Recently I learned that the Church is short ~2,000 senior couples in the United States and short ~7,000 senior couples Internationally.
It’s a desperate need. The impact and importance of senior missionaries cannot be over emphasized. They are key to the work moving forward. When I was a young missionary, it was a senior couple who changed the course of my mission and impacted where I am today. Their impact on young missionaries and the area that they serve in is unique and powerful.
Recently, I watched on as a couple moved me to tears for their willingness to offer their “first fruits” to the Lord. Troy and Becky Black moved into our ward and were living in their barn while their retirement home was being finished. Troy began working in the Priests Quorum, and as temple worker. Troy had a bit of time on his hands because of his recent retirement. You’d see him around town helping as many people as he could. He looked strong and healthy.
Few people knew that Troy was an extremely successful business man. He’d worked tirelessly in a very stressful profession for the last 25 years to earn a great living and continue saving for retirement. But at about the age of 47, Troy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. His diagnosis caused him to retire early. Some of his highest earning years might have been ahead of him, but nevertheless, he retired and learned how to deal with the disease. I never heard him complain about this unfortunate turn of events in his life.
Becky dedicated much of her professional life toward helping those that struggle with mental health. After Troy had retired, she continued her successful career as a mental health therapist, a skill that has become needed more than ever in our world.
But as they slowly built their retirement home, and lived quietly in their barn, Troy and Becky made the monumental decision to offer their “first fruits” to the Lord. Before the house was even finished, they began their mission papers. They weren’t going to be around to enjoy their nice new home. They had a new granddaughter coming soon, a nice new home to enjoy after years of labor, Becky had a meaningful career, and both of them were faced with Troy’s dreadful Parkinson’s diagnosis. So why were they going on a mission in the midst of all that?
I asked Troy in so many words why he wanted to serve a mission at this time and under these circumstances. His answer will never leave me. He said simply: “I want to serve the Lord while I still have the strength… because I don’t know how much longer I’ll have the strength.”
Troy and Becky Black didn’t say:
“We need to travel the world while I still have the strength”
“Gosh, can’t we just enjoy our house and rest a little while?”
“We can’t leave on a mission right now because we have a grandkid.”
Becky, herself, could have pushed back and said, “Troy… lets just stay home and enjoy our time together while you still have strength and while your Parkinson’s isn’t completely disabling.”
Instead, each of them said, “We’re going to serve the Lord first.”
Both of them could have easily kept the “first fruits,” (their time and their strength) for themselves and found a way to enjoy their success. No one would have questioned them. But instead, at the hardest time to do so, they decided to give it to the Lord.
Up until the time that they left, they would relentlessly find people in the ward who needed help. I asked again… “What drives you to do this?” Troy’s answer to me: “I’ve been so blessed by the Lord, and the more I give, the more I seem to receive.”
If there is one thing I’ve learned in my life, it is this:
“To whom much is given, much is required.” Much was given to Troy and Becky Black. So with smiles on their faces and uncertainty in their future, and all the strength that they now have, they are giving back to the Lord.
I’ve been contemplating a lot lately that God never asks us to do something that He wouldn’t do Himself. Our Heavenly Parents offered to us their “first fruits.” Jesus was the best that they had… and yet they offered Him to us. And it must have been so hard.
Each of us get to prioritize what we do with our “first fruits,” whatever those may be at various times in our life.
As for Elder & Sister Black, their mission call has taken them into Argentina, where Becky has been called as the Area Mental Health Advisor and Troy has been called as her assistant, and what an assistant he will be.
They are about to change and save the lives of so many, because they offered their “first fruits” to the Lord, and as Troy said to me earlier, the Lord will bless them with even more than they could have imagined.
Somebody essentially lend a hand to make significantly posts I might state. That is the very first time I frequented your web page and up to now? I surprised with the research you made to create this particular put up amazing. Excellent job!
This is awesome. My wife and I are service missionaries. There are so many opportunities for married couples to serve, right now, even if they have kids at home and are still working. The church has a goal to integrate all proselyting and service focused missions by the end of the year. It started in Layton and Orem, and now it is being rolled out to 38 other missions. The need for Senior Service Missionaries is great. The intrinsic blessing alone are indescribable. I hope this article inspires many to explore what kind of missionary work they can do .
I enjoy the story . We all serve in difference ways . I’m member of the church . I came to Ghana as a refugee after my mission. I’m now helping poor kids to go school free of charge.
I love this and the message makes me remember a scripture in Alma which Ammon said
”I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy”
Is My Hope that Every Individual and Couples will feel this joy and make Decision to share the Joy that we the Young Men may also gain from them.
Congratulations on a great decision, Troy and Becky. My name is Keith Wilson and I currently assist my wife who is an area mental health advisor for 17 missions in Peru , Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia. I taught religion at BYU for 42 years and now I love seeing her make such a difference. Day-in-and-day-out we witness miracles in the lives of these young missionaries. But we need more help. Br Keith Wilson
Keith, I just happen to stumble on this article and see your comment! It is nice to see how you and your wife are serving. If you’re on Facebook, let’s connect. Best wishes for a joyful and successful mission! Dan Ditto
What an inspiring article of a faithful, selfless couple who desire to serve the Lord and are putting him first. It brought tears to my eyes as I reflected on our own senior mission, its fruits and blessings. I hope other senior couples will feel the joy that comes from serving and develop lifelong, priceless friendships with young missionaries, senior missionaries and those they’ve met on their mission as they serve Him.
I love this article as I do all of yours. It is important to share stories that touch others and prompt personal revelation. Thanks again.
Greg,
Thank you for posting this. I did not realize how much I have missed your emails and posts. This has reminded me to pay more attention to what I receive, and notice when it is gone (even if it is just suspended temporarily). I will pay attention to the voids so that I may appreciate the filling of them even more. Thanl you!
Love your articles and insights!
Thank you for sharing this story about the Black’s, may we all be so grateful and committed to the work!
Thank you for sharing the story about the Black’s. May we be as grateful and committed to the Lords work.
Pesticide exposure & head trauma are linked to Parkinson’s. The YouTube channel “Dr. Eric Berg DC” has VERY brief, information-packed videos to reverse symptoms of this disease: “What Is Parkinson’s Disease and What Causes this Disease?” and “Can Parkinson’s Disease Be Reversed?” A wheat farming online penpal of mine 9 years ago described to me the MASSIVE chemicals used when growing such NON-organic grain crops. Eric Berg gives sound advice, in my opinion, except I differ in that I believe Eric’s avoiding ***ORGANIC*** grains is almost always unwise advice, with my views in harmony with Christ’s counsel in D & C 89/ The Word of Wisdom… every PART of that, I love and obey. “Natural Medicine” has literally cured me (and my pals) dozens of times from severe chronic diseases, and I obey its suggestions WHEN-!, they’re HARMONIOUS with D & C 89. PLEASE-!, FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO Troy & Becky Black, because Troy has Parkinson’s. My in-law family member (as a Stake President, now as a recovered, healthy Regional leader,) had a terminal chronic disease which he cured by using Natural Medicine FACTS, (much like these facts in the above-listed videos,) to treat it. PLEASE don’t turn a deaf ear to this Wisdom, PLEASE save people from years of unnecessary severe suffering or premature death by SHARING this information. Please!
We served 2 senior missions and they were they best years of our lives. They changed our lives for good. They blessed our children whose problems were miraculously solved while we were away. We gained beloved friends in the Spanish speaking communities. We were Spanish speaking senior missionaries. In fact my husband wrote a book about our experiences of our first mission. It is called Shine, by Richard Ardmore. If a person wanted to know how wonderful a senior mission could be, it’s a great book to find out.
Thank you for this article. I know of the importance of Senior Missionaries. My husband and I were able to serve two missions and was planning on a 3rd when he was diagnosed with cancer from having been exposed 50 years before to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.
Our first mission was 23 months as Education Specialists in the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission in the South Pacific. Our 2nd Mission was for 12 months as Visitor Center Missionaries in the Missouri Independence Mission with Liberty Jail our primary assignment. Two totally different missions, both very fulfilling, we enjoyed serving the Lord, offering our first fruits to Him.
I do encourage couples to serve as they retire.
Years ago I remember a radio ad for blood donation. The punch line was, “My reason for donating blood is strictly selfish. It makes me feel good and I like to feel good.”
My wife and I are on our 4th mission together. Fifty years ago when I served as a young missionary we didn’t have any senior missionaries in our mission and we desperately needed some. My companion and I promised each other that when we got old we would be missionaries again. You can hardly imagine how wonderful it is to live this miraculous life. We go from one miracle to another.
To paraphrase a line from one of our most loved hymns, “They who reject this great blessing will never such happiness know.”
Thanks for this inspiring story. Their sacrifice now will bless them and their family for the eternities.
i am glad to hear from you ; it seems a long time . or maybe it was i who slipped away . your stories always always uplifted me .
my wife died after 5yrs marriage . it was her second marriage with 5 adult children and abt 24 grands . my first marriage . we were 65 and 67 yrs . we served in dominican republic for abt 6 months. we were release because she developed a cancer ; surgery was required . it was her 3rd bought; different cancer . then came the 4th 5th 6th when she died – 10years this month – minus 10 days ! i should move on but haven’t .
i am glad you are back – or i hope you are back .
This is awesome! Thank you for sharing this inspiring message. Best wishes and prayers for Elder and Sister Black and the missionaries and God’s people they will bless. I too was impacted immensely by the senior missionaries in my mission. Elder and Sister Condie, Elder and Sister Young, and many others.
I’m sure cost plays a big part in this shortage.
A beautiful and sanctifying whole soul offering on the altar of the Lord. Thank you for sharing! Great to hear from you again!
Just shared this post with our son and daughter who are recruiting couples to come to come and serve in the mission they will preside over come July. We have serve several senior missions, four in Africa. All were amazing adventures but the most spiritual mission we served was in our own stake as MLS missionaries. This work is important and to feel the spirit working through you on a daily basis is life changing. It doesn’t matter where you serve but serving away from home is an adventure that will strengthen your marriage and your relationship with the Savior as you devote all your energy and time to serving in the Lord’s way.
We are just starting our 2nd Senior Missionary Mission. We are young (relatively) 62 and 60. A couple we served with in Prison Ministry was on there 3rd mission together and when they got home he was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. We have a small window to serve sometimes. The Scriptures say “if ye have a desire to serve Ye are called to the work” It has been so rewarding and so much better that worrying about my next vacation plans! We have learned so much about forgiveness and Jesus’s mission and love for us. God really loves each of us unconditionally.
As a Veteran, a wife to a retired Navy CPO , and an active duty Navy Fighter Pilot, I see the need greater then ever before to assist in keeping our active duty, and retiree members engaged. It’s a whole new world out there [military] where anyone can choose a rabbit hole! With the help of military missionary’s we may a great influence in the lives of those that serve our country.
As a Veteran, a wife to a retired Navy CPO , mother to an active duty Navy Fighter Pilot, I see the need greater then ever before to assist in keeping our active duty, and retiree members engaged. It’s a whole new world out there [military] where anyone can choose a rabbit hole! With the help of military missionary’s we may a great influence in the lives of those that serve our country.