PMG p.vii
What does it mean to be a better-prepared, more spiritually mature, missionary, and a more persuasive teacher?
Better-prepared: Know what you want from your investigators, know what to say and teach, know what the commitments will be, and know what to do at any time, any where. It is also to be an obedient missionary who is willing to give all his heart, might mind and strength.
Do not prepare by thinking that you are preparing for a mission that is in a distant future. Do not wait to be worthy the day you enter the MTC. Your mission in reality starts right now! The best way to prepare is to assume that you're already on a mission and as a matter of fact, you already are!
More spiritually mature: We often say the words “feel the spirit”, “the spirit is the key”...etc Some textbook answers, but what does it really mean to be mature? It is to be more sensitive to the spirit, always seeking for revelation and having the faith to act on the revelation and being able to discern the needs of investigators. This means that you will be ever more prayerful, and your prayers are to be prayers of faith. You will be miracle workers, and the key to be spiritually mature is to be obedient.
More Persuasive Teacher: We are asked to be persuasive, but what is it that we are to persuade? Is it that we are right and you're wrong? Is it that we are the only true church and they're not? No. Of course not. We are called to serve, not to argue. To be a more persuasive teacher means that we are more able to persuade people to do things such as read the scriptures, pray, go to church. Another words – commitment. This is a big theme in Preach My Gospel.
Remember that you don't convert people. You merely raise a voice of warning and pass on the message and share the gospel and serve and to be an example of the believers to show them the way. You are not to argue, you do not convince people. You are merely the Lord's instrument to bring about the salvation of souls. It is the spirit that converts. However, your investigators will not feel the spirit or be more prepared to receive the spirit unless they keep the commitments outlined in Preach My Gospel.
Your Purpose and Role:
“Every missionary has an important role in helping 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man'” (PMG p.v; Moses 1:39)
“Your responsibility is to teach clearly and powerfully so they can make a correct choice.” (PMG p. 10)
“Your role is to help strengthen people in their resolve to change.” (PMG p.200)
“you are responsible to thoroughly understand the lessons and teach by the Spirit in your own words. Teach so that others will strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ, desire to repent, and enter into covenants with God.” (PMG p.19)
“You are commanded to reason with and expound the scriptures when you teach. Expounding the gospel means that you explain the meaning of doctrines and scriptural passages simply and clearly, relying on the Spirit to guide what you say.” (PMG p.182)
“Your purpose is not only to cover the material; it is to help others come unto Christ through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” (PMG p.vii)
“Teach so that people will make commitments and prepare for baptism and confirmation...Learn what someone should know, feel, and do because of your teaching.” (PMG p.20)
“You have not finished your ministry until people are living these commitments, or in other words, until they have repented.” (PMG p.200)
“Make sure those you teach qualify for baptism and confirmation by making and keeping all of the commitments.” (PMG p.29)
“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” (PMG p.9)
Topic to Study:
Your investigator has virtually no Christian background. He/she thinks that all the churches teach the same things. Show through the scriptures clearly 1) how apostasy has already started during the time of the Apostles. 2) the important roles of the offices of the church (especially apostles and prophets) and 3) the importance of unity in the church.
The aim of this exercise is to get you to thoroughly know the New Testament, because it is heavily used in the first lesson.