Teaching Doctrine Effectively

Dear Sisters and Elders –

As full-time missionaries, we teach people true doctrine to help them gain the faith necessary to repent and qualify for baptism and confirmation (see PMG, 8).  

Why is true doctrine so important?  

Alma the Younger explained that “preaching the word…had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than…anything else” (Alma 31:5).  President Boyd K. Packer also taught: “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior” (“Little Children,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17).  

We must teach effectively so people can understand the basic doctrines of the gospel.  The Spirit can then testify of the truths that we teach (PMG, 3) and the person being taught will have the chance to grow in faith and to repent.

How do we teach doctrine effectively?

Preach My Gospel provides many important principles for effective teaching.  However, there are four elements that are fundamental to teaching any basic doctrine with power. These elements include:

• Explain the principle clearly (PMG, 182)
• Use a scripture (PMG, 180-181)
• Testify of the principle (PMG, 198-199)
• Ask a question for understanding (PMG, 183-184, and 44, 58, 70 for examples of questions)

(Ultimately, effective teaching always leads to a commitment invitation.  After all, our purpose is not simply to teach, but to invite and help people to change.)

Invitation

As a companionship, evaluate your teaching and use of the four fundamental elements described above. Identify areas of strength and determine ways to improve. 

Also, I invite each of us to create a reference chart that lists the 35 doctrinal principles contained in the first four lessons (PMG, 31-81) and “commit to memory the sequence of doctrinal principles” (PMG, 20). Identify “scriptures, questions, and examples” for each doctrinal principle (PMG, 20) and record them on the reference chart.  These references will provide the doctrinal building blocks for you to teach any lesson to anyone at any time, and will help you to teach more powerfully by the Spirit.

With love and admiration,

President Pingree

The Lindseys

A wonderful couple, Elder and Sister Lindsey, recently joined the Texas Houston Mission. They will be serving in the office as mission secretary and fleet coordinator.  We are grateful for their willingness to serve. This is their fourth mission.  Also, interviews/training continued with missionaries serving in Cypress, Spring, The Woodlands and Houston.  Attached are a few pictures taken during the week.

Elder and Sister Lindsey

Need supplies?

Copies of the Book of Mormon in many languages

The Power of Preach My Gospel

Dear Sisters and Elders –

We have been urged by the First Presidency to “use [Preach My Gospel] daily in [our] personal and companion preparation, and in [our] district meetings and zone conferences” (PMG, v).  Why is this so important?  There are many reasons, but I will mention two in particular:

First, Preach My Gospel defines the way the Lord wants us to share His gospel. Preach My Gospel was edited, approved, and endorsed by each member of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. From Preach My Gospel we learn:

• Our missionary purpose
• What to teach and how to teach it
• How to qualify for and follow the Spirit
• How to use the Book of Mormon
• How to use our time most effectively
• How to find people to teach and to lead them to conversion 
• How to work productively with local leaders and members

When we follow the principles and concepts in Preach My Gospel, we are entitled to divine help and assistance. Used together with the scriptures, we do not need any other teaching aids. “Preach My Gospel is intended to help you be a better-prepared, more spiritually mature missionary and a more persuasive teacher” (PMG, v).   

Second, studying and applying Preach My Gospel is critical for our own conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained: “[Preach My Gospel] was created to convert the missionary before we…convert the investigator…   It is supposed to get in your bones, it is supposed to be down in…your soul. The most important contact and conversion, investigator and baptism you will ever have is yourself” (Missionary Training Center devotional, January 13, 2009).

Preach My Gospel will prepare us to be more successful once we return home. “Probably the greatest benefit of Preach My Gospel will be seen in the lives of returned missionaries, who will be stronger parents, more able Church leaders, and better professionals because of the growth that comes from understanding and applying its inspired content” (Richard G. Scott, “The Power of Preach My Gospel,” General Conference, April 2005).

I invite each of us to make Preach My Gospel an integral part of our daily personal and companion study. Identify ways that you and your companion can use Preach My Gospel more effectively.  Leaders, please determine ways that you can use Preach My Gospel more powerfully in district and zone meetings.  As we study the principles in Preach My Gospel and apply them more effectively in our lives, we will become more powerful missionaries and gain a deeper conversion to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

With love and respect,

President Pingree

Interviews Begin

This week we held interviews and training in Katy, Conroe and Houston West - about 40% of mission. Our training focused on teaching lesson principles from Preach My Gospel simply, with love and by the Spirit. We also discussed good, better and best activities for fulfilling our missionary purpose. Please find below pictures from some of the training sessions, as well as a few others from the week.  

Obedience Brings Blessings

Dear Sisters and Elders –

Please find below experiences that a few of you shared with me recently:

“We just keep receiving referrals and it’s so awesome. I've been kind of wondering where and how all these referrals came to us and I feel strongly that it is because we have been obedient missionaries.  We received 7 referrals in the past 10 days. Obedience brings blessings (miracles)!”

“During personal study I began pondering and praying to know how I could come closer to the Lord.  I received a really special answer: ‘By doing My will you get to know Me.’ As I pondered about the answer, I began to understand what this means. By being obedient to God's will we begin to understand Him. As we put our faith in Him, we will begin to know Him. As we begin to know Him, our faith becomes stronger and our obedience becomes easier.”

”It was 8:40 PM and we couldn't think of anyone else to visit. We were debating if we should go home or not, but we knew we still had 20 minutes left to give the Lord. So we decided to go to a grocery store near our house and see if we could find someone.  When we got there, we found a woman and started talking to her. She had a ton of questions about our religion, and we got her information and are going to teach her. She was really interested. I know that if we follow the rules with exact obedience we will be blessed.”

Each of these experiences involves blessings resulting from obedience.  As full-time missionaries, we promised to live a higher standard of obedience during our tenure of service.  These higher standards are contained in the scriptures, Preach My Gospel, and the Missionary Handbook.  

Why Obedience?

“As a missionary, [we] are expected to keep the commandments willingly, to obey mission rules, and to follow the counsel of [our] leaders. Obedience is the first law of heaven.  It is an act of faith.  [We] may sometimes be required to do things [we] do not completely understand” (PMG, 122).

Obedience takes discipline and effort, and at times, is difficult.  Why then does God require our obedience? Why is obedience the first law of heaven? Why is obedience such an important part of our missionary service?  Though not exhaustive, please find below several reasons:

First, “Obedience shows our love for God” (PMG, 72). God is our loving Heavenly Father and sent His Son to be our Savior and Redeemer (John 3:16; Romans 8:32).  Jesus Christ suffered infinitely and performed the Atonement (D&C 19:16-19).  They demonstrate their love for us through the Atonement and through the blessings they give us every day.  When we obey, we show our gratitude and love for them (John 14:15, 21).

Second, “[God] blesses us as we strive to obey His commandments” (PMG, 72). When we willingly obey, we always receive a blessing (D&C 130:20-12; D&C 82:10; D&C 132:5).  As full-time missionaries, some important blessings we receive through obedience include: 

• The companionship of the Holy Ghost (MH, 4; D&C 121:45-46)
• More answers to prayers (1 John 3:22)
• Gospel knowledge (D&C 93:24, 27–28)
• Protection from the adversary (PMG, 122)
• Greater faith (John 7:17; PMG, 116)
• Added capacity to love others (John 15:9-11; PMG 118)
• Personal peace and happiness (Mosiah 2:41; D&C 59:23; Alma 41:10; D&C 105:6)

Even when it is difficult to obey, due to personal sacrifice or peer pressure, obedience brings blessings and ultimately joy (Alma 8:13-15).

Third, our choice to obey or disobey always impacts others (Romans 5:19).  Like it or not, every choice we make has a “ripple” effect on someone else—a missionary, an investigator, a member, or even a family member.  When tempted to disobey, please do not give into one of Satan’s most effective rationalizations: “I am not hurting anyone but myself.”

Fourth, we gain the trust and confidence of God and others when we obey the commandments and the missionary standards (MH, 4).  Obedience to the commandments and the missionary standards demonstrate personal integrity and our loyalty to God and His Son.  Missionaries, investigators, and members will have more confidence in us as we are obedient.  

Invitation

This week, I invite each of us to review completely the Missionary Handbook.  Identify areas where you are doing well.  Also, write down ways that you can be more obedient to the Lord’s standards for missionaries.  Exercise the faith to implement necessary changes.  As you do, I promise that you will receive added blessings from God and a greater power to influence others for good.

Important to remember is that obedience involves living both the spirit and the letter of the law. In fact, our understanding of the spirit of the law grows and develops as we live the letter of the law (Proverbs 16:3).  The Prophets of the Lord have asked us to obey the standards in the Missionary Handbook.  Not following the seemingly less important standards keeps us from enjoying greater blessings (Alma 37:6).

The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 2007, 160). Let’s make this our rule also.  It is much easier than reconsidering anew each decision we face.

Please know of the great respect we have for you and your sincere efforts to serve the Lord through obedience.  We are grateful for your examples.  We love serving with you!

Love,

President Pingree 

Christmas Conference Photos

Please find below pictures from our most recent Christmas zone conferences. The first half of the mission met on Friday, December 20th at the Spring Stake Center. The other half met on Monday, December 23rd at the Cypress Stake Center. Everyone is pictured except for a handful of late-comers. A big thank you to Zach and Kaity Fisher.

God's Instrument for Gathering Israel

Dear Sisters and Elders –

“[The Book of Mormon] is God’s instrument to bring about the gathering of Israel” (Elder Russell M. Nelson, Seminar for New Mission Presidents, 24 June 2012).

“The Book of Mormon, combined with the Spirit, is your most powerful resource in conversion” (PMG, 104).

Why is the Book of Mormon “God’s instrument to bring about the gathering of Israel” and when combined with the Spirit the “most powerful resource in conversion?” While there are a number of reasons, let me mention just a few:

First, the Book of Mormon helps us to know who is prepared to received the message of the restored gospel and who is not. “The Book of Mormon is the great sifter.  We should invite people to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  If they respond to the Book, then they are ready.  If they do not respond, then they are not ready yet” (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Houston Tri-Mission Conference, 18 February 2012).

Second, a witness of the Book of Mormon leads to faith in Jesus Christ and the Restoration. Ezra Taft Benson explained: “The only problem the [investigator] has to resolve…is whether the Book of Mormon is true. For if the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and it is being led today by a prophet receiving revelation” (PMG, 109).

Third, it serves as a catalyst for connecting with God and finding spiritual strength.  “I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts…the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Power of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, June 1988, 6).

I invite each of us to re-evaluate our current use of the Book of Mormon in our missionary efforts.  As a companionship, prayerfully consider ways to use it more effectively in finding, teaching, retention, and study. As promised by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: “Pray for a vision of how the Book of Mormon can be used more effectively in your mission. I promise that as you do so, your mind will be enlightened with the direction that you should take (PMG, p. 110).”

Thank you for your effective use of the Book of Mormon and for seeking to use it in the way the Lord intended.

With love and respect,

President Pingree

Happy New Year!

Please find below pictures from this week's transfer.  We had 20 fantastic missionaries that went home and 17 new ones that arrived.  We are looking forward to a year full of miracles!

Departing Missionaries

Bell Family

New Missionaries

Can't forget the pillow pet!

New Missionaries with Trainers

Transfers in Hafer Parking Lot