Lesson 3

Fulfill Your Missionary Purpose

Preach My Gospel, Chapter 1

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 [2023], 1). Understanding and applying this purpose to all aspects of missionary work can elevate how young people think about, prepare for, and serve a mission.

Review and Follow Up

Discussion leader: Invite learners to think about their recent efforts to apply what they are learning in this class. You could invite them to share some of their efforts with a partner or together as a class.

Learning Activity Options

Discussion leader: Prayerfully select the learning option or options that would most benefit your class. Be sure to leave plenty of time for practice and application.

Option A: What is a missionary’s purpose?

Study

Discussion leader: Consider sharing the following scenario to begin a discussion about a missionary’s purpose.

Imagine you have a friend who is not a member of the Church. When your friend asks what your plans are today, you mention that you are going to attend a missionary preparation class. Your friend then asks, “What do missionaries do?”

Discussion leader: Invite learners to think about or share what they would say. Explain that while there are many ways to answer the question, a missionary’s primary purpose is summarized at the beginning of chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel. Display the following instructions. Give learners time to study and to discuss with a partner or small group.

Read “Your Purpose” (Preach My Gospel, 1) and the following statement from Elder D. Todd Christofferson.

Please do not ignore chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel and its question “What is my purpose as a missionary?” Internalize the purpose of bringing people to Christ through the principles and ordinances of the restored gospel, and you will understand that sharing the gospel is not a program; it is a cause—the cause of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (D. Todd Christofferson, “Why We Share the Gospel,” Ensign, Aug. 2014, 36)

Discuss how internalizing this purpose could affect the following:

How you prepare for a mission
Your actions as a missionary

Discussion leader: To help class members better understand the missionary purpose, display the following instructions. You could assign half the class to highlight the first item and the other half to highlight the second.

Read “Your Commission to Teach the Restored Gospel” (Preach My Gospel, 1–2). As you study, highlight:

Reasons why we invite others to come to Jesus Christ.
What we can do to help others come to Jesus Christ.

Discussion leader: Invite class members to share what they found. You could also discuss the following question:

How has following the Savior brought “greater happiness, hope, peace, and purpose” (page 2) to you or people you know?

Discussion leader: Consider sharing your own answer to the previous question. You could also show the video “After Searching So Long for It, Hope Showed Up on Their Doorstep” (2:42; Gospel Library). Invite class members to look for how the gospel of Jesus Christ blessed the couple in the video.

Practice

Discussion leader: Take time to help learners memorize “Your Purpose” (Preach My Gospel, 1). You could recite it a few times together as a class, then invite learners to practice reciting it from memory with a partner.

As you teach this course, refer to the missionary purpose often. You might consider reciting it together at the beginning of each class.

Set a goal

Discussion leader: Give class members time to reflect on what they have learned today and to set goals. You could display the following to help them:

Set a goal that relates to what you have studied. Use ideas like the following or think of your own.

Continue practicing your memorization of the missionary purpose. Share it from memory with a family member or friend. Think of what you already do or can start doing that is part of the missionary purpose.
Visit the “Sharing the Gospel” page at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Look for ideas that can help you share the gospel with others.
Prayerfully think of someone you want to help come closer to Jesus Christ and experience the blessings of His gospel. Determine what you will do to help them (for example, “I will pray for this person and invite them to church this Sunday”).

My goal

I will … (action you will take).
I will accomplish my goal by … (a simple plan).

Discussion leader: If learners have a group to share their goals with, give them time to share how they will support or remind each other before the next class.

Option B: How does the doctrine of Christ change lives?

Study

Discussion leader: Consider writing the phrase The Doctrine of Christ on the board. Invite someone to read the following statement from President Russell M. Nelson:

The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life. (“Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 6)

If someone asked you what the doctrine of Christ is, what would you say?

Discussion leader: Invite learners to compare their answers to the previous question with the explanation in chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel. To help them do this, share the following instructions:

Find the section in chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel titled “The Gospel of Christ and Doctrine of Christ.” Read the first three paragraphs and the statement from Hyrum Smith (page 6). Look for answers to these two questions:

What is the doctrine of Christ?
Why should someone preparing for a mission seek to understand and live the doctrine of Christ?

Discussion leader: Invite learners to share what they learned from Preach My Gospel that answers the previous questions.

The following study activity can help class members deepen their understanding of different aspects of the doctrine of Christ. If your class is large enough, divide them into groups of five. Each member of the group could study a different part of the doctrine of Christ

Learn more about the doctrine of Christ by studying the following sections from chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel (pages 7–9):

“Faith in Jesus Christ”
“Repentance”
“Baptism”
“Confirmation and the Gift of the Holy Ghost”
“Enduring to the End” (Also study 2 Nephi 31:19–20.)

As you study, highlight important words and phrases. Consider reading some of the scriptures associated with the section. Be prepared to share what you learned.

Practice

Discussion leader: Invite class members to explain to their group what they learned in the previous activity. Display the following instructions:

Summarize the part of the doctrine of Christ that you studied. Consider including the following points in your summary:

A brief summary of what you studied
How this part of the doctrine helps people come unto Christ and access His saving power
How you or someone you know has been blessed by following this part of the doctrine of Christ

Set a goal

Discussion leader: Give class members time to reflect on what they have learned and to set goals. You could display the following to help them:

Set a goal that relates to what you have studied. Use ideas like the following or think of your own.

Study 2 Nephi 31, looking for Nephi’s teachings about the doctrine of Christ.
Identify an element of the doctrine of Christ that you want to incorporate more fully into your life. Consider how you will do that.

My goal

I will … (action you will take).
I will accomplish my goal by … (a simple plan).

Discussion leader: If learners have a group to share their goals with, give them time to share how they will support or remind each other before the next class.

Option C: What makes a successful missionary?

Study

Discussion leader: Consider writing the following question on the board along with learners’ answers:

How can someone know if they are a successful missionary?

Discussion leader: The following study activity can help participants better understand how to be effective missionaries:

Read the first nine paragraphs of “A Successful Missionary” in chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel (page 13). Highlight or mark the characteristics of successful missionaries. In a different way (such as a different color or way of underlining), mark things that are unimportant to success.
Look over the bullets at the top of page 14. Choose two or more scripture references to read, looking for what they teach about being a successful missionary.

Practice

Discussion leader: Invite class members to use what they learned in the previous activity as they respond to the following scenario. Consider dividing the class into partnerships and inviting them to role-play.

Imagine you receive a message from a friend who is serving a full-time mission. They feel like they are failing as a missionary because no one they have taught has been baptized and they have never held a leadership position. They are starting to feel like they are wasting their time.

Based on what you learned from “A Successful Missionary” in chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel (pages 13–14), help your friend think differently about what it means to be a successful missionary.
Share how focusing more on Jesus Christ could change how your friend feels about their missionary service.

Discussion leader: For another way to help learners identify and explain characteristics of successful missionaries, consider showing the video “Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (4:56; ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Class members could discuss how the missionaries in the video described or demonstrated principles of successful missionary service.

Set a goal

Discussion leader: Give class members time to reflect on what they have learned today and to set goals. You could display the following to help them:

Set a goal that relates to what you have studied. Use ideas like the following or think of your own.

Think of someone you know who is serving a mission. Write them an email or a letter that summarizes what you learned today about being a successful missionary. You could also ask the missionary what they have found makes them successful.
Think of what you could do now to prepare to be a successful missionary in the future.

My goal

I will … (action you will take).
I will accomplish my goal by … (a simple plan).

Discussion leader: If learners have a group to share their goals with, give them time to share how they will support or remind each other before the next class.

Next Time

Discussion leader: If you are ready to teach lesson 4 next time, consider inviting class members to study chapter 2 of Preach My Gospel in preparation. You might also want to send them a reminder.