[At least once a month, and sometimes more often, President George D. Durrant of the Kentucky Tennessee Mission from 1972 to 1975 would write a message to all of the missionaries. He called such messages 'Newsletters'. This is one of them.]

Our first-string center had just fouled out. The coach had no one to turn to but me. Not much time remained when I left the bench upon which I had spent almost all of my basketball career. With only seconds remaining the score was tied and I was fouled. All eyes were upon me as I placed my toe as close as I could to the line. Pressure bore heavily upon my shoulders. Dear old American Fork High could win or lose, depending upon me. I released the ball and...

Well, you don't have to hear any more of that. But pressures are always upon those who go to the line and attempt to do great things. Every act of faith carries with it built-in pressure. Often faith requires an inward commitment that you are going to do something that is beyond your normal ability. And after a decision of faith you must ask yourself the soul-searching, pressure-packed question, "Can I do it?"

This kind of pressure is now associated with a decision you made that you will accomplish certain very difficult goals associated with helping people accept the gospel and become members of the Church. After the decision comes the pressure. Pressure to be clean in mind and body. Pressure to study and learn. Pressure to pray with fervor and meaning. Pressure to be more than you've ever been before. Pressure to be worthy so that the Lord can do his work through you.

If you set no such goals, you feel no pressure. There are those who say: "Oh well, I'm not going to worry. If we find someone, we will teach him; and if we don't, we won't." Or: "I do my best, and if they drop us they drop us. I'm not going to sweat it." To such people there is no pressure because there are no goals and thus no act of faith.

Pressure need not wear us down. It need not keep us awake at night. It need not cause us to have a nervous stomach. Pressure shouldn't break us down, it should build us up. Pressure is the soil in which great deeds grow. The way to handle pressure is found in the words of the song "Cast Your Burdens on the Lord." There's a difference in casting your burdens on the Lord and not having any burdens. We should have goals and commitments to achieve certain things. Things beyond our ability. Things that put us under pressure—calm motivating pressure—and which prompt us to work and to pray with all our heart.

Missions make us better because missions are filled with pressure. And when we respond positively to that pressure, we grow.

I'm grateful for pressure. Oh, that foul shot. Well, what do you think?