The mission of the Church and kingdom of God is to invite all to come unto Christ that they might have life everlasting. Inviting all to come unto Christ is the universal message of the Book of Mormon. Common threads like faith and repentance have to do with coming unto Christ. As we come unto Him, He immediately blesses us in all things. Everything not only points to Christ, but is in and through Jesus Christ. Through Him we are redeemed and healed. Because of Him, we are succored and blessed. He strengthens us in all things.
Recognizing the goodness of God is emphasized throughout the Book of Mormon. His goodness is in providing His Only Begotten Son for the salvation of the world. This is our message to the world. Missionaries teach and preach the doctrine of Christ to all who will listen. When they feel the Spirit and act upon it, they too come unto Christ, and He will receive them and shower His blessings upon them. The Lord needs us as missionaries to help all mankind come unto Christ.
President Kimball has taught us concerning the urgency of the work:
Again I am impressed to ask anew the question—is each of us doing all we can to take the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth whom the Lord has placed within our circle of influence?
There is an urgency about this work that I feel some have not sensed, but it is an urgency that is real nonetheless. The Spirit will renew this sense of urgency in the soul of each person who asks God for help in these matters.
“Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.” (D&C 6:3.)
The Lord has advised us, “For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.” (D&C 78:7.)
Is there in the Church today anyone who knows not the call of the Lord for “every member to be a missionary”? Is there any family in the Church today that knows not the need for more missionaries? …
I wish we could more effectively and faithfully establish in the hearts of all members of the Church the understanding that if a person is old enough to be a member, he is old enough to be a missionary; and he doesn’t need to be set apart especially for that calling. Every member has the obligation and the calling to take the gospel to those around him. We want every man, woman, and child to assume his rightful responsibility. It is very important. For this is the message of the gospel: We receive blessings from the gospel, and then we go out and share those blessings with others… .
I feel the Lord has placed, in a very natural way within our circles of friends and acquaintances, many persons who are ready to enter into his Church. We ask that you prayerfully identify those persons and then ask the Lord’s assistance in helping you introduce them to the gospel …
Our great need, and our great calling, is to bring to the people of this world the candle of understanding to light their way out of obscurity and darkness and into the joy, peace, and truths of the gospel.
I believe we must not weary in our well-doing. I believe it is time again to ask ourselves the question, what can I do to help take the gospel to others and to the inhabitants of this world? (“Are We Doing All We Can?” Ensign, Feb. 1983, 3ff). (Ed J. Pinegar)