How can I be a missionary now?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

The Lord has given each Aaronic Priesthood holder the duty to invite all to come unto Christ (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:59). He has also invited every worthy, able young man in the Church to serve a full-time mission after receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood. As we fulfill our Aaronic Priesthood duty to invite all to come unto Christ, we help build the kingdom of God and we prepare for future full-time missionary service.

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

• Alma 17:2–3 (The sons of Mosiah prepared for their missions by fasting, praying, and diligently searching the scriptures)

• Doctrine and Covenants 4 (Attributes of those who teach the gospel)

• Acts 2; 16; Mosiah 18 (Peter, Paul, and Alma invited others to come unto Christ)

• Thomas S. Monson, “Come, All Ye Sons of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 66–69

• David A. Bednar, “Becoming a Missionary,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 44–47

• Fulfilling My Duty to God (2010), 28–29, 52–53, 76–77

• “Fulfilling Your Duty to God” (video)

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

What experiences have you had inviting others to come unto Christ? How have others shared the gospel with you? If you served a full-time mission, what did you do to prepare for it?

Looking back now, what else would you have done to prepare? What effect will sharing the gospel have on the young men? How can you help them prepare for missionary work now and in the future?

What can the young men do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

The Savior invited others to testify of truths they learned so the Spirit could touch their hearts. “Whom say ye that I am?” He asked. Peter’s testimony was strengthened as he responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15–16). How can sharing the gospel strengthen the testimonies of the young men in the quorum?

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

• Our quorum: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?

• Our duties: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?

• Our lives: Remind the quorum of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a quorum presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the quorum; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help quorum members understand the doctrine.

• Show the young men a suitcase, and invite them to discuss what things they will need to take on their missions (such as white shirts, suits, shoes, and so on). Invite them to make a list of things they will need to take on their missions that they cannot put in a suitcase. Invite them to add to their list with answers they find in Alma 17:2–3 and Doctrine and Covenants 4. Ask the young men what they can do to develop these attributes as they prepare for missionary service.

• Divide the young men into four groups, and assign each group one part of President Thomas S. Monson’s “formula” for success in preparing for a mission, found in his talk “Come, All Ye Sons of God.” Each group could read their part and discuss ways they could put into action what they learn. For example, they could make plans in sections of their Duty to God books that correspond with President Monson’s counsel (such as “Pray and Study the Scriptures,” “Understand Doctrine,” or “Serve Others”). Invite the young men to share their plans.

• Write on the board, What can I do to prepare most effectively to serve as a full-time missionary? Ask the young men to suggest possible answers. Invite them to discover how Elder David A. Bednar answered the question in his talk “Becoming a Missionary.” Invite them to search the talk, looking for ways they can become missionaries before they go on their missions. Show the video “Fulfilling Your Duty to God,” and invite quorum members to share how experiences like these could help them prepare for missionary service.

• Before quorum meeting, invite the young men to come prepared to share an example of missionary work from the scriptures, such as those suggested in this outline). As they share their scripture stories, ask them what they learn about sharing the gospel. What did the people in these stories do to share the gospel? How did their teaching affect others? What do the young men feel inspired to do to follow the example of these missionaries?

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

• Ask the young men to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a quorum to apply what they have learned?

• Give the young men a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.

• Remind the young men that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.

Related Youth Activities

Plan a Mutual activity that will help the young men apply what they learned in this lesson.