Dear Elders and Sisters,
Sister Christianson and I loved being with you at the recent interviews. Thank you for your tireless efforts to live the gospel, to teach with power and to continually strive to become true “Preach My Gospel Missionaries” by remembering who you represent, being worthy, immersing yourselves in the scriptures, letting the Holy Ghost be the true teacher and doing more than talking when you teach. We admire each of you and pray for you on a daily basis.
We must meaningful, simple goals in order to fulfill our purpose as missionaries. Elder M. Russell Ballard has taught:
I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When on learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.
President Monson has taught us the significance of measuring our performance so we can see if we are achieving the goals we have set. He said, “When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates.”
We, therefore, must know What we desire to achieve, How to achieve it, and Why we are taking such a course. The members of the Zone Leader Council have determined that we should keep things as simple as possible. Therefore, we have three simple goals as a mission. (The What) They are:
- Become fully converted missionaries.
- Be the most obedient, spiritual, competent and faith-filled missionaries anywhere.
- Double baptisms. (300 for the year 2012)
How we will accomplish this is to talk with at least 10 different people, other than our investigators, everyday. Find 3 new investigators per week and baptize and confirm 1 convert per month per companionship. Of course this will take tireless effort and incredible faith! However, we can do this!
The Why is explained beautifully on page 9 of Preach My Gospel.
Baptizing and confirming the people you teach is central to your purpose. Baptism is for the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost brings a host of blessings to those who live worthy of it. Through these ordinances people enter the gate and continue on the path to eternal life. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: ‘We do not preach and teach in order to ‘bring people into the Church’ or to increase the membership of the Church. We do not preach and teach just to persuade people to live better lives. . . . We invite all to come unto Christ by repentance and baptism and confirmation in order to open the doors of the celestial kingdom to the sons and daughters of God. No one else can do this’.
We do it to bless those who will hear our message. Thank you for loving the Lord and His children enough to be what He desires you to be.
With Deep Affection,
President Christianson
