PROVO, Utah — Elder Neil L. Andersen has lived eight years of his life in Europe, four years in Brazil and 15 years in the eastern United States. He has also traveled the world extensively as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the past 16 years.
One thing he has observed over those many years of travel and Church service is this — “In every city, every country, among every race and culture, there are people the Lord is preparing to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is absolutely true for your mission,” Elder Andersen told new mission leaders at the 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Friday, June 20.
He continued: “I have unmistakably learned that while the number of converts we baptize is greater in some parts of the world than in others, miracles occur in every mission. It is the way the Lord works. Faith in Jesus Christ stirs the power of heaven to intercede and bless the work of missionaries. Faith and miracles are at the center of bringing souls to Christ.”
Elder Andersen’s message to new mission leaders focused on having faith that the Lord is preparing souls to receive the restored gospel, drawing upon principles found in Chapter 9 of “Preach My Gospel,” titled “Find People To Teach.”
He also encouraged the new mission presidents to be “watchmen” and use their priesthood keys to fan the flame of their missionaries’ faith, guiding them to build a solid foundation of faith in Jesus Christ with a firm expectation that miracles will follow.
“When the flame of faith in Jesus Christ is strong, it moves a missionary to be unceasing in searching out the elect,” Elder Andersen said. “It gives a missionary confidence that through prayer, faith, obedience and diligence, the powers of heaven will be at their side.”
A missionary’s perspective
As part of his remarks, Elder Andersen showed a video interview he conducted with his grandson Jason Ebert, who recently returned from serving in the Italy Milan Mission. Elder Andersen asked his grandson to share what he learned about miracles and how the Lord guides a missionary’s finding efforts.
Miracles are dependent on faith, belief and trust in the Lord, and increased faith leads to bigger miracles, the young returned missionary said.
“You’ll find that as you create that culture of faith and belief that you see people are prepared everywhere,” Ebert said in the video. “The Lord is going to place miracles no matter where you are. And so whether that be Africa, South America or Asia, I know the Lord has miracles in store for everyone and people prepared everywhere.”
Ebert said finding friends to teach through daily planning and goal setting can help missionaries experience miracles. He told about being transferred to a city that had little success; through faith, prayer and following the Spirit, he and his companion felt led to people whom the Lord had prepared.
‘House of Finding’
Elder Andersen displayed an image of a house he called the ”House of Finding.” The house was built on a foundation of “faith in Jesus Christ and miracles that follow.”
This foundational faith leads a missionary to have the courage to add the first building block, “continuous one-on-one testifying and inviting.”
“As a missionary grows and strengthens the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, continuously testifying and inviting, acknowledging that this is His work and seeing the wonder of His miracles, other opportunities for finding open,” Elder Andersen said.
The next building blocks in the “House of Finding” involve the participation of members who can enhance missionary work in a ward or branch by inviting their friends and assisting the missionaries.
Elder Andersen encouraged the use of the “Preach My Gospel” app, which serves as an area book for keeping records of people taught so they can be revisited, and media and technology referrals as the final two building blocks.
All elements working together in harmony can show the Lord the ward or branch is prepared to receive new converts, Ebert said.
‘A God of miracles’
Elder Andersen concluded by bearing his witness of the Savior.
“Miracles await you,” he told the new mission leaders. “I pray that because of your faith and influence, the faith of our Savior, Jesus Christ, will burn in the hearts of your missionaries. … I testify that Jesus is the Christ. He lives and guides this holy work. He is a God of miracles.”
