Gospel Doctrine Lesson 11 “The Field Is White and Ready to Harvest”

               This week’s lesson centers on missionary work and how we can all be missionaries in different ways.

               Missionary work, either as a person called and set apart as a missionary or as a member of the church sharing the gospel through words and actions, touches more than just the lives of the people we come in contact with. Whether or not a person chooses to join the church or even hear more about the gospel, a seed has been sown and over time it grows. Those that do end up joining the church go on to touch more lives with the gospel, making it so that the actions and words of one person (or two) go on to affect the lives of countless numbers of people.

               One example of this is Joseph Smith’s brother, Samuel. Samuel Smith had little success when he first started his mission. Yet, some of the people he taught introduced the gospel to others, who then went on to influence thousands more. His story is in Handout #1.

Handout #1 – In April 1830, Samuel Smith began traveling to neighboring towns in New York to preach the gospel and introduce people to the Book of Mormon. He had little success, though he did sell a copy of the book to a man named Phinehas Young. In June 1830, Samuel was set apart by the Prophet Joseph to take a missionary journey to the east. He walked 25 miles the first day and stopped at many houses, but the people treated him unkindly and would not listen. The next day he left a copy of the Book of Mormon with John P. Greene, a Methodist minister. John Greene’s wife, Rhoda, was Phinehas Young’s sister.

Facing rejection from almost everyone he contacted, Samuel felt that his mission had not been very successful. However, the books he left with Phinehas Young and John P. Greene led to their conversion and the conversion of many others. For example, Phinehas Young and Rhoda Greene had a brother named Brigham, who was converted and later became the second President of the Church. Brigham Young’s friend Heber C. Kimball also joined the Church. He later served in the First Presidency. Both Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were instrumental in the conversion of thousands in the United States and England.

               To list all of the people who were influenced in some way by Samuel Smith’s missionary work, we would have to name almost every person who is a member of the church today. We, too, can influence countless numbers of people. While we may think we will never have a hand in teaching or introducing the gospel to future presidents of the church, the fact is that we may. Even if we don’t, each life we touch with the gospel has become blessed through our efforts. The influence one person has on the life of another isn’t always known, so we need to prepare ourselves to be missionaries in our everyday lives.

               Joseph Smith received a revelation regarding missionary work in February 1829. His father, Joseph Smith, Sr., asked the prophet to inquire of the Lord what the Lord wanted him to be doing and the answer received was D&C 4. In the several months following, further revelation was received regarding missionary work and those revelations can be read in D&C 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16. These revelations were given by the Lord to specific individuals at that time, but the principles taught are applicable to every member of the church.

               In D&C 4:1-2, the Lord is speaking of those who serve in His kingdom, which would be all members of the church.

               D&C 4:  1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

• What does the Lord require of those who serve?
  • That we serve Him with our heart, might, mind and strength
• What does it mean to serve with our heart, might, mind and strength?
  • That we be totally committed to the work and have no reservation
• Why are we sometimes less than committed to the Lord’s service?
  • Sometimes we doubt in ourselves and our abilities or we don’t truly believe that the Lord will qualify us for that which He has asked us to do. There may also be instances of sin where we do not think we are good enough to do the Lord’s work. Another reason is that sometimes we are too involved in ourselves and our personal lives and do not give the Lord and His work the time and consideration which it deserves.

Joseph Smith’s father is an excellent example of someone who was dedicated to the work of the Lord.
E. Cecil McGavin gives an account of the dedication Joseph Smith, Sr., had to doing the Lord’s work.

Handout #2 – “Joseph Smith, Sr., was filled with the testimony of the truth, and was always anxious to share it with others. He was almost sixty when he made the tedious journey … to carry the gospel to his father and mother, his sisters and brothers. Soon after his return [home,] he was imprisoned for a small debt of fourteen dollars, rather than deny the divinity of the Book of Mormon and be forgiven the debt! He was cast into a cell with a condemned murderer and left for four days without food. Later he was transferred to the prison workyard where he preached the gospel and converted two persons whom he later baptized. He was in prison a full month before his family was able to obtain his release” (E. Cecil McGavin,The Family of Joseph Smith [1963], 68; see also Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, ed. Preston Nibley [1958], 172–73, 179–86).

By this example, Joseph Smith, Sr., shows us that we can share the gospel and influence the lives of others no matter what situation we find ourselves in.

• What experiences have you had when sharing the gospel with others?
  • When I lived in Oklahoma, I worked at a law firm and spent a lot of time at the courthouse. I talk differently than most people who live there, so they could tell I wasn’t from Oklahoma. Over time, many people at the courthouse learned I was from Utah and was Mormon. In the four years I worked there, people from different areas started asking me about my religion. Some for themselves and some for people they knew. There are some strange ideas out there about what we believe. Several people commented that they’d thought Mormons were strange and had odd beliefs, but after seeing me around the courthouse and learning things from people who talked to me, they realized that Mormons are normal people who have good teachings and are strong in their convictions. A few times, my friends at the courthouse would tell me they had corrected a belief their friends had in our religion and that they couldn’t stand letting people believe such bad things about us.

When I went to work every day, I hadn’t gone out with the intention of sharing the gospel or getting people to change their opinions of our religion. I hadn’t even considered it at first. But even without my intention, I was able to touch other people’s lives and share the gospel.

There are many examples of situations the Lord creates for us where we can share the gospel. One example is related in this story:

In 1979, I was a newly divorced single mother. I had to get a job and deal with day care. Since the day care times didn’t always work out with my schedule, I was having some problems. Eventually, I met a gal who also had a daughter at the same day care and she lived near me so we formed a car pool. A couple of weeks later, Susan told me she was being baptized into the Mormon church and invited me come. We lived in the south and there were lots of charismatic, Pentecostal churches, so I went to make sure that she didn’t join some weird church. I met the Elders at her baptism, felt good about what they had to say and agreed to have them come by my house. The more I learned about the gospel, the more I felt that it was right. I had found the answer to lots of questions in my mind and I found home. Two weeks later, I was baptized. ~Beverly Jean Hughes Bundy, my mom

Because there are so many instances in our daily lives where we can influence others and share the gospel, we must always be prepared. This doesn’t just mean that we should memorize a few choice scriptures and refer back to them often when people ask questions. We need to deepen our own knowledge and understanding daily through scripture study and praying for help in learning and understanding the principles of the gospel.

• What are some of the attributes the Lord desires in those who serve Him?
  • D&C 4:3-6
    •  3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
    •  4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
    •  5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
    • 6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
• Why is desire an important attribute when serving the Lord?
  • When we desire something, we do everything we can to achieve that desire
• How can we increase our desire to serve the Lord?
  • The more we learn about the gospel and about the plan of happiness, the more we will learn to love all of God’s children and the stronger our desire will be to share this plan with them so they, too, can have the grace and glory of the gospel in their lives
• Why is obedience important in serving the Lord?
  • Obedience shows humility and respect for the Lord. When we are obedient to what He has asked of us, we can receive guidance and inspiration about how best we can serve.
• In what ways have the attributes talked about in D&C 4 helped you in serving the Lord?
  • Faith is an attribute that has really helped me. I haven’t always had the strongest faith in the gospel, but as my faith has grown and developed, I’ve better been able to see how the things the Lord has asked me to do can benefit the lives of others.

 Striving to obtain the attributes the Lord describes in D&C 4 may seem like a daunting task, but the Lord does not expect us to be perfect at all of these things all at once. All He asks is that we try and that we work at it. If we all start by picking one attribute and working on that, we will be on our way to becoming the servants of the Lord that God wants us to be.

The importance of us as Latter-Day Saints developing the attributes the Lord has asked of us is explained in D&C 4:4.

D&C4:  4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

One of the phrases used in that verse and in several other places in the scriptures is ‘the field is white and ready to harvest.’

• What does the Lord mean by comparing missionary work with a field that is ready to be harvested?
  • Like a field that been planted and become ripe, so, too, are the people of the world being planted with seeds of the gospel and more and more are becoming ready to receive the gospel

 In D&C 75:2-3, the Lord gives us a warning regarding teaching and sharing the gospel with others. This time he refers to the world as a vineyard instead of a field.

D&C 75: 2 Hearken, O ye who have given your names to go forth to proclaim my gospel, and to prune my vineyard.

3 Behold, I say unto you that it is my will that you should go forth and not tarry, neither be idle but labor with your might—

• Why does the Lord say to ‘go forth and not tarry’?
  • When we delay in sharing the gospel with others, those who we hold off in sharing with may not have another opportunity in this life or another opportunity may not arise until far in the future.

 Elder Henry B. Eyering shares a story of a time he delayed in sharing the gospel and how that affected him.

Handout #3 – “It’s easy to say, ‘The time isn’t right.’ But there is danger in procrastination. Years ago I worked for a man in California. He hired me; he was kind to me; he seemed to regard me highly. I may have been the only Latter-day Saint he ever knew well. I don’t know all the reasons I found to wait for a better moment to talk with him about the gospel. I just remember my feeling of sorrow when I learned, after he had retired and I lived far away, that he and his wife had been killed in a late-night drive to their home in Carmel, California. He loved his wife. He loved his children. He had loved his parents. He loved his grandchildren, and he will love their children and will want to be with them forever.

“Now, I don’t know how the crowds will be handled in the world to come. But I suppose that I will meet him, that he will look into my eyes, and that I will see in them the question, ‘Hal, you knew. Why didn’t you tell me?’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1998, 42; or Ensign, Nov. 1998, 33).

 In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord provides much guidance and direction about what we should teach and how we should teach it. He does not just tell us to go out and do something without providing some direction. In the Doctrine and Covenants we can find much counsel and encouragement for teaching without fear and promises that He will help us.

• What is one of the most important things the Lord has asked us to teach?
  • D&C 11:9 – Say nothing but repentance unto this generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed.
• Why is the message of repentance so important?
  • D&C 18:10-14
    • 10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;
    • 11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.
    • 12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.
    • 13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!
    • 14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.
  • The message of repentance is so important because that is the only way we can partake of the Atonement and be cleansed of our sins in order to return and be with our Father in Heaven again

Just as important as what to teach, the Lord gives us counsel on the ways we should teach others.

D&C 18:20-21      20 Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil.
21 Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness.

D&C 38:41            And let your preaching be the warning voice, every man to his neighbor, in mildness and in meekness.

D&C 42:6               And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God.

D&C 42:14            And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.

• What do these verses reveal about how the Lord wants us to teach?
  • Don’t fight and argue theology with other churches
  • Teach with mildness
  • Lift up your voices as with the sound of a trump
  • Pray in faith
• What does it mean to ‘Lift up your voices as with the sound of a trump’?
  • Speak with authority and conviction, not being ashamed
• How can we be both bold and meek as we share the gospel?
  • Alma 38:10-12
    • 10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things.
    • 11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.
    • 12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.
  • We can be both bold and meek at the same time by sharing the gospel with an attitude of humility and love

Some of us, like me, hesitate to share the gospel because we lack confidence in our speaking and teaching abilities.

• What are some of the ways we can overcome a lack of confidence in our ability to share the gospel?
  • D&C 11:21 – Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.
    • The more we learn about the gospel and familiarize ourselves with the teachings and principles, the more the Lord will be able to bless us and help us speak when the time is right
  • D&C 14:8 – And it shall come to pass, that if you shall ask the Father in my name, in faith believing, you shall receive the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance, that you may stand as a witness of the things of which you shall both hear and see, and also that you may declare repentance unto this generation.
    • If we ask God, with faith, for the assistance to do what He has asked of you, the Lord will bless you and strengthen your ability.

This one I have complete faith in. When I was called to teach this class, I was terrified. I don’t do very well in front of people and I really struggle with teaching. I tend to have panic attacks and my mind goes completely blank most of the time. When the branch president asked if I would teach this class, I had a panic attack right then and there. It’s funny thinking back on it now, but it was the scariest thing in the world at that moment.

At that time, I asked the branch president to give me a blessing of comfort and guidance because I knew I was going to need every blessing the Lord could give me in order to fulfill this calling. I pray every week while I’m preparing the lesson and I pray every Sunday for strength and comfort. I’m still terrified every time I get up here and I still have mini anxiety attacks after class sometimes, but I’ve made it through class every single time I’ve taught. I feel scared to death every week before class, but as soon as I get up here and start teaching, I feel better. Sometimes I can feel the panic rising, but then just as quickly I feel a calm and a peace coming over me.

Will I ever get over this, I don’t know. What I do know, though, is that the Lord has promised to help us overcome difficulties in sharing the gospel if we ask for His help and believe that He will help us. He helps me every single time I am up here and if any of you ever doubt that He could or would help you, just remember that He helps me, so why wouldn’t He help you?

Aside from being an actual missionary or being called to teach a class, there are numerous ways each of us can go about spreading the gospel and assisting in missionary efforts.

Handout # 4 –    We can show friends and others the joy we experience from living the truths of the gospel. In this way we will be a light to the world (see Matthew 5:16).

We can overcome our natural shyness by being friendly to others and doing kind things for them. We can help them see that we are sincerely interested in them and are not seeking personal gain.

We can explain the gospel to nonmember friends and others.

Handout #5 –     We can invite friends who are interested in learning more about the gospel into our homes to be taught by the missionaries. If our nonmember friends live too far away, we can request that missionaries in their areas visit them.

We can teach our children the importance of sharing the gospel, and we can prepare them spiritually and financially to go on missions. We can also prepare ourselves to serve full-time missions in our senior years.

We can pay our tithing and contribute to the missionary fund. These donations are used for furthering missionary work.

Handout #6 –     We can contribute to the ward, branch, or general missionary fund to give financial support to missionaries whose families are unable to support them.

We can do family history research and temple work to help our ancestors receive the full blessings of the gospel.

We can invite nonmembers to activities such as family home evenings and Church socials, conferences, and meetings.

We can give copies of Church magazines. We can also share gospel messages by using features available on the Church’s official Internet sites, LDS.org and Mormon.org.

               There are many ways for us to spread the gospel and help bring it into the lives of those around us. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf shares his thoughts on sharing the gospel.

Handout #7 –     The most effective way to preach the gospel is through example. If we live according to our beliefs, people will notice. If the countenance of Jesus Christ shines in our lives,¹⁰ if we are joyful and at peace with the world, people will want to know why. One of the greatest sermons ever pronounced on missionary work is this simple thought attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”¹¹ Opportunities to do so are all around us. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2011 General Conference)

               When we take advantage of the opportunities the Lord has given us to share the gospel with others, we will be blessed in ways we cannot imagine. The Lord has promised so many blessings on those who share the gospel, whether it just by being a good example or by actively going out and teaching. We must take advantage of those blessings by doing what the Lord has asked. He will help us, He will guide us and He will bless us as we do so.

Related articles

• Gospel Doctrine Lesson 7 “The First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel” (welcometoerinsworld.wordpress.com)
• Gospel Doctrine Lesson 5: “This Is the Spirit of Revelation” (welcometoerinsworld.wordpress.com)