Preach My Gospel

Preach My Gospel is a guide to missionary service that is published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its full-time missionaries, Mission Presidents, Ward Missionaries and members. It replaces the old missionary discussions teaching format, which was called the Uniform System for Teaching the Gospel, and focuses more on teaching by the Spirit. Teaching by the Spirit means seeking guidance from the Holy Ghost to teach; the idea is that the teachings will be catered to each person who is seeking the truth through divine guidance. The belief is that God knows each of His children and can guide His servants to say and teach what is best for each individual.

This is not to say that there isn't material to be taught. Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel concisely describes all of the doctrine that the missionaries are to teach to those learning about the Church. The missionaries are responsible for knowing the doctrine and continually prepararing to teach it. They can choose the order that it is taught according to the individual. This is a change from the missionary discussions which were usually interpreted to be taught in order to each investigator.

History

Missionaries in missions around the world received English copies of the new guide during the latter half of 2004. In the 176th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Richard G. Scott testified of the power and effectiveness of the new guide and asked whether members were benefiting from having a copy of their own. While Elder Scott was encouraging members to become familiar with this guide, including those preparing to serve full-time missions, several Church members felt that he meant all members ought to purchase Preach My Gospel. The book, now published in many languages, is meant to be used by the general Church membership. This sets it apart from the previous missionary discussions, which were used primarily by full-time missionaries, members with Church callings related to missionary work, and those preparing to serve missions.

Contents

There are 13 chapters of Preach My Gospel:

1. What is My Purpose as a Missionary?
2. How Do I Study Effectively and Prepare to Teach?
3. What Do I Study and Teach?
4. How Do I Recognize and Understand the Spirit?
5. What is the Role of the Book of Mormon?
6. How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes?
7. How Can I Better Learn My Mission Language?
8. How Do I Use Time Wisely?
9. How Do I Find People to Teach?
10. How Can I Improve My Teaching Skills?
11. How Do I Help People Make and Keep Commitments?
12. How Do I Prepare People for Baptism and Confirmation?
13. How Do I Work with Stake and Ward Leaders?

Chapter 1: What is My Purpose as a Missionary?
This chapter defines many things about missionary work, including the missionary's commission and what a successful missionary is.^[1] It finishes with at least one quote from every President of the Church since its restoration.^[2] Here are two of the quotes listed:

"After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel"^[3]

-- Joseph Smith

"Now is the moment in the timetable of the Lord to carry the gospel farther than it has ever been carried before...Many a person in this world is crying, knowingly and unknowingly, 'Come over...and help us.' He might be your neighbor. She might be your friend. He might be a relative. She might be someone you met only yesterday. But we have what they need. Let us take new courage from our studies and pray, as did Peter, 'And now Lord, ... grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word' (Acts 4:29)"^[4]

-- Spencer W. Kimball

Chapter 2: How Do I Study Effectively and Prepare to Teach?
Chapter 2 is designed to help missionaries prepare themselves to teach the Gospel. The idea behind Preach My Gospel is that the missionary should know the Gospel well enough that the Holy Ghost can bring it to his/her remembrance; accordingly, the chapter starts quoting the Doctrine and Covenants: "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."^[5] The Chapter further emphasizes that the missionary should learn from the Holy Ghost. It has a section entitled 'Learning by the Holy Ghost,' and it councils: "your gospel study is most effective when you are taught by the Holy Ghost. Always begin your gospel study by praying for the Holy Ghost to help you learn."^[3]

Chapter 3: The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
In chapter 3 you can find the lessons that every missionary should be teaching. They are not taught exactly as they are presented, but the teaching style and order are adapted to the individual being taught. The content, or the principles of the gospel, remain the same for everyone. The First Presidency of the Church has clarified: "Our purpose is to teach the message of the restored gospel in such a way as to allow the Spirit [the Holy Ghost] to direct both the missionaries and those being taught."^[6] In the same letter the First Presidency used the following phrases to describe how a missionary should teach: "his own words as prompted by the Spirit", "from the heart in his own terms," "that which he is inspired to do, according to the interest and needs of the investigator," and "speaking out of his own conviction and in his own words."^[7]

This chapter contains the following lessons:^[3]

• The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
• The Plan of Salvation
• The Gospel of Jesus Christ
• The Commandments
• Laws and Ordinances

The missionary should teach the full content of the first three lessons in the order they are written "unless directed by the Spirit."^[3] The missionary should also insert different commandments from lesson 4 as they are appropriate in the discussion and in the individual or family's life or lives. The fifth lesson is to be taught after baptism,^[3] but nothing in it is secret and many of the topics are discussed in part or in full before baptism. Frequently this lesson and other things taught after baptism are taught by church members, not full-time church missionaries.

Chapter 4: How Do I Recognize and Understand the Spirit?
The Spirit is a term often used by Latter-day Saints as another name for the Holy Ghost. Latter-day Saints believe that receiving revelation - instruction from the Holy Ghost - is important for every Christian. The Prophet Joseph Smith said: "Salvation cannot come without revelation; it is vain for anyone to minister without it"^[8] and "This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted-by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed."^[9] These two quotes open chapter 4 of this manual. One of the fundamental principles of the Church is the God still speaks to men today. If this premise were false, all of the theology of the Church would also be false, as the Church was founded because Joseph Smith received revelation from God, or claimed to have received it. One principle of the missionary program is that each missionary can be guided by God to speak the correct words to help each person individually understand the message. Another principle belief is that if the missionary seeks the guidance of the Holy Ghost those hearing may feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, which Latter-day Saints believe is essential to conversion, or changing the heart of an individual to desire to follow Jesus Christ. Elder Russell M. Ballard, who is sustained as an Apostle by the Church, taught this principle: "True conversion comes through the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit touches the heart, hearts are changed."^[10] These are the principles taught in Chapter 4 and the reasons they are taught.

See also

• Missionary discussion

Notes

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