Area Leadership Message
Heavenly Father Invites “To Whomever” to Come to Him
An invitation is a request or call extended to someone, asking them to participate in or attend something. It can be formal or informal, spoken or written, and it implies that the person being invited has a choice to accept or decline. The invitation is a gentle call to act, change, or grow—like an invitation to follow a principle or take a step toward personal improvement. At its core, an invitation acknowledges agency—it offers rather than demands.
In the spring of 1820, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith as he prayed in a grove of trees near his home in western New York. This event is known as the First Vision. “When the light rested upon me, I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”
Spiritual Invitation
Accepting the Father’s invitation means choosing to follow Jesus Christ. It means embracing His teachings, repenting of sin, being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Each step we take toward Christ is a step toward our Heavenly Father. The Savior does not turn away any who seek Him. Rather, He lifts us, encourages us, and guides us along the path of discipleship. The journey may be difficult, but it is filled with joy, peace, purpose, and divine help.
From journal entry #222, dated August 1, 1978, addressed to "Whomever," Elder Lively wrote, “I must be the most happiest missionary in the mission. Tonight, the Romo family accepted baptism for August 12th. Yahooo! Every time we challenge a family, I get a tingling feeling all over my body, just like I used to before the beginning of a basketball game. Boy, I know that my Heavenly Father is looking after us because he has blessed us with such great families. I love my mission so much not only now because things are going so good but also when the times were rough and hard.” We talked to the Romo family about fasting to find out if the message being taught is true, and they said—sure, no problem, we will do it. Everyone is very excited about the whole thing.” Until tomorrow!
The missionaries dared to extend the invitation to fast and pray because they were not afraid that they would lose a golden family if the family didn’t accept it; instead, they were fearful that the family wouldn’t receive the blessings and power that God had in store for them. Elder Lively added journal entry #238, “To whomever, August 26, 1978, Saturday, the Romo’s baptism was just great. Everything went smoothly, just like it was supposed to.”
A Promise of Joy and Peace
Heavenly Father’s invitation is ultimately an invitation to joy. He does not call us to Him to burden us but to bless us. In His presence is peace, love, and eternal life. The Prophet Lehi taught that “men are, that they might have joy” and that joy is found most fully in a relationship serving with God. The more we serve Him, the more we experience the deep, abiding joy that the world cannot give.
Like Elder Lively and Elder Libatique, the invitation from Heavenly Father is clear, constant, and filled with love: “Come unto me.” It is not reserved for the perfect but extended to all who will humble themselves and seek Him. Through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and with sincere intent, each of us can respond to that call. As we come to our Father, we discover who we truly are—His beloved children—and we find joy, purpose, peace, and the promise of eternal life in His presence.
I want to share a picture of the Romo siblings (Carolyn, Richie, Olympio Jr., Michaela, and Carlo) with then-Elder Lively and his wife—Janet, last April 2025 in Utah. The siblings embraced the invitation to follow the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and His restored gospel. My invitation to everyone, along with my testimony in the words of our dear prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, is: “Today I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission.” “For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. You young men have been reserved for this time when the promised gathering of Israel is taking place.”
I bear my solemn witness that Father in Heaven is a living God, Jesus is the Christ, my Savior and my Redeemer and the Holy Ghost who infinitely invites you and me to serve our fellow brothers and sisters joyfully.
To whomever, Until tomorrow!