I don’t think that we as missionaries have any idea who we are or about the power that we carry with us.  In my reading over the past two days I’ve found latter-day missionaries in some surprising places.

Jacob chapter 5 in the Book of Mormon is the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees written by the prophet Zenos.  The entire history of the House of Israel is covered in those 77 verses and 6 ½ pages.  Don’t groan the next time you come to it.  Yes, it’s the longest chapter in the Book of Mormon, but it’s a prophetic masterpiece.  Read it carefully.  You’re mentioned there.  So are the Jaredites, the Nephites and Lamanites, and the land of America.  Our names and the names of those groups aren’t specifically given because the allegory was written as a prophecy of things yet to come, but if you read carefully you’ll find them.

As the Lord of the vineyard went forth to prune it for the last time he told His servant, “Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way…”  (Jacob 5:61).

The servant that the Lord of the vineyard was talking to is His prophet, the president of the Church.  President Monson has called other servants.  We each have a personal letter from him, with his signature on it, calling us to labor in the vineyard.

And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few.  (v. 70).

It was announced by President Monson in the general conference just past that there is now a record number of full-time missionaries serving—80,333.  That would constitute a huge army if they were all together, but scattered as we are throughout the world, our numbers are few in comparison to the work to be done.

And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them:  Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might.  For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.

And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.  (Jacob 5:71-72).

That’s us!  And notice Who is laboring with us.  Notice, too, that verse 74 says, “And thus they labored, with all diligence…”  Flip the page in your English Book of Mormon and you’ll find that this allegory, that covers everything from the beginning of the world to the Second Coming of Christ, is only 77 verses long—and we’re in verse 74!  The world, and our work, have just three verses left before all is fulfilled to usher in Christ’s coming.

So there you are in Jacob chapter 5.

I kept reading, and I found us again in king Benjamin’s address.  I never realized it before, but Mosiah chapter 3—the entire chapter—is the words of an angel which Benjamin quotes.  The angel says in verse 13, “and the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue…”

It struck me with great force that the “holy prophets” that the Lord sends to every kindred, nation, and tongue are not the First Presidency and the Apostles.  The holy prophets who are doing most of the declaring are the 80,000 missionaries spread out over the world—and I can prove it.

There’s a difference between a prophet and a seer.  We sustain the Apostles as prophets and seers, and indeed, they are.  But a prophet, the Bible Dictionary says, “is anyone who has a testimony of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost.”  (pg. 754).

John says in the Book of Revelation that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  (Rev. 19:10).

We’re the “holy prophets” who have been called by the servant of the Lord of the vineyard to labor along with the Lord Himself in the nations of Vanuatu, Chile, and the United States.

Through your diligence and obedience, you have His full support, guidance, protection, and direction.  He says, “…for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”  (D&C 84:88).

He further says, “…whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”  (D&C 1:38).

We’re His servants.  You’re His holy prophets.  He will sustain you in whatever you do or say in faithfulness and obedience.