We're facing a difficult time in this day and age. Secularism is taking over, and Christianity is falling away from the people. But the Lord has given us the keys, so we have missionary work preparing the Church for the new, rapid growth of missionary effort that's occurring right now.

All you have to do is look at the past to know what's happening in our Father in Heaven's kingdom. I love New York. It was a wonderful place to witness what happens when the Church grows. The Church in New York in those days was relatively unknown. I thought I'd lost my mind by going there. Shortly after I arrived, I was asked to be on the World's Fair committee. And when it came to the World's Fair, as I remember, he wanted that to be exactly perfect and correct. I fell in love with the training of the missionaries and getting them ready to teach the gospel. Missionary work had become more difficult. I mean, you can't walk up and down the street and not be distracted by a magazine stand or an advertisement. The Lord placed us in the right spot to do a marvelous work while we were there. Ours became the key pavilion as they would come off the subway entering the World's Fair. For two wonderful years, the Mormon pavilion served millions of people coming to the fair who listened to these great missionaries. The result of the World's Fair caused a rash of baptisms like I had never seen. And it totally revolutionized what everyone thought of our Church. It was a very exceptional time. But what was happening in New York was different than today because we're in a different era than we've ever been before. How then can we fulfill this calling from the Lord to preach the gospel? With the lowering of the age to call missionaries, it ushers in a new era for missionary work in the Church. The very nature of missionary work, therefore, must change if the Lord is to accomplish His work. The missionaries are now authorized to use Internet in their proselytizing efforts. Just as missionaries must adapt to a changing world, members must also change. We can let the missionaries try to do it alone, or we can help them. If they do it alone, they will knock on doors day after day and the harvest will be meager. Or as members, we can assist them in finding and teaching. The greatest responsibility of us, no matter our calling or station in the Church, is to preach the gospel. The Lord's work moves forward when each of us understand and fulfill our purposes, and we will experience profound success in missionary work. May we, both members and missionaries, ever be united in fulfilling our missionary purpose--to help others come unto Christ.