As a young missionary serving in Scotland, David O. McKay had
a difficult start to his mission, struggling with homesickness and
discouragement. He was assigned to serve in Stirling, a city forty
miles northeast of Glasgow; at least that was encouraging, since he
was intrigued by the ancient castle that graced the city.

        One morning, while tracting, he and his companion were rebuffed
by an outspoken Scotchwoman who was probably thinking of the Mormon
association with polygamy: "Ye can gang awa' hame; ye canna hae ony
o' oor lassies!"  In their discouragement, the two missionaries decided
to spend most of the day touring and exploring the city's castle.

        Elder McKay later shared in a conference address:

        "I was discouraged, I was just starting my first mission.  I had been
snubbed that day in tracting.  I was homesick, and we walked around the
Stirling Castle, really not doing our duty, and as we re-entered the town
I saw a building, half-finished, and to my surprise, from the sidewalk I
saw an inscription over the lintel of the front door, carved in stone.  I said
to Brother Johnson, 'I want to go over and see what that is.'  I was not
more than half way up the pathway leading to it, when that message
struck me, carved there:  'What e'er thou art, act well thy part.'"

        Elder McKay was moved by that simple message, and his conscience
was pricked.  He later stated:

        "I said to myself, or the Spirit within me, 'You are a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  More than that, you are here
as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.  You accepted the responsibility
as a representative of the Church.'  Then I thought what we had done that
forenoon.  We had been sightseeing; we had gained historical instruction
and information, it is true, and I was thrilled with it....However, that was
not missionary work....  I accepted the message given to me on that stone,
    and from that moment we tried to do our part as  missionaries in Scotland."

        President McKay used the lesson to challenge a group of Priesthood
brethren:

        "What are you?  You are men who hold the priesthood of God, who
hold divine authority to represent Deity in whatever position to which
you have been assigned.  When a man, an ordinary man is set apart in
his community as a sheriff, there is something added to him.  When a
policeman on these streets, at the crossing, holds up his hand, you stop.
There is something more about him than just an individual, there is the
power that is given him. And so it is throughout life.  No man can be given
a position without being enhanced.  It is a reality.  So, too, Is the power
of the priesthood....  Are you a deacon, do the duties of a deacon well.
Are you a teacher, do your work well.  A priest watching over the Church,
visiting with them,--young men in this Church, if we could just do the
duties of the teacher and of the priest, teaching people their duty, what
a power for good to young men eighteen years of age, and nineteen.
Not incorrigible, not recreants, but leaders.  Brethren there is nothing
in the world so powerful in guiding youth as to have them act well their
parts in the priesthood."
 

                    (Conference Report, October 1954, pp. 83-4; McKay, Gospel Ideals, pp.
                                        520-21; Gibbons, David O. McKay, pp. 43-45)
 

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