Sunday, June 14, 2015

Missionary Work-They Need Help From the Members

Letter from Ben on April 27, 2015

Hola Familia,

Congrats Justin on getting your braces off. 

I've been doing well this week. My companion and I have been asked to do a presentation/workshop on how to work with the members that we're going to present to the mission leaders in the leadership council tomorrow, so that's exciting. 

We are going to talk about how we as missionaries can strengthen the members. There are lots of ways we can find people to teach as missionaries. We normally rely on talking with people in the street or knocking doors (not that talking with people is a bad thing, it's just one of the many ways we can work); but everyone knows that there is a much better way to work. In Chapter 9 of Preach My Gospel, it says:
"Work with members of the Church to find people to teach. The ideal situation is when members invite others to be taught and are present for the teaching. When members do this, more people are baptized and remain active in the Church. The process of bringing new people into the Church is not the responsibility alone of the missionaries. They succeed best when members become the source from which new investigators are found."
It's nothing new that we're inventing, it's just something that we don't do as a mission. Our trainers didn't do it, nor did their trainers nor their trainers trainers. And it has never been a focus for us as a mission. It's just another resource we aren't using. The members are also not very accustomed and we're trying to help them understand that we expect them to participate even more in their ward's missionary work. It's a little slow but there is a progress.

I'm doing fine health wise and loving my zone. The missionaries are doing great, getting along well with their companions, working hard, and being obedient. And that's what makes me extremely happy.

Next week I am going to need to put plans for Skype for Mothers Day. Just let me what hours you are going to be together so I can start planning.

Take care,

Elder Benjamin Taylor

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