Chapter 33 - Missionary Work

The Lord's Church Is a Missionary Church

The Lord revealed the gospel plan to Adam: "And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning" (Moses 5:58). Later, when people became wicked, Adam's righteous sons were sent to preach the gospel to the others on the earth: "They . . . called upon all men, everywhere, to repent; and faith was taught unto the children of men" (Moses 6:23).


The Lord's Church Is a Missionary Church

Missionary work began again when the Lord's Church was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Since that time over one million thousands of missionaries have been called and sent forth to preach the gospel. The message they take to the world is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior. They testify that the gospel has been restored to the earth through a prophet of God (see David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, p. 132). The missionaries are given the responsibility to preach the gospel to all people, to baptize them, and to teach them to do all things that the Lord has commanded (see Matthew 28:19-20). Latter-day Saint missionaries go at their own expense to all parts of the world to preach the gospel message.


The Gospel Will Be Preached to All the World

We have been told in latter-day revelation that we must take the restored gospel to every nation and people (see D&C 133:37). The Lord never gives us a commandment without preparing a way for us to accomplish it (see 1 Nephi 3:7). The Lord has prepared ways for us to teach the gospel in nations that were once closed to us. As we continue to pray and exercise faith, the Lord will open other nations to missionary work.

The Lord is also "inspiring the minds of great people to create inventions that further the work of the Lord in ways this world has never known" (Russell M. Nelson, "Computerized Scriptures Now Available," Ensign, Apr. 1988, p. 73). Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, satellites, computers, and related discoveries help give the gospel message to millions of people (see Spencer W. Kimball, "When the World Will Be Converted," Ensign, Oct. 1974, pp. 10-14). 


We Should All Be Missionaries

Every member of the Church is to be a missionary.