prayers? How can your study of the Book of Mormon be a more revelatory experience – providing guidance and strength in your missionary work? How can your Christlike obedience to missionary standards be a sign of your love for God and a greater qualifier of the Spirit in your missionary work? We will soon be in the temple for our annual trip – and we will have the blessing of being in the temple every three months beginning January 1st. How can you prepare yourself to worship in the temple to deepen your obedience and understanding of your temple covenants?
Each of us can find ways to deepen our discipleship to the Savior. I invite you to follow the counsel of President Nelson by making your discipleship your highest priority. There is no better time to find ways to “go deep” as a disciple than now as a fulltime missionary.
We continue making good progress on our goal of 66 baptisms by year end. Currently, we have been blessed with 7 baptisms. We have five friends on date for next weekend and 26 more friends on date for this transfer. Please continue to pray for our friends and each other.
Love,
President Quinn
(630) 881-4030
