--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My sons served excellent missions, and…" description: "\"My sons served excellent missions, and returned to participate in college athletics. In their letters home, and even now that they have been back for s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/lavell-edwards-8764_athletics_my-sons-served-excellent-missions-and-re_1759364.jpg" --- # My sons served excellent missions, and returned to… ![“My sons served excellent missions, and returned to participate in college athletics. In their letters home, and even now that they have been back for some time, they frequently mention that the experiences in the mission field were the choicest and most gratifying of their lives. You young men…” quote by LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/lavell-edwards-8764_athletics_my-sons-served-excellent-missions-and-re_1759364.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/lavell-edwards-8764_athletics_my-sons-served-excellent-missions-and-re_1759364.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/lavell-edwards-8764_athletics_my-sons-served-excellent-missions-and-re_1759364.jpg) > “My sons served excellent missions, and returned to participate in college athletics. In their letters home, and even now that they have been back for some time, they frequently mention that the experiences in the mission field were the choicest and most gratifying of their lives. You young men, begin to prepare yourselves now for this marvelous experience.” [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mission work can be the most rewarding part of life, shaping character and future success. **In simple terms:** Missions can be the best experience. Key Takeaway Embrace service and personal growth. Themes service growth faith leadership Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - college preparation - career planning - personal development - community service Key Concepts spiritual development character building long‑term fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - How can you seek purpose without a mission? - What values did you gain from service? A Different Perspective Not everyone has access to mission opportunities; personal circumstances vary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athletics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletics/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Excellent Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent-missions-1677911/) [Experiences Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences-mission-1677914/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letters/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Marvelous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marvelous/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Missions Returned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions-returned-1677912/) [My son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-son/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Sons Served](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons-served-1677913/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/) [Young men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-men/) ## Related quotes > [Potential does not always ensure success. The greatest players have not always been the most endowed. In athletics, we often hear the phrase, "He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/potential-does-not-always-ensure-success-the-greatest-players-have/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Commenting on playoffs to determine a national champion: I'm not in favor of 15 games either. I think that's way too much football. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/commenting-on-playoffs-to-determine-a-national-champion-i-m-not-in/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [If you get a great wife who understands the demands of someone in athletics, I think that's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-romo/if-you-get-a-great-wife-who-understands-the-demands-of-someone-in/) [Tony Romo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-romo/) > [Physical perfection, working out, adds to your spiritual perfection if that is your intent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/physical-perfection-working-out-adds-to-your-spiritual-perfection-if/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [In the game of Frisbee you throw the disk to someone else. The point of Frisbee is perfect communication. The person at the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-game-of-frisbee-you-throw-the-disk-to-someone-else-the-point/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There's discussion in athletics about how sport - where they say 'SportsCenter' has ruined the fundamentals of basketball because it's - it only applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pfeiffer/there-s-discussion-in-athletics-about-how-sport-where-they-say/) [Dan Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pfeiffer/) > [The very advanced practitioners of martial arts never had to raise a hand. They could knock an opponent down without physically touching them, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-very-advanced-practitioners-of-martial-arts-never-had-to-raise-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [And with alphabetical irony Nigeria follows New Zealand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coleman/and-with-alphabetical-irony-nigeria-follows-new-zealand/) [David Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coleman/) > [Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-difference-is-that-some-of-us-are-in/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [While receiving radiation treatment for a thyroid illness, I had refused to take beta-blockers - a medication that would have eased its side effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-devers/while-receiving-radiation-treatment-for-a-thyroid-illness-i-had/) [Gail Devers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-devers/) > [If you have the sense of participation in sports or athletics, of being a player, then you are not really into the Zen mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-have-the-sense-of-participation-in-sports-or-athletics-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The Games have been decimated. If you take away the Eastern Bloc, you take away 50% of the medals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-pickering/the-games-have-been-decimated-if-you-take-away-the-eastern-bloc-you/) [Ron Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-pickering/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) ## More by LaVell Edwards > [We have reached the point where we can lose a game or two and not drop out of sight in the rankings. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/we-have-reached-the-point-where-we-can-lose-a-game-or-two-and-not/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [We tend to look at successful athletes and make them almost bigger than life. I have seen many young men who have achieved greatness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/we-tend-to-look-at-successful-athletes-and-make-them-almost-bigger/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Not playing on Sunday has caused problems for other organizations or teams who wanted us to do so, but we never had to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/not-playing-on-sunday-has-caused-problems-for-other-organizations-or/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [How do we handle adversity? Adversity is going to be with us in everything that we do, almost in every facet of our lives-in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/how-do-we-handle-adversity-adversity-is-going-to-be-with-us-in/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [I know the team, as a whole, has had an impact on the youth of the church, and on the missionary efforts throughout the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/i-know-the-team-as-a-whole-has-had-an-impact-on-the-youth-of-the/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [He will return with a greater understanding of himself, greater leadership capabilities, better work habits, and a better knowledge of what it takes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/he-will-return-with-a-greater-understanding-of-himself-greater/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Potential does not always ensure success. The greatest players have not always been the most endowed. In athletics, we often hear the phrase, "He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/potential-does-not-always-ensure-success-the-greatest-players-have/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Coming out of BYU's football spring, 1999, practice: We might have a chance to be pretty good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/coming-out-of-byu-s-football-spring-1999-practice-we-might-have-a/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Even though I did not go into college teaching, I believe the education I did receive helped me to become a better coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/even-though-i-did-not-go-into-college-teaching-i-believe-the/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Current condition of the BYU football program? I think it's in good shape. We've got some good young players. We've had two or three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/current-condition-of-the-byu-football-program-i-think-it-s-in-good/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [The difficulty in living our religion is when we haven't totally made the commitment necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/the-difficulty-in-living-our-religion-is-when-we-haven-t-totally-made/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [I can't think of anything I would do differently in my life. It would be nice to undo some of my mistakes I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/i-can-t-think-of-anything-i-would-do-differently-in-my-life-it-would/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [They can't fire me because my family buys too many tickets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/they-can-t-fire-me-because-my-family-buys-too-many-tickets/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [In my career I have had many wonderful things happen to me, many more than I ever dreamed would ever happen. But I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/in-my-career-i-have-had-many-wonderful-things-happen-to-me-many-more/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [I received my Master's degree from the University of Utah while coaching at Granite High School. I obtained my doctorate from BYU while coaching.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/i-received-my-master-s-degree-from-the-university-of-utah-while/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) [Explore all 78 LaVell Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) ## More Athletics quotes > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [The Games have been decimated. If you take away the Eastern Bloc, you take away 50% of the medals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-pickering/the-games-have-been-decimated-if-you-take-away-the-eastern-bloc-you/) [Ron Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-pickering/) > [If you have the sense of participation in sports or athletics, of being a player, then you are not really into the Zen mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-have-the-sense-of-participation-in-sports-or-athletics-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [While receiving radiation treatment for a thyroid illness, I had refused to take beta-blockers - a medication that would have eased its side effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-devers/while-receiving-radiation-treatment-for-a-thyroid-illness-i-had/) [Gail Devers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-devers/) > [Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-difference-is-that-some-of-us-are-in/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [And with alphabetical irony Nigeria follows New Zealand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coleman/and-with-alphabetical-irony-nigeria-follows-new-zealand/) [David Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coleman/) > [The very advanced practitioners of martial arts never had to raise a hand. They could knock an opponent down without physically touching them, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-very-advanced-practitioners-of-martial-arts-never-had-to-raise-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There's discussion in athletics about how sport - where they say 'SportsCenter' has ruined the fundamentals of basketball because it's - it only applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pfeiffer/there-s-discussion-in-athletics-about-how-sport-where-they-say/) [Dan Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pfeiffer/) > [In the game of Frisbee you throw the disk to someone else. The point of Frisbee is perfect communication. The person at the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-game-of-frisbee-you-throw-the-disk-to-someone-else-the-point/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Physical perfection, working out, adds to your spiritual perfection if that is your intent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/physical-perfection-working-out-adds-to-your-spiritual-perfection-if/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you get a great wife who understands the demands of someone in athletics, I think that's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-romo/if-you-get-a-great-wife-who-understands-the-demands-of-someone-in/) [Tony Romo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-romo/) > [Few would deny that blacks have become very dominant in athletics: football, basketball, track, now dominant in tennis and dominant in golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/few-would-deny-that-blacks-have-become-very-dominant-in-athletics/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Participating in athletics gives all students an opportunity to learn about themselves, to compete, to negotiate with a team and learn skills that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/participating-in-athletics-gives-all-students-an-opportunity-to-learn/) [Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/) [Browse all 347 Athletics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My sons served excellent missions, and returned to participate in college athletics. 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