Perhaps you have seen pairs of missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in your area or while on vacation. These young people (usually around ages 18-21), always work together in pairs, and have black nametags that include the name of the Church on them. Female missionaries are called “Sister” (paired with their last name, like Sister Johansen or Wang), and young men are called “Elder” (with their last name, like Elder Fernández or Müller).
When missionaries share with others about the gospel of Jesus Christ, they will cover a variety of topics, share scriptures and personal experiences, and invite people to do things like read scriptures (including The Book of Mormon), pray, and attend church meetings on Sunday (or join in by Zoom where the COVID pandemic necessitates or allows for this option).
Following are various topics that you would learn about and discuss if you were to visit with the missionaries.
These topics help explain what is called the Restoration
• God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father
• The Gospel Blesses Families
• Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel in Every Dispensation
• The Savior’s Earthly Ministry and Atonement
• The Great Apostasy
• The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith
• The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
• Pray to Know the Truth through the Holy Ghost
These topics are about what is called the Plan of Salvation
• Pre-Earth Life: God’s Purpose and Plan for Us
• The Creation
• Agency and the Fall of Adam and Eve
• Our Life on Earth
• The Atonement
• The Spirit World
• The Resurrection, Judgment, and Immortality
• Kingdoms of Glory
The following topics relate to what is called The Gospel of Jesus Christ — how to grow and progress in the grace of Jesus Christ with an eye toward peace in this life and life with God after this life
• Through Christ We Can Be Cleansed from Sin
• Faith in Jesus Christ
• Repentance
• Baptism, Our First Covenant
• The Gift of the Holy Ghost
• Endure to the End
You would also learn about commandments we are given to help us keep God as a central part of our lives and to honor the bodies we have been given as a gift from Him.
• Obedience
• Pray Often
• Study the Scriptures
• Keep the Sabbath Day Holy
• Baptism and Confirmation
• Follow the Prophet
• Keep the Ten Commandments
• Live the Law of Chastity
• Obey the Word of Wisdom
• Keep the Law of Tithing
• Observe the Law of the Fast
• How to Donate Tithes and Offerings
• Obey and Honor the Law
Lesson 5: Laws and Ordinances (7)
• Priesthood and Auxiliaries
• Missionary Work
• Eternal Marriage
• Temples and Family History
• Service
• Teaching and Learning in the Church
• Endure to the End
These are topics that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also continue to learn about and discuss with each other in their homes and church congregations.
In a nutshell, though, all of this is to help us understand the purpose of life as designed by a loving God, made possible through the grace of Jesus Christ, His Son, and to help us understand (and then remember) that our life did not start here on earth, and will not end with death. That eternal perspective helps us during hard times in life, and also can help make the good times even better.
We hope you might consider reaching out to the missionaries in your area (or online) to learn more.