Week of Sacrifice

"[F]rom the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life” (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, 69).
  The missionaries in the Nashville Zone have decided to make this week a week of sacrifice. Each day we add on something new for us to give up to obtain objectives that unify the zone and draw us closer to our goal to become like Zion, "of one heart and one mind, and [dwell] in righteousness;" (Moses 1:39) Zone sacrifices for the week so far: no negative thoughts or comments, no mail, give an extra half hour of lunch or other personal time to devote to study. Sacrificing these things will help each missionary to have many of the attributes listed in Doctrine and Covenants section four: faith, hope, charity, love, temperance, patience, virtue, knowledge, humility, and an eye single to the glory of God.
  I asked one of my teachers in the MTC what he sacrificed to go on a mission. Most people think of time, money, school, and other opportunities. It didn't take too long for Brother Strong to say that he didn't feel like he sacrificed anything, because to him, sacrificing means giving up something with no expectation or anticipation of anything in return. I felt very much the same in many ways. I would rather be nowhere else than serving a mission, and although my reasoning may occasionally veer from what it should be, I continue to serve and teach what I know.
  However, I have quickly learned the value of sacrifice. Because at first I didn't feel like I was sacrificing anything, I was excited to learn from the Lord, but I didn't feel like my mission held as much value as it should. I listened to a talk by Elder Holland addressing missionaries, expressing his deep passion for the work. "My mission meant EVERYTHING to me;" he said, "it meant EVERYTHING." So why was I, especially as a new missionary, not feeling that fire?
  It has been since this new week of sacrifice that I felt that I understood. Because I wasn't feeling like I was placing anything before the Lord, because my lifestyle and mentality wasn't changing very much, how could I expect the Lord to step in and give me that added knowledge and those blessings as promised to those who sacrifice?
  My challenge to you, brothers and sisters is to find something to sacrifice for a week. Be reasonable though; don't go a week without eating. Maybe go a week without eating out. If you think of something that you're not sure you can handle, like giving up a television show or some other addiction, maybe that should be the one you do. Find something else to fill the time. Finish putting together the family photo album, get a home project finished, go for a walk to refresh your mind. You may find that you don't need that one thing after all. You might also find that the end reward is something to look forward to-like I am looking forward to opening all of my mail next week! Make it hard, but make it worth it.
  Good luck, my dear friends. Remember, after all the Savior did for us, should we not be willing to give our part back to Him?