Mosiah 28:2-3 They were only trying to accomplish 1 thing, which was to bring them to a knowledge of the Lord their God.
He then told a story about how when he was a mission president in Bogota, Columbia, they would have him talk at the MTC every week. One week an elder came up to him, and told him that Elder Villarreal's daughter had baptized him on his mission, and that he had promised her that he would serve a mission. The elder then asked Elder Villarreal to tell his daughter that he had kept his promise.
Elder Villarreal did call his daughter, but first he called the missionary who had baptized him. He told him, "I met one of your converts today." The missionary who had baptized Elder Villarreal did not recognize the young elder's name. Then Elder Villarreall said, "You baptized me, I baptized my daughter, she baptized this young man, and now he is going to go to Ecuador and you are going to have converts there."
We don't often get the opportunity in this life to hear all of the stories, but when you get to heaven you will hear them all and meet all of the people that you have influenced in some way or another, and then you will see how far your efforts will reach.
The living prophet does nothing that is not approved by the Lord.
Elder Valenzuela
This was his second talk in English!
Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach.
D&C 123:12
When you find someone to teach, teach them by the spirit and try to find more people to teach.
Elder Suares
It is a great privilege to be in the royal army of God.
Open your hearts and allow the new mission president to love and teach and embrace you. Don't compare. Just learn everything you can from everyone.
You are called by the Lord to be a missionary right now in this very historic moment. (the change in the age of missionary => the increased number of missionaries)
The Lord is hastening his work, what a great opportunity to serve at this time.
We are a gift to the church right now, so we need to better coordinate our efforts with the wards in which we serve.
What can we do to really to this work better?
Moses 3: introduction, verses 4-5
Planning
God is perfect and he took the time to create everything spiritually first.
It we don't plan, we plan to fail.
PMG page 147 Once you have set goals decide how you will achieve them. We can not do anything unless we plan how to do it. As you follow your plans, pray and ask for guidance. Ask yourself what more can I do, after you have done everything on your side.
Accomplish the plans, even the plans that aren't planned by you, but that are planned by God.
Don't ask the Lord to help you, unless you do everything from your side.
Plan well to be more effective in your work.
Elder Cook
There used to be about 2 members of the 12 assigning about 250 missionaries each per week. (So about 500 total assigned each week.) Now there are between 5 to 6 members of the 12 assigning about 300 missionaries every week. (So about 1500 total per week). I love that there are so many more missionaries. This is so cool!
D&C 31
-verse 3
This is an incredible time in the history of the church. The work is being hastened. This is the greatest influx of missionaries the church has ever had.
This is the time to get rid of any foolishness. Don't pass it on to the next wave of missionaries. Hold on to the best practices so you can pass it on more quickly.
-verse 4
We teach Joseph Smith is the prophet. In Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel, there are all of the principles that have been taught from the beginning of this dispensation.
There are 2 new things that are in Preach My Gospel that weren't in the previous missionary lessons (but were taught by the first missionaries of this dispensation): Dispensations, and the Garden of Eden
-verse 7
God will establish the church by our hands. The Lord can do his work, but he needs your hands to accomplish it.
Help the Lord establish his church.
You need to move the ward or branch to a higher level.
You are not just the marketing arm of the church.
-help reactivate people
-encourage young people to go on missions
-help the mission
-help the leaders in their callings
Missionaries are by assignment warm. They open their mouths and smile. Being an ambassador for the savior is the be warm and gracious and loving.
-verse 11
It shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go.
The Holy Ghost will direct your efforts if you will stay close to the Lord.
D&C 112
-verse 11
-verse 14
That is what missionaries do. You feed his sheep and build up the church.
-verse 19
that's us
-verse 28
We need to have pure hearts
-verse 30
-read verses 31-34 and realize how serious this work is that we are trying to accomplish.
Make the Joseph Smith account of the first vision powerful and strong, so that it will testify to them. Because that is what they will remember.
When they worked on PMG, Pres. Hinckley did not want those lessons to be memorized. Now you have your own plan. Put in an invitation to make a commitment in every lesson.
Because you invited commitments, and they follow, they will get an answer from heaven.
Making commitments is repentance, but also leads to an opportunity to get an answer from heaven.
We are doing what we ought to be doing.
Remember that there was a lot of rejection to the savior. There has always been rejection.
Promise from Elder Cook to us:
What you are doing at this time is not just important for you (and it is) but that you are blessing all the people you love.
-family
-future spouses and children and grandchildren
This is where you ought to be. You are doing what you ought to be doing.
Our responsibility:
Be a witness of the Savior. Especially the atonement, and his peace. On those that are worthy leave a blessing, leave your peace.
Blessing from Elder Cook to us:
If you continue to be valiant you will be inspired and guided by the spirit.
Your relationships at home will be fine.
And a special blessing that your righteous desires of your heart will be achieved.
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