Lesson 41: “Every Member a Missionary”

Purpose

To inspire class members to participate in taking the gospel to all the world and to strengthen new converts.

Preparation

• Prayerfully study the following scriptures and other materials:
  • Doctrine and Covenants 1:4–5, 30; 65; 88:81;109:72–74.
• To gain a greater understanding of historical events related to the doctrine in this lesson, consider reviewing the following:
  • "Teachings of David O. McKay: Every Member a Missionary": This two-minute video introduces President McKay's slogan, "Every member a missionary." 
  • "Yoga Missionary": This excerpt describes one member's strategy for sharing the gospel in Communist-era Czechoslovakia.
• Read the following from Our Heritage:
  • Missionary work under the administration of President David O. McKay (pages 116–17).
  • President Spencer W. Kimball's address to the regional representatives of the Church (first two paragraphs on page 125).

Discussion and Application

1. The Church is coming forth out of obscurity.

This year's course of study has shown how the Church began as a small group of people who were little known. The Church has now grown to include members in almost every country of the world. This dramatic increase in membership and visibility would have been difficult to comprehend during the Church's early days of struggle, persecution, and poverty. But the Lord revealed the marvelous destiny of His Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Read the following scriptures and discuss what each teaches about the destiny of the Church.

1. D&C 1:30.
2. D&C 65:1–6. 
3. D&C 109:72–74.

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, "No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done" (History of the Church, 4:540).

• In what ways is the Church coming out of obscurity throughout the world?

2. Latter-day prophets have challenged us to take the gospel to all the world.

One important way the Church moves forward throughout the world is through the missionary efforts of each member. Latter-day prophets have challenged us to make greater efforts to share the gospel as member missionaries and as full-time missionaries.

President David O. McKay became well known for his saying "Every member a missionary." Read Our Heritage, pages 116–17

Later, President Spencer W. Kimball called on Church members to lengthen their stride in missionary service. He asked Church members to pray that the doors of nations would be opened to the preaching of the gospel and to increase the number of prepared missionaries so we could enter those doors.

Read President Kimball's address to the regional representatives (Our Heritage, page 125, first two paragraphs). President Kimball's vision of how missionary work would move across the earth is now coming to pass.

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught that each of us has a responsibility to bring to pass this vision of the gospel filling the earth:

"Now, what of the future? What of the years that lie ahead? It looks promising indeed. People are beginning to see us for what we are and for the values we espouse. …

"If we will go forward, never losing sight of our goal, speaking ill of no one, living the great principles we know to be true, this cause will roll on in majesty and power to fill the earth. Doors now closed to the preaching of the gospel will be opened. The Almighty, if necessary, may have to shake the nations to humble them and cause them to listen to the servants of the living God. Whatever is needed will come to pass.

"The key to the great challenges facing us and to the success of the work will be the faith of all who call themselves Latter-day Saints" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 92; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 68).

• How are these prophecies of the gospel filling the earth being fulfilled?

3. "Every member a missionary."

• Read D&C 1:4–5 and D&C 88:81. What do these passages teach about our responsibility to share the gospel?
• What can each of us do to assist in missionary work? 

Prepare to serve full-time missions

• How can we prepare ourselves to serve full-time missions? Why is it important that we prepare ourselves before we are called?
  
  President Spencer W. Kimball said: "When I ask for more missionaries, I am not asking for more testimony-barren or unworthy missionaries. I am asking that we start earlier and train our missionaries better in every branch and every ward in the world. … Young people [should] understand that it is a great privilege to go on a mission and that they must be physically well, mentally well, spiritually well, and that 'the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance' [D&C 1:31]" ("When the World Will Be Converted," Ensign, Oct. 1974, 7).
  • How can parents and other adults help young people prepare to be full-time missionaries?
    
• What challenges do youth face as they prepare to serve full-time missions? How can they overcome these challenges? What challenges do older members face as they prepare to serve full-time missions? How can they overcome these challenges?

Serve full-time missions

• Who should serve full-time missions?
  
  Elder David B. Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve counseled: "The goal of every physically able couple in the Church, just as it is for every nineteen-year-old young man in the Church, should be to serve a mission. No finer example can be given, no finer testimony can be borne by parents to children or grandchildren, than through missionary service in their mature years" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 73; or Ensign, May 1987, 61).

Support full-time missionaries

• How can we support missionaries who are now serving?
  
  President Gordon B. Hinckley said: "My brethren and sisters, we can let the missionaries try to do it alone, or we can help them. If they do it alone, they will knock on doors day after day and the harvest will be meager. Or as members we can assist them in finding and teaching investigators" ("Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep," Ensign, May 1999, 107).

Share the gospel throughout our lives

• Why is it important for us to share the gospel with others throughout our lives? What experiences have you had in sharing the gospel with others?
• Why are we sometimes afraid to share the gospel? How can we overcome these fears?
• Were any of you influenced to join the Church because of the example and friendshipping of a Church member? How did the actions of this Church member affect you?
• What are some ways we can share the gospel with others as part of our daily lives?

President Spencer W. Kimball said: "It seems to me that the Lord chose his words when he said [that the gospel must go to] 'every nation,' 'every land,' 'uttermost bounds of the earth,' 'every tongue,' 'every people,' 'every soul,' 'all the world,' 'many lands.' Surely there is significance in these words! … I wonder if we are doing all we can. Are we complacent in our approach to teaching all the world? … Are we prepared to lengthen our stride? To enlarge our vision?" (Ensign, Oct. 1974, 5).

• In what ways can each of us lengthen our stride as we seek to share the gospel in our daily lives?

President Kimball also said: "Our great need, and our great calling, is to bring to the people of this world the candle of understanding to light their way out of obscurity and darkness and into the joy, peace, and truths of the gospel. I believe we must not weary in our well-doing. I believe it is time again to ask ourselves the question, what can I do to help take the gospel to others and to the inhabitants of the world?" ("Are We Doing All We Can?" Ensign, Feb. 1983, 5).

President Hinckley requested that each priesthood leader accept the responsibility and set the example for finding and friendshipping investigators. He asked that this subject be discussed occasionally in sacrament meetings. He also asked that priesthood, Relief Society, Young Women, Primary, ward council, and stake council meetings be used to plan how to find and friendship investigators. (Ensign, May 1999, 107.)

4. Nurturing new converts is our continuing responsibility.

"Any investigator worthy of baptism becomes a convert worthy of saving" (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 1999, 109). Each year, hundreds of thousands of converts are brought into the Church. These new members need to be nurtured and strengthened by all of us.

• Why is it sometimes difficult for new converts to stay active in the Church?
  
  President Gordon B. Hinckley said: "It is not an easy thing to become a member of this Church. In most cases it involves setting aside old habits, leaving old friends and associations, and stepping into a new society which is different and somewhat demanding" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1997, 66; or Ensign, May 1997, 47).
  
• What can new converts do to strengthen themselves? What can other members do to strengthen new converts? How have you seen members do this effectively?
  
• President Hinckley taught that "every convert needs three things:
  • "1. A friend in the Church to whom he can constantly turn, who will walk beside him, who will answer his questions, who will understand his problems.
  • "2. An assignment. Activity is the genius of this Church. It is the process by which we grow. Faith and love for the Lord are like the muscle of my arm. If I use them, they grow stronger. If I put them in a sling, they become weaker. Every convert deserves a responsibility. …
  • "3. Every convert must be 'nourished by the good word of God' (Moro. 6:4). It is imperative that he or she become affiliated with a priesthood quorum or the Relief Society, the Young Women, the Young Men, the Sunday School, or the Primary. He or she must be encouraged to come to sacrament meeting" (Ensign,May 1999, 108).