The Power Within: Developing the Fruits of the Spirit in the Field

Brothers and sisters, if you’ve ever felt the weight of a difficult conversation, or perhaps felt frustrated after a missionary discussion that didn't go the way you hoped, you know the ache of wanting things to be different. We are so eager to help our investigators, to see the Spirit move, and sometimes we feel like we need someone else—a district leader, a companion, or even the Lord Himself—to *make* the change happen.

But what if the greatest work of discipleship isn't about changing the other person, but about changing the lens through which *we* see our own power? It’s a truth that can sometimes feel a little uncomfortable, a little contrary to what we expect when we are learning to be more like Christ.

The message echoing from this talk—and it resonates deeply with everything we learn in our studies of the Book of Mormon and the teachings of the restored gospel—is that the spiritual gifts we seek, the patience, the self-control, the joy... those are not things we are *given* by another person’s prayer. They are seeds planted within us, and we are responsible for watering them.

The Illusion of External Change

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our spiritual progress is dependent on external circumstances. We might think, "If only my companion understood this scripture better," or, "If only the Lord would just *make* me feel more patient." We wait for the breakthrough, the moment where everything just clicks into place, often expecting it to be handed to us.

But the Spirit whispers a different truth: You already have the power. The self-control, the capacity for peace, the desire to be more Christlike—that is already resident within you. It is a tiny seed, perhaps, but it is yours to nurture.

Taking Ownership of Our Spiritual Muscle

This concept of personal responsibility is vital for every member, whether you are preparing for your mission, serving as a returned missionary, or simply trying to be a better disciple in your own home. We have to stop using excuses—"I can't help it," "I was raised this way," "It's too hard"—and start taking ownership. That shift in mindset is the first, hardest, and most miraculous step in discipleship.

Think about it: If you want to be able to resist the temptation of the cookie jar, you don't wait for someone to magically remove the cookies. You look at the jar and say, "If I want it, I eat it; if I don't, I don't." That declaration of will, that moment of choice, is where the power resides.

This is the essence of being an internet missionary today. We are called to be disciples everywhere, all the time. When we encounter a difficult topic in a missionary discussion, or when we are studying challenging passages in our social scripture study feeds, we cannot wait for the perfect environment or the perfect companion to make us feel capable. We must actively choose to exercise the patience, the gentleness, and the understanding that the Spirit requires.

A Skill for the Field: Owning Your Agency

My little mission-prep skill for you today is to identify one area this week where you have been blaming external forces for your lack of progress. Is it your ability to share your testimony? Is it your patience during family discussions? Name it. Then, replace the phrase "I can't" with "I will try to..."

This isn't about perfection; it's about the willingness to show up and exercise the divine endowment we have been given. It is about remembering that the Lord doesn't just send us to *receive* the Spirit; He sends us to *develop* it.

If you want to dig deeper into the mechanics of developing our spiritual gifts, I highly recommend revisiting the teachings on agency. Check out the latest writings by an Iron Rod author available in LivingBook, perhaps focusing on the principles of personal revelation. And if you want to discuss how this applies to real-life scenarios, join a Book Club or Bible Study Group in HolyPlaces this week. Let’s keep building up the kingdom, one conscious choice at a time!