USING TIME WISELY TO BRING PEOPLE TO CHRIST

FINDING PEOPLE TO TEACH IS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR MISSIONARIES AND CHURCH MEMBERS

D&C 123:12

• There are people out there, everywhere, who don't know the truth, who have never even heard the truth.
• It is our duty, our privilege, to go out and find them.
  
• They are "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." We need to find them!

EFFECTIVE PLANNING, GOAL SETTING, AND TIME MANAGEMENT HELP FOCUS MISSIONARY EFFORTS AND INCREASE SUCCESS

D&C 109:8

• "Organize yourself: prepare every needful thing, establish a house.. a house of order, a house of God."
• Being organized is such an important thing! If you are not organized things become stressful and the Spirit is harder to find in a messy place :)
  

PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL PREPARATION

PROSPECTIVE MISSIONARIES SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL DEMANDS OF A FULL-TIME MISSION

D&C 4:2

• Missionaries need to prepare physically so they can be ready for any type of service that will be required of them.
• "See that ye serve Him with all your might, mind and strength." Prepare yourself that ye may be ready to serve Him in whatever He calls you to do.

D&C 88: 124

• To be a missionary you need to be physically stong and prepared.
• You need to have self control, not sleeping in or being idle.
• Go to bed early and arise early, "That your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." That's especially important on the mission so that you can be in tune and ready to teach.

THERE ARE HONORABLE ALTERNATIVES TO FULL-TIME MISSIONARY SERVICE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS EXCUSED BY PRIESTHOOD LEADERS BECAUSE OF THEIR PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCE

• Pres. Hinckley: "There are other areas where those with serious limitations may work and have a satisfying experience. And the Lord will bless them for what they are able to do."
• Richard G. Scott: "..For you there are other ways to render meaningful service compatible with your condition."
  

FAITH AND CONVERSION 2

FAITH LEADS TO CONVERSION

2 NEPHI 31:19-20

• Have hope. Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.
• If you endure to the end you will have eternal life. Have faith to endure to the end. Have faith to have eternal life.

Alma 32: 41

• Faith. "if ye will nourish the word.."
• Nourish the word with your faith. Have patience. It will spring up to everlasting life.

CONVERSION INCLUDES REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, AND THE RECEPTION OF THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST

Matt 3:16

• The dove is the symbol of the Holy Ghost
• When you are baptized and confirmed you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

John 3:5

• Baptism is the first step that leads us to eternal life.
• "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
  

FAITH AND CONVERSION

FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ESSENTIAL TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH

1 Nephi 7:12

• "Wherefore let us be faithful to Him."
• We must exercise faith in Jesus Christ. If we have enough faith His will will be done, always.

2 Nephi 9:23

• We all need to repent and come unto Him.
• To be baptized we must repent. Repenting requires faith that we can be forgiven. We must love and trust our Lord.
  
• "Having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel."

FAITH CAN INCREASE

Jacob 4:6

• We all can recieve our own spiritual witness. We can recieve personal revelation.
• "Having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken."
• Our faith can, does, and will continue to grow as we have these witnesses. We can have enough faith to that the very trees obey us, according to the will of our Father.
  

THE RESTORATION AND THE COMING FORTH OF NEW SCRIPTURES 2

THE BOOK OF MORMON HELPS BRING PEOPLE TO CHRIST

1 Nephi 6:4

• We need to come closer to Christ.
• Christ wants us to com unto God
• "that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham."

• The Book of Mormon helps bring people to Christ in many ways. In this scripture from the Book of Mormon Christ himself is speaking, even telling men to come unto God.
• "For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham."

1 Nephi 19:18

• Nephi is also trying to 'persuade' them.
• "I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer."

2 Nephi 25:23

• The word 'persuade' is used again in this scripture. "to persuade our children.. to beleive in Christ."
• Believe in Christ. "Labor diligently" so that we may 'persuade' others to believe in Christ with us.

THE BOOK OF MORMON IS CONVINCING EVIDENCE OT THE RESTORATION

1 Nephi 13:40

• These 'plain and precious things' have been taken from the earth (apostasy) and now through Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon we have them back agian restored on earth.
• "The lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world."

D&C 20:8-12

• Wow. That sums it all up right there. Right from the first verse I felt the Spirit really strong.
• "And gave him power from on high." How awesome is that?
• Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and through him this church was restored again to the earth, bringing the world out of apostasy.
• He was blessed with the power. Power from on high. And through revelation, even personal revelation, we can know that that is true and that the Book of Mormon is true, that a true prophet who holds the keys restored the church. We can know that.

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

Acts 3:20-21

• Heavenly Father sent His son Jesus Christ, and He will send Him again.
• The prophets have testified of it and they still do today.
• Jesus is our teacher, our Savior, our brother.

D&C 1:30

• This church was brought out of 'Obscurity and out of darkness'
  
• Those who the Lord called had the 'power to lay the foundation of this church'.
  

The Restoration and the coming forth of new scripture

GOD CALLED JOSEPH SMITH TO BE THE PROPHET OF THE RESTORATION

D&C 136:37

• Jesus Christ brought forth His work. So did Joseph Smith
• "Ye shall behold it if ye are faithful in keeping all my words."

JS History 1:17

• Joseph Smith was literally called by God.
• In a grove of trees God the Father and His son appeared to Joseph Smith in person. "This is my beloved son. Hear Him!"

JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATED THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BROUGHT FORTH OTHER SCRIPTURES BY THE GIFT AND POWER OF GOD

1 Nephi 13:39-40

• "I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them."
• "The records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true."

2 Nephi 1:29

• God gave Joseph Smith that power, the power to translate.
• "My servant Joseph Smith, Jun., might have power to translate through the mercy of God by the power of God, the Book of Mormon."
  

PROPHETS AND APOSTASY 2

THE REJECTION OF THE SAVIOR, HIS TEACHINGS, AND PRIESTHOOD AUTHORITY RESULTED IN THE APOSTASY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

Matt 24:24

• There are false prophets even in the world today. We must not be fooled.
• So great is their deceitfulness that, "If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

Acts 20:29-30

• There will be many who will and have tried to decieve and they have been succuessfull. Do not let them be successfull in you.
• Men will, "Speak perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Don't be deceived.

THE EUROPEAN REFORMATION HELPED PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE FINAL RESTORATION

Joel 2:28-29

• He will pour out His spirit.
• And show many signs, "I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.