Compassion necessary to preach

With the ending of the school year I realized that I have only 4 years time until my oldest can enter the mission field. I feel a responsibility to do all I can to prepare him for that life changing opportunity. It struck my today as I read 1 Nephi 1:5 that what preceded Lehi's call to preach to those in Jerusalem, was the same thing that caused the sons of Mosiah to go preach to the Lamanites. Nephi writes: "Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people." When Lehi heard of the impending destruction to come upon Jerusalem, His heart was drawn out toward his fellow man - his people. Lehi demonstrates the compassion necessary to the call, or as D&C 4 calls it "the desire to serve." Notably it is not the desire to conform, the desire to keep up appearances, or the desire to please mom and dad that causes one to be called to the work. Lehi has the compassion necessary to the call to preach. How do we as parents and youth leaders develop such compassion in the young people preparing to serve missions? Elder Bednar taught that the most important thing a person can do to prepare to serve a mission is to become a missionary long before they go. Nurturing this desire to serve is an important preliminry step!