Until we love others and have a desire for the welfare of their souls, we will never have sufficient power to bring them to Christ… . When we love our fellowmen enough, we will be able to teach them with the Spirit, that they might come unto Christ.
The Whitmer brothers asked the prophet Joseph what would be the most important thing they could do. The Lord replied in D&C 15:6 and 16:6 the following: “And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen.”
This theme has not changed: John the Revelator, the Three Nephites, Alma and his compatriots—the list goes on with modern missionaries today.
We pray for all those that know not God (see Alma 6:6). We thrust in our sickle (see D&C 31:5). The worth of souls is great in the sight of God—hence this is our joy as well. We seek to bring many unto Christ and we shall have joy (see D&C 18:10–16). This is our joy and glory (see Alma 29:9–10). This is the purpose of this last dispensation: to invite all to come unto Christ. (Adapted from Ed J. Pinegar, Especially for Missionaries, 4 vols. [American Fork, UT: Covenant Communications, 1997], vol. 3.)