This post is a bit more centered on the members of our church. If you are not a member, feel free to read on but for now I want to talk a little bit about missionary work and how we as missionaries can help you to do your missionary work! We all know the call to action from President David O. McKay, “Every Member a Missionary!” Meany of the members have served missions and know that the best way to find and teach prepared people is when the members follow the spirit and invite someone to be brought into their home to be taught by the full time missionaries.
You may think to your self, "But I live in a place where its hard to share the Gospel, or every one I talk to is already a member." Don't worry there is still work for you to do! You can work with your bishop to find a less active family to fellowship and work with towards reactivation.
Most of what I talk about today will be from a talk given by President M. Russell Ballard in April 2003 General Conference. In this talk Elder Ballard suggest three things that we as members can do to do member missionary work and be effective tools in the Lords hands. The First thing we should do is exercise our faith and pray individually and as families, asking for help in finding ways to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to open the way. Praying in faith that the Lord will set prepared people in our path that we can talk to about the restored gospel will show got that you really intend on fofilling your responsibility as a true follower of Jesus Christ.
Second, President Ballard teaches us that leaders must lead by example. The Spirit will prompt and guide you in finding those interested in our message. Your personal worthiness will give you the courage and the spiritual power to inspire your members to actively help the missionaries.Remember that the bishop holds the Keys to the work of the ministry in his ward boundary. Go and ask him how you can help with missionary work. At the very least watch his example and the example of his ward mission leader.
I want to talk about how the youth of the church can help with this. I remember before my mission, I would go on exchanges with the missionaries and work with them so that they could have a member at there lessons. This was nice for them and me and it was a good thing for me to get to see first hand missionary work. But the best thing for me to do would have been to try and find friends and peers that I could help introduce to the church. It does not have to be anything bid or scary. It could be as simple as inventing them over to a family home evening. I don't think any of your friends would be offended if you invite them over for a fun night with a short spiritual thought, a few games and a treat!
Other ways you can work to share the gospel are by using Facebook and other social media. Look for uplifting ways to post videos and pictures that are gospel related that will help others feel the spirit. You can also make a Mormon.org profile that you can share with your friend. The best way to use social media is to have it all link together. Have links on your Facebook page to your blog and/or to Mormon.org. You can find videos on Mormon Channel to share with a friend who is having a hard time. The Church has excellent resources that we can use to share the gospel in a non-threating way.
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| Use the Official Church Websites like lds.org, Mormon.org and Mormon Chanel |
For the Third point i would like to use Elder Ballard's own words he says, "Third, member missionary work does not require the development of strategies or gimmicks. It does require faith—real faith and trust in the Lord. It also requires genuine love. The first great commandment is to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. … The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:37, 39).So let the power of love guide us in sharing the gospel with family members, friends, neighbors, business associates, and any other people we encounter as we go through life. Most everyone wants to enjoy peace and happiness. That is a natural human desire. People want to find answers to the problems they face. This is increasingly true in the world we now live in."
The Lord has promised us that He will be on our right hand and on our left. After all this is his work! We are so blessed to be able to take a part in it! Think of the way you feel after you randomly help a stranger or someone in need who did not ask for it. That kind of feeling comes from doing missionary work! And the best part is we have a Promise from an Apostle of the Lord. ELDER NEIL L. ANDERSEN- "I promise you, as you pray to know with whom to speak, names and faces will come into your mind. Words to speak will be given in the very moment you need them. Opportunities will open to you. Faith will overcome doubt, and the Lord will bless you with your very own miracles."
I pray that the Lord will bless you in as you share what you know to be true with the people around you! I know that what I share it truth, that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet who Restored Jesus Christ church onto the earth once more and that we are being led by a prophet of God! I love this gospel and i love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And in his name I say this,
Amen.
