Meridian Magazine : : Print

All that Work for Nothing?
By Irwin Purcell, edited by Brandon Boey

Editor’s note: Irwin Purcell attends the Grandview 15th Ward in Grandview South Stake, Provo, where he serves as the music chair. Past callings include: Bishop in a BYU singles ward, High Councilor, Gospel Doctrine Teacher, and Choir Director. He is also currently the associate director for the Utah Polynesian Choir, an LDS-centered community choir that makes musical presentations for wards in Utah.

Born in Samoa, he earned his Bachelors degree from the Church College of Hawaii (now BYU-Hawaii), where he met and married his wife, Piilani Collins. Irwin has a Masters of Education from the University of Phoenix and is professionally employed as an employment counselor for the State of Utah Department of Workforce Services.

(If you have any missionary experiences you would like to share with Meridian readers, please send them to Brandon Boey at missionary@meridianmagazine.com.)

Early on a typically cold and misty San Francisco morning, a young missionary and his junior companion decided they would take the mission president at his word. The morning after the mission conference, the president’s challenge was still fresh on their minds. It was an invitation to all companionships to surpass the mission record of personal contacts, or talking to as many people as possible on the streets about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the time, the number of such invitations by a pair of volunteer missionaries stood at more than 100 in the course of a single week.

The two missionaries, energized by the prospect of finding people to teach, committed themselves to not only exceeding the achievement, but also providing a benchmark for those who would follow. They decided that reaching 1,000 of such exchanges would do just that. Concluding their morning prayers and scripture studies, they set out to canvas the streets of San Francisco.

But mighty forces of the adversary combined against them. Bicycle problems, personal threats, rude people, and a host of other problems hampered their efforts. Wednesday found them sadly lacking in meeting their plan. Their daily goal had not been achieved for two and a half days. What to do?

They had two choices: give up and “do the usual,” or redouble their efforts and achieve success. They decided on the latter. Though they still encountered roadblocks, they finally, at the last hour, reached their goal.

The result was a dismal picture. Of the hundreds upon hundreds of people with whom they spoke, only one had accepted their invitation to hear the message of the Restored Gospel. As they looked back on their experience that week, it seemed discouraging. No one was interested in listening.

There was a single ray of hope. The single interested person they found, a Russian immigrant, seemed eager to hear what they had to say. Yet even this promising development was cut short after two subsequent lessons. A recommendation came down from their mission president that they turn the individual over to the Russian-speaking missionaries, who were to teach him in his native language. While the senior companion understood the sense of this, he still struggled within himself. He thought of the countless hours of approaching strangers on the streets, confronted by resistance, rejection and even threats of violence. They had found the single needle in the haystack, and now they would never get to finish teaching him. The one person who would listen would never hear their message they were so eager to deliver after all. There would be no opportunity to share what they’d worked so hard to offer. A thousand contacts, one interested party, and nothing to show for it.

Deep within, he wanted to obey the president. Still, it was hard work on their part. “All for nothing?” he wondered. They decided to make it a matter of prayer, so that they would receive peace.

Fast Sunday was that weekend, but the thought offered little relief to the unsettled heart of the young missionary. Nevertheless, he dedicated his fasting to learn from the experience, asking for forgiveness for his frustration, and praying for the well-being and eventual conversion of the Russian investigator.

Sunday proved to be an eventful day for him. He could feel the strong presence of the Spirit as he listened to Church members bear witness of the truth. Gradually, as he sat in the meeting, a definite and strong desire came over him to share his testimony. The anxiety and prompting increased until he could no longer contain it. He walked to the pulpit.

As he spoke, his emotions overflowed and traced his face with a river of tears. He bore a strong witness of the work, of living prophets, and of a loving God. When he sat down, his heart remained full, and he wept quietly for several minutes.

After the meeting, a young couple with a small daughter sought him out. They explained to him that they had just started taking the Gospel lessons. Today, they said, during his testimony, they felt the first stirring of the Spirit. They received a witness that what he said was true, and that they must continue in their gospel learning. Then they asked, “Would you teach us the lessons?”

The young missionary was surprised. The family persisted. They felt strongly about the request and would not take no for an answer…

Three years later it was Christmas Eve, 1999. A Christmas card on our refrigerator caught my eye. Beside the card was a picture of that same young family. They had completed all of the lessons and had been baptized by the missionary. The missionary was my son, Elder Raymond T. Purcell.

As part of our family’s Christmas Eve program that year, I asked Ray to relate the story again. After a long pause in which he struggled to compose himself, he related the story, punctuated by sobs, and emotionally colored by his tears. We felt the Spirit like he must have felt on that Fast Sunday three years earlier. A rush of Christmas spirit entered into our home like a warm spring breeze over crusty snow, melting our hearts.

Sometimes we become fascinated by large numbers. As of this writing, there are about 12 million members of the Church and more than 50,000 full-time, volunteer missionaries in the field. My son and his companion talked to a thousand strangers in one week.

Our fascination with huge numbers clouds over the most important number of all: one! Heavenly Father looks on each individual as a member of His family — a vital and precious son or daughter. He desires each one to return to Him.

We must believe the Savior's declaration when He said that our joy is great if we bring but one soul into the Kingdom. Though our joy will be even greater if we bring more, it starts with just one — one very important member of the family of God. My son and his companion talked to the "ninety and nine" that week and found the "one." That one led them to three individuals, who were then able to find God and His gospel. In turn, that one family will go on to do good works for others themselves. Indeed, the Lord works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

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