The first chapter of Preach My Gospel asks a question that applies to every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-twenty-four hours Saints: "What is my purpose as a missionary?"
The reply, summarized in one judgement, is given there as follows: "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through religion in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."ane
Members As Missionaries
We are all asked to be missionaries. And to be effective in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must have this purpose in our mind, feel information technology in our center, have information technology in our soul, and deed upon information technology. When we do, it both inspires and guides u.s. in sharing the gospel. We must keep clear the stardom between the purpose of sharing the gospel, on the one hand, and the means of achieving that purpose, on the other mitt.
It is non our purpose just to participate in discussions about the gospel or to talk to anyone and everyone nosotros can almost the Church or but to set goals and brand plans. These things are important, but they are a ways to an end, and that cease is bringing people to Christ.
Centered in Missionary Purpose
Consider some examples of what happens when our efforts to share the gospel are centered in missionary purpose:
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We will teach people in a way that helps them truly understand the gospel and why and how they should repent. We volition listen to and respond to what is in the investigator'southward listen and heart.
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We volition seek and listen to the Holy Ghost to discern who is feeling the Spirit as we talk.
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Planning—as families, in ward councils, and with full-time missionaries—will become a tool for ensuring that the things that need to happen to bring well-nigh conversion and baptism are, in fact, identified, remembered, and followed through for each individual investigator.
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We will rejoice in our opportunity to banquet upon the word of God because our study will have purpose. Nosotros will be searching for answers to our investigators' questions of the soul too as our ain.
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We will invite people to attend Church building meetings, non only because we believe that is what we are supposed to do but also considering nosotros understand that participation in church is essential for the investigator to develop a stronger desire for baptism and to found a foundation for enduring to the end in the gospel covenant. With that ultimate purpose in mind, the invitation to nourish church volition have greater urgency, the caption of the importance of Sabbath worship and what to look in a Latter-day Saint Lord's day service will be different, and the spirit that attends our words will have a persuasive ability that would not otherwise be present.
Internalize and Empathize
Delight do not ignore affiliate i of Preach My Gospel and its question "What is my purpose equally a missionary?" Internalize the purpose of bringing people to Christ through the principles and ordinances of the restored gospel, and you will empathize that sharing the gospel is not a programme; it is a cause—the cause of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Internalize the purpose of inviting people to come unto Christ, and yous will understand that the world has no admission to apologetic grace and conservancy just through The Church building of Jesus Christ of Latter-twenty-four hour period Saints. You volition understand what sharing the gospel is all virtually, and you will be upwards and about your Father's business. You will know that the total-time missionaries, as did the sons of Mosiah, teach "with power and authority of God" (Alma 17:iii), and you will invite them to teach the gospel to those to whom you have already extended the invitation to "come up and see" (John i:39).
Our Invitation—Come unto Christ
For me, the missionary purpose captures the majesty of the work and the glory of God (see Moses 1:39). What effort is more magnificent than bringing the children of God to ultimate conservancy through the grace of their Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ? Remember that our missionary purpose is not only to warn others but too to save them, not merely to teach but besides to baptize, not only to bring others unto Christ but also to make them steadfast in Christ to the terminate.
Our invitation to the world is to come unto Christ. Coming unto Christ is an abbreviation, a style of describing in three words the plan of salvation. Information technology means to obtain the fruits of His Atonement and Resurrection—ultimately eternal life. Eternal life depends on the exercise of our moral bureau, simply information technology is possible only through the grace of Jesus Christ. To come unto Him means to exercise what is required to lay concur upon that grace—the pardoning, sanctifying, transforming, redeeming ability of His infinite, atoning cede.
This good news, the gospel, is all-time expressed past Jesus Himself in the Book of Mormon:
"Behold I take given unto y'all my gospel, and this is the gospel which I accept given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.
"And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and later on that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted upwards by men all the same should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to exist judged of their works, whether they exist good or whether they exist evil—
"And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works" (3 Nephi 27:xiii–15).
Glad Tidings and Good News
Thus, at its foundation, the gospel, or skilful news, is that we have a Begetter in Heaven who, because of His love for usa, sent His Only Begotten Son to redeem u.s. from sin and death. The Son, in perfect obedience to the Begetter, to whom He gives the glory, offered His life to that terminate. He purchased u.s.a. with His claret, and we answer to Him for our lives (see i Corinthians vi:19–xx). He is now our Judge. He is justice personified.
The gospel bulletin of glad tidings further declares that considering of His atoning sacrifice, Jesus is also mercy personified. His mercy, merits, and grace are sufficient to pardon and cleanse us then that in the Day of Judgment we may stand holy and without spot before Him. (See 2 Nephi 2:8; Moroni x:32–33.)
The missionary purpose in Preach My Gospel explains what must be done for this to happen. As information technology states, being pardoned and cleansed requires "faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."2
Farther in iii Nephi 27, the Savior finishes His statement of what constitutes His gospel:
"And it shall come up to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall exist filled [with the Holy Ghost]; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the earth. …
"And no unclean matter can enter into his kingdom; therefore cypher entereth into his balance save information technology be those who take done their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.
"At present this is the commandment: Apologize, all ye ends of the globe, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last twenty-four hour period.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel" (iii Nephi 27:16, 19–21).
Faith and Delivery
Every bit we share testimony of the gospel by the Spirit, those who are willing to hear will receive sufficient witness to begin to take faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. That faith will give them the will to repent. Members and total-time missionaries can, again by the Spirit, teach them what changes they demand to make and invite and commit them to act. The ultimate delivery we invite the investigator to accept and human action upon is baptism in water. This baptism is followed past, or better said, completed past, the reception of the Holy Ghost, which brings a remission of sins equally well as sanctification (see 2 Nephi 31:17).
This status of continuing justified and spotless before the Lord tin can be preserved throughout life if one continues to live past faith, repenting as needed and reinvigorating the baptismal promises. We call that indelible to the cease. Those who suffer to the end will have no fright of being judged co-ordinate to their works, for they will have been the works of organized religion and repentance and baptism of water and of the Spirit.
Beginning Principles First
Hyrum Smith'southward statement captured in Preach My Gospel is profound: "Preach the first principles of the Gospel—preach them over once again: you will find that 24-hour interval after day new ideas and additional lite apropos them will be revealed to you. You can overstate upon them so equally to comprehend them clearly. You will then be able to brand them more obviously understood past those [you] teach."3
In this statement, Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, is explaining that these first principles, the heart of the gospel, are non fully comprehended in i review. Added light and deeper understanding will come over time in multiple revelatory experiences.
Every bit members bear their testimonies and ask the full-fourth dimension missionaries to assist them by educational activity the gospel, retrieve that a growing comprehension of the gospel comes not only from study just also as we participate in sharing the gospel. If we written report, fix, and share gospel principles by the Spirit, we volition "be able to make them more than plainly understood," and the Spirit will instruct and prove to all who participate—members, missionaries, and investigators alike.
The Why, What, and How
The why, the what, and the how of missionary work are more than compellingly proclaimed in the Volume of Mormon than anywhere else. It is filled with examples of those who understood and labored to fulfill the missionary purpose. It contains the clearest expositions anywhere in scripture of the cardinal doctrines nosotros should teach. Information technology carries a converting spirit and a witness of the truth of these same doctrines. It will convert all who read it and pray most it with a sincere heart and with real intent (come across Moroni x:three–5).
The Book of Mormon establishes Jesus Christ in His truthful grapheme equally the Son of God and the Holy Messiah. Information technology inspires faith in Him. It brings people to Christ. We are eternally indebted to its authors and to the Prophet Joseph Smith for translating it by the souvenir and power of God.
I behave my witness that, as the Lord lives, the Volume of Mormon is true. Its testimony of Jesus Christ is true. Its translator, Joseph Smith, is the not bad Prophet of the Restoration. Learn from the Book of Mormon, study it, teach from it, love it, and human activity upon information technology, and you will learn why we share the gospel and that it is our privilege and duty to invite and help others to come unto Christ.
Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2014/08/why-we-share-the-gospel?lang=eng
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