Faith Over Fear
Faith Over Fear
President Quinn’s Weekly Message
California Santa Rosa Mission
November 18th, 2024
Nine missionaries will complete their missions this week. I congratulate them on their honorable and faithful service. I will miss them. I am excited for them to begin the next chapter of their lives. I am confident abundant blessing await them in the future.
My message to you this week is that you need to exercise faith over fear in missionary work. In our last zone conference, Sister Quinn and I shared lessons we can apply in our missionary work from the stripling warriors. These young warriors entered battle for the first time, facing a more experienced and numerous army, choosing to exercise faith over fear:
“Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle? And now I say unto you…that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites. …behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; …Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.” (Alma 56:44-47)
In these verses we are taught an inspiring lesson about exercising faith over fear. These young warriors went into battle fearlessly and boldly. In later verses of this chapter, we learn about the protection and strength given to the stripling warriors because of their trust in the Lord.
I have shared with you my experience as a young missionary being assigned as a trainer on my third transfer. This assignment was overwhelming to me. I felt totally unprepared to lead an area and train a new missionary – especially in a new language. Though I feared the responsibilities of this assignment, I had more faith in the Lord’s promised blessings to me. Like the stripling warriors, I trusted the Lord would be with me. This faith gave me the courage to leave my apartment each day to fulfill my missionary purpose. The first several weeks of my new assignment were difficult and discouraging. For several weeks I questioned the inspiration and wisdom of my mission president. Over time, as I continued working, the Lord qualified me for my assignment. Because of the important lessons I learned about myself and serving the Lord with faith, I look back on this time during my mission as one of the most spiritually strengthening experiences of my life.
Over the next few transfers here in CASRM, 20 missionaries who have served as leaders will return home. Replacing the faithfulness and leadership of these missionaries will require that each of you, like the stripling warriors, step up to act in faith and courage – not fear. I have confidence in you.
On Wednesday 16 new missionaries arrive in CASRM. All but five companionships were changed this transfer to accommodate our new missionaries. I know change can be challenging. I urge each of you to exercise the courage, faith, and trust in the Lord displayed by the stripling warriors. Step up. Be courageous. Exercise faith in the Savior. Fight to achieve your missionary purpose. I promise the Lord will bless and sustain you in His work as you exercise faith over fear.
We continue to make good progress towards our mission goal of 66 baptisms. We had 7 baptisms this last week. Well done! That makes for a total of 27 baptisms since the challenge was issued. We still have several friends on date. I know we can reach our goal. Please pray that our friends will be faithful to their baptismal invitation and that we can do all that is needed to help them be baptized.
Love,
President Quinn
(630) 881-4030
