The Unseen Impact of Missionary Work

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Missionary work is often filled with moments of effort and service that don’t immediately yield visible results. For many missionaries, especially those serving in regions where the Christian faith is not widely accepted, it’s easy to feel discouraged. Japan, for example, is a country where less than 3% of the population considers Christianity relevant to their lives. Yet, the experiences of missionaries, like Elder Steve Strong, remind us that the seeds planted in faith may take years, or even decades, to bear fruit.

Elder Steve Strong served as a young missionary in Sendai, Japan, from 1976 to 1978. Nearly 50 years later, he returned to Japan with his wife, Cindy to serve together as Humanitarian Service Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. His journey back to the country where he had once labored as a young missionary allowed him to see the profound, though often unseen, impact of his earlier missionary service.

One of the most powerful lessons Elder Strong learned is that missionary work doesn’t always yield immediate results. In many instances, missionaries might leave an area thinking they haven’t made much of a difference. But, as Elder Strong’s experiences show, God’s timing is often quite different from our own, and the impact of faithful, sincere, and prayerful, efforts to serve the Lord might only be visible years later.

In Hirosaki, where Elder Strong once served, church meetings were held in the missionaries’ apartment, and they were responsible for much of the local church leadership. One of his stories involves Sister Yagihashi, a less active member Elder Strong had met by chance while he and his companion were knocking on doors to share the gospel. He invited her to again attend church.  The following week, she returned to church after their encounter and stayed faithful for nearly 50 years. Elder Strong’s return to Japan filled him with great joy when he met her again and learned of her continued devotion and faithfulness.

Similarly, Sister Akagi, who had wanted to be baptized as a teenager but was prevented by her parents, finally joined the church nearly 2 years after Elder Strong’s departure. When he met her years later, she was an active, faithful member, a testament to the long-term effects of the Spirit and the patient and faithful efforts of a missionary.

In Yamagata, Elder Strong’s weekly home teaching companion, Brother Takeda, remained active in the church.  When Elder Strong returned decades later, they had a joyous reunion and reminisced about the members they had visited together.  Some of those people had passed on, but others had come back to the church over the years, a testimony to the lasting influence of their efforts.

In Fukushima, Elder Strong remembers being asked to baptize Sister Sato Reiko.  When missionaries are asked to perform ordinances it can be meaningful to the members. Sometime after Elder Strong transferred away from Fukushima, Sister Sato no longer attended church. The members continued to reach out and share the Savior's love for her for over 30 years.  Elder Strong called her a week before visiting Fukushima to invite her to church. At the end of church meetings the following Sunday, she arrived to meet with him and a few of the ward members.  She brought photos from the past and reconnected with her ward family. This gave Sister Sato the opportunity to feel the Spirit and the Lord's endless love for her.

Another touching story is that of the Kanno family in Fukushima. In 1977, Elder Strong and his companion were visiting homes late one evening when his companion, feeling discouraged, wanted to return early to their apartment. Elder Strong insisted that they knock on one last door.  The father at that home recognized Elder Strong from a book he had recently read and invited them in.  That simple act of perseverance led to several weeks of missionary discussions with the family.  Though they didn’t initially commit to the gospel, Mr. Kanno invited the missionaries over for dinner each week. Over time, their hearts softened, and the Spirit testified to them of restored gospel truths.  Eventually, Sister Kanno was baptized, and their family was blessed with the gospel in their home. This story beautifully illustrates that no effort in the Lord’s service (especially service motivated by Christlike love) is ever wasted, even when the results aren’t immediate.  The reunion of Elder Strong with the Kanno family brought deep heartfelt joy to Elder Strong and his wife.

These experiences mirror the story of Alma and the sons of King Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. After years of separation, they rejoiced at seeing the fruits of their labors and knowing that those they had worked with remained faithful. Elder Strong’s return to Japan, nearly half a century later, brought similar joy as he reunited with members and prior investigators whose lives had been touched by his service, even though he hadn’t seen the results at the time.

For missionaries, the message is clear: never underestimate the impact of sincere service to the Lord in sharing the gospel. While immediate results may not always be visible, the seeds of faith and love planted through diligent meaningful service often grow into something much greater over time. As Elder Strong’s story shows, there is immense joy in realizing that the Lord has used your efforts, even when you weren’t aware of it. Serve with love and trust that God will take care of the rest.  The blessings and overwhelming joy are too great to calculate.