southeast area lessons - church of jesus christ · 2019. 8. 2. · glory of god” (doctrine and...

Africa Southeast Area

Missionary Preparation Lessons

© Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All Rights Reserved 2019/08Africa Southeast Area

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Africa Southeast AreaMissionary Preparation LessonsLeader’s GuideLeaders in the Africa Southeast Area are encouraged to take a personal interest in inviting and preparing young single adult men age 18 to 25, who have not served missions to prepare and serve. They are to likewise invite young single adult sisters who do not have current prospects for marriage and desire to serve a mission to prepare and serve. Efforts of these leaders will be rewarded as they offer mission preparation classes to prospective missionaries at stake or ward level depending on local circumstances.

The suggested missionary preparation lesson outlines will help stake presidents and bishops who desire to use an organized resource for preparing prospective missionaries in their units. The lessons will help the young people to become effective representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ when they are called to serve full time missions.

Kindly note the following when using these lessons:

The lessons and all supporting materials can be found online on the Africa Southeast Area website, africasoutheast.lds.org/missionary-preparation. All scriptures, videos, manuals, and handbooks referenced within each lesson can be accessed in the Gospel Library App for smartphones and tablets or at the global Church website, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

The lessons are organized to be taught progressively at the rate of one lesson per week. It is recommended that the twelve lessons be taught in consecutive weeks. For this reason, leaders may find it advantageous to organize the lessons as part of a self-reliance group process, which usually lasts twelve weeks as well.

The lessons are arranged for personal or class study. Where classes are organized, teachers should invite and encourage each participant to do much of the study before coming to class. Class time lasting about one hour can then be devoted to discussion that deepens understanding. Where classes are not possible, stake presidents and bishops may encourage elders quorum and Relief Society presidents to assign a caring ministering brother to a male prospective missionary or a caring ministering sister to a female prospective missionary to assist them with the discussions — these leaders should regularly monitor the progress of the learning process to ensure that the purposes of the preparation training are being achieved.

Each lesson is arranged in a pattern that facilitates learning and application:

1. Ponder: Invites the learner to engage with the main theme of the topic.

2. Study and Discuss: Invites the learner to study the core principles of the topic in detail. Preach My Gospel is the main resource for eleven of


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the twelve lessons. Additional resources to be used are the Missionary Handbook, the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance, and the gospel teaching guidebook, Teaching in the Savior’s Way. All quoted resources are available in all the major languages used in the Church in the Africa Southeast Area.

3. Prepare: Invites the learner to apply knowledge gained through study and discussion. In this way, learners obtain a personal testimony of the principles learned, and become ready to apply them when they are called to full-time missionary service.

Diligent use of the lesson outlines will help prepare full-time missionaries who will find joy in serving, bless those they teach, and become true followers of Jesus Christ.

The Africa Southeast Area Presidency


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These lessons and all supporting materials can be found online on the Africa Southeast Area website, africasoutheast.lds.org/missionary-preparation. All scriptures, videos, manuals, and handbooks referenced within each lesson can be accessed in the Gospel Library App for smartphones and tablets or at the global Church website, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Each lesson is arranged in a pattern that facilitates learning and application:

1. Ponder: Invites you to engage with the main theme of the topic.

2. Study and Discuss: Invites you to study the core principles of the topic in detail. Preach My Gospel is the main resource for eleven of the twelve lessons. Additional resources to be used are the Missionary Handbook, the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance, and the gospel teaching guidebook, Teaching in the Savior’s Way.

3. Prepare: Invites you to apply knowledge gained through study and discussion. In this way, you can obtain a personal testimony of the principles learned, and become ready to apply them when you are called to full-time missionary service.

Participant’s Guide

Africa Southeast AreaMissionary Preparation Lessons


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President Russell M. Nelson has said: “I am inviting every young woman and every young man between the ages of 12 and 18 in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to enlist in the youth battalion of the Lord to help gather Israel…. There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that. There is nothing of greater consequence. Absolutely nothing. This gathering should mean everything to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth” (Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 2018).

That invitation applies equally to single adult men age 18 to 25 in the Church who have not yet served a full-time mission, and to sisters age 19 to 39 who desire to serve a full-time mission.

• Review the “Standard Interview Questions for Prospective Missionaries” and “Standard Interview Questions for Prospective Missionaries – Frequently Asked Questions”.

Study and Discuss: The Call to Serve• Study the following guidelines about your preparation to serve a full-

time mission. Discuss what you learn with your missionary preparation class members, your Sunday School teacher, quorum or auxiliary leader, a family member, or a friend.

• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about preparing to serve a mission. Choose to obey these

Ponder: Why and How Should I Serve a Mission?

Becoming a MissionaryLESSON 1

Watch this video and write in your journal the most important points you learn:

As you ponder the counsels and the questions above, why do you feel the Lord wants you to serve a full-time mission?

Your Day for A Mission

Record Your Feelings:


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guidelines diligently in order to obtain the full blessings of serving as a full time missionary.

Full-time missionary service is a privilege for members who are called through inspiration by the President of the Church. Missionary service is literally service to the Lord and His Church. Its objective is not primarily the personal development of a missionary, although righteous service invariably produces that result. Missionary service demands faith, desire, and consecration. Missionary candidates should have an eagerness and a desire to serve the Lord as His ambassadors. They should be filled with “faith, hope, charity and love” and have “an eye single to the glory of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5; adapted from Handbook 1:4:1)

The Lord expects each prospective missionary to prepare spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially for missionary service. Personal preparation includes studying the gospel and the scriptures — especially the Book of Mormon — and building a testimony.

The following suggestions from Handbook 1:4.2 and Handbook 2:8.7 will guide you in preparing to serve as a full-time missionary:

1. Develop the desire to work cooperatively with your parents or guardians, and with your Church leaders to learn as much as you can about what is expected of you to qualify to serve a mission. Worthiness, gospel knowledge and testimony, physical fitness, social and emotional maturity, and financial preparation are essential parts of your preparation. Setting a date for when you will submit your missionary application will help you to become focused in your preparations.

2. Counsel with your quorum or auxiliary leaders and advisers. Seek their help and support in learning the gospel and building your faith and desire to serve the Lord.

3. Counsel with good returned missionaries about their mission experiences and ask what helped them to succeed and grow in their calling.

4. Attend seminary (youth) and institute (young adult) and be diligent in fulfilling your assignments to strengthen your missionary preparation.

5. Seek opportunities to serve in the Church, including service as a ministering brother or sister. Practice teaching in quorum or class meetings and in other settings.

The primary responsibility to provide financial support for a missionary lies with you — the prospective missionary — and your family. Generally, you should not rely entirely on people outside of your family for financial support. You and your family should make appropriate sacrifices to provide financial support for your mission. It is better for you to delay a mission for a time to earn money toward your mission support than to rely entirely on others. Every effort you make to provide financial support for your mission will be rewarded with great blessings from the Lord throughout your life.


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If, despite your best efforts, you and your family are not able to provide sufficient funds for your preparation and for your full-time mission service, you should speak to your Church leaders (adapted from Handbook 1:4.6).

Prepare to Serve• Set a date when you will be ready to serve a mission. Start preparing today.

• Set a goal to improve your spiritual and temporal self-reliance. Start making your best effort to achieve it. Self-reliance is the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family.

• The statements listed below will help you assess how self-reliant you are at this time. Read each statement and decide how true it is about you. Choose the most appropriate response from the response key and write your response in your journal.

1. I pray and study the scriptures daily.

2. I take the sacrament weekly.

3. I hold a current temple recommend.

4. My life is centered on things that matter most.

5. I make the effort to find work for which I am paid.

6. I pay tithing and fast offerings when I earn money.

7. I follow a budget when I spent money.

8. I exercise regularly, and I am physically fit.

9. I look for opportunities to serve others.

10. I feel deep gratitude daily for the Lord’s blessings to me.

• You may repeat this exercise every four weeks to see the improvement you are making as you continue with your missionary preparation.

• Get personal copies and study daily from the Book of Mormon and the Missionary Handbook (available online) until you arrive at the Missionary Training Center.

• Use every opportunity to share the gospel with friends and family members from now on.

• Get a personal copy of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. Study and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle in Chapter 1 “Self-Reliance is a Principle of Salvation.”

• Ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake, and plan to complete the twelve-week group process.


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Ponder: What is The Doctrine of Christ?

Your Missionary PurposeLESSON 2:

Simply stated, the doctrine of Christ is the principles and teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

• Read 3 Nephi 11:18-41 and consider what the Lord Jesus Christ teaches in these verses about His doctrine.

• Review the following statement of the purpose of a missionary: A missionary’s 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” (Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service, Chapter 1).

How does this statement relate to the doctrine of Christ as given in the above scriptures?

As a called and set-apart full-time missionary you will represent the Savior Jesus Christ. Yours will be the responsibility to invite all people you meet to come unto Him and find salvation and peace.

Watch this video and write in your journal the most important points you learn:Missionary Work: A Priesthood Duty

Watch this video and write in your journal the most important points you learn:Whosoever Will Lose His Life for My Sake Shall Find It

What are your feelings about why the doctrine of Christ is so central to missionary work?



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Study and Discuss: My Purpose as a Missionary• Study the following sections from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 1 “What

is My Purpose as a Missionary?” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. Your Commission to Teach the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

2. The Gospel Blesses Families

3. Teaching by the Spirit

4. The Power and Authority of Your Calling

5. The Gospel of Jesus Christ

6. The Message of the Restoration: The Foundation of Faith

7. Helping Others Make Commitments: The Door to Faith and Repentance

8. Baptism and Confirmation

9. Establishing the Church

10. A Successful Missionary

• Plan to discuss what you learn with your missionary preparation class, your Sunday School teacher, quorum or auxiliary leader, a family member, a class member, or a friend.

• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about the purpose of a missionary and how to fulfill this purpose.

Prepare to Serve• Review the section: “Ideas for Study and Application” at the end of

Chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel. Do some of the exercises under the subtitle: “Personal Study” so you will gain a personal witness of the principles you have learned. Write down your answers in your study journal. Plan to discuss your answers with your teacher or quorum or auxiliary leader. Add to your journal any new impressions and ideas you learn through these discussions.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle “Communicate: Petition and Listen” in Chapter 9 of the self-reliance booklet: My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Ponder: The Importance of Diligent Study for Effective Teaching

Studying EffectivelyLESSON 3:

Ponder the message in the following scriptures about the importance of effective study of the gospel:

• Doctrine and Covenants 11:20-21, 26-28

• Doctrine and Covenants 84:85

• 1 Timothy 4:12-16

• John 15:4-11, especially verse 7

President Russell M. Nelson has taught how missionaries are to become true examples of the Savior. He said: “We, as agents of the Lord, are privileged to preach His gospel. The Apostle Paul taught an amazing concept. He declared that each agent, each disciple, yes, each missionary, can become a living “epistle of Christ…, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God…[embedded] in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3).

Missionaries who strive for the Lord’s law to be inscribed upon their hearts literally become—by their action, example, and ministry — “[epistles] of Christ” to be “known and read of all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). Because the gospel of Christ is written indelibly upon their hearts, they become true messengers and eloquent examples of the Lord” (Epistles of the Lord, 2015 Seminar for New Mission Presidents).

How will you prepare yourself to become the kind of missionary spo-ken of by President Nelson?


Study and Discuss: Effective Study• Study the following sections from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 2 “Effective

Study,” including the activities and scriptures referenced in each section.

1. How Do I Study Effectively and Prepare to Teach?

2. Learning by the Holy Ghost


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3. Live What You Learn

4. Studying and Preparing to Teach the Lessons

5. Study Ideas and Suggestions


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about effective study of the gospel.

Prepare to Serve• Review in Preach My Gospel, Chapter 2 “Ideas for Study and Application.”

Do some of the exercises under the subtitle “Personal Study” so you will gain a personal witness of the principles you have learned.

• Write down your answers in your study journal.

• Plan to discuss your answers with your teacher or quorum or auxiliary leader. Add to your journal any new impressions and ideas you learn through these discussions.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle: “Seek Learning: Resolve Where You Are Going and How to Get There” in Chapter 11 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Everything the Savior did throughout His earthly ministry was motivated by love—His love for His Father and His love for all of us. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, we can be filled with this same love as we strive to be true followers of Christ (see John 13:34–35; Moroni 7:48; 8:26). With Christlike love in our hearts, we will seek every possible way to help others learn of Christ and come unto Him. Love will be the reason and motivation for our teaching. (See “Love Those You Teach” in Teaching in the Savior’s Way booklet.)

When you think about the Savior’s way of teaching, what comes to mind? Can you see Him teaching the multitudes by the sea, speaking privately with the woman at the well, or blessing a little child?

As you read about Him in the scriptures, what do you notice about His way of helping others learn and grow? What does ‘teaching in the Savior’s way’ mean to you? (See “Introduction” in Teaching in the Savior’s Way booklet.)

Ponder: What is Teaching in the Savior’s Way?

Teaching EffectivelyLESSON 4:


• Study and ponder the scripture references and watch the video below. Write in your journal the most important points you learn from each of the scriptures and from the video about teaching in the Savior’s way.

• Alma 17:2-3

• Doctrine and Covenants 42:12-14

• Jacob 1:18-19

• Doctrine and Covenants 88:77-78, 118

Watch this video and write in your journal the most important points you learn:Teaching the Gospel in the Savior’s Way


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Study and Discuss: How Can I Improve My Teaching Skills• Study the following from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 10 “How Can I

Improve My Teaching Skills?” including the activities and scriptures referenced in each section.

1. How Can I Improve My Teaching Skills?

2. How to Begin Teaching

3. Adjust Your Teaching to Meet Needs

4. Invite Members to Help You Teach

5. Use the Scriptures

6. Teach for Understanding

7. Ask Questions

8. Listen

9. Help People Resolve Their Concerns


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about teaching effectively.

Prepare to Serve• Review the section “Ideas for Study and Application” at the end of

Chapter 10 of Preach My Gospel. Do some of the exercises under the subtitle “Personal Study” so you will gain a personal witness of the principles you have learned. Write down your answers in your study journal.

• Plan to discuss your answers with your teacher or quorum / auxiliary leader.

• Add to your journal any new impressions and ideas you learn through these discussions.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle “Work: Take Responsibility and Persevere” in Chapter 6 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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A dispensation of the gospel is a period of time in which the Lord has at least one authorized servant on the earth who bears the holy priesthood and the keys, and who has a divine commission to dispense the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth. When this occurs, the gospel is revealed anew so that people of that dispensation do not have to depend on past dispensations for knowledge of the plan of salvation.

“There have been many gospel dispensations since the beginning. The Bible suggests at least one dispensation identified with Adam, another with Enoch, another with Noah, and so on with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus with His Apostles in the meridian of time. Paul writes of “the dispensation of the fulness of times” in which the Lord will “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Ephesians 1:10).

“The fulness of times is the final dispensation and began with the revelation of the gospel to Joseph Smith. It is a dispensation of restoration and of fulfillment of the Lord’s plans and purposes since the world began. There are also things reserved for the fulness of times that have not been revealed previously (Doctrine and Covenants 121:26–32; 124:41). It is a glorious time, the time in which we live today (see Acts 3:19–21; Doctrine and Covenants 27:13; 110:11–16; 112:14–32; 128:18–21; 136:37–40).”(See Dispensations in Bible Dictionary.)

Ponder: What is a Dispensation of the Gospel?

The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

LESSON 5:

How are dispensations of the gospel evidence of God’s enduring love and desire to bless all His children?


Study and Discuss: The Restoration of the Gospel• Study the following sections of Chapter 3, Lesson 1 “The Message of the

Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” in Preach My Gospel.

1. God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father

2. The Gospel Blesses Families


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3. Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel in Every Dispensation

4. The Savior’s Earthly Ministry and Atonement

5. The Great Apostasy

6. The Restoration of the Gospel Through Joseph Smith

7. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

8. Pray to Know the Truth through the Holy Ghost

9. Key Definitions


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prepare to Serve• At least once a week until you are called to serve as a full time

missionary, find a non-member near you, or a friend, or a family member and share with them the message of the restoration of the gospel. Use ideas from Preach My Gospel, Lesson 4 “Teaching Effectively,” and the “Ideas for Teaching” at the end of Lesson 1. Also use ideas from “The Restoration” in Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel. To develop your teaching skills, practice using a different lesson plan each time.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle “Solve Problems” in Chapter 7 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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• Ponder the message of the great plan of salvation in the scriptures Moses 1:39; Abraham 3:22-28; Moses 6:55-68, and Alma 22:12-14.

• Before the world was organized, our Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Redeemer, according to His Plan of Salvation. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ made it possible for us to overcome the effects of the Fall of our first parents Adam and Eve.

• All the prophets since the world began have testified of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer. (See Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 2 “The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Paragraph 1.)

Ponder: The Atonement of Jesus Christ

The Plan of SalvationLESSON 6:

Watch this video and write in your journal the most important points you learn:I am the Bread of Life

Watch this video and write in your journal the most important points you learn:I am the Light of the World

Why is the Atonement of Jesus Christ so central to the Plan of Salva-tion?


Study and Discuss: The Plan of Salvation• Study the following sections from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 2

“The Plan of Salvation,” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. Premortal Life: God’s Purpose and Plan for Us

2. The Creation


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3. Agency and the Fall of Adam and Eve

4. Our Life on Earth

5. The Atonement of Jesus Christ

6. The Spirit World

7. The Resurrection, Salvation, and Exaltation

8. Judgment and Kingdoms of Glory

• Discuss what you learn with your missionary preparation class, your Sunday School teacher, quorum or auxiliary leader, a family member, a class member, or a friend.

• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about the Plan of Salvation.

Prepare to Serve• Review in Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 2, the section “Ideas for

Teaching.” Follow the guidelines given as you prepare to teach others about the Plan of Salvation.

• At least once a week until you are called to serve as a full time missionary, find someone who is learning the gospel, and use these guidelines to adapt your teaching about the Plan of Salvation to the person’s spiritual needs. Ask the person to give you feedback and suggestions on how you can improve. Develop your teaching skills by applying the suggested improvements.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle of self-reliance Manage Money in Chapter 3 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Ponder the following brief summary of the life and mission of Jesus Christ:

1. Christ (a Greek word) and Messiah (a Hebrew word) mean “the anointed.” Jesus Christ is the Firstborn of the Father in the spirit (Hebrews. 1:6; Doctrine and Covenants 93:21).

2. He is the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh ( John 1:14; 3:16). He is Jehovah (Doctrine and Covenants 110:3–4) and was foreordained to His great calling before the creation of the world.

3. Under the direction of the Father, Jesus created the earth and everything on it ( John 1:14; Moses 1:31–33).

4. He was born to Mary at Bethlehem, lived a sinless life, and made a perfect atonement for the sins of all mankind by the shedding of His blood and giving His life on the cross (Matthew 2:1; 1 Nephi 11:13–33; 3 Nephi 27:13–16; Doctrine and Covenants 76:40–42).

5. He rose from the dead, thus assuring the eventual resurrection of all mankind. Through Jesus’ Atonement and Resurrection, those who repent of their sins and obey God’s commandments can live eternally with Jesus and the Father (2 Nephi 9:10–12; 21–22; Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–53, 62).

6. Jesus Christ is the greatest being to be born on this earth. His life is the perfect example of how all mankind should live. All prayers, blessings, and priesthood ordinances should be done in His name. He is the Lord of lords, King of kings, the Creator, the Savior, and the God of the whole earth.

7. Jesus Christ will come again in power and glory to reign on the earth during the Millennium. At the last day, He will judge all mankind (Alma 11:40–41; Joseph Smith—Matthew 1; also see “Jesus Christ” in Guide to the Scriptures.)

8. Jesus Christ said of Himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” ( John 14:6).

• Study the testimony of Jesus Christ in “The Living Christ: Testimony of the Living Prophets.”

• See Gospel Library > Jesus Christ.

Ponder: Who is Jesus Christ?

The Gospel of Jesus ChristLESSON 7:


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Study and Discuss: The Gospel of Jesus Christ• Study the following from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 3 “The

Gospel of Jesus Christ,” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. The Divine Mission of Jesus Christ

2. The Gospel of Christ and Doctrine of Christ

3. Faith in Jesus Christ

4. Repentance through the Atonement of Jesus Christ

5. Baptism, Our First Covenant with God

6. The Gift of the Holy Ghost

7. Endure to the End


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prepare to Serve• At least once a week until you are called to serve as a full time

missionary, find someone who is not a member of the Church near you and share with them the message of the restoration of gospel of Jesus Christ. Recall and use the following points, which you learned in Lesson 4 “Teaching Effectively” in these Missionary Preparation Lessons.

1. How Can I Improve My Teaching Skills?

2. How to Begin Teaching

3. Adjust Your Teaching to Meet Needs

4. Invite Members to Help You Teach

5. Use the Scriptures

What is your personal testimony of Jesus Christ?



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6. Teach for Understanding

7. Ask Questions

8. Listen

9. Help People Resolve Their Concerns

• Adapt your lesson to one of the three lesson plans in Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 3 “The Gospel of Jesus Christ,” in the “Ideas for Teaching” section. You can develop your teaching skills by practicing using a different lesson plan each time.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle of self-reliance “Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ” in Chapter 2 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Ponder these words of President Russell M. Nelson:

“One of the most important concepts of revealed religion is that of a sacred covenant. In legal language, a covenant generally denotes an agreement between two or more parties. But in a religious context, a covenant is much more significant. It is a sacred promise with God. He fixes the terms. Each person may choose to accept those terms. If one accepts the terms of the covenant and obeys God’s law, he or she receives the blessings associated with the covenant. We know that “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:21).

“Through the ages, God has made covenants with His children. His covenants occur throughout the entire plan of salvation and are therefore part of the fulness of His gospel. For example, God promised to send a Savior for His children, asking in turn for their obedience to His law....

“In the Bible we read of men and women in the Old World who were identified as children of the covenant. What covenant? “The covenant which God made with [their] fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed….

“The covenant God made with Abraham and later reaffirmed with Isaac and Jacob is of transcendent significance.… the Lord appeared in these latter days to renew that Abrahamic covenant…. With this renewal, we have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel.

“We have the right to receive the fulness of the gospel, enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, and qualify for God’s greatest blessing—that of eternal life.… we receive these promised blessings—if we seek the Lord and obey His commandments. But if we don’t, we lose the blessings of the covenant. To assist us, His Church provides patriarchal blessings to give each recipient a vision for his or her future as well as a connection with the past, even a declaration of lineage back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“Ours is the responsibility to help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world. That is why priesthood duty includes missionary work. After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth. This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel. And we get to participate! Isn’t that exciting? The Lord is counting on us and our sons—and He is profoundly grateful for our daughters—who worthily serve as missionaries in this great time of the gathering of Israel.” (Liahona, November 2011)

Ponder: Commandments Set Forth God’s Terms for His Covenants

The Commandments and Personal Worthiness

LESSON 8:


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How do you feel about the commandments of God, being in a cove-nant with Him, and the opportunity of being an heir of the blessings of Abraham?


Study and Discuss: The Commandments• Study the following from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 4 “The

Commandments,” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. Learn about the Commandments and Commitments

2. Obedience

3. Pray Often

4. Study the Scriptures

5. Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

6. Baptism and Confirmation

7. Follow the Prophet

8. Keep the Ten Commandments

9. Live the Law of Chastity

10. Obey the Word of Wisdom

11. Keep the Law of Tithing

12. Observe the Law of the Fast

13. Obey and Honor the Law


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about obedience to the commandments of God.


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Prepare to Serve• Study the following sections of the Missionary Handbook

1. Introduction

2. Your Calling

3. Missionary Conduct

4. Entertainment

5. The Law of Chastity

6. Relationship with Others

7. Physical and Temporal Well-Being

8. Missionary Leadership

• Discuss what you learn with your missionary preparation class, your Sunday School teacher, quorum or auxiliary leader, a family member, a class member, or a friend.

• Write down your commitment to the Lord about how you will obey mission rules when serving as a full time missionary. Start practicing your commitment immediately in your relationships with others.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle of self-reliance in “Show Integrity” in Chapter 10 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Ponder the following summary descriptions about laws, ordinances, and repentance:

Laws: The commandments or rules of God upon which all blessings and punishments are based both in heaven and on earth. Those who obey the laws of God receive the promised blessings. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that people should also obey, honor, and sustain the laws of the land (Articles of Faith 1:12).

The law of Moses was a preparatory law to bring men and women to Christ. It was a law of restrictions, prescriptions, and ordinances. Today the law of Christ, which fulfilled the law of Moses, is the fulness of the gospel or “the perfect law of liberty” ( James 1:25). (See Gospel Library > Scriptures > Guide to the Scriptures > Law)

Ordinances: Sacred rites and ceremonies. Ordinances consist of acts that have spiritual meanings. Ordinances can also mean God’s laws and statutes.

Ordinances in the Church include:

• Administration to the sick ( James 5:14–15)

• Blessing the sacrament (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79)

• Baptism by immersion (Matthew 3:16; Doctrine and Covenants 20:72–74)

• Blessing of children (Doctrine and Covenants 20:70)

• Conferring the Holy Ghost (Doctrine and Covenants 20:68; 33:15)

• Conferring the priesthood (Doctrine and Covenants 84:6–16; 107:41–52)

• Temple ordinances (Doctrine and Covenants 124:39)

• Marriage in the new and everlasting covenant (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19–20).

Vicarious ordinances are performed by…living person[s] in behalf of [those] who [are] dead. These ordinances take effect only when those for whom the ordinances were performed accept them, keep the covenants associated with them, and become sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Such ordinances are performed today within temples. (See Gospel Library > Scriptures > Guide to the Scriptures > Ordinances)

Ponder: What are Laws and Ordinances, and What is Repentance?

LESSON 9:

Laws, Ordinances, and Repentance


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Repentance: A change of mind and heart that brings a fresh attitude toward God, oneself, and life in general. Repentance implies that a person turns away from evil and turns his heart and will to God, submitting to God’s commandments and desires and forsaking sin. True repentance comes from a love for God and a sincere desire to obey His commandments. All accountable persons have sinned and must repent in order to progress toward salvation. Only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can our repentance become effective and accepted by God. (See Gospel Library > Scriptures > Guide to the Scriptures > Repent, Repentance)

How do you feel about your relationship with God and about your need to repent?


Study and Discuss: Laws and Ordinances• Study the following sections in Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 5

“Laws and Ordinances,” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. Learn about the Laws, Ordinances, and Commandments

2. Priesthood and Auxiliaries

3. Missionary Work

4. Eternal Marriage

5. Temples and Family History

6. Service

7. Teaching and Learning in the Church

8. Endure to the End


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about how you can build up your relationship with the Lord through repentance and obedience to His laws and observing His ordinances.


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Prepare to Serve• Review Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3, Lesson 5 “Laws and Ordinances,”

the section “Prepare to Teach.” Follow the guidelines given as you prepare to teach others about laws and ordinances.

• At least once a week until you are called to serve as a full time missionary, find someone who is learning the gospel, and use these guidelines to adopt your teaching about laws and ordinances to the person’s spiritual needs. Ask the person to give you feedback and suggestions on how you can improve. Develop your teaching skills by applying the suggested improvements.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle of self-reliance in “Receive Temple Ordinances” in Chapter 12 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Ponder the following excerpts from the talk: “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” given by President Russell M. Nelson at the April 2018 General Conference:

“Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits….

“As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I prayed daily for revelation and gave thanks to the Lord every time He spoke to my heart and mind….

“Imagine the miracle of it! Whatever our Church calling, we can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small….

“The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom we may ask of God, the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.

“In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.

“Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will ‘grow into the principle of revelation’….

To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you.” (See Gospel Library > General Conference > April 2018/Sunday Morning Session > Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives)

Ponder: How Do I Receive Personal Revelation?

Recognizing and Understanding the Spirit

LESSON 10:


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What things have you felt a deep desire to know more about? What do you feel after reading President Nelson’s teaching about how you can seek and receive revelation for yourself in all things?


Study and Discuss: Recognizing and Understanding the Spirit• Study the following sections from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 4 “How

Do I Recognize and Understand the Spirit?” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. Personal Revelation

2. The Light of Christ

3. The Holy Ghost

4. The Power of the Spirit in Conversion

5. Pray with Faith

6. Learn to Recognize the Promptings of the Spirit

7. Relying on the Spirit

8. Word of Caution


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about how you can better recognize and understand the influence of the Spirit in your life and in the lives of others.

Prepare to Serve• Review the section “Ideas for Study and Application” at the end of

Chapter 4 “How Do I Recognize and Understand the Spirit?” in Preach My Gospel. Do the exercises under the subtitle: “Personal Study.” Write your answers in your study journal. Discuss your answers with your teacher or quorum / auxiliary leader. Add to your journal any new impressions and ideas you learn through these discussions.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle of self-reliance: “Use Time Wisely” in Chapter 5 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Ponder the following summary description of the Book of Mormon:

“The Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ and confirms the truths found in the Holy Bible. Far from undermining the Bible, the Book of Mormon supports its testimony of Jesus Christ. One passage says that the Book of Mormon “shall establish the truth” of the Bible “and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved” (1 Nephi 13:40).

“In its more than 6,000 verses, the Book of Mormon refers to Jesus Christ almost 4,000 times and by 100 different names: “Jehovah,” “Immanuel,” “Holy Messiah,” “Lamb of God,” “Redeemer of Israel,” and so on.

“Both volumes of scripture are a compilation of teachings as recorded by ancient prophets. While the Bible details events in the eastern hemisphere, the Book of Mormon documents the lives of the inhabitants of the ancient Americas.

“The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon.

“The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.

“In due course the plates were delivered to Joseph Smith, who translated them by the gift and power of God. The record is now published in many languages as a new and additional witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that all who will come unto him and obey the laws and ordinances of his gospel may be saved.

“We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

“Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.” (See Gospel Library > Topics > Gospel Topics > Book of Mormon).

Ponder: What is the Book of Mormon?

The Role of the Book of MormonLESSON 11:


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What are your feelings about the importance of the Book of Mormon in helping people to learn about and understand the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days?


Study and Discuss: The Book of Mormon• Study the following sections from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 5 “What is

the Role of the Book of Mormon?” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. The Book of Mormon is the Keystone of Our Religion

2. The Book of Mormon Testifies of Christ

3. The Book of Mormon and the Bible Support Each Other

4. The Book of Mormon Answers Questions of the Soul

5. The Book of Mormon Draws People Nearer to God

6. Use the Book of Mormon to Respond to Objections

7. How Should You Use the Book of Mormon • Plan to discuss what you learn with your missionary preparation class,

your Sunday School teacher, quorum or auxiliary leader, a family member, a class member, or a friend.

• Write in your journal the most important points you learn through these discussions about the role of the Book of Mormon in convincing seekers of truth that the gospel has been restored:

Prepare to Serve• Review the section in Preach My Gospel: Chapter 5 “What is the Role

of the Book of Mormon?” “Ideas for Study and Application.” Do the exercises under the subtitle “Personal Study.” Write down your answers in your study journal. Discuss your answers with your teacher or quorum / auxiliary leader. Add to your journal any new impressions and ideas you learn through these discussions. Then make a goal to read from the Book of Mormon daily and to complete reading it at least once by the time you are called to serve as a full time missionary.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle of self-reliance: “Become One, Serve Together” in Chapter 8 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.


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Ponder the words of the following hymn. As you feel prompted by the Spirit you may sing it quietly:

Nearer, Dear Savior, to Thee - #99 Standard English Hymnbook -

Ponder: Drawing Near to Christ

Developing Christlike AttributesLESSON 12:

Verse 1:Nearer, dear Savior, to thee, Nearer, nearer to thee—Ever I’m striving to beNearer, yet nearer to thee!Trusting, in thee I confide;Hoping, in thee I abide.Take, oh, take, and cherish me,Nearer, dear Savior, to thee.

Verse 2: Nearer, dear Savior, to thee, Nearer, nearer to thee—Proved by my trials, I’ll beNearer, yet nearer to thee!Humbly I come to thee now;Earnest, I prayerfully bow.Take, oh, take, and cherish me,Nearer, dear Savior, to thee.

Verse 3:Nearer, dear Savior, to thee, Nearer, nearer to thee—Ever my anthem will beNearer, yet nearer to thee!Loving thee, ever I pray,Aid me thy will to obey.Take, oh, take, and cherish me, Nearer, dear Savior, to thee.

Verse 4:Nearer, dear Savior, to thee, Nearer, nearer to thee—Let me by holiness beNearer, yet nearer to thee!When all my trials are done,When my reward I have won,Take, oh, take, and cherish me, Nearer, dear Savior, to thee.

What is the relationship you desire to have with the Savior, and how do you feel about it?



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Study and Discuss: How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes?• Study the following sections from Preach My Gospel, Chapter 6 “How Do

I Develop Christlike Attributes?” including the scriptures referenced in each section.

1. Ideas for Studying This Chapter

2. Faith in Jesus Christ

3. Hope

4. Charity and Love

5. Virtue

6. Knowledge

7. Patience

8. Humility

9. Diligence

10. Obedience

11. Developing Christlike Attributes


• Write down the impressions you feel and ideas you learn through these discussions about how you can become more Christlike.

Prepare to Serve• Review the section in Preach My Gospel, Chapter 6 “How Do I Develop

Christlike Attributes? Ideas for Study and Application.” Do the exercises under the subtitle: “Personal Study.” Write down your answers in your study journal. Review your answers with your teacher or quorum / auxiliary leader. Add to your journal any new impressions and ideas you learn through these discussions. Make it a lifetime a goal to be always striving to be better in at least one attribute that helps you to become more like the Savior. Choose an attribute and start working on it right away.

• Read and do all the exercises pertaining to the principle of self-reliance “Repent and Be Obedient” in Chapter 4 of the self-reliance booklet My Foundation for Self-Reliance. If you have not done so, ask your quorum or auxiliary leader about joining a self-reliance group in your ward or stake. Plan to complete the twelve-week group process as part of your missionary preparation.

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