PROVO, Utah — This year, the Church will have more than 500 missions in operation for the first time in its history. This weekend, members of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Missionary Executive Council taught about principles of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the leaders of those missions.
President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, spoke to those who are leaving in coming days to serve as mission leaders in 193 of the Church’s 506 missions. With the final message given Sunday, June 21, at the 2026 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, President Eyring shared principles of building faith by individuals, married couples, families and missionaries.
“Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ generates the power to make covenants and to keep them to the end,” President Eyring testified.
He then illustrated the various effects of faith in a person’s life.
“It is faith in the Lord that brings people to true repentance. It is faith in Jesus Christ that leads them to be baptized. It is faith in the Savior that leads us to always remember Him and thus have the Holy Ghost as our companion. And it is faith that will motivate us to pray always to the Father that we will not be overcome,” he said.
President Eyring described testifying of the Savior as the greatest opportunity and greatest challenge that individuals may face — specifically through words. He said service to others shows that the Savior “is our dear friend, our beloved brother, and our constant Exemplar.”
Motivation to testify of Jesus Christ and bring others to Him can come from various sources. President Eyring pointed to the sons of Mosiah as one example.
“They were motivated and sustained by the desire to offer the blessings of the gospel — whatever the cost in labor and with whatever difficulty,” he said.
Building faith as a missionary
President Eyring told the new mission leaders that they serve with missionaries in the Lord’s vineyard.
“Your mission will build faith. He has called you and your missionaries to His service. He chose you to bless the missionaries He calls to your mission. He has a plan for their service and for yours,” he said.
As missionaries’ faith is built, they become able to work and serve despite challenging circumstances.
“Your missionaries will have the faith to offer the gospel even when they are misunderstood, mistreated and maligned,” President Eyring said.
Building faith among family
The call to serve as a mission president typically involves changes for each member of a family. President Eyring encouraged the new mission leaders to understand the new situations family members will face.
“Your family is your most important responsibility,” he said. “Each family member will have a different experience.”
President Eyring offered some comfort by letting mission leaders know that God will help their families by providing blessings because of their faithful mission service.
“With your call, a blessing will be prepared for your family. Your family members will be blessed through your faith, knowing that the Lord is watching over them.”
Ultimately, having the chance to be with family throughout eternity is one of the biggest blessings offered through Heavenly Father’s plan, President Eyring said.
“You and I know that the blessing of most worth from God, above all other blessings, is eternal life — which is to live forever as families in perfect love with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Building faith with new acquaintances
Mission leaders are not only to encourage their missionaries to meet individuals and share testimonies with them. The leaders themselves also need to share their testimonies with individuals they encounter during their service.
“Out of love for the Lord and a sense of your call, you will build the faith of others by being a missionary,” he said. “When you do, you will feel the love and appreciation of the Lord. You will feel that He went before your face — as He promised He would,” President Eyring promised.
In all situations where faith is built, President Eyring encouraged listeners to remember the source of all faith.
“We don’t give that blessing to our missionaries or to those we teach. It comes from God,” he said. “We have covenanted to do all we can to help others gain and exercise the faith in the Lord that will lead them to qualify for that glorious blessing.”
