1. Missionary work
An invitation to "come unto Christ" is the mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature" (Doctrine and Covenants 84:62).
"The joys and blessings of serving a full-time mission are so personally sacred, they are hard to express adequately. Thirty-five years after I served my first mission, I received a letter from a family whom I had taught but did not baptize. The letter shared that their family of four little children whom I once knew now consisted of four temple marriages, three full-time missionaries, three bishops, a Relief Society president, and a dozen grandchildren maturing and developing in the gospel. You can well imagine the thrill and joy I received knowing that I had helped to find them and to teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ." — Elder Earl C. Tingey, April 1998 General Conference.
Shortly after the Church was organized in April 1830, the first formal missionary activity began. A brother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Samuel H. Smith, traveled through neighboring towns in New York with copies of the newly published Book of Mormon.
Today there are over 52,000 missionaries serving in 348 missions (reported as of December 2007).
Each mission is an ecclesiastical unit of the Church in a designated geographic area and is presided over by a mission president who serves full-time for three years. Each missionary serves for up to two years. This service is voluntary with missionaries and their families generally pay the costs of serving.
Missionaries use the scriptures (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price) to teach persons interested in the Church. Missionaries also use a Church publication, "Preach my Gospel" to guide their efforts.
Preparation for missionary service begins in the home as children are taught and begin living basic principles and doctrines of the Church. Unmarried men, ages 19-25, and unmarried women, ages 21-39, may be called to serve missions of 18 or 24 months. Older members and married couples often serve missions of 12 or 18 months.
Once assigned to a mission, a missionary receives on-the-job instruction from a senior companion or other mission leaders. A missionary's daily endeavor includes studying scriptures, seeking and teaching those interested in the Church and providing service to others.
People interested in the Church are encouraged to read and study the gospel and to pray concerning the messages they receive from missionaries. They are also encouraged to attend Church meetings and begin living the principles of the gospel prior to being baptized and confirmed as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
"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.
"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
"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;
"And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work." — Doctrine and Covenants 4:1-5
I can never forget the experiences I had in my mission. This work is divine and true. If people will forget their prejudices and after reading and pondering the Book of Mormon Will ask God if it true, and ask with a sincere heart, they will have their answer from God.
2. Perfecting the Saints
The
Church of Jesus Christ was established in the meridian of time and
reestablished in this dispensation for two great purposes: first, to
proclaim the truth concerning man’s salvation to all the world, and
second, to perfect those who accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
To
accomplish the first objective—to take the gospel to every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints is engaged in a worldwide missionary effort, with approximately
150 missions and 25,000 full-time missionaries. With additional
thousands of stake and district missionaries, and with the “every member
a missionary” program becoming more effective, the Church is growing at
an accelerated rate.
With
reference to the perfecting of the Saints, the Savior has asked us to
become perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. (See Matt 5:48)
In modern revelation we are told that we “are not able to abide the
presence of God now, neither the ministering of angels; wherefore,
continue in patience until ye are perfected." (D&C 67:13).
To
accomplish the second objective, the perfecting of the Saints, The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides opportunities for
all members to become involved in many different kinds of activities
that develop them mentally, morally, physically, and spiritually in the
perfection process.
A high percentage of the members of the Church are active in the perfection process and are being blessed in many ways.
3. Redeeming our Ancestors
Not everyone born into this world had a chance to be baptized by someone holding the Legitimate Authority (Priesthood Authority). Since baptism is an essential ordinance in achieving salvation, it is possible to baptize by proxy those who have gone before us. This is done in Temples.
For members of the Church, the temple is a central focus of worship where members participate in sacred ordinances and solemn covenants are made in the name of Jesus Christ. Members attending the temple are taught the organizing principles of the universe. According to LDS authors, the temple is a model, a presentation in figurative terms, of the pattern and journey of life on earth.
Within each temple, special areas are designated for specific ordinances such as baptisms for ancestors, washing and anointing, receiving one's endowment, and where temple marriages and sealings are solemnized for the living, and vicariously for our ancestors.
Once a temple is dedicated, entrance is restricted to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who present a temple recommend (issued by their local Church leaders) for entrance. Members do not discuss details about temple ceremonies outside of the temple as these ordinances are considered sacred. Temples are not open on Sunday as the Sabbath Day is reserved for worshipping the Lord in local meetinghouses or in homes.
"There are many reasons one should want to come to the temple. Even its external appearance seems to hint of its deeply spiritual purposes. This is much more evident within its walls. Over the door to the temple appears the tribute "Holiness to the Lord." When you enter any dedicated temple, you are in the house of the Lord.
In the temples, members of the Church who make themselves eligible can participate in the most exalted of the redeeming ordinances that have been revealed to mankind. There, in a sacred ceremony, an individual may be washed and anointed and instructed and endowed and sealed. And when we have received these blessings for ourselves, we may officiate for those who have died without having had the same opportunity. In the temples sacred ordinances are performed for the living and for the dead alike." ("The Holy Temple", President Boyd K. Packer, Complete Article At lds.org).
And finally the fourth mission of the Church which was recently added to the list is Humanitarian Work. Increasingly, the Church is involved in sending relief to disaster-stricken areas around the world.
Emergency Response is the part of the LDS Church’s humanitarian efforts of which most people are aware. Funds and supplies in this area are used to help victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, tornadoes, and hurricanes, as well as other disasters such as wars or political unrest. Supplies in this area are gathered and stored before a crisis so supplies can be sent literally within hours of an emergency. Volunteers are also on call so if they are needed they can be reached and organized within a few hours. The LDS Church is renowned for its ability to organize its members in various regions of the world to respond to emergency and facilitate distributing goods immediately after a crisis, often before aid programs such as the Red Cross or the Salvation Army come to assist. In 2008, the LDS Church responded to 124 disasters in 48 countries.
Wheelchair Distribution is another program of the LDS Church crucial to helping those in need. Studies estimate that only one percent of the disabled in the world have wheelchairs. For the rest, being without a wheelchair means for adults that they can not provide for themselves or their families, and for children it often means not being able to attend school. By providing wheelchairs to those in need, the LDS Church hopes to help people become more self-reliant which is an important tenant of LDS beliefs.
The Clean Water Service provides clean water and wells to people who otherwise would most likely contract deadly diseases because of the dirty water. It is estimated that one billion people lack clean water. The clean water program is designed to partner with local community agencies to provide sustainable clean water.
The Neonatal Resuscitation program sends doctors and volunteers to areas where infant mortality rate is high. They are able to teach people in the area how to resuscitate newborns as well as provide simple medical equipment. This service is greatly needed as it is estimated that nearly 1 million newborns die each year due to birth difficulties. Up to 10% of newborns have breathing difficulties.
The Vision Treatment Training program teaches facilities and medical personnel in developing countries how to treat preventable or reversible blindness. There are 37 million people in the world who are blind, and up to 75 % of blindness is treatable. The vision care program works with local vision health care centers to help treat and prevent blindness for the poor.
In addition to these efforts, the LDS Church also has over 300 job development and placement centers around the world. In 2001, the LDS Church began the Perpetual Education Fund which provides money to cover tuition and other school expenses to people in developing nations. As of 2007, tens of thousands of individuals had been given assistance. So far this program has operated primarily in South America and Oceana. The LDS Church has also begun producing a nutrition-rich porridge named ATMIT to help during acute famines. The LDS Church Welfare program owns farms, ranches, canneries, and other food producing facilities to provide temporary food relief for families and individuals. LDS Humanitarian Services frequently works with other charities and NGOs such as the Red Cross, Catholic charities and even various Islamic charities for which the LDS Church has produced Halaal food.
The Church is also committed to teaching its members the principles of Provident Living and Self-Reliance. Spirituality is just as much a matter of self-dignity from being able to care for one's own current and unexpected future needs as it is about worshiping God on Sunday or serving our fellow-men. In fact, it is safe to say, that without self-dignity the task of assisting others and worshiping God becomes much more difficult.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strive to follow the Savior’s admonition to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those in prison (see Matthew 25:35–36).
The Church sponsors humanitarian relief and development projects around the world that benefit those of other faiths. These projects include emergency relief assistance in times of disaster and programs that strengthen the self-reliance of individuals, families, and communities.
Hundreds of full-time Church volunteers with skills and experience in education, agriculture, social work, business, and medicine serve throughout the world as part of these humanitarian projects.
The Church conducts humanitarian activities worldwide. From 1985 to 2007 Humanitarian Services provided more than $1.01 billion in total assistance to needy individuals in 165 countries.
I would propose that the Church has even a 5th mission, which would be simply to Inspire through the music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The choir is currently seeking new members to join it. Here is the official advertisement.
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