Church leaders offered counsel and direction to almost 150 new mission presidents and their companions during the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 20 through 23. The mission leaders began their service in locations worldwide on or about July 1. During the four-day seminar every member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke, as did the general authorities and general officers serving on the Missionary Executive Council.
This episode of the Church News podcast features excerpts of messages shared during the seminar, which focused on the purpose of missionary service — as stated in “Preach My Gospel” — to “invite others to come unto Christ.” While the talks are geared toward training new mission leaders, the teachings and topics can be applied by every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Transcript:
President Russell M. Nelson: I invite you to make the Book of Mormon the cornerstone of your teaching of your missionaries. Help them learn how to treasure the truths taught from the first page to the last page. Encourage your missionaries to study diligently. Help them see that inside this book are the answers to their questions. Please teach them that the truths of the Book of Mormon are filled with power — power to help them do the impossible, power to help them teach with authority from God. Please teach them that blessings will come to them as they study, teach from and testify of the Book of Mormon.
1:09
Sarah Jane Weaver: This is Sarah Jane Weaver, executive editor of the Church News, welcoming you to the Church News podcast. We are taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders for the Church of Jesus Christ was held June 20 through June 23. Attending were 150 new mission presidents and companions, who began their service worldwide the 1st of July. Over the four days of the seminar, the new mission leaders were taught by each member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as well as general authorities and general officers serving as members of the Missionary Executive Council.
This episode of the Church News podcast features portions of each message shared during the seminar. The seminar focused on the purpose of missionary service as stated in “Preach My Gospel,” which is to “invite others to come unto Christ.” While these talks were geared toward the training of new mission leaders, the lessons in them can be applied to every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In this podcast, mission leadership talk excerpts are shared in the order they were delivered, with talks offered Thursday, June 20, first, followed by talks offered Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22. The podcast concludes with teachings from President Russell M. Nelson — who was the concluding speaker of the seminar, offering his remarks on Sunday, June 23.
2:42
Sarah Jane Weaver: President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, opened the seminar promising new mission leaders, “Among all the precious converts you will have during the next three years are the missionaries themselves.”
President Jeffrey R. Holland: Now, I am going to stress again and again that among all the precious converts that you will have during the next three years will be the missionaries themselves. We want them to become lifelong disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you are in a unique relationship with them to accomplish this.
For this next period of your lives, you will become to them among the most important human beings on the planet. You are teacher; cheerleader; key holder; confessor; disciplinarian; cook; doctrinal arbiter; fellow missionary; nurse; voice of the prophet; warm, fuzzy father figure; and sympathetic, ever-listening mother figure. In short, the two of you as a couple are everything to these young men and women in the mission moment. At no other time in their lives or yours will one couple represent so much to so many.
In one way, it is an incredibly heavy burden to ask you to carry. Yet, at the same time, it will be the most rewarding conversion experience you could possibly ever have. The old six-lesson plan that we all learned was designed really to focus on the conversion of the investigator, as we called them then. “Preach My Gospel” was designed to facilitate the conversion of the missionary, who must then plan and prepare and seek the Spirit to help them convert those they are teaching.
4:58
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and chairman of the Church’s Missionary Executive Council said a missionary’s purpose is focused on Christ’s doctrine and invitation to follow Him.
Elder Quentin L. Cook: My assignment is to provide guidance to you leaders on helping your missionaries fulfill their missionary purpose, which is centered on the doctrine of Christ. For missionaries, being disciples of Christ and fulfilling your missionary purpose to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ are always combined and interconnected. This is similar to the Savior’s petition to love God and keep His commandments. They are combined and interconnected. Some members proclaim that they love Christ but do not follow all His commandments.
It is important for you to teach missionaries to be Christlike disciples and pursue their missionary purpose. That purpose has been declared in the revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith as set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, and the doctrine of Christ as set forth in the Book of Mormon. Missionaries need to fulfill their missionary purpose. It reads: “Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” Helping missionaries get their purpose deep inside of their hearts will last a lifetime.
The purpose for which missionaries serve has been consistent and clear from the beginning of the Restoration. Accordingly, the doctrine of Christ and missionary purpose are everywhere in “Preach My Gospel.” As I have taught in the past, “Our missionary purpose is not just one of the 88 keys on a piano that is occasionally played. It is a major chord in a compelling melody that needs to be played continuously every day if we are to remain in harmony with our purpose as set forth in the doctrine of Christ.”
Each missionary is an instrument in the hands of God. As they learn to tune their focus to the melody of the missionary purpose in all they do, their combined efforts become a powerful symphony — precisely timed and harmoniously orchestrated — in inviting and helping others to come unto Christ.
7:32
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the power of an invitation is coming unto Christ.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Our missionary purpose begins with the word “invite” — “Invite others to come unto Christ.” The rest of the purpose is a statement, an explanation, of what coming unto Christ means, that is, we come unto Christ by receiving “the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” So, inviting people to come unto Christ is really a series of invitations: the invitation to learn of and develop faith in Christ, invitations to repent, the invitation to be baptized, the invitation to receive the Holy Ghost, the invitation to persevere in the covenant path to the end.
I suppose if we were going to summarize the missionary purpose in one word, it would be “invite.” Of course, we are not very good missionaries if we only issue invitations and nothing more. If we understand our role, we realize that we are to prepare people for the invitation and also help them keep their commitment when they accept an invitation.
Our “Guide to the Scriptures” states, “Repentance implies that a person turns away from evil and ... his heart and will to God, submitting to God’s commandments and desires and forsaking sin.” When President Russell M. Nelson counsels us to “repent daily,” he does not mean we keep repenting of the same sins over and over. He is speaking about more fully turning our heart to God each day. He is talking about moving forward, day by day, perfecting our obedience to God and His commandments.
And this is what missionaries do with those they teach. They invite people to lay aside things and behaviors that are contrary to God’s will and that deprive them of His Spirit, such as violations of the Word of Wisdom or the law of chastity. They also invite people to adopt conduct and standards that more fully conform their lives to God’s will and commandments, such as attending Church, praying, reading the Book of Mormon.
They are helping each individual pursue a specific path of repentance designed for his or her particular circumstances. This prepares each one for the ultimate commitment of baptism, that is, entering into a covenant of obedience to God. And after baptism, that covenant is renewed and reinvigorated each time we repent.
Without invitations and commitments, our teaching of the gospel is simply a sharing of information. It is good information, even glorious, but without action or application, it profits but little. “Preach My Gospel” explains that invitations need to be an integral part of missionary interactions. When we invite and help people keep commitments, we help them come unto Christ and receive His grace.
10:59
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder W. Mark Bassett, a General Authority Seventy and member of the Church’s Missionary Executive Council, offered a reminder that Christ specifically asked His disciples to teach and to baptize.
Elder W. Mark Bassett: The Savior’s parting commission to His early Apostles, and to each of us, was to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). Yet, even with this being so important, I have found that some missionaries will be apprehensive or afraid to discuss baptism with the people they are teaching, or to extend the invitation to be baptized and confirmed. Why are missionaries fearful or apprehensive about this? Perhaps one reason is they don’t understand the doctrine of baptism. They don’t understand “the why” behind all that we do.
The doctrine of baptism isn’t something to be fearful of. “Preach My Gospel” describes baptism as a “joyous and hopeful ordinance.” Listen to these words from the section in “Preach My Gospel” entitled “The Invitation To Be Baptized and Confirmed”: “When we are baptized with a broken heart and [a] contrite spirit, we start life anew with God’s sustaining power. ... Keeping the covenant of baptism is the first step in binding ourselves to God so the Holy Ghost can cleanse, strengthen, and change our nature for the better.”
Doesn’t that sound amazing? Baptism and confirmation truly are joyous and hopeful ordinances. This is a topic that missionaries should be excited about. And as we embrace this doctrine, we will recognize that “baptizing and confirming the people [we] teach are central to [our] purpose.”
12:55
Sarah Jane Weaver: The power of study is pivotal to inviting others to come unto Christ and help them receive His restored gospel and covenants, taught Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong: Our missionary purpose invites us to teach as our Savior would. We invite others to come unto Christ and help them receive His restored gospel and covenants. Doctrine and Covenants, Section 90, Verse 11 declares that every person will hear the fullness of the gospel in their own tongue and in their own language.
“Preach My Gospel,” as we have just heard, likewise teaches culture and language are closely related. And understanding someone’s culture helps missionaries understand how best to use the language. So teach your missionaries to earn the trust and love by learning and appropriately respecting local history, culture and language. This connects language and missionaries with friends and members, reduces culture shock, instills love and invites the Holy Ghost.
Teaching to build faith in Jesus Christ flows from our missionary purpose. It is fundamentally spiritual. Help your missionaries become both confident and humble — confident in what they know and have practiced, and humble in approaching every teaching opportunity as new. I promise the Lord will abundantly bless you and your missionaries as you teach to build faith in Jesus Christ so that they can teach that same gospel you have taught them with the power and purpose that you have taught them with.
14:37
Sarah Jane Weaver: President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, said seeking Christlike attributes is one of the most important roles of a missionary.
President Henry B. Eyring: Your leadership handbook suggests what you can do for each missionary. The handbook makes clear that helping your missionaries become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and establishing the Church through the conversion of God’s children are your and their combined purpose. This responsibility to establish the Church works together at the same time with the responsibility to help missionaries become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.
As mission leaders, you will have the opportunity to help your missionaries in their personal efforts to become more Christlike disciples in His work. Chapter 6 of “Preach My Gospel” invites missionaries to seek Christlike attributes. It asks them to consider how seeking Christlike attributes helps them fulfill their purpose as a missionary. It asks them how they can seek and receive those attributes. And it asks them to consider which attributes they should focus on now.
Your missionaries will be blessed by your example and your encouragement, in their efforts to develop Christlike attributes. Their choices to seek to acquire specific attributes will be private and personal. But their progress and their frustrations could be observable in your interactions with them. As you listen to their testimonies and their teaching, and from what you feel in your interviews with them and their companions, you will see them grow.
17:02
Sarah Jane Weaver: Those investigating the Church are asked to use their agency to choose God, taught Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Elder David A. Bednar: And importantly, moral agency is the divinely designed “power of independent action” that empowers us as God’s children to become agents to act and not simply objects to be acted upon. The earth was created as a place whereon Heavenly Father’s children could be proved to see if they would do “all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25). The very purpose of the Creation and of our mortal existence is to provide us the opportunity to choose and act to become what the Lord invites us to become.
The Lord instructed Enoch on this precise point of doctrine: “Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father” (Moses 7:32-33).
Now, importantly, the fundamental purposes for the exercise of agency are to love one another and to choose God. Consider that we are commanded — not admonished, not urged, not counseled, but commanded — to use our agency to turn outward, to love one another and to choose God. If we are to learn what we need to learn and become what God intends for us to become, then we need to “press forward” (2 Nephi 31:20) as agents rather than just passively sit as objects and wait for something to happen.
19:08
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said faith is the conduit to God’s divine power in missionary work.
Elder Ulisses Soares: Faith is a conduit of God’s divine power in missionary work and inspires diligence. It takes the missionaries to their knees to implore the Lord for guidance and moves them to arise and act with confidence that the Lord can work wonders and do the impossible to make miracles happen.
From the scriptures, we learn of two specific groups of people who are ready to receive the gospel. The first one is the “elect” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:7). The Lord refers to this group of people as those who will hear His voice and will not harden their heart. The second one is those “who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:12). Those are the people who will awaken to the gospel of Jesus Christ when they feel the Spirit of the Lord through the Lord’s messengers.
As mission leaders, we are to help our missionaries to build up such faith and conviction that these people are in every place and every culture of the world, and that the Lord is preparing them to receive His gospel. With this spiritual support and direction, missionaries will have patient confidence that the Lord will lead them to these people or will lead these people to them. Consequently, the Lord will increase their capacity to overcome even what appears to be overwhelming obstacles to find people to teach.
20:55
Sarah Jane Weaver: After sharing a story of a Japanese family joining the Church, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasized the blessings of conversion to Christ.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson: I will never cease to be amazed at the light of the gospel shining in the eyes of Mom and Dad. They are almost unrecognizable from months earlier before they began attending sacrament meetings as a family. We observe in them the attributes of conversion that Alma described of those being spiritually born of God, receiving “his image in [their] countenances” and experiencing a “mighty change” of heart (Alma 5:14), which mighty change of heart is so remarkable.
As I marvel at this image, one of the takeaways for me is the power of the combination of missionary purpose to invite others to come unto Christ and of extending invitations to attend sacrament meeting. Why is it so powerful? Because it is doctrinal. The doctrine of Christ, which is embodied in missionary purpose, combined with the doctrine of keeping the Sabbath Day holy through sacrament meeting attendance, fit hand in glove.
So, we have already reviewed the missionary purpose in Chapter 1. “Preach My Gospel” also gives missionary instruction in several places with respect to sacrament meeting attendance. One of these is in Chapter 9, “Find[ing] People.” This is a quote from “Preach My Gospel”: “One of the most valuable experiences you can help people have is attending a Church service. ... A sacrament meeting will bless their lives.” So this is where we marry the doctrine of Christ with that of the Sabbath Day.
23:07
Sarah Jane Weaver: Sister Amy A. Wright of the Primary general presidency and a member of the Missionary Executive Council spoke of Ammon’s inspiring and valuable example of being a successful missionary.
Sister Amy A. Wright: The Lord granted a portion of His Spirit to go with Ammon and his brethren and “abide with them” (Alma 17:9) so they would not merely be “tools” but “instruments” in the hands of the Lord. Instruments are molded, refined and typically delicate. They are used in a precise way and for a precise purpose. Instruments need constant maintenance and fine-tuning. So it is with the Holy Ghost. There needs to be continual course corrections, spiritual nourishment and polishing for the Spirit to abide with us.
Because of Jesus Christ, we have the potential to be mighty instruments in His work of salvation and exaltation, although we often may seem “small and simple” (Alma 37:6). A successful missionary strives to live so the Spirit can guide them in where to go, what to do and what to say. A successful missionary understands this is the Lord’s work and He does not fail. They have the assurance that if they keep the commandments and are valiant in their testimonies of Jesus Christ, the Lord will guide and direct their path and help them accomplish all His purposes in His way and in His timing.
24:46
Sarah Jane Weaver: President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, asked new mission leaders to teach young people to use Jesus Christ as their perfect role model.
President Dallin H. Oaks: Our purpose as leaders of youth is to help them develop their divine potential to become like our Savior, Jesus Christ. Teach your missionaries to study the life of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Teach them to make His qualities their role models for mortality and all eternity. What they should want to become is a devoted disciple of Christ, following His direction to “be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48).
The goal of perfection is not possible to attain in mortality, so we cannot find and follow overall mortal role models in mortality. But we can identify elements of perfection and find mortals whose lives embody some of those qualities. Then we can make them our partial role models for those qualities.
For example, in an earlier period in my life, President Spencer W. Kimball was one of my mortal models for humility. The way he practiced the principle of humility in his prominent position made him a powerful role model. For me, I could not reasonably aspire to all of his great qualities, but aspiring to one seemed possible. Similarly, you mission leaders can appropriately seek to be mortal role models in the way you testify and teach of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
26:50
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the gospel is joyous.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: As mission leaders, you need to talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ; and I say, “rejoice” in Christ. If the gospel of Jesus Christ and membership in the Church of Jesus Christ is not connected directly to a joyful experience — something delicious to the taste and very desirable — if we don’t learn to rejoice in what we have and express this joy of being a member of the Church and having the restored gospel in our life, then we will have a hard time to share this with those around us.
So, we need to rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, prophesy of Christ and write of Christ so that the missionaries, the local members — don’t forget the members; they are a powerhouse for you. They are the connections. Through them, you not only “find” people, but you “keep” people in the Church and connected to the gospel.
And the people you meet will know that the core message of the Church is Jesus Christ, and that they “know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:26) and for direction in their lives, under any circumstance, any culture, any place. Your teaching and testifying will not only transform your missionaries but will also fully transform you. You will be transformed into a disciple and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
28:49
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said navigating the Church as a new member can sometimes feel like a maze.
Elder Neil L. Andersen: President [Gordon B.] Hinckley’s statement, “The Church can be a perilous experience,” led me to imagine a new convert’s entry into the Church like entering an unfamiliar maze. Look at this maze and think of the many unfamiliar experiences awaiting the new convert. Trying to navigate this new path alone can be challenging and disheartening. Watch the new member try without the help of others. After a few failures, it is not altogether surprising that some of those navigating the maze alone slip from the covenant path and return to the world they had determined to leave behind.
Here are the words of President Nelson: “Together, members and missionaries work as partners to ensure the spiritual health of new members. ... As equal partners, ... they act in love as guided by the Spirit. They love new members and help them progress toward their own sacred ordinances and covenants in the holy temple.”
Think of the very beautiful model we see of helping someone feel loved in the house of the Lord: No one is lost in the maze because there are escorts and temple workers at every step, from the moment one enters through the doors of the temple. Missionaries who serve in the temple before their missions, or service missionaries who serve during their missions, see this beautiful example. They are the guides. No one gets lost in the Lord’s house, at least not for long. No one needs to be embarrassed because they don’t know what to do or say. There is always someone showing the way, allowing each person to feel comfortable and more open to the Spirit of the Lord.
The temple pattern of lovingly escorting someone on their journey through the temple can be applied to the missionary and the new member experience. Watch as a member with the light of the Spirit helps the new member along the covenant path. “Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5). “And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:106).
31:38
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said becoming obedient to the commandments of the gospel reflects love, not fear.
Elder Dale G. Renlund: Why does it benefit missionaries to learn how to trust the Lord and follow the Spirit to address concerns and questions on their own? As mission leaders, you could create a culture that tries to ensure that missionaries do what is right because you establish an enforcement culture. This will not teach them correct principles but will teach them that being a disciple of Jesus Christ is about following the rules. It is not enough for them to be obedient. You need to help them choose to be obedient because they love God. There is a difference.
The Lord directed His people that they should internalize His laws and statutes. This is what He said: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, ... not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; ... But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. ... They shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them” (Jeremiah 31:31-34) — from the most junior of missionaries to the longest-serving missionary.
The law of the Lord needs to be written in the hearts of the missionaries for them to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. They need to understand that being a disciple of Jesus Christ is about loving Him. Your missionaries are undoubtedly familiar with “For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.” It states, “To help you make good choices, God gives [you] commandments. He does this because He loves you. And the best reason to obey God’s commandments is [because] you love Him. Love is at the heart of God’s commandments.” And love is at the heart of “Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ.”
34:11
Sarah Jane Weaver: Using Ammon’s missionary example from the Book of Mormon, President Emily Belle Freeman, Young Women general president and a member of the Missionary Executive Council, showed how service and trust are integral to missionary work.
President Emily Belle Freeman: Through a series of events, Ammon accomplishes just what “Preach My Gospel,” Chapter 13 suggests. He comes to know and love the people, he finds ways to support them, he uses his gifts and talents to lift and strengthen them, he builds trust and creates true friendships. And he does all of this before he ever begins to teach or preach.
Ammon had done a masterful job of preparing for this moment, of building trust. This trust allowed him to testify of God, to invite the Spirit and to open the scriptures. Because of this, “the king believed all his words” (Alma 18:40). We can do the same. Teach your missionaries how important it is to build trust. This will happen both by words and by actions. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that “one of the best ways to build trust and unity with ward members is to serve alongside them.” Just like Ammon did.
But there is another trait of Ammon that I admire. In Chapter 13 of “Preach My Gospel,” we discover some important questions that can be used in weekly coordination meetings. These meetings are a perfect opportunity for your missionaries to unite with members to bring souls to Christ. I am impressed by four words that are repeated over and over again in these questions: “How can we help those being taught?” “How can we help those who were recently baptized?” “How can we help returning members?” These four words remind me of Ammon because this is what Ammon did. He walked into the situation and asked, “How can I help?”
36:28
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said a mission leadership council will help identify the needs of a mission.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband: To help you plan a purpose-centered mission leadership council, you must first know what the needs of your mission are. One way is to be out finding and teaching with your missionaries, as you have heard this whole seminar. As you spend time doing the work alongside your missionaries, you will observe their strengths as well as opportunities for improvement. You can also identify the needs of your mission by reviewing the key indicators for conversion and how the missionaries are accomplishing their goals and plans.
Asking inspired questions and listening carefully during MLC will provide a framework for young leaders to identify solutions to the challenges and opportunities in your mission. As mission leaders, your role is to lead and guide the discussion with the scriptures in one hand and “Preach My Gospel” in the other hand. But ensure that you take plenty of time during the meeting to step back and let the young missionary leaders participate and counsel together. I promise you: You will be amazed by their inspiration and their own ability to lead.
The actions identified in missionary leadership council can play a significant role in moving the work of the Lord forward in your mission. Missionaries will see this scripture fulfilled before their eyes: “And if any man [or woman] among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him [or her] that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:106).
38:26
Sarah Jane Weaver: Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said joy comes from the restored gospel.
Elder Patrick Kearon: A little further on in “Preach My Gospel,” you will read that “as you feel the joy that comes from ... understanding the gospel, you will want to apply what you learn.” This is as true for you as it is for those you will teach. And as you relax, as you work, as you are determined to become the kind of missionary that you want to be, but as you keep your eye on the simple purpose and the authority and power that you have been given, as you feel the joy that comes from understanding those, understanding the gospel, you will want to apply what you learn.
And in doing that, recognize that you go out into a world that is experiencing some turbulence. Well, actually, it always has. But you need to know that you are led by optimists, from the Lord’s chief Apostle and President Nelson, through the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, you are led by optimists.
Here is this from President Nelson: “Let us not just endure this current season. Let us embrace the future with faith. Turbulent times are opportunities for us to thrive spiritually. They are times when our influence can be much more penetrating than in calmer times.” Do you see that? This moment that you are in is such a moment. These are times when our influence, your influence, can be much more penetrating than in calmer times.
People will ask you questions that amount to many, many times, many ways, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” That is a question that you will be able to practice answers to and a question that you will be able to set in the context of the Lord’s plan of happiness. And you will be able to set that question in the context of our mortal experience being a tiny fraction of our eternal experience and in the heart of the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, the plan of redemption. What a glorious thing. You will guide Heavenly Father’s children back to the path that leads to Him.
41:10
Sarah Jane Weaver: As the concluding speaker at the 2024 Mission Leadership Seminar, President Russell M. Nelson reinforced the importance of helping missionaries become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. A powerful key to conversion, he said, is employing the power and truth of the Book of Mormon.
We end this special summary of the 2024 Mission Leadership Seminar with his words. His teachings convey to us what he knows now about the truth of the Book of Mormon.
41:39
President Russell M. Nelson: Perhaps at no other time in your life will you see so many lives change. These will, of course, include the lives of those who find and join the Church in your mission. At least as important, however, is the conversion of your missionaries. In particular, the young men and women under your care can have — and we hope will have — a deep personal conversion of their own. True conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ is what will give them the strength to remain faithful to their covenants throughout their lives.
My dear brothers and sisters, as you embark on your full-time mission for the Lord, I invite you to make the Book of Mormon the cornerstone of your teaching of your missionaries. Help them learn how to treasure the truths taught from the first page to the last page.
Encourage your missionaries to study diligently. Help them see that inside this book are the answers to their questions. Please teach them that the truths of the Book of Mormon are filled with power — power to help them do the impossible on their mission, power to help them become increasingly pure, power to help them teach with authority from God. Please teach them that blessings will come to them as they study, teach from and testify of the Book of Mormon.
My beloved associates in this great work, I bless you that if you, as mission leaders, will study and teach from the Book of Mormon, your mission will unfold as the Lord directs. And you will be guided to know how to motivate and teach your missionaries. Your families will be strengthened and protected. Your personal testimonies will grow as never before. And you will experience for yourself the converting power of the Book of Mormon.
I love you, my dear friends, and I pronounce this blessing upon you in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
45:05
Sarah Jane Weaver: You have been listening to the Church News podcast. I’m your host, Church News executive editor Sarah Jane Weaver. I hope you have learned something today about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by peering with me through the Church News window. Please remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast so it can be accessible to more people. And if you enjoyed the messages we shared today, please make sure you share the podcast with others. Thanks to our guests; my producer, KellieAnn Halvorsen; and others who make this podcast possible. Join us every week for a new episode. Find us on your favorite podcasting channels or with other news and updates on the Church on TheChurchNews.com.
