Highlights from Preach My Gospel

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In response to Elder Richard G. Scott’s talk in conference on the Church’s new guide to missionary service, Preach My Gospel, my wife and I went to the distribution center on Saturday and bought a copy. I have been reading through large parts of it all weekend. This new program is a great improvement over the system we employed when I was a missionary 10 years ago. It also has some wonderful discussion of gospel principles. In fact, I am so impressed that I am considering adopting it as the principle study guide for my personal gospel study and my wife and I are discussing using it for our couple gospel study program.

I want to highlight some passages that stuck out to me. Some of them are doctrinal, some are explanations of policy, some relate to how missionary work is to be conducted, and others are related to recent discussions in the bloggernacle.

“There is neither man or woman in this Church who is not on a mission. That mission will last as long as they live, and it is to do good, to promote righteousness, to teach the principles of truth, and to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those principles that they may obtain eternal life.”(President Brigham Young, p.12)

“Missionary work is but home teaching to those who are not now members of the Church, and home teaching is nothing more or less than missionary work to Church members.”(President Harold B Lee, p. 13)

“The purpose of district meeting is to “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.(D&C 88:77)” (Introduction ix)

“You have the flexibility to teach the lessons in whatever way best helps people fully prepare for their baptism and confirmation. Your purpose is not only to cover the material; it is to help others come to Christ through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end…You can teach the lessons in many ways. Which lesson you teach, when you teach it, and how much time you give to it are best determined by the needs of the investigator and the direction of the Spirit. Do not memorize the entire lesson.” (Introduction vii, emphasis added)

“…the lessons do not tell you everything to say—or how to say it. Instead you are responsible to thoroughly understand the lessons and teach by the Spirit in your own words.” (p. 19)

“Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and help them become faithful members of the church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost. Avoid comparing yourself to other missionaries and measuring the outward results of your efforts against theirs. Remember that people have agency to choose whether to accept your message.” (p. 10, emphasis added)

“I always remember two young men who served in my mission. One was a superstar. He was educated. He was bright. He was quick. He was a little arrogant. We had another who was a sign painter. He came from a sign shop with very little education, but he knew his inadequacies and he relied on the Lord. When he prayed, you knew he was talking with the Lord. It wasn’t a rote thing, it was a conversation and that young man accomplished wonders while the other young man went through the motions.” (President Hinckley, p. 93)

“No matter where you serve or whom you teach, center your teaching on the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ…. we have one message: through a modern prophet, God has restored knowledge about the plan of salvation, which is centered on Christ’s Atonement and fulfilled by living the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel…As you help investigators see the pattern of apostasy and restoration, they will be prepared to understand the great need for the latter-day Restoration. They will see the need to accept the restored gospel, receive the ordinances of salvation by the authority of the restored priesthood, and follow the way to eternal life. Help people recognize that the Church is not just another religion, nor is it an American church. Rather, it is a restoration of the “fullness of [the] gospel” (D&C 1:23), the same as was revealed and taught from the beginning.” (p. 6-7, emphasis added)

“We have a powerful message with a unique vocabulary. Just as a physician speaks differently in the family waiting room than in the operating room, so too you must learn to speak so that those who are unfamiliar with our message can understand what you are teaching.”(p. 21)

There are five lessons: 1. The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 2. The Plan of Salvation. 3. The Gospel of Jesus Christ 4. The Commandments 5. Laws and Ordinances. “Teach the first four lessons before baptism. Make sure those you teach qualify for baptism and confirmation by making and keeping all of the commitments in these lessons. Full-time missionaries take the lead in teaching lessons before baptism with the help of ward missionaries and other members. After baptism, new members are taught the first four lessons again, as well as “Laws and Ordinances.” Ward leaders determine whether ward missionaries or full-time missionaries lead out in ensuring that these lessons are taught and how long the full-time missionaries are involved.” (p. 29, emphasis added)

“Unless directed by the Spirit, for each of the first three lessons, you should give the full content in the order in which they are written.” (p. 30)

“Memorize Joseph Smith’s description of seeing the Father and the Son (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17), and always be ready to describe the First Vision using his own words. Do not rush through it. Bear sincere testimony that you know it is true.” (p. 38, emphasis added)

”Investigators must resolve for themselves their concerns and objections. You can help as you focus them on what will strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ—reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. When they strengthen their testimony of the Restoration, they will have the strength to overcome their objections and concerns. As you answer concerns, remember that our understanding comes from modern prophets—Joseph Smith and his successors—who receive direct revelation from God. Therefore the first question for an investigator to answer is whether Joseph Smith was a prophet, and he or she can answer this question by reading and praying about the Book of Mormon.”(p. 109)

“Over time your mission president may establish standards of excellence or mission goals intended to raise your vision and increase your faith. District, zone, and mission standards will help you stretch, work effectively, and reach higher levels of performance. They are not to be used as quotas that impose specific goals on you and your companion.“ (p. 146, emphasis added)

“Elder Jeffery R. Holland taught: ‘More important than speaking is listening. These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have. Be genuine. Reach out sincerely. Ask these friends what matters most to them. What do they cherish, and what do they hold dear? And then listen…..If we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us—by the Spirit and by our friends.’ ” (p. 185)

“To avoid embarrassment, some people will answer the way they think you want them to answer rather than share their true feelings. Seek to develop a relationship that allows them to be comfortable sharing their true feelings with you.” (p. 186)

“Genuine repentance is best demonstrated by righteous actions over a period of time, especially for commandments such as chastity, the Word of Wisdom, and tithing. As you and ward leaders work with people to help them keep their commitments , show understanding. Be patient but persistent. You have not finished your ministry until people are living these commitments, or in other words, until they have repented.” (p. 200, emphasis added)

“Repentance may involve an emotional and physical process. People must stop ongoing, ingrained ways of inappropriate acting. Undesirable actions must be replaced with healthy and appropriate behaviors. Thus, both repentance and recovery may take time. Sometimes converts, even with the best if intentions, give in to temptation as they progress toward greater self-discipline. In such cases new converts work with their priesthood leaders, not with the missionaries, as they seek to overcome temptation and fully repent.” (p. 187-188, emphasis added)

Regarding investigators and new and less-active members with addictions: “Since it is likely that some may return to an addiction, priesthood leaders and members should not be shocked or discouraged if they learn that an investigator or new member may be struggling with such problems. They should show confidence in the individual and not be judgmental if the person yields to an old craving. They should treat it as a temporary and understandable setback. Condemning the addicted investigator or new convert is never helpful…” (p. 189, emphasis added)

“Before you can teach or baptize an investigator who is under legal age, you must obtain permission from the parent(s) or legal guardian(s), preferably in writing. In addition, you should have good reason to believe that the child understands the baptismal covenant and will make every effort to keep it through obedience to the gospel, including faithfully attending Church meetings.”(p. 207, emphasis added)

“Baptism of family members should not be delayed so that the father can perform the baptisms himself.” (p. 207)

“Do I need permission of the spouse in order to baptize a husband or wife? Yes. Do not baptize a married person without the consent of his or her spouse.” (p. 207, emphasis added)

“Commitments: Will you meet the bishop? Will you sustain and follow the counsel of Church Leaders?”(p. 76, emphasis added)

“Commitment: Will you obey the laws of the country in which you reside?” (p. 81)

“A new convert is considered a member of the church after the ordinances of baptism and confirmation are performed. New converts are confirmed in a sacrament meeting of the ward where they reside, not at the baptismal service. The bishop is responsible for seeing that the confirmation occurs as soon as reasonable after the baptism. The bishop or one of his counselors participates in the confirmation.” (p. 210)

“As appropriate, continue throughout your life to communicate with those whom you taught and to encourage and support them.” (p. 210)

“It is not enough for people to simply come into the Church. They must come to stay. All of your teaching and invitations must be directed toward this end.” (p. 221)

“President Boyd K Packer said, “It is important for a…missionary…to know that the Holy Ghost can work through the light of Christ. A teacher of gospel truths is not planting something foreign or even new into an adult or child. Rather, the missionary or teacher is making contract with the Spirit of Christ already there. The gospel will have a familiar “ring” to them”(p. 90, emphasis added)

“In most cultures there are people who believe that holy or inspired people receive some form of guidance and directions from Deity. However, not all inspired individuals are prophets of God as defined in the restored gospel.” (p. 34, emphasis added)

“Throughout history, many people have sincerely believed in false creeds and doctrines. They have worshiped according to the light they possessed and have received answers to their prayers. Yet, they are “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (D&C 123:12)” (p. 36, emphasis added)

“Men and women who are living together but are not married may not be baptized without first getting married or separated. Those who are married to more than one person at a time may not be baptized.” (p. 77, emphasis added)

“Some people may confuse the doctrine of resurrection with the concept of reincarnation. The concept of reincarnation involves being born into the world again in a different form and is false doctrine.” (p. 53, emphasis added)

“Those who have repented of their sins and received the ordinances of the gospel and kept the associated covenants will be cleansed by the Atonement of Christ. They will received exaltation in the highest kingdom, also known as the celestial kingdom. They will live in God’s presence, become like Him, and receive a fullness of joy. They will live together for eternity with those of their family who qualify.” (p 53, emphasis added)

“Heaven is a continuation of the ideal home.” (p. 85)

“A word of caution. As you pray for inspiration, you should also confirm your feelings. For example, compare your decisions with the scriptures and the teachings of the living prophets. Be certain that the feelings are consistent with the assignment you have; for example, you will not receive revelation to tell a local bishop how he should perform in his calling. Discuss your decisions and conclusions with your companion, your district leader, or your mission president when appropriate.” (p. 98, emphasis added)

“President Howard W. Hunter offered this counsel: ‘Let me offer a word of caution….I think that if we are not careful…, we may begin to try to counterfeit the true influence of the Spirit of the Lord by unworthy and manipulative means. I get concerned when it appears that strong emotion or free-flowing tears are equated with the presence of the Spirit. Certainly the Spirit of the Lord can bring string emotional feelings, including tears, but the outward manifestation ought not to be confused with the presence of the Spirit itself‘ (p. 99, emphasis added)

“Revelation and spiritual experiences are sacred. They should be kept private and discussed only in appropriate situations….Resist the temptation to talk freely about these experiences.” (p. 99)

“President Ezra Taft Benson taught…’…all objections, whether they be on abortion, plural marriage, seventh-day worship, etc., basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation…the only problem the objector has to resolve for himself is whether the Book of Mormon is true.’ ”(p. 108-109)

“Christlike attributes are gifts from God. They come as you use your agency righteously. Ask your Heavenly Father to bless you with these attributes; you cannot develop them without His help.” (p. 115)

“What you choose to think and do when you are alone and you believe that no one is watching is a strong measure of your virtue….Your mind is like a stage in a theater; in the theater of your mind, however, only one actor can be on stage at a time. If the theater is left bare, thoughts of darkness and sin often enter the stage to tempt. But these thoughts have no power if the stage of your mind is occupied by wholesome thoughts, such as memorized hymn or verse of scripture that you can call upon in a moment of temptation. By controlling the stage of your mind, you can successfully resist persistent urges to yield to temptation and indulge in sin. You can become pure and virtuous.” (p. 118-119, emphasis added)

20 thoughts on “Highlights from Preach My Gospel”

  1. Thanks for the review and the quotes. Now I’m very interested in seeing/examining this book as well.

    I was intrigued by two rules: 1) that a husband or wife could not be approved for baptism without the consent of the spouse and 2) that children could not be taught or baptized without permission, “preferably in writing” from a parent or legal guardian. The practical result of following these two rules is that (with few exceptions) one spouse won’t be taught the discussions without the other and that children will be taught with parents. Imagine the inconvenient steps missionaries would have to go through to teach a wife or husband without his/her spouse or to get permission in writing to teach a child. It will be much easier for the missionaries to simply determine that (in most situations) they will teach families when all are together or not at all. And when absolutely necessary most missionaries will go through requisite steps to get permissions from the get-go. After all, it would really be discouraging to go entirely through the processes of conversion and repentance outlined in these rules only to have a husband or wife refuse to give permission. It will be interesting to see how often missionaries might encounter wives that refuse permission for their husbands to be baptized, rather than the other way around. In a de facto way this could be teaching some husbands that they must listen to their wives and not just the other way around.

    Many of the newer rules and the new format of the discussion appear to be better geared towards teaching the gospel to a non-Christian non-Western audience. Clarifications regarding the differences between resurrection and reincarnation, a rule against baptizing polygamists, the quick and clear distinction being made between inspired men and prophets — these seemed designed to help missionaries reach out to people from Africa, China, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, etc. The missionary clearly is teaching the same discussions but has more ability to adapt according to the Spirit as well as the particular needs/perspectives of the investigators.

    In shorter terms, I’m really excited about this too. It really appears to be a step up and a maturation point in the Church’s general missionary program, based on the Church’s practical experiences in the mission field. Thanks for the post.

  2. A .pdf of this used to be up on the Church’s site, and then it disappeared. I emailed the curriculum department, and the response I got said that a decision had been made to remove it from the site, it would not be reappearing, and they apologized for the inconvience 🙂

    I think the new manual is great, and I hope a forerunner of good manuals to come. I’d almost categorize as a minor paradigm shift.

  4. I’d almost categorize as a minor paradigm shift.

    Please say more on why you think this is the case.

  5. I just got called to be ward mission leader (yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking about people like me doing missionary work [the MTC mission president said the same thing toward the end of my 14 day mission]–I didn’t chose the calling).

    At any rate, I’m in the process of reading Preach My Gospel and I just happen to have a copy here at work. The copyright date is 2004. Beneath the copyright info, it reads “English approval: 7/04.”

  8. When my wife asked my what I learned after the Saturday sessions, I said that I learned that I needed to get a copy of the “Preach My Gospel” Book. My wife looked at me strangly and just moved on. Now I know that I should follow through with that prompting. Thanks.

  9. “Memorize Joseph Smith’s description of seeing the Father and the Son (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17), and always be ready to describe the First Vision using his own words. Do not rush through it. Bear sincere testimony that you know it is true.” (p. 38, emphasis added)

    Fact #1: Joseph Smith did not write the “official” version

    Despite popular notion, the official 1838 version of the First Vision was not written by Joseph Smith’s hand. The manuscript of this work is in the handwriting of James Mulholland, who was serving as Joseph Smith’s secretary. No doubt Joseph Smith was involved in the creation of the 1838 account, but it was not written by him. In fact, it went through several edits and sat around for years before it was first published in 1842.

    “The third and most important account of the vision, dictated by Joseph in 1838 as part of his History of the Church, underwent several revisions before it was recorded by James Mulholland sometime in 1839.”
    – England and Anderson, “Tending the Garden”, p.90

    The 1838 account was an embellishment of the earlier 1835 account, which was also written by a scribe and contradicts the 1838 account. See: http://www.irr.org/mit/First-Vision-Accounts.html

    Since the 1838 account was canonized and artfully written in the first person, most people assume Joseph Smith wrote it. However, he didn’t write it, unlike the earlier accounts that were in his handwriting – and which happen to contradict the 1838 “official” version of the story.

    Granted, not a testimony killer. But read the First Vision in the authentic third-person, knowing Smith didn’t write it, and you’ll notice how less compelling it is.

    Read all of the First Vision accounts here.

    To understand why this is so important, read here.

    Fact #2: The First Vision wasn’t even known by church members until 1842, and even then it wasn’t very important

    “As far as Mormon literature is concerned, there was apparently no reference to Joseph Smith’s first vision in any published material in the 1830’s. Joseph Smith’s history, which was begun in 1838, was not published until it ran serially in the Times and Seasons in 1842. The famous “Wentworth Letter,” which contained a much less detailed account of the vision, appeared March 1, 1842, in the same periodical. Introductory material to the Book of Mormon, as well as publicity about it, told of Joseph Smith’s obtaining the gold plates and of angelic visitations, but nothing was printed that remotely suggested earlier visitations.”

    “In 1833 the Church published the Book of Commandments, forerunner to the present Doctrine and Covenants, and again no reference was made to Joseph’s first vision, although several references were made to the Book of Mormon and the circumstances of its origin.”

    “The first regular periodical to be published by the Church was The Evening and Morning Star, but its pages reveal no effort to tell the story of the first vision to its readers. Nor do the pages of the Latter-day Saints Messenger and Advocate, printed in Kirtland, Ohio, from October, 1834, to September, 1836. In this newspaper Oliver Cowdery, who was second only to Joseph Smith in the early organization of the Church, published a series of letters dealing with the origin of the Church. These letters were written with the approval of Joseph Smith, but they contained no mention of any vision prior to those connected with the Book of Mormon.”

    “In 1835 the Doctrine and Covenants was printed at Kirtland, Ohio, and its preface declared that it contained “the leading items of religion which we have professed to believe.” Included in the book were the “Lectures on Faith,” a series of seven lectures which had been prepared for the School of the Prophets in Kirtland in 1834-35. It is interesting to note that, in demonstrating the doctrine that the Godhead consists of two separate personages, no mention was made of Joseph Smith having seen them, nor was any reference made to the first vision in any part of the publication.”

    “The first important missionary pamphlet of the Church was the Voice of Warning, published in 1837 by Parley P. Pratt. The book contains long sections on items important to missionaries of the 1830’s, such as fulfillment of prophecy, the Book of Mormon, external evidence of the book’s authenticity, the resurrection, and the nature of revelation, but nothing, again, on the first vision.”

    “The Times and Seasons began publication in 1839, but, as indicated above, the story of the vision was not told in its pages until 1842. From all this it would appear that the general church membership did not receive information about the first vision until the 1840’s and that the story certainly did not hold the prominent place in Mormon thought that it does today.”
    – Dialogue, Vol.1, No.3, p.31 – p.32

    In 1854

    “Some one may say, ‘If this work of the last days be true, why did not the Saviour come himself to communicate this intelligence to the world?’ Because to the angels was committed the power of reaping the earth, and it was committed to none else.” – Apostle Orson Hyde, General Conference Address, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p.335

    In 1855

    Church President and Prophet Brigham Young taught on Feb. 18, 1855: “…so it was in the advent of thi new dispensation….The messenger did not come to an eminent divine…The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven,…But He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day,…” ( Journal of Discourses, vol.2, p.171)

    (It is certain Young is speaking of the First Vision for he says the angel told Smith to join no church for they were all wrong. This is the very question the official version of the story states Smith asked of the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove.)

    A few days later Apostle Wilford Woodruff declared: “That same organization and Gospel that Christ died for, and the Apostles spilled their blood to vindicate, is again established in this generation. How did it come? By the ministering of an holy angel from God,… The angel taught Joseph Smith those principles which are necessary for the salvation of the world;… He told him the Gospel was not among men, and that there was not a true organization of His kingdom in the world,… This man to whom the angel appeared obeyed the Gospel;…” (Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, pp.196-197)

    In 1857

    Church Apostle Heber C. Kimball, speaking Nov. 8th, 1857, seemed to be oblivious to any vision where Smith saw God and Christ: “Do you suppose that God in person called upon Joseph Smith, our Prophet? God called upon him; but God did not come himself and call, but he sent Peter to do it. Do you not see? He sent Peter and sent Moroni to Joseph, and told him that he had got the plates.” (Journal of Discourses, vol.6, p.29)

    In 1863

    Church Apostle John Taylor explained in a sermon March 1, 1863: “How did this state of things called Mormonism originate? We read that an angel came down and revealed himself to Joseph Smith and manifested unto him in vision the true position of the world in a religious point of view.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 10, p.127)

    Church Apostle George A. Smith, Nov. 15th, 1863, preached: “When Joseph Smith was about fourteen or fifteen years old,…he went humbly before the Lord and inquired of Him, and the Lord answered his prayer, and revealed to Joseph, by the ministration of angels, the true condition of the religious world. When the holy angel appeared, Joseph inquired which of all these denominations was right and which he should join, and was told they were all wrong,…” (Journal of Discourses, Vol.12, pp.333-334)

    In 1869

    Five years later Apostle Smith again referred to Smith’s first vision: “He sought the Lord by day and by night, and was enlightened by the vision of an holy angel. When this personage appeared to him, of his first inquiries was, ‘Which of the denominations of Christians in the vicinity was right?’ ” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p.77-78 June 20, 1869 )

    Fact#3: Like most of Smith’s work, the first vision is strikingly similar to someone else’s story

    Michael Quinn, in his excellent book “The Mormon Hierarchy : Origins of Power” mentions that in 1838 a 14 year-old Mormon boy had a vision of God and Jesus and talked to them “face to face.”

    “7 May, 1838. James G. Marsh, 14-year-old son of the president of the Quorum of Twelve, dies. The Elder’s Journal issue of July notes that at age nine this boy “had a remarkable vision, in which he talked with the Father and many of the ancient prophets face to face, and beheld the Son of God coming in his glory.” No publication at this time had yet referred to Smith’s vision of the Father and the Son.”
    (D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, p.628)

    It’s interesting to note that this boy’s first vision-type story was published just before Joseph Smith’s secretary wrote the “official” first vision story with the Father and the Son.

    Joseph Smith was the editor of the “Elders Journal” when the the boy’s obituary appeared:

    Elder’s Journal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
    Far West, Missouri, July 1828

    Vol.1, No.3, p.48
    OBITUARY.
    DIED on the 7th of May last, James G. Marsh, second son of Thomas B. Marsh, aged 14 years, 11 months and seven days.

    From early infancy he manifested a love and reverence towards his Heavenly Father, while his parents diligently taught him the first principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And having a thirst for knowledge and a love of good principles, he eagerly embraced the gospel, and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints, early in the spring of 1832, being between eight and nine years of age.

    His great love of knowledge led him to take hold of every opportunity to read the most useful books, and as he was a lover of the gospel, he made himself well acquainted with the sacred writings, and even at this early age, he had become well skilled in profane as well as sacred history.

    It seems that the Lord had respect unto this lover of righteousness, for when he was but about nine years of age, he had a remarkable vision, in which he talked with the Father and many of the ancient prophets face to face, and beheld the Son of God coming in his glory.
    Is it just a coincidence that shortly after the above was published, Joseph Smith’s secretary first penned the Father and Son apparition version of the “first vision” story? Smith’s first vision story wasn’t published until five years later in 1842, but it was written just after this obituary in the summer of 1838.

  10. Rachel, while I appreciate your comments, they are significantly off topic for this particular thread and I would appreciate it if you and everyone else would not persue further discussion on this tangent. Please read our comments policy.

  11. I was happy to see the that Preach My Gospel received additional, unqualified support in General Conference, particularly from Elder Scott. I remarked to a few friends after Priesthood Session how unusual it was for Elder Scott to be talking about anything other than repentence…

    When I began reading Preach My Gospel, my first reaction was fear and worry. I would not describe the new approach as a “minor paradigm shift”, but a fundamental change in the Church. I thought, “THIS is what they are giving the missionaries? Without clear discussions to follow, those 20-yr-olds are going to ruin the whole program!”

    On the other hand, I was greatly encouraged and excited, since in reality, the principles in Preach My Gospel are what we followed a decade ago in Japan (we were ahead of our time), and they also represent what I believe is the best way to teach the Gospel, anyway. I’ve made similar comments about Gospel teaching on earlier threads.

    We are now using Preach My Gospel as a guideline for improving the Gospel teaching by the “civilians” in my ward. Hopefully, Preach My Gospel signals a sea-change Church-wide, where we can get away from dogmatically adhering to the lesson manuals, and teaching more by the guidance of the Spirit.

  12. Preach My Gospel signals a sea-change Church-wide, where we can get away from dogmatically adhering to the lesson manuals, and teaching more by the guidance of the Spirit.

    This is all I meant by a minor paradigm shift. I see it as a return to the early days of the Church, where missionaries preached the Gospel, not the discussions.

  13. Thanks so much for posting this, it’s invaluable and really wonderful. Sounds like a major paradigm shift to me, I love the emphasis on home teaching–and Elder Holland’s comment about listening. We are getting to the heart of Jesus’ personality, I think, that would be the spirit of the law, as well as the letter.

    Going from a point of view of love, rather than obligation. I really want to study this.

  14. What’s up with Rachel? Someone’s dying to share her knowledge with us all.

  15. The attention given to Preach My Gospel has been phenomenal. Elder Scott’s talk followed stake conference and sacrament meeting talks I have listened to that had this manual as their topic. Is it true that General Conference choirs will restrict their performances to arrangements from its pages for the next few years?

  16. Thanks for the link, which enabled me to obtain a copy of Preach My Gospel, which I’ve been trying to get for months. I thought it would be something that belongs in every Latter-day Saint home, and after looking at a few pages, it appears that my intuition was correct. 🙂

  17. Jon: First, thanks for the review. We just had a stake priesthood leadership meeting at which all ward leaders got a copy and were introduced to the book. You’re right, it is simply a terrific resource.

    Second, you have e-mail at the address you’ve used to communicate wit me in the past.

    Lowell

  18. I heard that some wards have a program to read Preach My Gospel in 90 days. Could some one email me the challege

    Thanks!

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