Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke to missionaries at the New Zealand Missionary Training Centre on Friday 15 November.
He was accompanied by his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband; Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita of the Pacific Area Presidency, and Sister Tazuko Yamashita; and Elder Glenn Burgess, Area Seventy, and Sister Tracey Burgess.
The new missionaries arrived at the training centre this week from Australia, Samoa, Tonga, Korea, Taiwan, USA, Fiji, France, Tahiti and New Zealand.
During a devotional, Elder Rasband conveyed to the missionaries the love of Church president, Russell M. Nelson, thanking them for their service.
He told the missionaries: "We live in dangerous days, and we’re all going out to bring goodness to the world, to bring happiness, to bring joy, to help people find the covenant path."
"The more we know the Lord the more we will love Him," Elder Rasband said, quoting his wife. "The more we love Him, the greater will be our desire to serve Him."
“Take it one day at a time, and you’ll see miracles happen in your life," he promised.
Elder Yamashita said, "Your ability to connect [with people] will be enhanced when you look at them in the eye, eye to eye, with a smile."
He encouraged the missionaries to "trust in the Lord."
Sister Rasband also talked about the importance of smiling. "Your smile will radiate the light of Christ, and reflects your testimony."
“You might only get one glimpse from someone and hopefully they will see that light in your smile. Have a smile that says I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. He knows me and knows you. A smile of joy in being able to declare the gospel. A smile that we have a prophet and that we have revelation. We have not been forgotten."
Sister Yamashita spoke about the importance of "forgetting yourself and going to work."
After the devotional, Elder and Sister Rasband and those travelling with them had the opportunity to visit the site of the future Auckland New Zealand Temple.
