Relief Society · Elders Quorum · 25 minutes
Bishop Sean Douglas · Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric · Saturday Morning Session
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This class in one line
The desire to serve a mission grows from wanting to be close to Jesus Christ, and the people around a young person, like Merlin Sanchez's friends and leaders, can help that desire take root.
Skip the two great-nephews story and the statistics about record numbers of missionaries, and spend the time on Elder Sanchez's story and the class discussion.
Before Sunday
Sunday: Bishop Douglas, "The Hour of Your Mission Is Come"
Before Sunday, please read or listen to Bishop Sean Douglas's October 2026 conference talk "The Hour of Your Mission Is Come." Pay attention to the story of Elder Merlin Sanchez from Lima, Peru, and how a friend helped him before he had even decided to serve. Ponder: who helped you, or someone you love, take a step toward the Savior before you were ready to take it alone?
Pick one opening
When Bishop Douglas asked a young missionary in Peru why he wanted to serve, the answer was simple: he only wanted to be close to Jesus Christ and to follow Him. Think about a missionary you have known, or your own mission if you served. What do you think was really underneath the decision to go?
When Bishop Douglas asked a young missionary in Peru why he wanted to serve, the answer was simple: he only wanted to be close to Jesus Christ and to follow Him. Think about a missionary you have known, or your own mission if you served. What do you think was really underneath the decision to go?
Merlin Sanchez was baptized in Lima, Peru, at almost 24. For a time he stopped coming to church. A faithful friend helped him start his mission papers and schedule a physical, even though Merlin hadn't decided to serve. When Merlin came back at 25, a desire to serve grew in his heart, and his papers were almost ready. Today he is a stake president, and he and his wife can't imagine their lives without that mission.
Bishop Douglas closed with the Lord's words to Thomas B. Marsh in 1830 (Doctrine and Covenants 31) and asked us to put our own name in place of Thomas's. Listen as I read: "Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come." What changes when you hear that line spoken to you by name?
Teach this first
Bishop Douglas teaches that what sets missionaries apart is a desire to serve the Lord that rises above every other personal ambition, like the sons of Mosiah, who could not bear that any soul should perish. For Elder Sanchez, that desire came from wanting to be close to Jesus Christ, and it grew because a friend and leaders helped him before he had decided. When we help a young person come closer to the Savior, the desire to share His gospel can follow.
When asked why he wanted to serve, Elder Merlin Sanchez replied, "I only want to be close to Jesus Christ and to follow Him." (Bishop Sean Douglas, October 2026)
Ask the class
If time remains
Bishop Douglas notes that Elder Sanchez kept going after his mission: he married, was called as a bishop on his wedding day, and now serves as a stake president. Serving a mission is one of many significant steps on the path of following Christ for a lifetime.
Ask the class
Counsel together
Last 3–5 minutes
This week, reach out to one young person or recent convert in the ward with a specific act of friendship, such as a visit, a meal, or an offer to help them prepare for a mission or the temple.
In the words the Lord gave Thomas B. Marsh, quoted by Bishop Douglas, those who serve with all their soul are promised that their sins are forgiven, that their family shall live, and that the Lord will prepare a place for them and open the hearts of the people (Doctrine and Covenants 31).
Your witness: Think of a time someone helped you come closer to Jesus Christ before you were ready to do it on your own, or a time missionary service blessed your family. Share briefly what you know about the Savior because of it.