Being a
Member Missionary
by Heather Hales, associate editor
No
person who has been converted to the gospel should shirk his
responsibility to teach the truth to others. This is our privilege.
This is our duty. This is a command from the Lord. President
Heber J. Grant said: “The first great commandment was to love
the Lord our God with all our hearts, might, mind and strength;
and the second was like unto it, to love our neighbor as ourselves.
And the best way in the world to show our love for our neighbor
is to go forth and proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,
of which he has given us an absolute knowledge concerning
its divinity.” (Conference Report, April 1927, p. 176.)
Spencer
W. Kimball, “It Becometh Every Man,” Ensign, Oct. 1977, 3
What was true in
1927, is still true today, as members of the Church it is
our duty to share the gospel with those around us. We need
to be Member Missionaries. Any full-time missionary will tell
you that the members are what "make or break" a
new convert. Below are some ideas on how you can become a
better member missionary.
Going
On Splits with your
ward/stake missionaries is a great way that you can help to
share the gospel. Have your husband watch the kids 1 night
a month and offer to go on splits with the Sister Missionaries.
If their aren't Sisters in your ward, there are probably Sister
Missionaries in your stake. Contact your Ward Mission Leader
to find out how you can do splits. Stake Missionaries generally
teach "New Member Discussions". Splits with the
Stake Missionaries will help you to get to know and fellowship
the new members in your area.
Visiting
Teaching is another
way you can be a member missionary. Do all you can to become
friends with the inactive sisters on your route. Many people
fall away from the church because they never felt they fit
in, or they have made mistakes and feel like they can't go
back. Become your sisters friends, help them to feel that
they belong and to know how much their Savior loves them and
that they can come back to church.
Pray,
maybe you are a stay
at home mom and all the people you associate with are members
of the church; pray that you will be able to have missionary
opportunities. Sometimes it can be frustrating to hear talks
about being member missionaries and sharing the gospel with
your associates, and you think "everyone I know is a
member already!" Pray that you will be put in situations
where you can share the gospel.
Be
a Good Example don't
be afraid to let people know you are a member of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Your example can teach
people what words can't. Your good example can go way beyond
just you, many employers like to hire return missionaries
because one R.M. set a good example, paving the way for others.
Temple
Work is a great way
to be a missionary. You are helping to give the gospel to
those who have passed on. If you don't have a Temple near
you, do your genealogy and submit those names to the nearest
Temple. Submitting names and doing the actual Temple work
are of equal importance, the one could not be done with out
the other.
Fellowship New Members
“I plead with you … that you will put your arms around those
who come into the Church and be friends to them and make them
feel welcome and comfort them and we will see wonderful results.
The Lord will bless you to aid in this great process of retention
of converts. You
know what it has been like. Most of you here are converts
to the Church. You know something of the loneliness that you
felt when you came into this Church. Now will you please accept
that challenge to warm up and be friendly to every man, woman
and child who is baptized into the Church? It all depends
on you” (quoted in “Pres. Hinckley urges more
missionary
effort in Venezuela,” Church News, 14 August 1999,
7).
Open
Your Mouth, don't be
afraid to share the gospel with the people you associate with.
When appropriate topics in conversation arise, don't be afraid
to share your beliefs and values. If you are taking the afternoon
off work to go to the Temple, don't be ashamed to tell your
boss that you need the afternoon off to go to the Temple.
This allows him/her to ask questions and you are sharing the
gospel. Remember, sharing the gospel does not always mean
that you are attempting to convert someone, just get the message
out. Maybe your words will be planting the seeds for future
cultivation by another.
"Because all of you have some influence
in building and strengthening your local units, I would like
you to envision the future of your ward and stake. Look out
two or three years from now. What do you want your ward and
stake to be like? Would you like to see some of your less-active
friends and relatives serving as Sunday School teachers or
in the elders quorum or Relief Society presidency? What will
today’s recent converts be doing? What about your nonmember
friends and neighbors? Can you envision any of them worshiping
with you at sacrament meeting and the great joy you will feel
as you participate with them and the ward members?
What
the future will look like in your ward and stake will depend
on the effectiveness of your combined efforts in making the
Church a spiritually enriching, robust community of Saints."
M.
Russell Ballard, “Members
Are the Key,” Liahona,
Sept. 2000, 12
I challenge you
to follow Elder Ballard's council, to look to the future of
your ward, and then ask your self "What can I do to help?".
