Preparing Spiritually:
“Seek to be personally converted, obey the rules of the mission, strive to have the Spirit of the Lord in your life, and work hard. These are things every missionary can do. If you do those things, I promise you in the name of the Lord and with the authority of my office, you are a success in His eyes.” –Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
My Advice To You:
- Read the White handbook cover to cover, marking it. It’s important that you’re familiar with the standards & expectations of missionary life. This is one of the first things they’ll ask you to do in the MTC.
- Read the Book of Mormon again. This will strengthen your testimony so much & prepare you to teach about it. The Book of Mormon brings out the best in us & renews our desire to follow Christ – that’s why we study it every day.
- Become familiar with Preach My Gospel & read Elder Bednar’s talk about becoming a PMG Missionary (found below). –Read President Monson’s Message to Missionaries. —How to use PMG.
STUDY TRICKS: Holy Tabbs & Missionary Mark match with the Preach My Gospel scriptures & The Red Headed Hostess has lots of study tools.
For memorizing scriptures or words in your mission language, try flash cards with a word or phrase. Go over them, mix them up, & go over them again. It helped me to always have a phrase I was studying. So, during gym, service time, & getting ready in the morning I was always learning & studying because I was reviewing in my head. I memorized so much faster when I started doing that.
Set goals & then do everything you can to meet them. Listen to your teachers, take time on the grammar, follow the language study plan, & pray. The gift of tongues is real, but the Lord only helps those who work. Last of all, just be patient with yourself. It may seem to be going slow, but you’ll look back & see that you’ve learned so much, & that’s a good feeling.
TALKS: Take the most recent General Conference Ensign (or two) to study. Favorites: Abide in Me, Becoming a PMG Missionary, Believe Obey Endure, Be Ye Converted, But if Not, Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence, Catch the Wave, Choose to Believe, Finishers Wanted, First Observe Then Serve, God Is at the Helm, In the Strength of the Lord, Like a Broken Vessel, Lord I Believe, Mountains to Climb, None Were With Him, Safety for the Soul, Strengthened by the Atonement, Tender Mercies of the Lord, The Divine Gift of Gratitude, The Fourth Missionary, Missionary Work & the Atonement, The Miracle of a Mission, Tomorrow the Lord Will…, We are Children of God, What Lack I Yet?, Where Is the Pavilion?, Yielding Our Hearts to God, You Matter to Him
Other Great Ones: A Plea to My Sisters,Are We Not All Beggars?, Be Strong & of a Good Courage, Choose Wisely, Dare to Stand Alone, Do I Believe?, Face the Future with Faith & Hope, Faith is Not by Chance but by Choice, Feed My Sheep, , Guided Safely Home, His Grace Is Sufficient, I Know It…, , Of Regrets & Resolutions, O Remember Remember, Ponder the Path of Thy Feet, The Reason for Our Hope, The First Great Commandment, The Joy of Living a Christ-Centered Life, Through God’s Eyes,, To the Rescue, Wanted: Hands & Hearts to Hasten the Work