My Dear Brothers And Sisters...

My dear brothers and sisters: ¶

Sister Richards and I have recently returned from the missions on the east coast, and we rejoice in the tremendous growth of the kingdom. I am continually amazed and pleased as I travel throughout the missions and stakes of the Church to find so many members accepting the admonition of President McKay to be missionaries. How many of you have had the joy of seeing your friends and neighbors take an interest in the Church and be baptized, because of your being a missionary? ¶

Today I would like to talk to you about the Every Member a Missionary program — an inspired, effective, and interesting plan. One of the important characteristics of the Church of Jesus Christ is missionary activity. The Savior has charged us to ". . . teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt. 28:19.) And every nation includes our friends and the people we casually meet regardless of where we live. ¶

The question is: How can we, a relatively small group, accomplish this great responsibility? Certainly not with the sixteen thousand full-time, stake, and district missionaries we now have — regardless of how good they are! But, our beloved Prophet David O. ¶

McKay has given us the Every Member a Missionary plan. We can take the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people as the Every Member a Missionary plan is understood and used effectively throughout the Church and by using modern methods which become available as the Lord pours his Spirit upon all flesh. ¶

Heretofore, missionaries generally spent most of their time in finding interested persons to teach and a small part of their time in teaching. Now, the Every Member a Missionary plan gives the members a chance to do missionary work by finding interested persons for the missionaries to teach. This greatly increases the effectiveness of the missionaries. They can teach many more people, particularly as they are taught in groups. ¶

In working with the east coast missions, I find that the great increase in convert baptisms, and especially baptisms of entire families, is more and more attributable to the fact that a greater number of members are finding interested persons for the missionaries to teach — and the members are loving it. ¶

We had the opportunity of meeting many of these wonderful members and hearing of their exciting and happy experiences. I am confident that there are thousands of members of the Church that have a sincere desire to do missionary work, but don't know what to do or how to do it. How then can a member, regardless of age or sex, become an effective missionary within the meaning of the prophet's admonition — Every Member a Missionary? ¶

You ask, what can I do? Well, you can find persons who would like to know more about the Church. But, how can I find such persons? The following three ways are pretty much the basis of the Every Member a Missionary Program. ¶

First, ask people what they know about the Church and if they would like to know more — yes, ask the golden questions. ¶

Second, take your friends and neighbors to church meetings and socials. ¶

Third, live the gospel. As your friends and neighbors feel your love, they will want to know more about the Church. ¶

All three of these ways are part of the referral program as you arrange for the missionaries to teach the interested persons. When you find interested persons either by personal contact, over the telephone, or by correspondence, bring them into your home, preferably in a group and ask the missionaries in to give them the discussions. If they are out of the area, have your bishop give you the name and address of the nearest stake or mission to where the interested person lives and send the referral to the stake or mission president together with details of how you secured the name and other pertinent information. ¶

Let me elaborate on the three ways you can find persons who want to know more about the Church, by giving you a few interesting examples: ¶

First, ask the golden questions as you meet people personally or over the telephone or through the mail. I have asked the golden questions hundreds of times, and I have never embarrassed myself or the person I have asked. A few weeks ago I was registering in a motel in Raleigh, North Carolina. I asked the golden questions of the young man at the desk. He was not interested, but the young man standing behind him overheard our conversation. ¶

He had been to Salt Lake City, was impressed, and wanted to know more. I told him we had missionaries in Raleigh, and he gave me his name and address. ¶

He was very interested in having the missionaries call and tell him more about the Church. I immediately turned this golden contact over to the missionaries. ¶

A bishop's wife in Atlanta, Georgia, wanted to do missionary work but didn't know how or when she could find the time and still take care of her young family. The missionaries suggested that she telephone proselyte, ask the golden questions over the telephone from her own home in the evening after the children were in bed. She told me that the missionaries showed her how and that it was thrilling and most rewarding and not embarrassing. She has found many interested persons for the missionaries to teach. ¶

During the last year, thousands of letters have been written asking the golden questions. Many have responded, asking that the missionaries call on them, others have asked for literature or the Home Study guide — discussions by mail. Recently a woman from Oceola, Iowa, wrote us — "I am so glad that you are sending me these discussions. I thank you. Would it be too much to ask you to send me more of Joseph Smith's works?" ¶

Now the second way of finding interested persons is by taking your friends and neighbors to church meetings and socials. In Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Relief Society needed an organist The president asked a nonmember friend to help them out. She replied she would be glad to, and before long she became interested, was taught the gospel by the missionaries and was baptized. ¶

In the Southern States Mission a young girl was walking home with a friend and began humming, "Come, Come, Ye Saints." Her friend said, "My that's a beautiful melody. What is it?" The girl told her about it and made a date to take her to a church service. After attending a few times she arranged for the missionaries to teach her family. The family have all been baptized and are happy, doing their part in building the kingdom. ¶

I mentioned living the gospel as the third way to find interested persons. ¶

About ten days ago I was showing a man and his wife from Iowa around Temple Square. They were very interested and particularly so when Brother Alexander Schreiner took an active interest in them, showing them the organ and how it is played. Brother Schreiner really went the extra mile. I asked them if they knew any members of our Church in Iowa. They replied, yes, a wonderful family. Recently when a friend of theirs had a baby, this family took the children of the woman who was having the baby into their home while the mother was in the hospital. Both Brother Schreiner and the Iowa family were evidencing their love of their fellow men. These incidents have been an important factor in interesting this couple. They expressed a desire to know more about the Church. ¶

A short time ago while having dinner in a New York restaurant, we asked our waiter, a very fine man, the golden questions. He replied enthusiastically that he had been to Utah and California and had met several Latter-day Saint families, was very much impressed with their way of life, and would like to know more about the Church. He gave us his address in Brooklyn and seemed anxious to have the missionaries call at his home and give him and his family the discussions. We promptly gave this good referral to the mission president in New York. ¶

Most of us have had unusual experiences with people becoming interested and wanting to know more about the Church. The Lord has said, "Be ye strong from henceforth; fear not for the kingdom is yours." (D&C 38:15.) So let's not fear henceforth — ask the golden questions, take your friends and neighbors to Church meetings and socials, and live the gospel. As you do these things, you will find many persons who are interested in knowing more about the Church, and you will be a missionary within the meaning of the prophet's admonition — Every Member a Missionary. ¶

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God"; (Ibid., 18:10.) And again the Lord has said: ¶

"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! ¶

"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!" (Ibid., 18:15-16.) My brothers and sisters, we are engaged in building the kingdom. I know that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ. The gospel has been restored in its fulness, and it is our duty and great opportunity to share it with others. ¶

Joseph Smith was a great prophet, and David O. McKay is a great prophet. ¶

May we sustain our prophet in every way. ¶

Yes, the Every Member a Missionary program is inspired and is effective. ¶

May we get the vision of two million missionaries bringing souls into the kingdom, and may we feel the joy, happiness, and salvation that comes from active missionary work, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶