Changes to Missionaries' "Preach My Gospel" Manual

[smac97]

Here:

Quote

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have unveiled changes to instructions for its global missionary force, including a stronger emphasis on the teachings of Jesus and the importance of making and keeping covenants.

On Thursday, the faith’s mission leader couples attending a training seminar at the Missionary Training Center in Provo got their first glimpse of the second edition of “Preach My Gospel,” which will be used by its current corps of 68,000 proselytizers in some 150 countries.

This is the first major update of “Preach My Gospel” since it was introduced in 2004, and it responds to “changing needs and circumstances of many people in the world today,” according to a news release, “by helping people apply the Savior’s gospel to their lives.”

The changes include:

• More clarity around the doctrine of Christ and the importance of covenants.
• Additional encouragement and promises following “diligent scripture study.”
• A new section outlining safeguards for using technology.
• A new section about how best to invite people to be baptized.
...
This second edition is available online now in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. Additional languages will be available by January.

I returned from my mission in 1995, so I was part of the "Six Discussions" generation.  Preach My Gospel is, I think, a more organic and improved approach to teaching/sharing.

Thanks,

-Smac

[Calm]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50672148/church-releases-update-to-preach-my-gospel-manual-for-missionaries

https://ksltv.com/561449/church-releases-second-edition-of-preach-my-gospel/

Edited June 22, 2023 by Calm

[Calm]

Also here to see summaries of updates:

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/second-edition-of-preach-my-gospel

[Stargazer]

On 6/22/2023 at 11:21 AM, smac97 said:

Here:

I returned from my mission in 1995, so I was part of the "Six Discussions" generation.  Preach My Gospel is, I think, a more organic and improved approach to teaching/sharing.

Thanks,

-Smac

 

I returned from my mission in 1974, and sometime in late 1973 the church changed from the legendary "Six Discussions" that I was taught as an investigator (Mr. Brown), to a new "Six" in a more comprehensive format, with sections laid out in differently colored paper. It was called the "The Uniform System for Teaching the Gospel", and stalled missionary work in our mission, because all the missionaries were staying home trying to learn the new material. It was arguably a better system than the one it replaced, but I preferred the old one. 

Preach My Gospel is definitely the best between them all.

[sunstoned]

On my mission (1974-1976) I used the "rainbow" discussions.  There were seven discussions, each had different colored pages.  We had a flip chart that went with the discussions.  In my mission (Illinois) you had to memorize all seven word for word before you could drive or become a senior companion.

[Stargazer]

29 minutes ago, sunstoned said:

On my mission (1974-1976) I used the "rainbow" discussions.  There were seven discussions, each had different colored pages.  We had a flip chart that went with the discussions.  In my mission (Illinois) you had to memorize all seven word for word before you could drive or become a senior companion.

Yep. That was the one that tanked our mission activity while we tried to learn it. What was the name of it?

[sunstoned]

5 hours ago, Stargazer said:

Yep. That was the one that tanked our mission activity while we tried to learn it. What was the name of it?

I'm not sure what the official name was. We just called them discussions.  I do remember as a kid, our Ward teachers (that's what they use to call home teachers) came to our house and gave a presentation using a flannel board.  One of them was recently returned from a mission, and said this was one of his discussions.  This was in the 1960's. 

[Navidad]

I never can figure why (maybe you all can help me) the LDS church with all of its sophistication, doesn't incorporate the proven principles of the field of missiology into the training of their missionaries, perhaps as a part of MTC. A basic wikipedia definition is "Missiology is the academic study of the Christian mission history and methodology. It began to be developed as an academic discipline in the 19th century." There are seminaries where the study of missiology is taken to the heights of earning a doctorate in this field of study. It does a lot of training in inter-cultural understandings and communication. From the Jesuits - "Missiology is the science of the missions, the science of converting people to the Church. It is such an important science that they have a three-year course in it at the Gregorian University in Rome.”

I was always led to believe it was a preventive type of education - As much about how to teach you to not say the wrong thing than to teach you to say the right thing. That is simplistic. Lots of emphasis on cultural understanding and communication. Maybe the missionary training center does incorporate it, but most English speaking missionaries of the LDS church I have talked to about it just give me a blank stare! Of course some conservatives believe that winning souls is the work of the Spirit and eddication has nothing to do with it, in fact might get in the way!
 

[Kenngo1969]

And in other news, responding to the release by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of a New Edition of Preach My Gospel, noted anti-Mormon [sic] Rucker T. Fudd announced the release of a new, updated edition of the anti-Mormon [sic] manual, Impeach My Gospel. 

[Stargazer]

On 6/26/2023 at 10:48 AM, sunstoned said:

I'm not sure what the official name was. We just called them discussions.  I do remember as a kid, our Ward teachers (that's what they use to call home teachers) came to our house and gave a presentation using a flannel board.  One of them was recently returned from a mission, and said this was one of his discussions.  This was in the 1960's. 

Yep. That what the missionaries who taught me used. I definitely remember the flannel board. When I was a missionary (before the multi-colored discussions arrived) we used the flannel figures on table top, but without the board. This was because Germans tended to look at flannel boards as childish. 

[Damien the Leper]

I remember the good ole "Will you...?" questions that can make one feel like a project. Before PMG was implemented I was a ward missionary. IMO, one of the more pointless callings I'd ever had and no disrespect intended. Hearing the "Will you...?" always seemed like a potential convert molding project rather than a guidance toward deeper faith.

[LoudmouthMormon]

On 6/26/2023 at 6:27 AM, Navidad said:

I never can figure why (maybe you all can help me) the LDS church with all of its sophistication, doesn't incorporate the proven principles of the field of missiology into the training of their missionaries, perhaps as a part of MTC.

Well, my gut reaction was to ask the question "And how's mainstream Christianity doing with that strategy?"   I keep hearing how religion is losing ground in many places around the world, and how the CoJCoLDS is still gaining members (just barely).    Maybe other Christians should have "Teach from Your Heart as Guided by the Spirit" highlighted up front like we do.  I mean, yeah, it sounds so stupid to just let a bunch of teenagers wander around saying whatever they feel like saying.  So much so, that we've all heard the joke "We know the church is true, because if it wasn't, the missionaries would have destroyed it decades ago."

I dunno.  I meet occasionally with our missionaries so they can practice on me.  I'll ask what they think about it all.

Edited July 17, 2023 by LoudmouthMormon

[Navidad]

13 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

Well, my gut reaction was to ask the question "And how's mainstream Christianity doing with that strategy?"   I keep hearing how religion is losing ground in many places around the world, and how the CoJCoLDS is still gaining members (just barely).    Maybe other Christians should have "Teach from Your Heart as Guided by the Spirit" highlighted up front like we do.  I mean, yeah, it sounds so stupid to just let a bunch of teenagers wander around saying whatever they feel like saying.  So much so, that we've all heard the joke "We know the church is true, because if it wasn't, the missionaries would have destroyed it decades ago."

I dunno.  I meet occasionally with our missionaries so they can practice on me.  I'll ask what they think about it all.

Missiology isn't only about converting people. It is about service, ministry, education, healthcare in ways that go far beyond enlisting folks on your membership rolls. How is that going? From the point of view of someone who sat on several mission group board of directors . . . pretty well. Lots of new members? That isn't the intent. Improving the lives of those who receive the benefits of the mission work? Pretty well.

[LoudmouthMormon]

19 minutes ago, Navidad said:

Missiology isn't only about converting people. It is about service, ministry, education, healthcare in ways that go far beyond enlisting folks on your membership rolls. How is that going? From the point of view of someone who sat on several mission group board of directors . . . pretty well. Lots of new members? That isn't the intent. Improving the lives of those who receive the benefits of the mission work? Pretty well.

Fair enough.  I know just a tiny fraction of everything there is to know about non-LDS missionary work, but what I see tends to be fairly impressive.  ~20 years ago, I had a boss who felt the call one year to dump the whole corporate America ladder-climbing rat-race, sell all his possessions, and move his wife and tiny infant overseas somewhere to devote their lives to Christ and missionary work.  I kept in touch for years and watched his pretty amazing story unfold.  They eventually created an organization in Thailand for the purpose of "Unifying & Strengthening Missions through Organizational, Team & Leadership Consulting".

 

TOPIC/THREAD CROSSOVER:  From one of their newsletters back in 2011:    "[Wife] is attending a Human Trafficking Forum this week and is getting more involved in prevention.  A majority of the population here are involved in exploitation due to the extreme poverty.  God seems to be guiding her into educating the poor so that they don’t get tricked into exploitation."   I found it interesting at the time that a random American family with no particular training, pulled up roots, flew to Thailand, said "Lead me to the greatest need Lord", and ended up dedicating so much effort and time to the problem of human trafficking.  It was a common topic in their newsletters.  

 

 

 

[webbles]

33 minutes ago, Navidad said:

Missiology isn't only about converting people. It is about service, ministry, education, healthcare in ways that go far beyond enlisting folks on your membership rolls. How is that going? From the point of view of someone who sat on several mission group board of directors . . . pretty well. Lots of new members? That isn't the intent. Improving the lives of those who receive the benefits of the mission work? Pretty well.

Interesting.  "ministry, education, healthcare" are not things that young missionaries are called to do.  That's the job for the ward, branch, stake, and district.  Couple missionaries do a little bit of that but it is through helping branches and districts.  Young missionaries are called solely to preach the gospel.

We used to talk about the "3-fold mission" church and that might fit more with missiology.  They were:

Quote

First, to proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people;

Secondly, to perfect the Saints by preparing them to receive the ordinances of the gospel and by instruction and discipline to gain exaltation;

Thirdly, to redeem the dead by performing vicarious ordinances of the gospel for those who have lived on the earth.

It was recently updated to be called "The work of salvation and exaltation" and they are:

Quote

We come unto Christ and assist in God’s work by:

•     Living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
•     Caring for those in need.
•     Inviting all to receive the gospel.
•     Uniting families for eternity.

 

[Navidad]

44 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

TOPIC/THREAD CROSSOVER:  From one of their newsletters back in 2011:    "[Wife] is attending a Human Trafficking Forum this week and is getting more involved in prevention.  A majority of the population here are involved in exploitation due to the extreme poverty.  God seems to be guiding her into educating the poor so that they don’t get tricked into exploitation."   I found it interesting at the time that a random American family with no particular training, pulled up roots, flew to Thailand, said "Lead me to the greatest need Lord", and ended up dedicating so much effort and time to the problem of human trafficking.  It was a common topic in their newsletters.  

 

 

36 minutes ago, webbles said:

We come unto Christ and assist in God’s work by:

•     Living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
•     Caring for those in need.
•     Inviting all to receive the gospel.
•     Uniting families for eternity.

My job as a twenty-year old missionary was to dig wells, plant yams and cotton, and work in the mission hospital that had the only leprosy facility in the country (Dahomey). I never tried to convert anyone, mostly because I couldn't speak the language. I did work with one of one Anglo in the world who was conversant in the language after living there for fifteen years with a tribal group of about 150,000 on both sides of the Nigerian/Dahomey border. Thirty years later I served on the international board of directors for a similar mission. We had about 2500 full time missionaries in our organization. It was connected to about thirty denominations; no one church group was in charge. Once we had a big rumble about whether or not to baptize polygamists. We brought the mission missiologists into Nairobi from London and they worked through the issue with us. I was very impressed with their knowledge and expertise in helping us make a decision that was not getting anywhere. We were divided along national (missionaries from twenty countries) and denominational lines. As I remember, we lost some missionaries over that decision, but that is life.

Just yesterday I was reading a history of the Mennonites who came here to Chihuahua to live starting in 1922. They were escaping persecution in Canada. What I read really interested me. Apparently when they arrived, they founded a mission group they called "hombres tocados por la gracia." (men touched by grace). The intent was to establish a mission outreach (proselytizing) the local communities where they settled. When the larger community took a vote on starting up this mission group, the reaction was that the people "fundamentalmente no se mezcla en los asuntos de nadie y respeta la fe de casa cual, rechazó la Misión." (fundamentally does not mix in the affairs of anyone and respects the faith of each, rejected the Mission"). That made me laugh. It didn't surprise me a bit! To finish the story, now the Mennonite church in the USA sends missionaries here to minister to  . . . . . . . the Mennonites! Ha! That doesn't surprise me either!

[webbles]

52 minutes ago, Navidad said:

 

My job as a twenty-year old missionary was to dig wells, plant yams and cotton, and work in the mission hospital that had the only leprosy facility in the country (Dahomey). I never tried to convert anyone, mostly because I couldn't speak the language. I did work with one of one Anglo in the world who was conversant in the language after living there for fifteen years with a tribal group of about 150,000 on both sides of the Nigerian/Dahomey border. Thirty years later I served on the international board of directors for a similar mission. We had about 2500 full time missionaries in our organization. It was connected to about thirty denominations; no one church group was in charge. Once we had a big rumble about whether or not to baptize polygamists. We brought the mission missiologists into Nairobi from London and they worked through the issue with us. I was very impressed with their knowledge and expertise in helping us make a decision that was not getting anywhere. We were divided along national (missionaries from twenty countries) and denominational lines. As I remember, we lost some missionaries over that decision, but that is life.

Just yesterday I was reading a history of the Mennonites who came here to Chihuahua to live starting in 1922. They were escaping persecution in Canada. What I read really interested me. Apparently when they arrived, they founded a mission group they called "hombres tocados por la gracia." (men touched by grace). The intent was to establish a mission outreach (proselytizing) the local communities where they settled. When the larger community took a vote on starting up this mission group, the reaction was that the people "fundamentalmente no se mezcla en los asuntos de nadie y respeta la fe de casa cual, rechazó la Misión." (fundamentally does not mix in the affairs of anyone and respects the faith of each, rejected the Mission"). That made me laugh. It didn't surprise me a bit! To finish the story, now the Mennonite church in the USA sends missionaries here to minister to  . . . . . . . the Mennonites! Ha! That doesn't surprise me either!

Pretty cool.  But yeah, a young missionary from our church wouldn't really do that anymore.  They do service but the focus is on conversion.  If you look at historical missionaries in our church, you'll find some like that.  An example that got turned into a movie is The Other Side of Heaven.  You'll hardly find anything like that experience with today's missionaries.  Part of the change occurred when we stopped encouraging members to migrate to Utah.  Before that, outside of Utah was the "mission field".  There were hardly any stakes or wards.  That has gradually changed till Utah and the US no longer have a majority of members.  There are still areas of the world without any stakes, but young missionaries are hardly sent there.  If missionaries are called to those areas, they'll almost always be couple missionaries.

[Navidad]

7 minutes ago, webbles said:

Pretty cool.  But yeah, a young missionary from our church wouldn't really do that anymore.  They do service but the focus is on conversion.  If you look at historical missionaries in our church, you'll find some like that.  An example that got turned into a movie is The Other Side of Heaven.  You'll hardly find anything like that experience with today's missionaries.  Part of the change occurred when we stopped encouraging members to migrate to Utah.  Before that, outside of Utah was the "mission field".  There were hardly any stakes or wards.  That has gradually changed till Utah and the US no longer have a majority of members.  There are still areas of the world without any stakes, but young missionaries are hardly sent there.  If missionaries are called to those areas, they'll almost always be couple missionaries.

The thing that interests me a lot is that the LDS and the Mennonites have very different concepts of missionary work and may have had so for some years now. Yet how interesting is it that now both faiths, once dominantly Anglo are now minority-Anglo. I don't know about the exact data for the LDS church, but I do know that there are more African Mennonites today than there are US and Canadian Mennonites combined. I am told the largest Mennonite church today is in Ethiopia! Interesting stuff! I will have to watch "The Other Side of Heaven." Thanks for the tip!

[bluebell]

3 minutes ago, Navidad said:

I will have to watch "The Other Side of Heaven." Thanks for the tip!

Definitely do. It's such a good movie!  It's based on the mission experiences of John Groberg.

[webbles]

1 hour ago, Navidad said:

The thing that interests me a lot is that the LDS and the Mennonites have very different concepts of missionary work and may have had so for some years now. Yet how interesting is it that now both faiths, once dominantly Anglo are now minority-Anglo. I don't know about the exact data for the LDS church, but I do know that there are more African Mennonites today than there are US and Canadian Mennonites combined. I am told the largest Mennonite church today is in Ethiopia! Interesting stuff! I will have to watch "The Other Side of Heaven." Thanks for the tip!

US is still a large minority.  Worldwide, there are 17M members.  In the US, there are 6.8M.  Both numbers should have the caveat that many of them (some estimate more than half) are "inactive" (people who have been baptized but don't consider themselves a member).

The idea of the "largest LDS church" is foreign to us.  We have everything split up by stakes and wards.  These all have membership limits (both on the minimum and maximum).  Once a ward or stake gets too large, it will split.  Or if it gets too small, it will merge.  The US has a little under half of all the stakes: 1681 out of 3521.  Back in the day, stakes and wards could grow larger than today and the presidents and bishops could be in those positions for decades.  But not anymore.

Edited July 17, 2023 by webbles

[InCognitus]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

Definitely do. It's such a good movie!  It's based on the mission experiences of John Groberg.

Coincidently, I was recently preparing a lesson on the topic of prayer, and in doing so I listened to an April 1982 conference talk from Elder John H. Groberg, where he told of his voyage experience trying to get to Tonga and his stop over in Fiji.  The title of his talk was The Power of Family Prayer.  It's far better to listen to or watch the talk than it is to read it (you can hear the emotion in his voice and some reaction from the audience), but here is the part related to his travel experience and the power of family prayer:

Quote

I testify to you that there is real power in family prayer. I testify that families can be brought together and can help and strengthen one another through family prayer.

Let me illustrate this with an incident that happened some years ago. As a young man I was called on a mission to Tonga. Through a series of unusual circumstances, such as ship strikes, and so forth, it took three months to get to Tonga from Salt Lake. As I was the only one assigned to Tonga at that time, much of the journey was made alone.

Finally, in Samoa, the mission president put me on a boat to Fiji and assured me that he would telegraph ahead, and when I arrived in Suva two elders would meet me and put me on a boat to Tonga.

Even though I had been in transit for two and a half months at that time, that several-day voyage to Suva seemed extra-filled with trepidation. How I looked forward to seeing those two missionaries!

The boat arrived in Suva early in the morning. I looked and looked, but could see no elders. An hour went by, then two, then three—still no elders. The captain kept telling me to get off the boat as they were leaving soon. I kept telling him that I would be met soon by two young men, but they didn’t come.

Finally, noon arrived and the captain was ready to leave. “Get off,” he said, “you only have a ticket to Suva. I’m leaving, and you’re staying here.”

With great fear I started down the gangplank only to be met by the immigration officials. “Let us see your visa, your onward ticket, and the money to keep you while here,” they demanded.

I had no visa. I had no onward ticket. I had not sufficient money. But I assured them that two young men would be there right away with whatever was needed. How I prayed! But they didn’t come.

“Back on the ship then,” they insisted.

“Not on my ship,” bellowed the captain.

I can remember standing in the middle of the gangplank, looking up at the folded arms and glaring eyes of the stern captain, and then looking down at the equally determined faces and set jaws of the immigration men.

I looked at the ocean under the gangplank. I should have wondered how long I could tread water, but I was too scared to think of anything right then.

In the end, the captain proved to be the toughest; and amidst cursing and yelling and banging of bags, the gangplank went up, the ship departed, and I found myself in the not-too-friendly hands of the immigration officials.

There was a long discussion among them, most of it in a foreign tongue. Finally, one of the younger men, who seemed more friendly, came over and explained that for now I should move with my things into the “customs shed.” That’s where things go that aren’t really allowed into the country until duty or tax is paid on them. He assured me that he, too, felt that the two young men I referred to would soon be along and everything would be fine.

The afternoon wore on. I tried several times to contact the missionaries every way I knew how, but to no avail. I know missionaries are supposed to be brave, but right then I was scared and tired and hungry.

The sun was getting low, and it seemed the lower it got in the sky the lower my spirits became. I knew I wasn’t really in danger or in prison, but to one used to lots of freedom it seemed like it.

The pungent odor of curry and copra and drying fish and the myriad other sights and sounds and smells of an oily tropical wharf seemed so foreign to the cool, fresh smells of my Idaho home. I knew I was homesick. I wanted to cry, but I knew that wouldn’t do any good.

Finally, the whirring of winches, the groaning of blocks and cables, the banging of cargo, and the sputtering of machines ceased. The dock workers began to leave, then the immigration people, until just a few watchmen and supervisors were left. It was silent now. I don’t know when I have felt more alone.

I tried to lie down on the dirty, uneven cement floor. I prayed to know what to do. There seemed to be no answer. I watched the last rays of sunlight as they broke through the clouds and blazed across the ocean and through the holes of the metal customs shed.

“How long will the light last?” I thought. Then I wondered, “What will happen when those last rays disappear and fold into the night?” (Have you ever wanted to just sort of close your eyes and disappear—or have things around you change?) “But, no, I must have hope. Things must turn out all right.”

Once more, I closed my eyes in prayer, when suddenly I felt almost transported. I didn’t see anything or hear anything, in a physical sense; but, in a more real way, I saw a family in far-off Idaho kneeling together in prayer; and I heard my mother, acting as mouth, say as clearly as anything can be heard, “And bless John on his mission.”

As that faithful family called down the powers of heaven to bless their missionary son in a way they could not physically do, I testify that the powers of heaven did come down, and they lifted me up and, in a spiritual way, allowed me, for a brief moment, to once again join that family circle in prayer. I was one with them. I was literally swallowed up in the love and concern of a faithful family and sensed for a moment what being taken into Abraham’s bosom may be like. (See Luke 16:22.) I was given to understand also that there are other circles of love and concern unbounded by time or space to which we all belong and from which we can draw strength. God does not leave us entirely alone—ever!

Tears of joy flowed freely as I had restored to me the warmth of security, the light of love, and the strength of hope. And when I again felt the hard, uneven cement beneath me, there was no fear, no sorrow, no trepidation, only deep gratitude and certain assurance.

To conclude the incident, within a half hour I saw the young immigration man who had befriended me coming towards the shed with two young elders behind him. It seemed that on his way home he just happened to run into two young Americans with white shirts and ties and told them about one just like them down at the wharf. Apparently the telegram never arrived, but they followed him down to the shed, and soon all was straightened out, and within a few weeks I landed in Tonga and was ready to begin my mission.

 

Edited July 17, 2023 by InCognitus

[bluebell]

8 minutes ago, InCognitus said:

Coincidently, I was recently preparing a lesson on the topic of prayer, and in doing so I listened to an April 1982 conference talk from Elder John H. Groberg, where he told of his voyage experience trying to get to Tonga and his stop over in Fiji.  The title of his talk was The Power of Family Prayer.  It's far better to listen to or watch the talk then it is to read it (you can hear the emotion in his voice and some reaction from the audience), but here is the part related to his travel experience and the power of family prayer:

 

A couple of years ago I read his book that the movie the other side of heaven was based on. It’s so good.

[Stormin' Mormon]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

Definitely do. It's such a good movie!  It's based on the mission experiences of John Groberg.

I second that.  Not a lot of our Mormon cinema has managed to wrangle a big-name movie star, but this one has Anne Hathaway!  (Sadly, she did not return for the sequel).

It also stars Nathan Lees, who nobody remembers but my wife and I.  When he showed up in the Matrix sequels and in Lord of the Rings (as the orc who famously declares that meat is back on the menu), we called him "branch president guy."  

Edited July 17, 2023 by Stormin' Mormon

[Rain]

3 hours ago, webbles said:

Interesting.  "ministry, education, healthcare" are not things that young missionaries are called to do.  That's the job for the ward, branch, stake, and district.  Couple missionaries do a little bit of that but it is through helping branches and districts.  Young missionaries are called solely to preach the gospel.

Not quite.  There are many missionaries who are called to be service missionaries nowadays.  We have quite a few who work regularly with a charity I am with.  When not with us they are working with other charities in the valley.  Service missionaries have been called at least as early as 2013 when my son graduated.  One of his schoolmates was called to an Asian country (I don't remember which) so they aren't just service missions for those who have health or mental health disabilities and living at home, but that doesn't seem to happen very often.  Some younger sisters have been called to help in medical areas since 1983. 

3 hours ago, webbles said:

We used to talk about the "3-fold mission" church and that might fit more with missiology.  They were:

It was recently updated to be called "The work of salvation and exaltation" and they are: