King Benjamin and Bees

June 3, 2015


(Here are some of the thoughts I shared at the Senior Missionary Conference.)

“Bee the best you can bee!”

Because our mission theme is “Bee the best you can bee!”, I want to share some thoughts about some “B” things. 

First, King Benjamin was a prophet whose name begins with “B”.  I hope my service is like that of King Benjamin.

Mosiah 2:9-17

9  And these are the words which he spake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.

10  I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

11  But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.

12  I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

13  Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you—

14  And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

15  Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

16  Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

17  And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

The life and service of a missionary is much like that of a bee.

Bees

*Spend all day collecting pollen.

         Pollen is sticky and stains clothes and hands.

         Produces the most perfect food on earth.

*Work hard to build the hive.

*Leave the hive every day.

*Work hard looking for perfect flower with pollen.

*Go from flower to flower pollenating trees and flowers that later produce fruit and beautiful things.

*Some people acknowledge the good things they do and other’s hate them and try to kill them.

*Know the Queen Bee is awaiting their return.

*Only live for a season.

*Others will benefit from their efforts.

Just like bees, because of the busy time we spend in the mission field, we and our families will receive eternal blessings