I found myself awake at 12:30am
Monday morning simply because I’m getting older. Between then at now, I have
found myself studying the Statistical Records of the Church as it pertains to
missionary work. Since the time that the number of full-time missionaries has
been made public in the Statistical Record (1977), the average number of annual
convert baptisms per missionary has fluctuated between a high of 8.03 in 1989
to a present low of 3.4 in 2013 and 3.5 in 2014.
So, how should we interpret this anomoly, wherein, a 44%
increase in the number of missionaries has resulted in a 9% increase in the
number of converts? Following are several of my thoughts on the subject:
First, the number of
converts each year is not a function of the number of missionaries in the field.
Rather, it is a function of whether or not the members are doing their job of
finding the people. It is not the missionarys’ job to find investigators; it is
their job to teach and to baptize. In his address to new mission presidents in
June 2000, Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught the role of members in
conversion:
President
Hinckley has called us to make a concerted effort to double the number of
converts who are currently being baptized each year. “The big initial task,” he
said, “is first to find interested investigators.” To do that, he said, we must
join in what he called the “better way”:
That [better] way is through the
members of the Church. Whenever there is a member who
introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system.
Continuing,
Elder Oak reiterated what President Hinckley had previously requested in 1999:
I request each stake and district president to accept full
responsibility and accountability for the finding and friendshipping of
investigators within your stake or district. I request each bishop and branch
president to accept the same responsibility within your ward or branch. (Oaks, Dallin H., The Role of Members in Conversion, Ensign, March 2003).
In
keeping with this directive, sections 5.1.1 through 5.1.6 of Handbook 2
provides that “the bishop and his counselors give priority to member missionary
work. They teach the doctrines of missionary work regularly. They
encourage ward members to work with full-time missionaries to
find,
teach, and baptize investigators. They set an example by finding and
preparing individuals and families for the missionaries to teach.” The
Handbook further stipulates “find[ing] and prepar[ing] people to
be taught” as the primary way that members participate
in missionary work. To complement these efforts, ward missionaries are likewise called to “find and prepare people for the full-time missionaries to
teach.”
Conversely,
the Handbook states that “full-time missionaries have the primary responsibility for
teaching investigators.” Notwithstanding the dramatic increase in the
number of full-time missionaries, members have not likewise increased
their efforts to FIND people to be taught. As a result, the number of converts
has remained stagnant.
Second, the Statistical
Record will show that missionary work enjoyed it greatest success as a result
of President Benson’s request for members to flood the earth with the Book of
Mormon, on the heels of President Kimball’s emphasis—every member a missionary.
The ultimate purpose for increasing the number of full-time missionaries by 44%
may yet be known. But one thing is certain, it is a spiritual testimony of the
First Vision and the Book of Mormon that brings about conversion and not an
increase in the number of missionaries. This conclusion accords with the
scriptural mandate that--
--righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem (Moses 7:62).
The “righteousness” that comes down out of heaven is, without
contradiction, the prophet Joseph Smith! This is confirmed a hundred times over in
other biblical verses (see Romans 11:25-27; Isaiah 57:1; compare 2 Kings 22:19-20; D&C 1:17, D&C 136:33-40). And “truth that comes forth out of the earth” is the Book of Mormon!
According to scripture, these two things--the prophet Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon--were sent forth out of heaven and earth to “bear testimony of
mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the
resurrection of all men; and . . . to sweep the earth as with a flood, to
gather out
mine elect from the four quarters of the earth.” Scripture cannot not be recorded more clearly. As far as I recollect, no other program can replace this divinely-prescribed
means of gathering God’s elect. In 1975, Elder Ezra Taft Benson confirmed
that “THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON IS STATED ON
THE TITLE PAGE. IT IS ‘TO THE CONVINCING OF THE JEW AND GENTILE THAT JESUS IS
THE CHRIST.” (Benson, Ezra Taft,
The Book of Mormon is the Word of God, General Conference, April 1975).
Again, the LORD has prescribed the means whereby conversion
comes. We do not convert individuals by programs or any other writings of
prophets, priests, and kings. True conversion is discovered in the declaration
that Joseph Smith is the Lord’s servant through whom the gospel and priesthood
keys are restored, that- he translated the Book of Mormon “by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation”;
- the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth, and the keystone of our religion;
- the Book of Mormon was written to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever;
- the Book of Mormon was written “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations,” and
- “a man [or woman] will get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”
Those who gain a divine witness of the Book of Mormon from the Holy Spirit “will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah” (Book of Mormon, Introduction).
And
it is our solemn duty to unashamedly FIND those who are to be gathered by these testimonies
so that the increased missionary force will bear an increase of fruit. I bear witness that Joseph Smith is God's prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true. In the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.
