As I was paging through the parts of PMG that are assigned for this transfer, the quote from President Boyd K. Packer in the box at the top of page 19 caught my eye. “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.”
Why do you think the Brethren included this quote, and even put it inside its very own box? Well, because it is probably very important to missionary work! Why is it important? Do we ever encourage our investigators to change a behavior? That’s about all we do or should be doing! Another word for this change in behavior that we seek is repentance. Preaching repentance is the first half of our purpose. When you are trying to get your investigators to church, to change their behavior, to repent, what is your strategy? According to President Packer, it should be to help them understand true doctrine.
You may now be asking: Doctrine? Doctrine? What true doctrine? Once more, the Brethren have made it easy for us. At the beginning of each of the first three lessons in Chapter 3 of PMG, inside the “Your Purpose” box, are the baptismal interview questions. Here they are, the answers to these 5 questions are everything your investigator should understand to qualify for baptism:
Do you believe that God is our eternal Father?
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world?
Do you believe that the Church and the gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith?
Do you believe that Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God? What does this mean to you?
Are you willing to keep the Sabbath Day holy, including partaking of the sacrament weekly and rendering service to fellow members?
As you work with your investigators that are struggling to keep a commitment, ask yourself, which of the above questions do they not understand, that is keeping them from keeping the commitment? The answers to these questions are our doctrine. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, our doctrine is designed to get God’s children to know how to come unto Christ and be saved. This is what we teach. It is simple. We should strive to keep it simple by focusing on the doctrine of Christ, and nothing else. Jesus made this point clearly and powerfully when speaking to the Nephites: And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock" (3 Ne. 11:40).
-Elder Gibbons-
Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is Cheering You on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.
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