Come, Follow Me
Why should I serve a mission?

Why should I serve a mission?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

President Thomas S. Monson has said: “Every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission. Missionary service is a priesthood duty—an obligation the Lord expects of us who have been given so very much. Young men, I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary” (“As We Meet Together Again,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 5–6).

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

Think of the joy you or someone you know experienced serving a full-time mission. What blessings have come into your life because of missionary work?

What experiences have the young men had sharing the gospel with others? What can you do to help the Aaronic Priesthood holders increase their desire to serve a mission?

What can the young men do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

The Savior invited His disciples to act in faith and live the truths He taught. He found opportunities for them to learn through experiences (see Luke 5:1–11). What can the young men do now that will inspire in them a desire to serve a full-time mission?

Video: “Use the Scriptures”

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

  • Our quorum: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?

  • Our duties: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?

  • Our lives: Remind the quorum of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a quorum presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the quorum; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help quorum members understand the doctrine.

  • Invite the young men to read Doctrine and Covenants 18:9–16 individually and look for answers to the question “Why has the Lord given priesthood holders the duty to share the gospel?” Invite a few of them to share their answers with the quorum. Why is the worth of a soul great in the sight of God? What experiences have the young men had sharing the gospel that they could share with the quorum?

  • Show the video “Missionary Work: A Priesthood Duty.” Invite several young men to share their feelings about President Monson’s words. Encourage the young men to write down why they would like to serve a full-time mission, and invite them to display what they have written in a place where it will remind them of their desire to serve.

  • Read together one or more of the scriptures suggested in this outline, and then ask the young men how they think the world might be different if everyone knew about and lived the gospel. What problems or challenges in the world today are solved when we live the gospel? How is your life different because of the gospel?

  • Show the video “Your Day for a Mission” (or read as a quorum the experience of Sid Going in Elder Neil L. Andersen’s talk “Preparing the World for the Second Coming”). Ask quorum members to list some of the things that might prevent young men from going on a mission. Help them contrast this list with the great blessings that come from missionary service.

  • Write the question from the title of this outline on the board. Invite the quorum members to look for answers to this question as they read Doctrine and Covenants 4:2–4 or the following statement from President Russell M. Nelson: “The decision to serve a mission will shape the spiritual destiny of the missionary, his or her spouse, and their posterity for generations to come. A desire to serve is a natural outcome of one’s conversion, worthiness, and preparation” (“Ask the Missionaries! They Can Help You!” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 18). With the permission of the bishop, invite a returned missionary to share with the quorum how his missionary service has blessed his life.

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

  • Ask the young men to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a quorum to apply what they have learned?

  • Give the young men a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.

  • Remind the young men that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.

Related Youth Activities

Plan a Mutual activity that will help the young men apply what they learned in this lesson.