Missionaries Learn to Build Faith and Hope in Communities by Sharing the Saviour’s Love 

Elder Jeremy Jaggi arrived in Melbourne last week with a smile, a love of God, and a way of teaching that captivated the hearts and minds of over 200 missionaries.  

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This mission tour of the Australia Melbourne Mission would reinforce foundations of faith and hope in these missionaries, equipping them to carry these virtues into communities throughout Victoria and Tasmania. 

As a new member of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Jaggi, together with his wife, Amy, worked with Australia Melbourne Mission Leaders, Paul and Nadene Thomas, to teach of Christ in an effort to help everyone who comes in contact with these missionaries feel the love of their Saviour. 

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The mission conference began on Tuesday, 15 August, as young mission leaders gathered for instruction on ministering to the missionaries with whom they serve.  

Elder Jaggi said that missionaries know that Jesus Christ is central to everything they do. He explained that “when we get taken away from the core of Jesus Christ, we can get taken down any path.”  

He asked, “What is Jesus to you? We each need to know this answer for ourselves.” 

“If you don’t know that Jesus Christ is the centre of our church, you’re missing the whole point. If you don’t participate in the ordinances, you lose connection with Him. I witness of God’s love for each of you and know He lives,” Elder Jaggi said. 

Each participant in the room understood that with faith in their Saviour and a focus on Him and His work, they would be able to accomplish all that was required of them. One by one, everyone in the room expressed their love for God by finishing the sentence, “My Jesus is_________.” 

Sister Thomas spoke to these young leaders, saying, “Think of someone who has left a spiritual imprint on your life. For me, it was my mother. Whenever I’m struggling, I picture my mother on her knees. She always had faith to believe. When we use God’s power, that power is transferred to others. The Book of Mormon gives us power in every aspect of our lives. Sanctification comes from yielding our hearts to God.” 

The following three days, zone conferences were held from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, in person and partly by Zoom, to accommodate the large number of missionaries throughout Victoria and Tasmania.  

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Missionaries learned the importance of obedience to God’s commandments, dedication to their work, building relationships and focusing on individuals as the Saviour did. 

Elder Jaggi taught, “In the spirit of unity, miracles start to happen. The skills mission leaders are teaching the missionaries are preparing them for life. As they work with people, the people may not change, but the missionaries themselves change by coming closer to Christ.  

“You are your own best convert, here in beautiful Melbourne with beautiful people from all around the world,” he said. 

President Thomas emphasized many principles taught in the new Preach My Gospel handbook. He said, “Without goals and accountability, we can’t achieve our purpose. Goals and planning are acts of faith to achieve the desires of our heart and come to the Saviour."

He continued, “Without goals and plans, our desires drop. We will feel happier, more peace and more confidence when we pray without ceasing.”  

The missionaries were challenged to put this principle into practice the rest of the day. They came back the following day sharing miracles that occurred as a result of those prayers. 

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President Thomas also encouraged, “Be interested in people to develop relationships with them. In 3 Nephi 11 in the Book of Mormon, the Saviour invited one by one so people could feel of His Atonement and His love for them. Help people to feel the Saviour’s love.” 

President Thomas’s hope for friends of the Church to know about this mission tour is “that we come together in one body, one purpose, one strength to be unified in Christ – to be joyfully bound in Jesus Christ by serving Him and coming to know Him. Our Saviour desires that we all fulfill our purpose in the doctrine of Christ, to learn to represent Him in the way that He’s invited us to do.”  

He said, “It’s been an absolute pleasure to have Elder and Sister Jaggi do that. They have enriched, blessed, and strengthened our experience.” 

In one of the sessions, Sister Jaggi talked about “the disease of CDD: contention, distraction, and discouragement - which takes us away from our purpose. John 4 teaches us to let go of anything that is not focused on the doctrine of Christ. As we act on His teachings through His prophets, we will become like our Saviour. Step out of your comfort zone and into the miracle zone”, she said.  

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“In showing a painting of Christ as ‘Living Water’, Sister Jaggi said, “Jesus is the living water and gives us as much water as we are capable of taking. The woman in the image is focused on Him intently with cupped hands ready to receive this water. We learn in the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 11:25, that the rod of iron is the word of God that leads to the fountain of living water and love of God.”

Elder Jaggi shared, “How do you recognize when the Spirit speaks to you? It’s ongoing; obey the first prompting, then more promptings come.” 

“Nine times out of ten, if you follow the first impression, you will be right”, he said. “Constantly pray for the gifts of the Spirit to guide you. When we are Spirit-led, we always have a postive influence on others.  Most promptings come as fast thoughts. If you’re not sure if a prompting is from the Spirit or your own thoughts, remember what Moroni says in the Book of Mormon: ‘that which inviteth and enticeth to do good is of God’. When you act on that, miracles happen.” 

As a young bishop, Elder Jaggi was prompted to knock on the door of a congregation member on his way home from work. He went. He knocked. He knocked again. He went around to the back and knocked. No answer. He wondered why he felt that prompting. Five months later that man walked into sacrament meeting and told the bishop afterward that when he came over and knocked on his door, it saved his life. Of course, Elder Jaggi was confused as to what he meant. This man was standing in his living room with a gun in hand ready to take his life, and praying for a sign that the Lord was aware of him. 

“We don’t always know the impact of following a prompting”, Elder Jaggi shared. “We need the power of Jesus Christ to overcome all that is hard. When we experience the really hard, we feel and appreciate the greater joy.” 

He continued, “Sharing what we know and love is all about connection, noticing people and circumstances around us and taking time to connect with people. Information precedes inspiration. Approach everyone with faith and optimism. We are all children of God.”

Elder Jaggi’s final comment regarding what he would want friends of the Church to learn about this mission tour was that “our missionaries around the world, a 68,000-strong generation of young people ages 18-25, are going forth to build faith and hope in communities. Our purpose is to nurture and build faith in this rising generation. Communities are transformed when believers join together in service in the exercising of moral principles.”