Wednesday, April 13, 2011

What can I expect from a missionary visit?

Many people see Latter-Day Saint missionaries, but may hesitate to talk to them.  After all not everyone walks around in suits these days. 

Some people see us walking around talking to people.  Do you know why that is?
From the beginning, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been a missionary church. Missionaries have one main purpose, which is:

To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.

Missionaries teach 4 lessons on Jesus Christ.  They invite, and love to teach a sincere seeker of truth.  The messages, if applied, will improve the quality of your life, answer deep questions, make you want to live a better life, and will help you understand who Jesus Christ is.  In other words, missionaries will be guides for you to enjoy these blessings. 
Joseph seeing God and Christ

A missionary's initial message is about what we call The Restoration.   In this lesson missionaries teach who God is, why He is important in our lives, and how He has always reached out to us as His children through prophets.  The person being taught learns of a prophet who had an extremely significant role.  In a sense, this prophet was called of God to restore many truths that had been misunderstood for centuries.  Missionaries will invite all who are present to discover for themselves the message they teach is true. 

Jesus Christ created the Earth


The second message is called The Plan of Happiness.  This lesson helps us to understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we will be going.  It outlines a plan that God has created, and of which, we are all a part of.  Our divine potential for who we are, and what we can look forward to after we die.  This lesson explains the ultimate purpose for life, and how we can be even happier in this life and the life to come.

Jesus Christ


The third message outlines a pattern of living Jesus Christ wants for us.  It is called The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Apart of this message is how we can be free of feelings of unhappiness, guilt, and shame.  How Jesus Christ can "lift us up" to be more than we can be on our own.  We learn how to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ.  We learn how to develop attributes He taught.


The final lesson explains a few things we can do to receive blessings from God.  These blessings always come after we keep The Commandments.  Commandments are things God asks us to do, which if obeyed will make us happy.  I have found these commandments help me see, feel, and know God's hand in my life.


After meeting with missionaries, I have heard people say something like, "They filled a hole in my heart I didn't know was there."  Other's have said, "I found answers to questions I didn't even know I had."
 
As a missionary I have witnessed the power these messages bring.  I have seen mountains of doubt, unhappiness, and ultimate despair become happiness.  I live these messages for myself and I can tell you they work.  I know Jesus Christ is the ultimate healer of our souls.  I know who I am and it has made all the difference.

If you would like more information please email me at mark.lewis@myldsmail.net or follow me on facebook.

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