Missionaries get to be immersed in the gospel of Jesus Christ 24/7. Outside of full-time missionary service, though, day-to-day life demands our more divided attention. While our discipleship isn’t dependent on diving into the scriptures for hours on end, studying like a missionary can make a drastic daily difference!
Here are five things missionaries do that can heighten the impact of your scripture study.
1. Study with Someone in Mind
Every time missionaries meet someone who is interested in learning more about Jesus Christ, their study routine changes. They begin to study with that specific individual in mind:
What matters most to this person? What are they struggling with? What do they want to know? What would God want to say to them?
Think of a friend, a neighbor, or a relative. Start studying with their name in mind. You’ll be amazed at how suddenly the verses and chapters seem tailored to their circumstances—and how much better prepared you’ll feel to connect with them.
2. Study to Share
Missionaries are called to share the gospel—but so are all of Christ’s disciples. Whether you’ve made covenants with God or are working toward those milestones, you are among those who’ve been asked to open their mouths and share the good news.
Try memorizing a favorite verse. Dive into chapters or principles you want to better understand. The better you know God’s words, the more confident you’ll be sharing them with others. As Elder Neil L. Andersen recently encouraged:
“Look for … scriptures that you really, really believe … and put them deep into the memory of your mind. Because when you believe it like that, do you know what happens? You say it with power, and the Holy Ghost bears witness of it to the people you’re speaking to. It’s not just something that’s coming out of a book. It’s something that’s coming out of your heart.”
3. Study with a Companion
The missionary schedule includes time for personal study and companionship study. Have you ever considered studying with your own companion?
Ask your spouse, roommate, sibling, friend—whomever!—to study with you. Their perspective, coupled with yours, can add a whole new dimension to passages of scripture.
If you don’t have a physical study buddy, remember the promised companionship of the Holy Ghost. Open your mind to that voice. The Spirit always testifies of truth, and when you read scripture, it’s guaranteed to be by your side:
“The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)
4. Study for Comfort
As a missionary, I often found myself re-reading favorite passages for no other reason than the comfort they brought. It was like re-reading letters from home or journal entries of precious experiences. It was something familiar. Reassuring.
The scriptures are full of psalms, prayers, and promises; one of my friends calls them “love letters.” Why does God urge us to record His words? Certainly to remember and live by His commandments, but surely also to remember and live by His love for us.
The resource Adjusting to Missionary Life has a great study suggestion for when you may be searching the scriptures for reassurance:
“Collect scriptures, personal experiences, quotations, and family stories that encourage and uplift you. When you read these accounts, imagine your name in them. (Examples: 2 Nephi 4; Mosiah 24:13–14; Alma 36:3; D&C 4; 6; 31; Proverbs 3:5–6; Helaman 5:12; and “Adversity” in True to the Faith.)”
5. Study like Your Success Depends on It
Any earnest missionary knows that they cannot survive spiritually without scripture study. Their daily success depends on it. How would your life change with that perspective?
Study as if the days ahead—your work, your relationships, your troubles, your questions, your plans—truly depend on it. Pour over the scriptures for nourishment and revitalization; your spirit needs it!
Just look at these empowering promises mentioned in Preach My Gospel:
“Studying the word of God in the holy scriptures will bring abundance to your life (see John 10:10). His words will fill you—and those you teach—with light and truth. They will help you—and those you teach—live righteously and receive divine protection and strength. They will help you come to know Him and taste His love, which is sweet above all that is sweet.”
Give It a Try!
To study like a missionary means to study with the intent to use the words of God. To act and change and become. It’s seeing the scriptures as an instructive guide for navigating daily life as a disciple of our Savior. Pick one of these five study tips and give it a try! With a little bit of missionary inspiration, even the simplest studies can be life-changing.
More articles for you:
▶ 2 words I hope my missionary never forgets
▶ Why living the gospel is about writing a script—not following one
▶ This song from the new hymnbook was written in a jail
