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Sharing the Gospel
From the beginning, Latter-day Saints have been a missionary-minded people, eager to share the message of the restored gospel. They have been seriously mindful of the Savior's injunction to his ancient Apostles, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Their own commitment to missionary work has been authorized and strengthened by latter-day exhortations and promises: "Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men ....
For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul." (D&C 4:1-4.) "... the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people..." (D&C 15:6). "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" (D&C 18:15-16.)
Each year thousands of Church members volunteer for missionary service. Approximately three-fourths of them are young men about nineteen years of age. Most of the remaining missionaries are either young women or older couples who have reached retirement age. Although this service is a broadening experience, missionaries are willing to give approximately two years of their lives and to pay their own expenses primarily because of their faith that they represent the true Church of Jesus Christ restored by divine authority in these latter days. They are also motivated by the conviction that they are preaching his gospel and that its teachings actually have the power to change the lives of men and women for the better. These Latter-day Saint missionaries have largely been responsible for the Church's worldwide growth as described in the preceding chapter.
Proselyting Methods
"The harvest truly is plenteous," the Savior exclaimed to his disciples, "but the laborers are few" (Matt. 9:37). The same can be said of the present dispensation as well. Consequently, Church leaders have always urged the Saints to be well prepared and to give their best efforts in the Lord's service. During the Church's first century, door-to-door "tracting" had been the missionaries' primary method of contacting people. The object was to leave a religious tract at every home, hoping for a possible discussion later if individuals had any questions from their reading. Often weeks would go by without any apparent results from the missionaries' efforts.
Several twentieth-century mission presidents compiled materials to help missionaries be more effective in their work. Two early examples were 1924 suggestions on contacting people at the door in "On Tracting," by President B. H. Roberts of the Eastern States Mission, a member of the First Council of the Seventy, and further instructions by Elder John A. Widtsoe of the Council of the Twelve, president of the European Mission, in "The Successful Missionary." The content of all these publications was incorporated into The Missionary's Handbook, which appeared in 1937.