[MUSIC PLAYING] This might sound really strange but, just on a personal note, I'm not your natural missionary.

I don't find it easy often to go up to people or to talk about the Church, but I have made the journey myself.

I recognize that if we're going to do the Lord's work, then we need to open up and let people hear what we have to say.

Missionary work is vital to the Lord's work. If we're going to build the kingdom, we have to do missionary work. Under the direction of the bishop, the ward mission leader coordinates the efforts of ward members to assist the full-time missionaries in finding, teaching, and baptizing investigators.

He understands that members are the key to effective missionary work. Do whatever you've got to do to get the members to get involved. We won't achieve the success that we're destined to have, so to speak, if we're just doing it just two or three of us. We've just got to do it as a ward. The ward mission leader assists the ward council in setting goals and establishing a ward mission plan focused on bringing individuals and families into the Church. I might put down that I want to baptize eight people. To me, that's not eight people, that's eight souls. That's eight children of God. You brought eight people into [INAUDIBLE]. You brought eight people closer to Jesus. That's what a [INAUDIBLE] plan is all about. It's not about numbers. It's bringing people to Jesus. The ward mission leader meets regularly with ward and full-time missionaries in missionary coordination meeting. He participates in lessons with investigators and teaches and testifies as invited by the missionaries. [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

As investigators accept the gospel and prepare to become members of the Church, the ward mission leader organizes baptismal services and coordinates confirmations with members of the bishopric.

He sees that new members attend the gospel principles class and often serves as the course instructor. Above all, the ward mission leader leads member missionary work through his personal example as he shares the gospel in his everyday life. To be able to have chances and opportunities placed before me where I can share my testimony of the divinity of this work, the truth of the story of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, it's something that you just cannot beat the feeling. I know that someday I will be released from this calling but that day can stay away for a long time as far as I'm concerned because I just love sharing my testimony with people and telling them of the truth of the gospel.

To review, ward mission leaders are responsible to coordinate ward members' efforts to assist the full-time missionaries in finding, teaching, and baptizing investigators.

More detailed descriptions of these responsibilities can be found in Church Handbook Two, Section Five.

As you study the handbook and prepare to serve you may want to consider these questions.

How can we begin to motivate ward members to find people for the missionaries to teach? Who is currently being taught in our ward, and when is the next appointment? Who is preparing for baptism in our ward? And what steps need to be taken to help them prepare? [MUSIC PLAYING]