Call for generation of greatest missionaries
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In April 1830, after a day of preaching and traveling, Samuel H. Smith arrived at the Tomlinson Inn in upstate New York for lodging. Like others of the day, he could have simply climbed into the hayloft of the large barn and spread his bed roll and quietly fallen asleep.
Instead, eager to share the gospel, he entered the nearby tavern where stagecoach travelers and other guests were eating and strode across the wooden floor. Holding out a copy of the Book of Mormon, he said to Phineas Young at the table, "There is a book, sir, I wish you to read."
"The thing appeared so novel to me that for a moment I hesitated," said Phineas, brother of Brigham Young. "Pray sir, what book have you?"
"The Book of Mormon, or, as it is called by some, the Golden Bible," said Samuel.
"Ah, sir, then it purports to be a revelation."
"Yes," said Samuel, "it is a revelation from God."
"I took the book, and by his request looked at the testimony of the witnesses," said Phineas.
"If you will read this book with a prayerful heart, and ask God to give you a witness, you will know the truth of this work," continued Samuel.
"I told him I would do so, and then asked him his name. He said his name was Samuel H. Smith.
"Ah, said I, you are one of the witnesses."
"Yes," Samuel said, "I know the book to be a revelation from God, translated by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, and that my brother, Joseph Smith, Jun., is a prophet, seer and revelator."
"I bought the book and went home, and told my wife I had got a week's work laid out, and I hoped that nothing would occur to prevent my accomplishing my task. She said, 'Have you anything new to attend to?'
"I replied, I have got a book here, called the Book of Mormon, and it is said to be a revelation, and I wish to read it and make myself acquainted with its errors, so that I can expose them to the world.
"I commenced and read every word in the book the same week. The week following I did the same, but to my surprise I could not find the errors I anticipated, but felt a conviction that the book was true.
"On the next Sabbath I was requested to give my views on the subject, which I commenced to do. I had not spoken ten minutes in defence of the book when the Spirit of God came upon me in a marvellous manner, and I spoke at great length on the importance of such a work, quoting from the Bible to support my position, and finally closed by telling the people that I believed the book. The greater part of the people agreed with my views, and some of them said they had never heard me speak so well and with such power. My father then took the book home with him, and read it through. I asked him his opinion of it. He said it was the greatest work and the clearest of error of anything he had ever seen, the Bible not excepted.
"I then lent the book to my sister Fanny Murray. She read it and declared it a revelation. Many others did the same." (History of Brigham Young, Millennial Star vol. 25.)
Lifeblood of the Church
"Missionary work is the lifeblood of the Church," said President Gordon B. Hinckley in the Jan. 11 worldwide priesthood leadership training. "It is the principle means by which it grows. . . . The work is older than the Church itself. . . . This work was mandated by the Savior Himself in His instructions to the Apostles before His final ascension. (See Matthew 28:19.)
"What we learn from Samuel is to bear a spiritually bold testimony," said Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve and chairman of the Missionary Executive Council. "He was sure of what he knew. He had embraced the gospel with fervor and dedication. His extra effort that night created a ripple that soon affected the conversion of many notable leaders of the early Church.
"This is an excellent example of the power of testimony. Samuel, a witness of the plates and the divine calling of Joseph Smith, was sent by the living prophet of his day to speak from the conviction of his heart," he said.
There are many examples in the early days of the Church that demonstrate how faithful missionaries conquered challenges and, by the power of the Holy Ghost, converted many, such as Wilford Woodruff in Herefordshire, England, where a wealthy farmer, John Benbow, and his wife were baptized in 1840. He introduced Elder Woodruff to the United Brethren, which led to the baptism of hundreds of others in a pond on the Benbow farm, Elder Ballard continued.
"Missionaries today can be as successful as the early missionaries if they will commit to the same principles," he said.
"This is a call for the spiritual maturity of our missionaries to increase," continued Elder Ballard, "to become greater teachers of the Restoration, to have the fire of testimony burning more fervently in their hearts, to be more meticulously obedient and faithful, and to grow in the power of the Spirit to teach and be guided."
Missionaries of today can know similar success as the missionaries of old if they abide by the same principles, he said.
Call for better missionaries
"This work is rigorous," continued President Hinckley in the priesthood leadership training. "It demands strength and vitality. It demands mental sharpness and capacity. It demands faith, desire and consecration. It demands clean hands and a pure heart. The time has come . . . when we must raise the standard of those who are called to serve as ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ. . . .
"We need missionaries, but they must be capable of doing the work. They must be spiritually sensitive to do that which is expected of them, which is essentially a spiritual work."
Speaking in the October 2002 general conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve said, "Brethren, today we are fighting a battle that in many ways is more perilous, more fraught with danger than the battle between the Nephites and the Lamanites," .
"Our enemy is cunning and resourceful. We fight against Lucifer, the father of all lies, the enemy of all that is good and right and holy. Truly we live in a time of which Paul prophesied, when "men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. . . .
"Does this sound familiar?" he said. "To me it sounds like a night of prime-time television.
"These are 'perilous times.' We battle literally for the souls of men. The enemy is unforgiving and relentless. He is taking eternal prisoners at an alarming rate. And he shows no sign of letting up.
"What we need now is the greatest generation of missionaries in the history of the Church. We need worthy, qualified, spiritually energized missionaries who, like Helaman's 2,000 stripling warriors, are 'exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity' and who are 'true at all times in whatsoever thing they [are] entrusted' (Alma 53:20).
"Listen to those words, my young brethren: valiant, courage, strength, active, true. We don't need spiritually weak and semicommitted young men. We don't need you to just fill a position; we need your whole heart and soul.
"We need vibrant, thinking, passionately devoted missionaries who know how to listen to and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. This isn't a time for spiritual weaklings. We cannot send you on a mission to be reactivated, reformed, or to receive a testimony. We just don't have time for that. We need you to be filled with "faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5)."
The essence of missionary work has always been a matter of teaching by the Spirit. Any missionary success in the Church at any time or in any place has been the result of teaching by the Spirit.
To re-enthrone and re-invigorate those spiritual principles that guided the early-day missionaries, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve recently issued a "Statement on Missionary Work" to Church leaders.
The Dec. 11, 2002, statement covers principles on eligibility for full-time missionary service; finding, teaching and baptizing worthy investigators; and on strengthening new and less-active members.
Preparing for full-time missionary service
Bishops and stake presidents are responsible to identify "worthy, qualified members who are spiritually, physically and emotionally prepared for this sacred service and who can be recommended without reservation." Those not able to meet the physical or emotional demands "are honorably excused" and "may be called to serve in other rewarding capacities."
Mission preparation should begin early. Parents and Church leaders play a role in that preparation, as well as priesthood, auxiliary, seminary and other activities. The foundation for missionary service is worthiness, desire and family support, the statement reads.
Prospective missionaries should read the Book of Mormon and other standard works and should know how to respond to the whisperings of the Spirit. "Individuals are not to be sent on a mission to be reactivated or reformed."
The statement sets specific standards for moral worthiness.
Finding investigators
Stake presidents and bishops are charged with finding investigators within their stakes and wards, with an emphasis on finding families.
Missionary work is centered in the ward, with the bishop using the priesthood executive committee and ward council meetings to support the members in sharing the gospel.
One ward that has been effective in utilizing the ward council is the Centralia Ward, Centralia Washington Stake, near Tacoma, where 46 new members were baptized in 2002.
"We love missionary work. We'd baptize seven days a week if we could," said Bishop Jim Hainer, who considers the ward council to be the key in finding investigators.
Each month the council generates new referrals by considering the needs of part-member and less-active members. During the meeting, assignments are made for priesthood leaders to work with the missionaries throughout the month.
"The full-time missionaries are an important part of the ward council. They attend each month and tell of their teaching experiences.
"It seems that when we visit the part-member and less-active, there is always someone else visiting, maybe a friend, or a family member. They become interested, and we refer them to the missionaries," said Bishop Hainer.
The Centralia Ward also invites friends and family members to baptisms. "This is an ideal time to feel the Spirit," Bishop Hainer said. "It's a time to make friends and for others to "see us for who we really are," he said.
"Every member can do something. No effort is too small," he said.
Teaching by the Spirit
The call to more effective missionary service is a call to better teaching. Teaching by the Spirit is at the core of this effort and is the responsibility of the full-time missionaries.
"Our purpose is to teach the message of the restored gospel in such a way as to allow the Spirit to direct both the missionaries and those being taught," continued the "Statement on Missionary Work."
"It is essential to learn the concepts of the standard missionary discussions, but these should not be taught by rote presentation. The missionary should feel free to use his own words as prompted by the Spirit. He should not give a memorized recitation, but speak from the heart in his own terms. He may depart from the order of the lessons, giving that which he is inspired to do, according to the interest and needs of the investigator. Speaking out of his own conviction and in his own words he should bear testimony of the truth of his teachings."
Speaking to faculty members of the Provo Missionary Training Center Jan. 12, about teaching more spiritually, President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve, said, "This is one simple idea that we are trying to impress you with. It is subtle and so powerfully important. . . . The Spirit will be working with all the 60,000 missionaries out in the field. It isn't going to be easy, but it is going to be thrilling. You are going to be experiencing revelation and inspiration different from and more exciting than before. We are changing the world."
Also speaking to the instructors and leaders was Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve. "In order to accomplish goals never before reached we must do things never before done. . . . I believe that the message you are receiving comes from the Lord through a prophet, through his presidency through the Quorum of the Twelve, and you are blessed to be part of it. Listen and pray to be guided on what to do."
Mission president reports
Early reports from mission presidents in the British Isles where teaching by the Spirit has been piloted for a few months indicate that missionaries are more invigorated with the spirit of their calling, and that their missionary labors are more effective.
In the England Birmingham Mission, President Richard G. Whitehead said teaching opportunities have improved 30 percent. "We have baptized more adult males than ever before. There are more people in the teaching pools, and member referrals have increased. Zone leaders report that half of the less-active families are returning to activity after being taught the message of the Restoration."
President Steven C. Wheelwright reports a new enthusiasm among members and missionaries in the England London Mission. Missionaries are teaching up to 10 first discussions a day, and members "are clearly getting more referrals." The number of investigators receiving a second discussion has improved significantly.
The England Leeds Mission reports similar improvements. "Teaching opportunities are increasing," said President Bruce B. Bowen. "Baptisms have reached a new high watermark. Missionary and investigator seem to be moving towards a higher level of spirituality. We see a major increase in the missionaries' testimonies of the Restoration. They are presenting the first discussion with real conviction."
Teaching opportunities, particularly teaching the latter discussions, are improving in the Scotland Edinburgh Mission, said President Randy Wilkinson. Investigators are more inclined to hear the additional discussions. Investigators are keeping their commitments and referrals are increasing, he said. "Missionaries report their study is much more meaningful."
"This is working," reported President David M. Fewster of the England Manchester Mission. "Convert baptisms doubled in one month. Missionaries are now baptizing who have not baptized in months. Missionaries are learning doctrine and not dialogue."
Since meeting with priesthood leaders and missionaries in the United Kingdom, Elder Harold G. Hillam of the Seventy and president of the Europe West Area said there has been a substantial increase in the teaching of first discussions and in missionary vigor.
Elder Hillam then met with the two mission presidents in Portugal where missionaries were taught how they could more effectively invite the Spirit into their teaching.
The next morning, after meeting with one mission, "The mission president called to say he had received spontaneous phone calls from all the zone leaders to express their excitement. One zone leader said, 'The Spirit has been present each time we've taught. Investigators sit there in tears because they've felt the Spirit like never before. People feel the Spirit without having to be told what they are feeling.'
"That's been electrifying," Elder Hillam said. "Where missionaries once worked to establish a relationship of trust with investigators, they begin teaching and testifying. The Spirit is establishing those friendships of trust as the missionaries teach."
Baptizing Worthy Converts
Those who prepare investigators for baptism should ensure that they have developed faith in Christ, repented of transgressions, and made sufficient changes in their lives to qualify as commanded in Doctrine and Covenants 20:37. Investigators should live the principles of moral worthiness, the Word of Wisdom, and commit to pay tithing. If missionaries feel additional preparation is needed, they should postpone baptism until the investigator meets the standard.
Converts may be confirmed in any sacrament meeting of the ward in which they reside soon after they are baptized.
Fellowshipping
The Dec. 11 letter reiterates what President Gordon B. Hinckley has said in the past about every new member needing three things: a friend, a responsibility and nurturing with "the good word of God" (Moroni 6:4).
"Priesthood and auxiliary leaders should ensure that member friends are present when the investigators are being taught," the statement reads. "These new friends should become a pillar of strength to the new members. They should be someone to whom they can turn, who will walk beside them, who will answer their questions, who will understand their problems."
All new members should be given a responsibility immediately after baptism appropriate to their capacity, the statement says. "Only as we serve do we grow."
Following baptism, full-time or ward missionaries, or home teachers should teach the discussions for new members, with the full-time missionaries present for the first two or three discussions, according to the statement. "New members are encouraged to continue reading the Book of Mormon and to attend priesthood and auxiliary classes. Bishoprics should give careful attention to sacrament meetings to see that the gospel is taught and the Spirit of the Lord is felt in the hearts and lives of the people."
Ward councils should coordinate the fellowshipping for new converts.
Greatest missionaries
"There are very important course corrections that are underway at the direction of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve," said Elder Ballard, "on how we prepare and how we train and teach and how we direct missionaries in the building up of the kingdom of God.
"We need today the greatest generation of missionaries in the history of the Church. One reason I feel so strongly is that the world is more difficult today than . . . it was when I served as a missionary 50 years ago. So we have to prepare our young men and young women spiritually and doctrinally with knowledge and power and the capacity to walk into the world with the power of the spirit of the Holy Ghost as their companion and to rely on the powers of heaven to guide and direct them to tell them where to be, and what to do, and what not to do, and to teach with a power beyond anything we have done before.
"The mission presidents tell us the missionaries are starting to understand this, starting to make this transition, that they are having spiritual experiences and testimony building experiences that are very heart warming.
"Conversions are increasing in several missions. They are finding more people to teach and perhaps the most significant thing that is happening is the members of the Church . . . are gaining more confidence in their missionaries and . . . missionaries are getting more member referrals.
"As we get the vision into the hearts and minds of the missionaries that the Lord Jesus Christ . . . has once again placed His Church on the earth, we believe we'll make a great step forward," Elder Ballard said.
