By Michael Preece

(Unknown publication)

Dr. Lowell Bennion has stated: “Students of human nature believe self-acceptance, or a feeling of one's own worth, to be one of the most basic psychological or spiritual needs of every human being. ... Self-acceptance is not only a joy in itself and a prerequisite to the spiritual health of the individual, but it is also a prerequisite to living other gospel principles of great worth. A person, for example who hates himself is not free to love his neighbor. He is afraid to give of himself and will likely use his neighbor and his faults to build up his own ego. And since he feels that he cannot elevate himself, he is likely to seek to bring his neighbor down to his own level through criticism and gossip. ...If one cannot accept himself, he is self-involved. A person so concerned with himself has great difficulty in being objective, in concentrating on his studies, in pursuing a knowledge of the reality about him.”

Confidence and faith are the very basis of all we do as missionaries. A genuine conviction has tremendous power. Jesus said, "According to your faith, be it unto you." The missionary who has confidence - self-acceptance in and of himself - doubles his power and multiplies his ability. Who ever heard of a conqueror who went out thinking he couldn't do it? What leader approached a problem by selling his people on the idea that it was an impossible task? Theodore Roosevelt started out in life as a weak, sickly boy. But he 'thought' health and courage, and he rose to the highest position his countrymen could give him. Once when he was decorating a soldier for bravery, Roosevelt is reported to have said: "This is the bravest man I have ever seen. He followed right behind me all the way up San Juan Hill." President Roosevelt believed in his soldier, but he also believed in himself.

CONFIDENCE

If you think you are beaten, you are,

If you think you dare not, you don't

If you'd like to win, but you think you can't,

It's almost a cinch that you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,

For out of the world we find

Success begins with a fellow's will,

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are,

You've got to think high to rise,

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life's battle doesn't always go

To the swifter or faster man,

But sooner or later the man who wins

Is the man "who thinks he can".

— Selected

If we are going to be servants of the Master, we should act like His servants. We should do the things they would do and know He was supporting us in all we do.

The confidence we have in ourselves and the faith we have in the Lord and His gospel will determine to a great measure the success we have in our proselyting activities. We must first believe that we have the power and ability to do the work well. We must have complete confidence and faith in the gospel and its saving power. John Ruskin said: "One of the greatest motivating forces in obedience is belief in the real excellency of the law and trust in the authority behind it." A missionary, to be successful, must have a complete testimony of the gospel, and implicit confidence in the Prophet of the church that he is inspired to direct of the Lord. He must have faith in the authority of the priesthood to act in the name of the Lord.

It is important to try and build confidence in our lives. One of the greatest ways of building confidence is through success. We can go so long without baptisms, then we begin to feel we are not capable of teaching and baptizing people. Everyone needs success born of their own achievement. Repeated success will build great confidence. President McKay says: "Confidence comes through sincere prayer. Once a student feels that he can approach the Lord through prayer, he will receive confidence that he can get his lessons, that he can write his speech, that he can stand up before others and deliver a message without fear of failure. Confidence comes through sincere prayer."

Confidence comes through desire. We can withhold ourselves from doing until fear can cause us to even lose the desire of doing. If we can build desire sufficiently strong, we can overcome many inhibitions; can build desire sufficiently strong, we can overcome many inhibitions; the building of desire enables us to make a try and thus builds confidence. Desire will also help us to establish success patterns. Of course, desires are of value only when they drive us to action. Will must accompany desire, then high resolve is born. Someone has said, "Desire is the design, will the execution of the desire. Desire sets up the goal; the will drives towards it. Desire alone is helpless; the will spurs us into achievement. When desire and will move together, in the right direction, we become strong and conquering. As our desires are, so are we."