Missionary Work

The Lord has declared that missionary work is the responsibility of all who follow Him (see Matthew 28:19–20; D&C 88:81). Members of the Lord's Church can, by the goodness of their lives and the strength of their testimonies, share the gospel message and help prepare family members, friends, and other acquaintances who are not Latter-day Saints to be taught by the full-time missionaries.

When we experience the blessings of gospel living, we naturally want to share those blessings with others.
       
Here are quotes about missionary work and service:

Elder David A. Bednar “Becoming a Missionary” October 2005 Priesthood Session

1)      “Proclaiming the gospel is not an activity in which we periodically and temporarily engage. And our labors as missionaries certainly are not confined to the short period of time devoted to full-time missionary service in our youth or in our mature years. Rather, the obligation to proclaim the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is inherent in the oath and covenant of the priesthood into which we enter. Missionary work essentially is a priesthood responsibility, and all of us who hold the priesthood are the Lord’s authorized servants on the earth and are missionaries at all times and in all places—and we always will be.”

2)       “My dear young brethren, the single most important thing you can do to prepare for a call to serve is to become a missionary long before you go on a mission.”

 President Dieter F. Uchtdorf “Waiting on the Road to Damascus” April 2011

3)      "The most effective way to preach the gospel is through example. If we live according to our beliefs, people will notice. If the countenance of Jesus Christ shines in our lives, if we are joyful and at peace with the world, people will want to know why. One of the greatest sermons ever pronounced on missionary work is this simple thought attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”

      Opportunities to do so are all around us.."

President Henry B. Eyring “We are One” April 2013

4)      I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to bring the gospel to all the world and that we will encourage people we love to be cleansed from sin and to be happy with us in the kingdom of God—

5)      Out of love and gratitude for the Savior’s gift to them, they wanted to help everyone they could to escape the sadness of sin, feel the joy of forgiveness, and gather with them to safety in the kingdom of God.

"It was the love of God and the love for their friends and neighbors that unified them to serve the people. They desired to take the gospel to everyone in their part of the world. And they prepared their children to be worthy to be called by the Lord to teach, to testify, and to serve in other parts of His vineyard."

David O. Mckay Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, (2011), 49–59 https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-david-o-mckay/chapter-6?lang=eng

6)      The responsibility of the Church is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored to the Prophet Joseph Smith, not only to preach it and proclaim it by word, by distribution of literature, but more than anything else by living the gospel in our homes and in our business dealings, having faith and testimony in our hearts, and radiating it wherever we go. … There is nothing that can stop the progress of truth excepting only our weaknesses or failure to do our duty.  Every member is a missionary. He or she has the responsibility of bringing somebody in touch with the messengers of the gospel.

7)      Every member of the Church should be a missionary. He is probably not authorized to go from house to house, but he is authorized, by virtue of his membership, to set a proper example as a good neighbor. Neighbors are watching him. Neighbors are watching his children. He is a light, and it is his duty not to have that light hidden under a bushel, but it should be set up on a hill that all men may be guided thereby.

Elder M. Russell Ballard “The Hand of Fellowship” October 1988

8)      "Proclaiming the gospel to all mankind is a fundamental part of the mission of the Church."

9)      “…we must ever keep in mind that missionary work throughout the world requires great sacrifice, and all of this sacrifice, effort, and exhaustive preparation of missionaries may be in vain if those who accept the gospel do not receive a loving and warm welcome by the members of the Church.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard “The Truth of God Shall Go Forth” October 2008

10)   "This is a great time to live, brothers and sisters, and it is up to us to carry on the rich tradition of devoted commitment that has been the hallmark of previous generations of Latter-day Saints. This is not a time for the spiritually faint of heart. We cannot afford to be superficially righteous. Our testimonies must run deep, with spiritual roots firmly embedded in the rock of revelation. And we must continue to move the work forward as a covenanted, consecrated people, with faith in every footstep, “till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”

11)   "This is God’s work, and God’s work will not be frustrated. But there is still much to be done before the Great Jehovah can announce that the work is done. While we praise and honor those faithful Saints who have brought us to this point of public prominence, we cannot afford, my brothers and sisters, to be comfortable or content."

Elder M. Russell Ballard “The Essential Role of Member Missionary Work” April 2003

12)   "But as we raise the level of expectation for the performance of our missionaries, we must also raise the level of expectation for the performance of all of the members of the Church in fulfilling our missionary duties. We need your help, brothers and sisters, to support and assist our missionaries in finding and baptizing many more of our Heavenly Father’s children. We need you to watch over, protect, and inspire the missionaries, who are servants of the Lord. If the standard is to be raised, it is raised for all of us. We must be more faithful. We must be more spiritually in tune. We must prepare ourselves to assist the missionaries in finding those of our Heavenly Father’s children who will embrace the message of the Restoration."

Thoughts- by Becky

I am excited when I see friends and family prepare for, serve, and return from their 18-month or 2 year missionary service. It is impressive to see the growth they personally have experienced, but it is even more inspiring for me to think about the countless people they have lifted, blessed, and taught during that very short period of time. I am ever mindful of the role that I play as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how I can better do my part in sharing the gospel with my friends and neighbors. I am also inspired to teach and prepare my children to have a strong testimony of the gospel so that they may also bless those that they come in contact with, and that they can be missionaries throughout their life as well.