General Conference: Missionary age announcement

Did you get to listen to or watch all of conference? If not, you can find all the music and talks here.

You'll want to hear President Monson's announcement of two new temples and a change in the missionary age requirements. There was an audible gasp and stunned looks on everyone's face.



You may find the press conference, given afterwards, interesting too:

Lesson recap: Doing our part to share the gospel

George Albert Smith taught in Lesson 13, "Every member of the Church should delight in teaching the truth. We should each do something every day to bring the light to our fellow beings."

Think about something you LOVE about the gospel or the church. Sharing from a place of love will always be genuine and easier for you.

Compare it to this. If you happened into a store with a great shoe sale going on, you'd want to tell all your friends so they wouldn't miss out on the good deal. It can be the same with the gospel.

This is where I want you to focus your missionary efforts...from a place of honesty, telling others what you love about the gospel, how you've found answers to problems, how the plan of salvation gives you perspective, about the peace you feel, about the friendship of visiting teaching or the collective wisdom on Relief Society sisters gets you through.

If we are living exemplary lives, our influence may encourage others to learn about the gospel.

In President Smith's words, "Remember, we all have responsibilities. We may not be called to some definite duty, but in every neighborhood there is opportunity for each of us to radiate a spirit of peace and love and happiness to the end that people may understand the gospel and be gathered into the fold."

In a conference talk titled, "Perfect love casteth out all fear" L.Tom Perry says,

The growing visibility and reputation of the Church presents some remarkable opportunities to us as its members. We can help “disabuse the public mind” and correct misinformation when we are portrayed as something we are not. More important, though, we can share who we are.

There are a number of things that we can do—that you can do—to advance an understanding of the Church. If we do it with the same spirit and if we conduct ourselves in the same way we do when we host a temple open house, our friends and our neighbors will come to understand us better. Their suspicions will evaporate, negative stereotypes will disappear, and they will begin to understand the Church as it really is.

First, we must be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ. We want others to know that we believe He is the central figure in all human history. ... We also believe that it is possible only through Christ to find ultimate contentment, hope, and happiness—both in this life and in the eternities. ...We declare our belief in Jesus Christ and accept Him as our Savior. He will bless us and guide us in all of our efforts. As we labor here in mortality, He will strengthen us and bring us peace in time of trials. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints walk by faith in Him whose Church it is.

Second, be righteous examples to others. ... Our lives should be examples of goodness and virtue as we try to emulate His example to the world. Good works by each of us can do credit both to the Savior and His Church. As you are engaged in doing good, being honorable and upright men and women, the Light of Christ will be reflected by your lives.

Next, speak up about the Church. In the course of our everyday lives, we are blessed with many opportunities to share our beliefs with others. When our professional and personal associates inquire about our religious beliefs, they are inviting us to share who we are and what we believe. They may or may not be interested in the Church, but they are interested in getting to know us at a deeper level.

We participate in missionary work by helping prepare future missionaries and by supporting them on their missions.

We as parents, Relief Society sisters, Primary teachers, Sunday school teachers can all help prepare and teach our young people to want to serve missions.

GAS: "I am impressed with the importance of preparing for the work. It is not sufficient merely that a boy signify his desire, because of his confidence in his parents, to do what they would have him do, go into the world and preach the gospel; it is not sufficient that he answer the calls that our Heavenly Father makes from time to time through his servants for mission service; but it is also necessary that he qualify for the work, search the scriptures, and learn what the Lord would have him know. It is important that our sons and daughters become established in their faith and know as their parents know, that this is our Father’s work. …"

Jeffery R. Holland spoke even stronger words for our young men in "We are all enlisted" in October 2011 conference. (Recommend reading the whole talk.)

...there are thousands of Aaronic Priesthood–age young men already on the records of this Church who constitute our pool of candidates for future missionary service. But the challenge is to have those deacons, teachers, and priests stay active enough and worthy enough to be ordained elders and serve as missionaries. So we need young men already on the team to stay on it and stop dribbling out of bounds just when we need you to get in the game and play your hearts out!

...the Lord has drawn lines of worthiness for those called to labor with Him in this work. No missionary can be unrepentant of sexual transgression or profane language or pornographic indulgence and then expect to challenge others to repent of those very things! You can’t do that. The Spirit will not be with you, and the words will choke in your throat as you speak them. You cannot travel down what Lehi called “forbidden paths” and expect to guide others to the “strait and narrow” one—it can’t be done.

But there is an answer to this challenge for you every bit as much as there is for that investigator to whom you will go. Whoever you are and whatever you have done, you can be forgiven. Every one of you young men can leave behind any transgression with which you may struggle. It is the miracle of forgiveness; it is the miracle of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you cannot do it without an active commitment to the gospel, and you cannot do it without repentance where it is needed. I am asking you young men to be active and be clean. If required, I am asking you to get active and get clean.

We need thousands of more couples serving in the missions of the Church. Every mission president pleads for them.

Elder Holland: 

Now, you brethren of the Melchizedek Priesthood, don’t smile and settle back into the comfort of your seats. I am not through here. We need thousands of more couples serving in the missions of the Church. Every mission president pleads for them. Everywhere they serve, our couples bring a maturity to the work that no number of 19-year-olds, however good they are, can provide.

...Brethren, tell your wives that if you can leave your recliner and the remote control for a few short months, they can leave the grandchildren. Those little darlings will be just fine, and I promise you will do things for them in the service of the Lord that, worlds without end, you could never do if you stayed home to hover over them. What greater gift could grandparents give their posterity than to say by deed as well as word, “In this family we serve missions!”

Elder Holland announced that housing costs for couples would be supplemented by Church funds, couples can now serve 6, 12, 18 or 24 month missions, at their own expense they can return home briefly for critical family events and they don't have to knock doors. All recent changes that make serving a mission easier for older couples.

Sisters let's set our sights on serving missions, preparing ourselves now through study and service, and putting our finances in order so we can serve when the day comes.

The challenge: 

Think of that one thing you love about the gospel and this week work it into a conversation you have with a coworker, with a friend, with a neighbor, or with a child.

The promise from Elder Perry:

If you will respond to the invitation to share your beliefs and feelings about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, a spirit of love and a spirit of courage will be your constant companion.

And who doesn't want that!

e

Be an online missionary
Sharing the gospel online
Sharing the gospel through social media
Sharing the gospel through a blog
Interacting online as a member missionary

Get comfortable answering questions
Prepare a few answers to questions you may be asked
Answering gospel questions
Questions about church doctrine
Questions about the church in the world
Mormonism 101: FAQ

Mormon Blog Buttons

Looking for a button for your website or blog. These are designed by Lyndsay Johnson, a graphic designer, for the church to promote Mormon.org. Lots of cute choices. And, she even offers custom wording!

Ellen

The Gathering of the House of Israel (Gospel Principles, lesson 42))

I invite you to take a trip back in time and learn some facts about the house of Israel!

We begin with Abraham and the Abrahamic Covenant.  (For more information on this covenant click here)  This covenant was renewed with Abraham's son Isaac,

and Isaac's son Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, and Jacob's twelves sons, whose posterity became known as the 12 Tribes of Israel.

The twelve tribes grew in size and eventually split into two kingdoms because they could no longer live together in peace.  Ten tribes moved to the north; the remaining tribes remained in the south. Jerusalem was included in the Southern Kingdom's land.  

Because of continual wickedness, the Northern Kingdom was conquered in 721BC.  They were captured and forced to relocate away from the Promised Land.  Some of these Israelites escaped their conquerors and went north.  

Then, in 586 BC, the Southern Kingdom was conquered and forced to relocate to Babylon.  To see maps of before and after the Babylonian Invasion, click here.  To watch a video explaining the Babylonian invasion, check out the Church's "Old Testament Visual Resource DVDs."  (A short video describing this DVD set can be seen here.)  Watch "Eyewitness News at Six (586BC)" on Disc 2.

Some Israelites were able to return to Jerusalem, but after the time of Jesus, Rome conquered Jerusalem and the tribes were again scattered all over the world.

Time to leave the ancient world and return to our dispensation!

Where is the house of Israel today?  All the literal descendants of Israel and all who have been adopted into the house of Israel are members of the house of Israel.  (To read about how to be adopted into the house of Israel, click here.)  Every resident of the earth, living or dead, is (or can be) part of the house of Israel.

On April 3, 1836, Moses appeared to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland temple where he committed unto Joseph the keys of the gathering of Israel.  (D&C 110:11)  Today, President Monson holds the keys of gathering. 

Why does the Lord feel that gathering Israel is so important?  So that those gathered can:

learn the gospel and prepare to meet the Savior,

build temples and do work for the dead,

strengthen one another,

and prepare to share the gospel with others.

First, the people are gathered spiritually. "There are many nations represented in the . . . Church. . .  They come because the Spirit of the Lord rested upon them; . . . receiving the spirit of gathering, they left everything for the sake of the gospel."  (President Joseph Fielding Smith)

Second, the people are gathered physically.  During the early church, Saints were encouraged to emigrate to Utah.  In the present time, Saints are encouraged to remain in their own countries.  "The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment.  People can be 'brought to the knowledge of the Lord' without leaving their homelands.  True, in the early days of the Church, conversion often meant emigration as well.  But now the gathering takes place in each nation. . . . The place of gathering for Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; the place of gathering for Nigerian Saints is in Nigeria; the place of gathering for Korean Saints is in Korea; and so forth.  Zion is 'the pure in heart.'"  (Elder Russell M. Nelson)  

How do we fulfill our responsibility to help gather Israel?

  MISSIONARY WORK and TEMPLE WORK!

"But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers."  Jeremiah 16:15

If you happen to have the "Old Testament Visual Resource DVDs" mentioned above, I recommend the short video on the second disc entitled Gathering of Israel.  It will really motivate you to go forth and GATHER!

Learn, Share, Create

Do you have talents in taking photographs, making videos, or creating other types of media?

This site will help you share your media with the Church and other members.

The new section of LDS.org is designed to help members access gospel-oriented media such as videos, audio files, and still images in one trusted location, and members can help achieve that goal by submitting their own work.

Your submission will go through an acceptance, editing, and tagging process and are then placed in the LDS Media Library for general Church membership to use in teaching in the home and performing their callings.

Media Library materials may also be used for personal blogs, websites, and other places where members would like to share gospel messages.

It's wholesome. It will be free.

But first we must Create and Contribute.

Learn more at LDSTech.org.
Go straight to Create.LDS.org.
See a list of current photo needs and video needs.
Learn how to submit.

For now it's a call for photography and videos. Eventually you'll be able to submit music, writing, scripts, even blog templates.

Get busy.

e

Lesson: Waiting on the Road to Damascus

Teachings for Our Times, Waiting on the Road to Damascus,

Pres. Uchtdorf, taught by Margie Clark

Are we like or unlike Paul, on the road to Dasmascus?

... there are some who feel that unless they have an experience similar to Saul’s or Joseph Smith’s, they cannot believe. They stand at the waters of baptism but do not enter. They wait at the threshold of testimony but cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the truth. Instead of taking small steps of faith on the path of discipleship, they want some dramatic event to compel them to believe.

They spend their days waiting on the road to Damascus.

Elder Bednar's insight in The Spirit of Revelation, in April 2011 conference, tells us that revelation and testimony come in two ways:

A light turned on in a dark room is like receiving a message from God quickly, completely, and all at once. Many of us have experienced this pattern of revelation as we have been given answers to sincere prayers or been provided with needed direction or protection, according to God’s will and timing. Descriptions of such immediate and intense manifestations are found in the scriptures, recounted in Church history, and evidenced in our own lives. Indeed, these mighty miracles do occur. However, this pattern of revelation tends to be more rare than common.

The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30). Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently “distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven” (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare.

If the mighty manifestation does not come to us, what do we do? We look for line upon line learning and gradual gentle understanding over time...all while our feet are moving forward.

Belief comes one step at a time

Margie gave an insight from one of her children when they were eight years old. After having been to a friend's house where the friend had every doll and outfit of a certain brand of dolls, and her daughter had a single doll and a few accessories, Margie asked how she felt about that.  The answer was 'it's okay...wanting something makes it better.'

Wanting and working for a testimony makes it more powerful and meaningful when it comes.

President Uchtdorf explains:

The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all.

Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed.

This can be our experience if we move forward with faith and do not wait too long on the road to Damascus.

 Elder Benar confirms this:

I have talked with many individuals who question the strength of their personal testimony and underestimate their spiritual capacity because they do not receive frequent, miraculous, or strong impressions.

Perhaps as we consider the experiences of Joseph in the Sacred Grove, of Saul on the road to Damascus, and of Alma the Younger, we come to believe something is wrong with or lacking in us if we fall short in our lives of these well-known and spiritually striking examples.

If you have had similar thoughts or doubts, please know that you are quite normal. Just keep pressing forward obediently and with faith in the Savior. As you do so, you “cannot go amiss” (D&C 80:3).

 Try these three ideas for strengthening your testimony and commitment to serve, from President Uchtdorf...

1. Harken and heed
2. Serve
3. Share

Harken and heed

I testify to you that our Father in Heaven loves His children. He loves us. He loves you. When necessary the Lord will even carry you over obstacles as you seek His peace with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Often He speaks to us in ways that we can hear only with our heart. To better hear His voice, it would be wise to turn down the volume control of the worldly noise in our lives.

Think of a time when you felt the Lord's love carry you or speak to your heart. Turn to Him in gratitude often, for the small and big things, and you will see his love manifested in your life.

Or perhaps our morning prayers should include more often the phrase, "Lord, what wilt thou have me do?" as Paul responded on the road to Damascus. And then we should be up and doing.

Serve

Another reason we sometimes do not recognize the voice of the Lord in our lives is because the revelations of the Spirit may not come directly to us as the answer to our prayers.

...The answer may come through the voice and wisdom of trusted friends and family, the scriptures, and the words of prophets.

Let's look for his love and guidance all around us.

Let's be thinking and praying for others and their well-being. By becoming the answer to someone’s prayer, we often find the answer to our own.

It has been my experience that some of the most powerful promptings we receive are not only for our own benefit but also for the benefit of others. If we are thinking only of ourselves, we may miss some of the most powerful spiritual experiences and profound revelations of our lives.

Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us.

Share

There are times when the Lord reveals to us things that are intended only for us. Nevertheless, in many, many cases He entrusts a testimony of the truth to those who will share it with others.

...the Lord expects the members of His Church to “open [their mouths] at all times, declaring [His] gospel with the sound of rejoicing.”

Owenna reminded us that one may have the gift of faith and another to believe on their words, meaning one experience may be meant to be shared with all, for the benefit of all. Even recalling the goodness of God in the scriptures can become our own experience; we make it our own.

In conclusion

Brothers and sisters, dear friends, let us not wait too long on our road to Damascus. Instead, let us courageously move forward in faith, hope, and charity, and we will be blessed with the light we are all seeking upon the path of true discipleship.

e

Mormons Are Square, Mormons Share

A variety of recent news about Mormons. Could be a great topic of conversation with your friends, family, neighbors.

They're here, they're square, get used to it!, The Economist

I like Mormons, as it happens, and here are some of the reasons why:

• Mormonism is the only major world religion that originated in the United States, and the religion reflects some of America's flagship virtues as well as some of the country's notorious flaws. Mormonism has an entrepreneurial ethos, a willingness to break with tradition, a restless tendency to travel and a focus on the world outside of America's borders, a healthy dose of hucksterism and audacity, and an anti-authoritarian stance to government that is sometimes obscured by its paternalism at the family level. I'll leave it to the commenters to sort out which are the virtues and which are the flaws.

• Most Mormons are unusually upstanding citizens and, correspondingly, you rarely catch a Mormon doing something horrible. Except for Ted Bundy, a convert, the worst person on this list of "infamous Mormons" is Butch Cassidy.

• They are, as a group, really nice.

 Mormon NYC Ad Campaign 'Very Savvy Branding', ABC News

Now splashed across an electronic billboard in the middle of Times Square, the ad includes photographs of individuals from different walks of life, all under a headline that reads "I'm a Mormon."

The campaign, which has also rolled out taxi toppers and subway advertisements, inserted the billboard blocks from the theater showing the Tony Award-winning musical "The Book of Mormon," which takes a satirical look at two Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries as they travel through Uganda.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Flash Mob [video], LDSLiving.com

Yesterday at Williamsburg, choir members throughout the crowd of tourists, burst into song and then asked everyone to sing along with Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Who are the missionaries, Mormon.org

Has a reference form to fill out and explains what the Missionaries will do when they come to your house.

Sharing the gospel through Social Media, MormonTimes.com

I think one of the major appeals to these social networking sites is that they are short, simple and straight to the point. It really just requires you to sign up, find some people who share common interests and start a discussion.

e

Lesson: Missionary Work

Margie always give a great lesson and this one was no exception. Here are some of your good ideas that came out in the lesson. Get more involved in missionary work!

President Uchtdorf just told us in Conference:

Some would rather pull a handcart across the prairie than bring up the subject of faith and religion to their friends and co-workers. They worry about how they might be perceived or how it might harm their relationship. It doesn’t need to be that way because we have a glad message to share, and we have a message of joy.

• Use technology. 
• Send a Mormon message in an e-mail
• Keep a few I'm a Mormon cards in your purse to give out.
• When meeting someone for the first time, look for something in common.
• Watch for people the Lord puts in our lives.
• Be an example. Live a happy life and others will notice.
• When ask how your weekend was, share something about church, your calling, your spiritual experiences.
• Kids play sports? Explain to coach and team and parents why we don't play on Sunday.
• Sign up to go with missionaries on teaching appointments.
• Be friendly and serve sincerely.
• Do family history and temple work.
• Think of it as bringing others to Christ, not forcing yourselves on them.
• When others notice the difference tell them what they are feeling.
• Send links to one of many official LDS websites or videos on the Mormon Channel or Youtube Mormon Channel to others. Many of the topics are generic. See also Mormons Made Simple.
• Blog about your family, your faith, your feelings.
• Post the same on Facebooks or attach links to Mormon Resources. Official Facebook page. Many other official church Facebook pages.
• Give Twitter a try. Build a following then begin sharing your beliefs. [Follow me @ellenking]. Official church Twitter feeds.
• Speak out on moral issues in the comments on other articles and blogs.
• Have more faith. God will help you.
• Remind people who they are...children of God.
• Reach out to reactivate someone you visit teach.
• Take a stand...on modesty, family, honesty, etc.
• Kneel and pray to ask who you could reach today. None of us has to reach everyone, just reach some ONE.

Link to this blog!

e

BYU Honor Code in the News

From the Public Affairs Newsroom of the Church:

The suspension of BYU basketball player Brandon Davies has caused a torrent of news coverage across the country debating the merits of the University’s honor code. The majority of news reports have been favorable toward BYU’s decision to adhere to its standards, despite the impact to a “dream basketball season.”

Michael Otterson, managing director of the Church’s Public Affairs Department gives an interesting viewpoint on the matter in the On Faith blog of the Washington Post:

Brandon Davies is more than a trending topic on Google. He is a young man full of energy, talent and opportunity, all of which remain present as he moves through what is undoubtedly a difficult time in his life.... Those that care for him, including his church leaders, are reaching out to help, guide and support. Friends, family and true fans likewise. There are a lot of people at BYU who will do all they can to help Brandon get through this trial in his life and come out on top. He isn't just an athlete, but a child of God.

Read Otterson’s entire commentary here.

Read also the 4 March article from Time for additional perspective, including this great excerpt:

Davies may learn a great deal from this experience. "This could be a seminal moment in this young man's life," says Sikahema. "Better that it happens at 20, rather than 50, with four kids. He'll probably be a better man, and that's ultimately what BYU is about, building leaders, building men. If that means missing out a chance at the Final Four, well, that's what happens."

What opportunities has this news coverage on the Honor code given your families?  We've had multiple people ask our opinions, and it's been a great opportunity to share our beliefs.  Good Job BYU!

Devon

Image Credit:

http://www.byucougars.com/

Lesson Follow-up

  

In Jill's lesson Be Thou an Example of the Believers, by Russell M. Nelson, last Sunday she wanted to emphasize creating a profile on Mormon.org as a way to do missionary work.

Now in this day of the Internet, there are new and exciting ways you can do missionary work. You can invite friends and neighbors to visit the new mormon.org Web site. If you have blogs and online social networks, you could link your sites to mormon.org. And there you can create your own personal profile.

Each profile includes an expression of belief, an experience, and a testimony. Because this is a new feature, most of these profiles are available in English. Profiles in other languages will follow.

These profiles can have a profound influence for good.

Two months ago a young man named Zac—a freshman in college—saw an ad for mormon.org on television in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He connected with the Web site and was intrigued by the profiles of Church members. At our Web site he found the link that informed him where he could attend church. The next Sunday, dressed in a white shirt and tie, he attended church, was introduced to members of the ward, and enjoyed all three hours of meetings. He was invited to a member’s home for dinner, followed by his first missionary lesson. In less than two weeks, he was baptized and confirmed as a member of the Church. 21 Welcome, Zac! (He is listening.)

The thought of doing missionary work every day may seem a challenge but we can take one small step and post our testimony online at Mormon.org. We can use our blogs and facebook pages to let people know what we believe. How we talk about our lives in these public forums may have an influence for good.

Thanks,

Jill Fairchild

Do you already have a Mormon.org profile? Please share it with us in the comments!
e

The Race

We love our Sister missionaries! Did you know Sister Pallas has a blog?! Well she does and here's the latest post...

Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure's face, my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race. a children's race, young boys, young men; how I remember well, excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn't hard to tell. 

 

They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place. 

 

Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son, and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

 

The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire, to win, to be the hero there, was each young boy's desire.

One boy in particular...finish reading the story here.

Thanks for sharing this Kait!

e

I've added a link to her blog with the rest of the ward sisters in the right column, because truly she is one of us.

Lesson: Be Thou an Example of the Believers

Be Thou an Example of the Believers, Russell M. Nelson
Taught by Jill Fairchild

Whether full-time missionaries or members, we should all be good examples of the believers in Jesus Christ.

 

Full-time missionaries

From time to time we need to remind ourselves why we have missionaries. It is because of a commandment from the Lord, who said: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

This commandment is one of many that have been renewed because the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness.

Full-time missionaries, some 52,000 and more, serve in 340 missions around the world. They are believers and devoted servants of the Lord. Their purpose is to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” 5

Missionaries serve to make life better for God’s children. Heavenly Father loves every one of His children. After all, He is their Father. He wants to bless them with His greatest gift, that of eternal life.

We need more missionaries—more worthy missionaries.

Member Missionaries
Paul’s counsel, “Be thou an example of the believers,” applies equally to members.

Your good works will be evident to others.

The Apostle Peter so counseled, “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.” Let your response be warm and joyful. And let your response be relevant to that individual.

You may invite your friend to attend church with you. Many of our friends do not know they are welcome in our Church buildings.

Each Sunday extend a hand of fellowship to at least one person you did not know before. Each day of your life, strive to enlarge your own circle of friendship.

You can invite a friend to read the Book of Mormon. Explain that it is not a novel or a history book. It is another testament of Jesus Christ.

Another way that you can share the gospel is to invite friends to meet with full-time missionaries in your home.

Now in this day of the Internet, there are new and exciting ways you can do missionary work. You can invite friends and neighbors to visit the new mormon.org Web site. If you have blogs and online social networks, you could link your sites to mormon.org. And there you can create your own personal profile. Each profile includes an expression of belief, an experience, and a testimony.

Each exemplary follower of Jesus Christ can become an effective member missionary. Members and full-time missionaries may walk arm in arm in bringing the blessings of the gospel to cherished friends and neighbors. Many of them are of Israel, now being gathered as promised. This is all part of the preparation for the Second Coming of the Lord.

He wants each of us truly to be an example of the believers.


e

A Picture Story

This post is a picture story. You must add your narrative or "moral of" in the comments. I'd love to see if you had the same reaction at the end as I did!

What you're looking at is the Pacific ocean and the Hawaiian Islands near the top.

:-D

So what do you think the story is?

Spoiler link!

"Why I can't stop reading Mormon housewife blogs"

Emily Flinders found  a great article about non-members who love reading blogs written by Mormon housewifes.  It may be interesting to all you bloggers!  Check it out here.

Guest Blogger: My Missionary Opportunities

The theme for August is Missionary work. I've asked several of you to write a little about your experiences or feelings.

- What are some specific ways you can share the gospel?
- What works for you that could work for others?
- Tell a story about a time you have shared some aspect of the gospel with others. 
- Share your testimony of missionary work.

Here's Cheryl's answers...

Guest Blogger: Cheryl Wentzel

I have to say that one of my greatest tools for missionary work is Ava. She is so friendly and will walk up to anyone, anywhere and introduce herself and everyone with her. This has opened up many a discussion at the park or playground. Conversations have begun around the swings and slide that have led to an invite to church, not always but when the moment seems right. I will say Kellen is much better at this than I am. I have even told neighbors about our great activities and women's organization that gets me out of the house for an evening now and then.

I have the opportunity to spend time at the doctor's office quite often. Every time I see a new doctor and my history is discussed, the fact that I have lived in Utah and that I have family there comes up.  This invariably brings up the Church. Most often that means only the question, "Are you Mormon?"  With my response a simple, "Yes". This ends the verbal discussion but I feel that my actions then become a missionary tool because how I conduct myself is a reflection of how I live my religion.
 
Kellen has a co-worker who we have spent a lot of time with their family. We have been able to share ideas about the gospel and learn about what each other believes. We are both Christians but the differences stand out. I've had the chance to tell her what an eternal marriage means to me and how important the temple is to creating a family that will last beyond this life. I hope that this has made a lasting impression with her. I hope she can see how I interact with my husband and children and feel how much family means to us. As our friendship grows I hope to be able to share more with her.

Having served a full-time mission and depended on members to support the work we did, I know how important it is to be involved with sharing the gospel and helping the missionaries in our area. I also know how hard it is to find the time with everything that occupies our time. I do know that when we ask the Lord for help to guide us to use the time we have to be examples and share in simple principles that can add meaning and depth to our friends and acquaintances lives.

When I was first asked to write for this blog I thought they picked the wrong person because I just stay at home and really don't know anyone outside the ward. But as I thought more about it I was surprised at the many ways open to share the gospel and be a missionary in everyday situations. We just need to be more alert and open to the promptings we are given.

Cheryl

Guest Blogger: My Grandmother, My Sons, My Testimony

The theme for August is Missionary work. I've asked several of you to write a little about your experiences or feelings.
 
Guest Blogger: Sheryl Jackson

My grandmother
My first touch of missionary work was from my grandmother.

Without her I probably would not have become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When I was a young child she was a wonderful example and answered my many questions.

Then as I grew up I attended church because I felt in my heart the love the Lord had for me. I gained a testimony and was baptized at the age of eight, but in my late teens became inactive, and then reactivated in my mid-20’s.

I have re-gained a stronger testimony, and look forward to each Sunday, to partake of the sacrament and fill my spiritual cup so I can go out into the world for another week.

My sons
As a mother, it is the richest blessing to have your sons go on missions, because they want to. Each son was not sure if missionary work was for him, and flip-flopped back and forth, going—not going. Every mother will tell you how their son (or daughter) had changed sometime while they were serving.

Missionary work for our son Rob started with his birth and his pediatrician. My obstetrician, who was a member (stake president when my husband went out on his mission) delivered our son Rob, who was premature. Rob's left lung collapsed, so with a group of non-member medical staff watching, my doctor and husband gave our son a blessing and then the staff whisked him off to another hospital. Rob’s pediatrician, who witnessed the blessing, was baptized six months later along with her husband, daughter and son. Her husband served as branch president and their son served a mission.

What I do
What I do to be a missionary is: pray, be myself, have a testimony and be PROUD of it, and set a good example of a Christ-like person. I am never perfect, but when I do my best, to follow the word of wisdom, keep the commandments, and follow the spirit, it is noticed by nonmembers and members, children, youth and adults.

I like Proverbs. It tells us the difference between being learned and wise. I teaches us that if we are learned we have knowledge, and if we are wise we are teachable (well that is what I get from it). As missionaries we should always be teachable, because the knowledge we need will come from what we have been taught. Faith brings action, action brings good works.

My testimony
I am always a missionary in the world, but mainly in our home. Our children, active or inactive, always watch and learn from us, and teach us—to be like little children, to have faith, to believe and to LOVE each other and Jesus Christ, and how to have a happy home.

If I could do anything over again it would be to read my scriptures when my children were awake and could see me, to say my personal prayers when they were also awake and could see that I did pray each and every day. As a busy mother I should have put those things first (to be an example).

I love our children and know in my heart that they will reach out and grab the gospel again in their lives and learn of the happiness they have been missing in their lives.

Sheryl

Guest Blogger: Accepting an Invitation

The theme for August is Missionary work. I've asked several of you to write a little about your experiences or feelings.

Guest Blogger: Reylyn Checketts

I wish I had some wonderful story to tell about how I have helped someone enter the waters of baptism. I don't :(

I'm basically pretty shy and I don't "open my mouth." I've always justified that by saying to myself that I would just try to set a good example and that would be how I would share the gospel.

Well, after we had been in the Valley Forge 1st Ward for just a short time, the sister missionaries called to see if Alan and I would be available to visit Sister Shirley Jones with them.

We were able to and that was actually the first opportunity I have had to do that.

We were in Sister Jones home for about an hour and as I sat there I felt so grateful to the Missionaries for giving us the opportunity to meet and visit with Shirley.

I can tell you I learned much more from Sister Jones than she could or would ever learn from me. She is such a Christian person and she KNOWS her scriptures. She is so full of the spirit and she radiates love.

By the time we left that evening I felt like I had known her all my life. I'm just amazed at how she just seems to absorb gospel principles like she does.

I've been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints all my life, but I honestly think Sister Jones understands the gospel better than I do.

So those are my feelings about missionary work.

Turns out missionary work has benefited me more than I have benefited the missionary effort.

How Americans View Mormonism

This news article is a must-read.

Especially since we just talked about some of these ideas last Sunday in our lesson on missionary work.

I listened to the FAIR conference talk this week with my husband, given by Gary Lawrence. Two years ago, his Orange County, Calif., polling firm conducted a survey among 1,000 randomly chosen American adults, asking about their view of the LDS Church. He tells what he discovered and what we can do about it.
 
While Mormons think they are known to the public, "37 percent of Americans do not know a Mormon, and 55 percent never met anybody like you," he said, presuming most of his listeners were active Latter-day Saints.

"We tend to think people are not beating a path to our door, but they respect what we Mormons are trying to do," Lawrence said. "Baloney. They don't."

He found that Americans have a 37 percent favorable and a 49 percent unfavorable impression. By contrast, Jewish people have almost a 7-to-2 positive-to-negative ratio, and the proportion for Catholics is almost 2-to-1 favorable.

Lawrence identified the cause as an "approach-avoidance" situation in which many people are "cross-pressured."

"It's a love-hate relationship," he said. "They'd like to believe certain things about us, but they hear other things about us."

Fifty-five percent of those polled said they believe Mormons are seekers of truth, "which means that 45 percent don't even believe we are seeking the truth, let alone have entertained the thought that we have the truth," Lawrence said.

"A lot of this comes with a misperception of what is known as a faith community," he said, explaining that many people confuse the church with schismatic groups that practice polygamy.

"They do the same thing to us that we do to other religions," Lawrence said. "How many of you make a distinction between, say, a Southern Baptist and an American Baptist?" It's up to Latter-day Saints, he said, to let people know there is a distinction between the LDS Church and the more than 150 splinter groups.

He suggests we can do something about it:

• Get out into the community but not with "an agenda." Rather, "simply because we believe in our cause and what we are trying to accomplish.
• "And we make friends, not because we are trying to lead them to the waters of baptism, although it would be wonderful if we could do that, but simply to be their friend," he said.
• The immediate goal of church members should not be referrals and baptisms, Lawrence said, but rather spreading information, correcting distortions and improving others' understanding of Mormonism.
• Cut the jargon..."We claim to be the re-established, original Christian church.' Even an atheist can understand those words."
• Use contrast. Our fellow occupants on this planet inherently want to know differences.
• He suggested that church members replace the traditional three-step paradigm of conversion (find, teach and baptize) with a more realistic six-step model: awareness, awakening, curiosity, interest, investigation and conversion.

Read full article at Deseret News.

Read more excerpts from the book How Americans View Mormonism, And What We Can Do About It

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I Love the Hill Cumorah Pageant

Did you get to go this year?

I didn't, but there are some great pictures from the Hill Cumorah Mission President's blog: Mission Musings

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Invite the Sisters Missionaries In...This Week!

Sisters,

Our sister missionaries are running on low on appointments. So, they'd love to meet with YOU!

Please invite them to your home for dinner and a short message. Plan on them being there about an hour.

And even better, they tell me, have neighbors, friends or family over at the same time.

Call them this week: 610-710-1950

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