A Fine Way to Start

Since this is a blog to document Ryan's mission, I thought the way to begin is with his farewell.  Below is the text from his talk.

I remember the first time I saw a missionary farewell talk. I had no idea who gave it or what they said, but I remember being horrified that this bishop was asking this poor guy to leave his home for 2 years. And still worse was the fact that he had to give a talk right before he left. Back then, much like today I hated speaking in front of large groups. I remember the promise I made with myself, the same promise I’m breaking right now. That I would serve a mission without hesitation. But the moment they asked me to give a farewell talk, I’d be done with it all.



Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Ryan Pearson. For the next 2 years I will be Elder Pearson, but I might be called “get off my yard” more often. And today is all about me, so my topic should be as well. I’ve been asked to talk on faith building experiences in my life and how they’ve led to prepare me for a mission. going on a mission has always been important to me. I’ve always planned on going on a mission, getting into a good school, such as BYU, finding a wife, and becoming a millionaire. Although I don’t want to earn the money, just inherit it. But I’ve known that I would need to serve a mission first to set off the chain of events and would need a lot of faith in order to do so. I also figured if I didn’t serve a mission I might be broke, alone, and end up at the University of Utah.


Before I talk about what’s built up my faith, I’m going to give yall the most common symbol to faith, a little seed. I know this is very basic and overly used. But I believe it is very important. And some of the most basic thing r the most true. If someone gave you an apple it’s like your first spiritual testimony building experience. The apple is going to taste good, be healthy, but most importantly, give you a little seed. You take that seed and plant it. Take care of it by feeding and watering it, and making sure it gets enough sunlight. This is like going to church, reading the scriptures, and praying twice a day. If you take good care of your apple seed it will eventually grow into a strong apple tree, able to withstand storms and strong winds. Just like your faith will be strong and able to withstand temptation. But no matter how strong or old your tree is, it’s always going to need constant food, water, and sunlight. A lot of people forget this. They gain strong testimonies, stop growing them, and eventually fall away from the church. If you do everything right your apple tree will grow delicious apples that you can share for other people and hopefully they can grow their own trees. Just as you can share your testimony or use your faith to help other people grow their own faith in our Heavenly Father.


After hearing that first farewell talk long ago, I paid as much attention as I could in primary, preparing for my own mission. My favorite song was I hope they call me on a mission. I increased my testimony through prayer and Sunday school. Always using it to find little toys I’ve lost. I probably found them because they were in left obvious spots, but the strong innocent testimony of a child to find them was the answer I took. A great way to increase faith is to read the Scriptures and see how faith in others has helped them so much. But to get the fullness out of the scriptures, you must read them every day. Some people might read a lot on Sundays and say it’s good enough for the week’s reading but this dosn’t work. If I take a very long shower once a week and don’t bathe for the rest of it, I might smell really nice that one day. But for the rest of the week I’ll smell like the Tomball Ward. You need to enlighten every day with the scriptures and give your faith a chance to grow. Now that my mission is near and I actually have the melchizedek priesthood, I have really been able to see the fullness of the power of the priesthood. I have witnessed and taken part of miracles that I bear testimony to only have happened through priesthood blessings and faith.


Another big faith builder has always been the temple. Hearing about the sacrifices that were made from the first church members as Joseph Smith was commanded to build the Nauvoo Temple installs the faith they had early in that time. They gave everything they had to make it beautiful. It’s much easier to build one now. But still, every expense is paid to make the temple of the highest quality. As it should be, for it is the house of the Lord. As I’ve been in the Temple with the youth I’ve felt the spirit the strongest. And recently I went through the Temple and took out my endowments. Before, I was filled with nerve and excitement. Before, I couldn’t imagine what I would feel in the rest of the Temple, when I already felt the spirit strong surrounded by a bunch of kids. As I went through the temple, I knew it was what I should be doing, but I never had my AHAA moment I’d hoped for. I never had an overwhelming feeling from the spirit that this was the house of the Lord and this is the true church that I’ve had many times before in the temple. It didn’t take anything away from my testimony that I didn’t get that moment, but it kind of bummed me down. That night, as I laid in bed waiting to fall asleep I started to think about everyone who went through the temple with me. Family, close friends, the Bishop, and the Delamares even arranged their schedule, with a family reunion the next day, to make it. That deeply touched me as I thought about it in bed. I thought of the pure love they have readily for everyone without hesitation. And I started feeling that way for them. Then for my parents, and everyone who went to the Temple with me. I soon started feeling peace and joy when I thought about my old seminary teachers and everyone in out stake and soon, everyone I knew, whether I usually liked them or not. Now I know this is an ordinary day in the life of some people, such as President and Sister Delamare, but that moment increased my testimony more than I thought possible, and I knew that I wouldn’t of had my AH-HAA moment without that trip to the Temple.


I’ve had many moments in my life that have tested my testimony and strengthened it. But as soon as I had my own testimony, I’ve made it my goal to try to build it up in others and do some missionary work, which has mostly started in 7th grade when it consumed my name. Some of my high school friends probably have to think for a minute to tell you my first name. That’s because for the last 6 years my name, to about 85 percent of Tomball High School faculty and 96 percent of students has been Mormon. It was started as a way to make fun of me, but I kept it and turned it into a way to inform everyone I could about my people. I’ve had everything from questions about my moms and the guys on bikes to substitute teachers telling me Mormons don’t drink tea because they couldn’t make it themselves in the old days. I’ve enjoyed answering questions and correcting facts throughout high school. And I know that I will continue to enjoy it in the mission field. I’ve always thought of missionary work as kind of like hunting. You have to pick a good area, patiently wait as you find a target, and hope you don’t mess it up. But where I’m going, Ogden Utah, it’s kind of like I’ve been given a shotgun and start shooting fish in a barrel. Most of the people I tell I’m going to Ogden give a split second look of failure. Then they immediately realize this and start talking about how it is the highest baptizing mission and I’ll be treated like a rock star. Rock star or not, I’m happy I’m going to Ogden. Which, by the way, the Ogden mission is where I’ve been saying I was going to for about 3 months before I received my mission call. I’m happy to go there because it was where I was asked to go. I’ve known, a long time ago before my call that you are called specifically to a precise mission. And I know that I am going to Ogden because there are certain people who will only listen to me and it’s what I need to do. I recently found out that my family heritage is rich in the northern Utah mission. My ancestors made the trek across the united states to Utah. They helped set up Logan, Utah. And also a president of Utah State was a lot of great grandfathers ago of mine. So perhaps a reason I’m going, on top of it all, is to find some relatives of mine and help guide them back into the church. No matter what the answer is, I’ve been called there and I’ll figure out why when I’m there.


I’ve always heard the quote, “You don’t move up or down in church calls, only around.” And I use this for missions as well. Ethan Grabau, from Tomball ward is serving a mission in Sierra Leone. My uncle Steven is serving in Brazil. I know that in all three of our missions there are baptisms and teachings going on and truth being spread. The only difference in the 3 missions is the amount of Jell-O intake. Them none, and me, probably more than I’d like.


Hebrews Chapter 11, verse 1 reads: NOW afaith is the bsubstance of things choped for, the devidence of things not seen.


And Alma Chapter 32, verse 21 reads: And now as I said concerning faith—afaith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye bhope for things which are cnot seen, which are true.



These are two very similar quotes from two different books. The first from the Bible, and the second from the Book of Mormon. This shows how similar the two books are and also shows how important faith is. There are many things which cannot be proven, but are known for fact by many people. This knowledge is through faith and called a testimony.


I’d like to end my talk, brothers and sisters, with my testimony. That I know for a fact that a prayer is always answered, even if it’s not the answer you might want. That Jesus is the true son of God. That he did walk this earth thousands of years ago and he had faith enough to walk on water, raise the dead, and calm the seas. I know that faith is rewarded with blessings. When I was having a missionary interview with Bishop Mclane, he told me that both I and my family would be blessed from it. Then he told me that specifically we would be financially safe while I was on my mission. This was at a time that my dad was ending a project as a construction manager. Because of the bad economy, very few new building were being built and very good construction managers were being laid off because of lack of projects. I worried about my dad finding a new job, probably more than him or my mom. When the Bishop told me this my eyes teared up. I knew it would be fine and had full faith in it. I sent in my papers and my dad just landed a year long project transitioning some HP buildings into a Lonstar College campus less than a mile down the road. I know this was because of faith and a willingness to serve. I also have a testimony that we do have a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. and he is directed by God to give us information. I will miss my family, my friends, and my ward. Also Tomball ward, my 2nd home. I will miss the good food and people of Texas, but I know I will shortly adapt to the foreign customs and people of Utah. I want you all to know that I feel a strong love for you all. That a week ago, the love was overwhelming. And you all have helped me shape me into the person standing here today. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen