PROVO, Utah — No matter where a missionary serves in the world, the gospel message and invitation is the same.
Elder Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said that through the first principles and ordinances of the gospel — also called the doctrine of Christ — all are invited to access the saving and redeeming power of Jesus Christ by exercising faith in Him, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end — a message of hope, joy and gladness.
“In a world filled with diversity, the unity of the Church is a living miracle. Wherever you go, you will teach the same message and invite all to enter the same covenants,” he said while addressing a devotional audience of missionaries and new mission leaders during the 2026 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Saturday, June 20. The devotional was broadcast to training centers worldwide.
Elder Caussé continued: “This is why your service matters so much. … That invitation is the center of everything we do. It defines your purpose as missionaries. It defines my purpose as an Apostle. And it defines the mission of the Church itself.”
Vision of the tree of life
For Elder Caussé, there is not a “more vivid and powerful illustration” of the doctrine of Christ than the account of Lehi’s dream in the Book of Mormon (I Nephi 8). When possible, he enjoys studying the dream with missionaries and inviting them to draw a depiction of it.
“The vision of the tree of life provides a clear and compelling picture of the path leading to Jesus Christ and the blessings of His Atonement,” he said.
Missionaries typically begin by drawing the tree of life and its “most sweet” and “desirable” fruit, which represent the love of God through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Next comes the straight and narrow path, accompanied by the iron rod, which leads to the tree and symbolizes the way to access the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement. The iron rod represents the word of God and helps travelers stay on the path despite obstacles and distractions, including mists of darkness, the great and spacious building and the river of filthy water.
A gate is drawn at the head of the path, representing repentance, baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Continuing forward on the path represents covenants and ordinances, leading to the tree and the temple.
Elder Caussé said each gospel ordinance has the same divine purpose: “To help us access the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement as we faithfully keep the covenants we make with Him and our Heavenly Father.”
Why ‘first’ principles and ordinances
Elder Caussé said the first principles and ordinances are called “first” because they set the spiritual foundation for the mortal experience and are essential steps for lifelong disciples of Christ.
They are also “first” because they stand at the center of the teachings and invitations missionaries share.
“These four principles and ordinances are not separate checkpoints along the path; they form a unified and ongoing process,” he said. “They are woven together, each strengthening and giving meaning to the others. They cannot be fully activated when experienced in isolation.”
Drawing upon the scriptures and “Preach My Gospel,” Elder Caussé offered insights on faith, repentance, baptism, the blessings of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. He invited missionaries to prepare new and future converts for not just a one-time experience, but a lifetime of discipleship.
Said Elder Caussé: “This lifelong process is what enables us to become ‘new creatures’ in Christ and endure to the end” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Helping converts to understand, feel and experience the power of the Savior’s Atonement before baptism can become “one of the greatest safeguards” for lifelong faithfulness, he said.
Become as Lehi
Elder Caussé concluded by bearing his testimony of the gospel and of Jesus Christ. He invited missionaries to be like the Prophet Lehi — “first partaking of the fruit yourselves and then inviting others to join in the feast,” he said.
“As you personally embrace the doctrine of Christ, you will teach it with greater sincerity, love, and conviction — not merely as one who understands it, but as a true witness: one who has felt its power and experienced its blessings in a very personal way. You will grow in faith, becoming less hesitant and more confident as you invite your friends to be baptized and confirmed and become lifelong disciples of the Lord.”
In a brief message prior to her husband’s and acknowledging their oldest grandson in attendance, Sister Valérie Caussé spoke of the missionaries who converted her parents in France five decades ago, resulting in four faithful generations.
“I can testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ that was taught to my parents brought me so much joy and hope and strength in my life,” she said. “Thanks to the courage and commitment of those young missionaries and their love that helped them overcome all the difficulties they could have, leaving their country, their family, their friends and leaving them behind for those years of service.”
