Mission Prep Class: Lesson 12: Finding People to Teach

Missionary Preparation Class
Lesson 12
Finding People to Teach
www.LatterDaySaintMissionPrep.com
Welcome to Our
Lesson 12:

Lesson 12
About the Class Instructor
• My name is Jimmy Smith
• Founder of Latter-day Saint Mission Prep website
• I live in Texas in the United States
• I served my mission to Argentina, 1995-1997

Lesson 12
About this Mission Prep Class
• Following the Church’s
Missionary Preparation
Teacher Manual
• Teaching my two teenage
children and record the
lessons for others to enjoy
• This video, my website, and
other content I create is
NOT a publication of The
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints

Lesson 12
Before We Begin: Make Sure You
Have a Way to Take Notes

Lesson 12
Review of Previous Lessons
Purpose—to Invite Others to Come Unto Christ
Lesson 1:
Our Need for the Atonement of Jesus Christ
Lesson 2:
Learning and Teaching by the Spirit of God
Lesson 3-4:
The Role of the Book of Mormon in Missionary Work
Lesson 5:
Preparing for Life as a Missionary
Lesson 6:
Teaching the Message of the Restoration
Lesson 7-8:
Developing Christlike Attributes
Lesson 9:
Teaching the Plan of Salvation
Lesson 10-11:

Lesson 12
Intro: Finding People to Teach
• An indispensable prerequisite to sharing the gospel is
finding people to teach
• Finding people requires faith—
• faith to talk to people about the gospel of Jesus Christ
• faith to watch for opportunities to teach and testify
• faith that God will lead you people who are prepared
Image from the Gospel
Media library on
churchofjesuschrist.org

Lesson 12
The first time I talked to someone on a
bus in Argentina to share the gospel
message with them.

Lesson 12
Lescano Family
Concordia, Argentina

Lesson 12
Lescano Family Baptism
Concordia, Argentina

Lesson 12
Outline of Today’s Lesson
Developing the Faith to Find People to Teach
The Importance of Member Missionary Work
Using All Tools That God Has Prepared (including
modern technology, internet, social media, etc.)

Lesson 12
Wilford Woodruff’s Mission to England
• Look for what he did to find people.
• Elder Woodruff asked the Lord in
prayer where he should go. He
recounted: “I asked my Heavenly
Father in the name of Jesus Christ to
teach me his will in this thing, and as I
asked, the Lord gave, and showed me
that it was his will that I should go
immediately to the south of England.
I conversed with brother William
Benbow upon this subject, who had
lived in Herefordshire and had friends
still residing there, and much wished
me to visit that region of country.’”
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Lesson 12
• Elder Woodruff recorded that, “In one hour after I arrived
at his house, I learned why the Lord had sent me there. …
I found a company of men and women, some six
hundred, who had banded together under the name of
United Brethren, and were laboring for the ancient order
of things. They wanted the Gospel as taught by the
prophets and apostles, as I did in my youth.” Elder
Woodruff’s companion William Benbow said it was a “
happy privilege of seeing his brother John Benbow, and
all his household, … baptized into the new and
everlasting covenant.”
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Lesson 12
• Elder Woodruff stayed later recalled: “The first 30 days after I
arrived in Herefordshire I baptized 45 preachers and several
hundred members. … We brought in 2,000 in about 8 months’
labor.”
• Later, he wrote: “The whole history of this Herefordshire
mission shows the importance of listening to the still small
voice of God and the revelations of the Holy Ghost. The Lord
had a people there prepared for the Gospel. They were
praying for light and truth, and the Lord sent me to them”
(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff [2004], 90–91).
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Lesson 12
Questions to Discuss / Ponder
• What did Elder Woodruff do to determine where to
find people who were ready to receive the gospel?
• In what ways did the Lord assist Elder Woodruff?
• What do we learn from this story?
The Lord can help us to find people who
have been prepared to accept the
gospel when we pray for help, listen to
the Spirit, and then act in faith.

Lesson 12
The Family of God
• “All people on the earth were members of God’s family in
the premortal life. We are part of God’s family in this life
and can enjoy even greater blessings as members of His
family in the life to come. We are all brothers and sisters
in the family of God. This knowledge gives us a sense of
identity and belonging. It gives us reason to hope for
eternal life in God’s presence. We understand these basic
truths because of the Restoration. Teaching restored
truths to your brothers and sisters is your responsibility
and blessing.” (PMG)
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Lesson 12
We Are All Part of the Same Divine
Family of God
• “A fundamental doctrine
and heartfelt conviction of
our religion is that all
people are God’s children.
We truly believe that we
are brothers and sisters—
all part of the same divine
family. …Together, we can
extend this love to all God’s
children—our fellow
brothers and sisters.”
• Pres Russell M. Nelson speaking at the
NAACP Convention in 2019

Lesson 12
Alma prayed, seeking to help his
apostate brethren, the Zoramites
• “O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have
success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.
Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious … ; therefore,
give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may
bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.” (Alma 31:34–35)
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Lesson 12
• How does the doctrine that all men and women are part
of God’s family influence your feelings about finding
people to teach?
• In the quotation from Alma 31:34–35, what did Alma
pray for as he prepared to preach to the Zoramites?
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Lesson 12
Find Them That Will Receive You
• “You are to build up the Church by finding ‘them that will
receive you’ (D&C 42:8). Such people will recognize that
you are the Lord’s servants. They will be willing to act on
your message. Many of these people have been ‘kept
from the truth [only] because they know not where to
find it’ (D&C 123:12).” (PMG)
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Lesson 12
Wherever You Are Assigned, that Is
Where the Lord Wants You
• D&C 100: 4 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to
come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for
the salvation of souls.
• 5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto
this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your
hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;
• 6 For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the
very moment, what ye shall say.
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Lesson 12
Finding by the
Spirit
• “Finding by the Spirit is
as important as
teaching by the Spirit.
As in teaching, your
efforts in finding will be
effective if you are
guided by the Spirit.
Have faith that you will
know what to teach and
what to do to find those
who will receive you.”
(PMG)
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Lesson 12
When people do not accept the
gospel, do not be discouraged.
• “When people choose not to
learn more about the restored
gospel, your work is not wasted.
Your consistent efforts in serving
and teaching as many people as
you can are one way God
prepares His children to
eventually receive His servants.
He often reaches out to His
children through you. Even when
people do not accept the
opportunity to learn the gospel,
your service and words are
evidence of God’s love for them
and may plant seeds that future
missionaries and members of the
Church will harvest.” (PMG) Image from the Gospel
Media library on

Lesson 12
• What are some challenges missionaries face when
trying to find people to teach?
• How can a missionary maintain a healthy attitude
even when people decline to hear their message?
• How does finding ‘them that will receive you’ (D&C
42:8) affect the way missionaries work?
• What should missionaries do when they do not see
immediate results of their finding efforts?

Lesson 12
The Importance of Member
Missionary Work
• “Now is the time for
members and missionaries
to come together, to work
together, to labor in the
Lord’s vineyard to bring
souls unto Him. He has
prepared the means for us
to share the gospel in a
multitude of ways, and He
will assist us in our labors if
we will act in faith to fulfill
His work.”
• Thomas S. Monson, “Faith in the Work
of Salvation”, June 23, 2013
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Lesson 12
Work with Members of the Church
to Find People to Teach
• “The ideal situation is when members invite others
to be taught and are present for the teaching. When
members do this, more people are baptized and
remain active in the Church. Association with
members is important because it softens people’s
hearts and often leads them to learn more about the
restored gospel. This often means that they are
brought into the circle of friends of Church
members.” (PMG)
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Lesson 12
The Importance of Members and
Missionaries Working Together
• “So many of us look upon
missionary work as simply tracting.
Everyone who is familiar with this
work knows there is a better way.
That way is through the members
of the Church. Whenever there is a
member who introduces
[someone], there is an immediate
support system. The member bears
testimony of the truth of the work.
He is anxious for the happiness of
his … friend. He becomes excited
as that friend makes progress in
learning the gospel.” Image from the Gospel
Media library on

Lesson 12
The Importance of Members and
Missionaries Working Together
• “[The member] will bear sincere
testimony of the divinity of the work.
He will be there to answer questions
when the missionaries are not
around. He will be a friend to the
convert who is making a big and often
difficult change. … The process of
bringing new people into the Church
is not the responsibility alone of the
missionaries. They succeed best when
members become the source from
which new [people] are found.”
• Gordon B. Hinckley, “Find the Lambs, Feed the
Sheep,” Ensign, May 1999 Image from the Gospel
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Lesson 12
“Remember the worth of souls is great
in the sight of God” -D&C 18:10
• D&C 18:14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto
this people.
• 15 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!
• 16 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!
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Lesson 12
“Open your mouths and they shall
be filled” – D&C 33:10
• D&C 33:6 And even so will I gather
mine elect from the four quarters of
the earth, even as many as will
believe in me, and hearken unto my
voice.
• 7 Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you,
that the field is white already to
harvest; wherefore, thrust in your
sickles, and reap with all your might,
mind, and strength.
• 8 Open your mouths and they shall
be filled, and you shall become even
as Nephi of old, who journeyed from
Jerusalem in the wilderness.
• 9 Yea, open your mouths and spare
not, and you shall be laden with
sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am
with you.

Lesson 12
Pray for Missionary Opportunities
• “Brothers and sisters, fear will be
replaced with faith and confidence
when members and the full-time
missionaries kneel in prayer and ask
the Lord to bless them with
missionary opportunities. Then, we
must demonstrate our faith and
watch for opportunities to introduce
the gospel of Jesus Christ to our
Heavenly Father’s children, and
surely those opportunities will come.
These opportunities will never
require a forced or a contrived
response. They will flow as a natural
result of our love for our brothers
and sisters.”
Image from the Gospel Media library on churchofjesuschrist.org

Lesson 12
Pray for Missionary Opportunities
• “It is impossible for us to fail when we
do our best when we are on the Lord’s
errand. While the outcome is a result
of the exercise of one’s agency,
sharing the gospel is our
responsibility. Trust the Lord. He is the
Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep,
and His sheep know His voice; and
today the voice of the Good Shepherd
is your voice and my voice. And if we
are not engaged, many who would
hear the message of the Restoration
will be passed by. …Pray, personally
and in your family, for missionary
opportunities.”
• M. Russell Ballard, “Put Your Trust in the Lord,” Nov.
2013
Image from the Gospel Media library on churchofjesuschrist.org

Lesson 12
• Why is the work more effective when members and
missionaries work togethers?
• Why do you think some Church members hesitate to
talk to others about their faith?
• What can members do to develop greater confidence
to introduce the gospel to others?
• What could you do now to invite others to learn
about the gospel message?

Lesson 12
Missionaries Authorized to Use the
Internet in Proselyting
• “When I was a young missionary,
we were able to speak with
contacts on the street and knock
on doors to share the gospel. The
world has changed since that time.
Now, many people are involved in
the busyness of their lives. They
hurry here and there, and they are
often less willing to allow
complete strangers to enter their
homes, uninvited, to share a
message of the restored gospel.
Their main point of contact with
others, even with close friends, is
often via the Internet. The very
nature of missionary work,
therefore, must change if the Lord
is to accomplish His work of
gathering Israel.” Image from the Gospel
Media library on

Lesson 12
Use All Tools That God Has
Prepared, including Digital Ones
• “As missionaries enter this new
age where they will use
computers in the work of the
Lord, we invite the young and the
old, the adults, the young adults,
the youth, and the children
everywhere to join with us in …
sharing their gospel messages
online. …I wish to make it clear
that what we, as members, are
asked to do has not changed; but
the way in which we fulfill our
responsibility to share the gospel
must adapt to a changing world.”
• L. Tom Perry, “Missionary Work in the
Digital Age”, June 23, 2013
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Lesson 12
• What are some advantages of using online tools to
share the gospel?
• What are some digital tools you could use to share
your testimony and invite others to learn more?

Lesson 12
What if “we plead to find those
who are willing to let God prevail?”
• “One of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is ‘let
God prevail.’ Thus the very name of Israel refers to a
person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life.
That concept stirs my soul! …We often pray that we and
the missionaries will be led to those who are prepared to
receive the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I
wonder, to whom will we be led when we plead to find
those who are willing to let God prevail in their lives?”
• Let God Prevail by President Russell M. Nelson, Oct 2020
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Lesson 12
Conclusion and Homework
• Write a few things in your journal that you can do to
find people for the missionaries to teach
• Prepare now for full-time missionary service by
sharing the gospel, in person or online
• Church Videos to Check Out
• Video “Developing the Faith to Find” (2:55)
• Video “The Lord of the Harvest: The Adams Family” (4:41)
• Video “Sharing Your Beliefs” (2:02)

Lesson 12
Thank You for Watching or Listening
• I have a testimony that these things are true
• Visit the Latter-day Saint Mission Prep Website at
• www.MormonMissionPrep.com

Mission Prep Class: Lesson 12: Finding People to Teach

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