He Spoke I Went

I want to begin with a heartfelt thank you to all who support the missionaries serving around the world. Missionary work is not something we accomplish alone. While we are guided and strengthened by the Holy Ghost, inspired companions, and mission leaders, we are also sustained by our families and friends at home whose encouragement, sacrifices, and prayers lift us daily.

A part of our South Africa Pretoria Mission orientation packet is a poem by Meade McGuire entitled “Father, Where Shall I Work Today?”

Father, where shall I work today? And my love flowed warm and free. Then He pointed out a tiny spot. And said, “Tend that for me.”

I answered quickly, “Oh no; not that!Why, no one would ever see. No matter how well my work was done; Not that little place for me.”

And the word He spoke, it was not stern; He answered me tenderly: “Ah, little one, search that heart of thine. Art thou working for them or for me?

Nazareth was a little place, And so was Galilee.”

This poem reminded me that the Lord does not measure the worth of our service by how visible or dramatic it is. Often, He calls us to “tiny spots”—small, unseen acts of faith and service that may seem unnoticed by the world but are precious in His sight.

The Book of Mormon teaches this same truth: “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.” (Alma 37:6–7)

As I adjust to missionary service—whether it’s driving on the other side of the road, learning to think in the metric system, or finding ways to support the proselytizing missionaries—I’ve felt the Lord gently reminding me that the unseen things matter. Repairing bikes, troubleshooting phone issues, encouraging a missionary, offering a prayer, sending a kind message, or simply listening with love—all of these are sacred works in the Lord’s vineyard.

Our purpose as missionaries is simple and profound: “Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.”

But we do not fulfill this purpose in isolation. We are upheld by countless unseen sacrifices—the faith of parents, the prayers of friends, the quiet acts of support from church members. These “tiny spots” of service, when performed with love, ripple into eternity.

There is a Zulu word that perfectly describes this truth: Ubuntu. It is a principle that means “I am because we are.” Ubuntu reminds us that our lives are bound together and that the well-being of one is tied to the well-being of all. It teaches:

• Interconnectedness: We are not separate, but part of one another’s journey.

• Compassion and Empathy: We lift one another through kindness, prayer, and love.

• Human Dignity: Every soul has divine worth, no matter their circumstance.

• Community: We find strength in belonging to and serving within the body of Christ.

• Reconciliation: Through forgiveness and healing, we build unity and peace.

The Apostle Paul taught the same principle when he wrote: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ… And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 26–27)

Ubuntu mirrors the way the Lord builds His kingdom. Missionaries may labor far from home, but their strength often flows from those who support them. Families who pray and friends who write are all part of the great web of discipleship that sustains us.

In truth, missionary work is not just the effort of those wearing name tags—it is the combined work of the entire body of Christ, each part fulfilling its divine role.

So today, I thank you. Thank you for your prayers, your love, your encouragement, and your unseen acts of faith. You are part of this work. And whether your efforts feel small or hidden, the Lord sees them—and they matter eternally.