Open The Book, Hit Your Knees And Get To Church To Take The Sacrament In Brazil - Elder Evan Record

This episode of the Mission Stories podcast, welcomes a special guest: Shawn's son, Evan Record, who recently returned from his mission just a few days prior. Shawn mentions the joy of seeing two new faces in the studio, including Evan and a framed motivational photograph of himself with the words "Never give up". Evan, previously Elder Record, has returned excited to share stories from his time as a missionary.

The episode centers on vital missionary principles, beginning with Principle Number Two: conversion. Shawn explains that the sole purpose of a missionary is to lead souls to Christ. They examine Mosiah 5:7, which defines conversion through language like "spiritual rebirth," having hearts "changed," and being "born again" through faith. Shawn and Evan discuss how core practices—faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost—lead to conversion. Revelation is key to conversion and comes from sacred habits such as praying, feasting on the words of Christ, and attending church.

Evan shares an insightful experience concerning the sacrament, which Shawn calls the "fifth principle" in the conversion process. While serving in San Lorenzo, a remote area with a small branch of only about 18 members, Evan and his companion often prepared, blessed, and passed the sacrament due to the lack of men available. This repeated performance of the ordinance caused Evan to re-remember and relearn its significance, realizing it is not just part of the meeting, but "the meeting" itself. Evan explains that the more he focused on the ordinance and its meaning, the more he felt Christ's presence in the chapel, describing the feeling as a "hug from Christ".

They discuss the powerful symbolism of the sacrament as the new covenant replacing the Old Testament practice of blood sacrifices on an altar. Instead of offering an innocent animal, Christ requires us to offer a "broken heart and a contrite spirit". Evan explains that thinking about the sacrament in this way helped him realize he could not succeed on his own and deepened his reliance on God. Evan recommends a simple trick for taking the sacrament: during the first prayer, focus on gratitude and thanking God; during the second prayer, focus on repentance. Furthermore, when receiving the tray, imagine Christ offering himself to you.

The discussion shifts to Principle Number One: choosing between being lukewarm, hot, or cold. Evan shares a story of being called as a trainer just three months into his mission, when he was still struggling significantly to speak Portuguese. Faced with this nearly "impossible" task, Evan realized his lifelong approach—the "Evan way" of just working harder—would not suffice. He deliberately chose to humble himself and get on his knees, praying with "all the energy of heart" (Moroni 7:48). This act of humility led to a specific feeling of peace and confidence from God, which allowed him to succeed in training his new companion.

Evan concludes the episode by advising listeners to start preparing for their missions now by focusing on small, simple things like consistent scripture study and frequent prayer. Shawn summarizes Evan’s advice for keeping the fire of conversion intact: "Open the book, hit your knees, and get to church to take the sacrament".