By the Spirit of Truth

Elder Boyd K. Packer

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Excerpt from mission presidents’ seminar, 3 April 1985, 2, 4

Our theme is taken from the Doctrine and Covenants section 50, verse 21. The brief sentence of twenty-one words is like a window. It will open to the whole universe and admit a world of light: “He that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth.”

Listen carefully to the setting for those twenty-one words:

“Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained?

“To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.” …

All of the instruction you will receive recognizes the fact that when conversion takes place, it is through the power of the Spirit. In order to succeed in missionary work, these three things must occur:

We must understand what an investigator must feel in order to receive conversion.

We must understand how a missionary must feel in order to teach with the converting power of the Spirit.

And then we must understand how a member must feel to succeed in participating in the conversion experience.

Once we understand that, every detail of our administration and teaching should be directed toward preparing a climate where those feelings can be planted deeply enough so that investigators will accept baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.