Missionary work

[Avatar4321]

I’ve been listening to a book on the history of Christianity throput throughout the world. It has me thinking about missionary work for our Church and how we’ve barely scratched the surface. I want to do my part to share the gospel and it seems nothing I do has any impact whatsoever.

What can we do to actually impact the missionary effort? Especially since I’m not a young rooster any more

[The Nehor]

Go on a mission. 😜

[Avatar4321]

Can’t. I’m married with young children

[SouthernMo]

2 hours ago, Avatar4321 said:

I’ve been listening to a book on the history of Christianity throput throughout the world. It has me thinking about missionary work for our Church and how we’ve barely scratched the surface. I want to do my part to share the gospel and it seems nothing I do has any impact whatsoever.

What can we do to actually impact the missionary effort? Especially since I’m not a young rooster any more

I’ve found preaching Christianity (Atonement) rather than a focus on Mormonism (Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, Word of Wisdom, etc...) is more effective. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

I've shared with you my formula before:

• Live up to your privileges so that you actually have something to share. We should be having experiences as Latter-day Saints that others will covet if known.
• Do genuinely good things.
• Invite other people to join you (and your family) in doing good things.
• When/as the Spirit directs, share with those people how the gospel blesses your life.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Hamba Tuhan

[carbon dioxide]

 In a world that is becoming more wicked, we should not look at numbers to see if we are being effective missionaries.   Noah did not convert many but that does not mean he was not a good missionary.

Edited January 11, 2019 by carbon dioxide

[Hamba Tuhan]

3 minutes ago, carbon dioxide said:

 In a world that is becoming more wicked, we should not look at numbers to see if we are being effective missionaries.

But we can certainly consider if we are being effective missionaries. I suspect most of us could be far better.

[Avatar4321]

40 minutes ago, carbon dioxide said:

 In a world that is becoming more wicked, we should not look at numbers to see if we are being effective missionaries.   Noah did not convert many but that does not mean he was not a good missionary.

I’m not sure I’d be good if I looked at other criteria

[Avatar4321]

2 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I've shared with you my formula before:

• Live up to your privileges so that you actually have something to share. We should be having experiences as Latter-day Saints that others will covet if known.
• Do genuinely good things.
• Invite other people to join you (and your family) in doing good things.
• When/as the Spirit directs, share with those people how the gospel blesses your life.

I think I’m tripping over one and two

[Avatar4321]

3 hours ago, SouthernMo said:

I’ve found preaching Christianity (Atonement) rather than a focus on Mormonism (Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, Word of Wisdom, etc...) is more effective. 

How do we bring the fullness of the gospel into their lives if we ignore important parts?

[The Nehor]

39 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

But we can certainly consider if we are being effective missionaries. I suspect most of us could be far better.

Maybe but remember the Savior himself could not convince most so do not go nuts with optimism about what we could do.

[Hamba Tuhan]

2 minutes ago, Avatar4321 said:

I think I’m tripping over one and two

That’s often the case for many of us. When it’s not, the work is often quite easy. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 minute ago, The Nehor said:

Do not go nuts with optimism about what we could do.

Except that I know from personal experience what we can do. 

[The Nehor]

1 minute ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Except that I know from personal experience what we can do. 

Yeah, but I am pretty awful at missionary work. I did a good job last night shredding all the old documents in the clerk’s office. We all have our strengths.

[Avatar4321]

4 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

Maybe but remember the Savior himself could not convince most so do not go nuts with optimism about what we could do.

 I don’t think it was the saviors purpose to convince most. He left in much of that to his disciples. His earthly ministry was focused on training the disciples who would run the church after him and on the atonement.

I don’t know what we can do, but I think we can do more than we are. I feel like I can 

[Avatar4321]

1 minute ago, The Nehor said:

Yeah, but I am pretty awful at missionary work. I did a good job last night shredding all the old documents in the clerk’s office. We all have our strengths.

The Lord has promised to thrash the nations by the Spirit through the weak things of the world. We probably qualify 

[The Nehor]

5 minutes ago, Avatar4321 said:

 I don’t think it was the saviors purpose to convince most. He left in much of that to his disciples. His earthly ministry was focused on training the disciples who would run the church after him and on the atonement.

I don’t know what we can do, but I think we can do more than we are. I feel like I can 

Maybe. We watched a video on Sunday about Jesus giving the parable of  the sower to the people and then he started explaining to the apostles how the people could not understand it but the apostles can......in the same volume of voice he used when preaching. My thought was “Dude, the crowd can hear you. They are still right there.” So maybe that is why he had trouble converting people?

Edited January 11, 2019 by The Nehor

[The Nehor]

3 minutes ago, Avatar4321 said:

The Lord has promised to thrash the nations by the Spirit through the weak things of the world. We probably qualify 

And I do. I have gifts that God has used with power. I wish he would do more of it.  

[SouthernMo]

22 minutes ago, Avatar4321 said:

How do we bring the fullness of the gospel into their lives if we ignore important parts?

I don’t mean to sound flippant, but does it matter if you have the fullness if no one wants to listen to it?

[Hamba Tuhan]

44 minutes ago, SouthernMo said:

I don’t mean to sound flippant, but does it matter if you have the fullness if no one wants to listen to it?

Exactly! And if it isn't apparent that having it works better than not.

[sunstoned]

4 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Go on a mission. 😜

 

1 hour ago, carbon dioxide said:

 In a world that is becoming more wicked, we should not look at numbers to see if we are being effective missionaries.   Noah did not convert many but that does not mean he was not a good missionary.

I do not accept the old standard mormon chestnut that the world is getting more wicked day by day.   Reality just does not support that.  While we are not perfect, right now, this very minute, is the best time to be alive on this planet. This is a much better time than any other time in history.  Hunger is down, disease is down and crime is down.   Here is one example:

Quote

The rate of reported violent crime has fallen since a high of 758.20 reported crimes in 1991 to a low of 361.6 reported violent crimes in 2014. 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/191219/reported-violent-crime-rate-in-the-usa-since-1990/

It is true that more and more people are finding religion, including Mormonism, unattractive.  It is also true  that more people have become more inclusive and have shown increased support of basic civil human rights. This however, does does not equate to wickedness. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

Duplicate.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Hamba Tuhan

[Hamba Tuhan]

20 minutes ago, sunstoned said:

Hunger is down, disease is down and crime is down.

Global poverty rates are at the lowest level ever recorded, too!

Edited January 11, 2019 by Hamba Tuhan

[sunstoned]

9 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Let's not forget that global poverty rates are at their lowest level ever recorded, too!

Yes, I think we are doing something right!

Edited January 11, 2019 by sunstoned

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 minute ago, sunstoned said:

Yes, I think we are doing something right!

And we need to do more of it!