The second edition of the manual 'Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ' was announced at a Church seminar for new mission leaders on Thursday, June 22. The updated edition includes enhancements that apply to missionaries and members alike.
Nearly two decades after the original publication of 'Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service' in 2004, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve released the new edition.
'It contains some of the best instruction I've ever seen, to help people accept the Lord's invitation to come unto him. I invite you to enjoy the enrichment to your own testimony that the updated Preach My Gospel manual can provide,' President Nelson said in a press release.
Church leaders changed little in the chapter order and core teachings and instead focused on enhancements such as further scripture references, more art and visual aids and some of the most recent teachings from prophets and apostles.
One of the most notable shifts in the second edition is the increased focus on all members as missionaries. For example, the introduction was simplified and puts more emphasis on all members fulfilling the precepts of Preach My Gospel, not just full-time missionaries.
“Preach My Gospel is a key resource for missionaries, but Latter-day Saints should remember that every member of the Church is a missionary, and some of our choicest converts are found within the walls of our own home,” Sister Amy A. Wright, a member of the Missionary Executive Council, said in a press release.
Annabelle Baker, a pre-business major at BYU and Italian language instructor at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, described the second edition as 'inspired' and expressed her excitement at the added emphasis on active member involvement in the missionary process.
'I like this idea of involving members more because it encourages us to work towards that progress together as a ward, like a unit, and just in general for their discipleship and also our own and the person we're teaching as well,' Baker said.
Other members of the Church, such as BYU sophomore and recently returned missionary Madison Kelley, explained the importance of the second edition in their lives and the lives of those with which they share the gospel.
'One of our big focuses is visiting inactive members. I think using some of the principles from Preach My Gospel with inactive or less active members and just getting them to come back and then seeing if they have friends who are interested and just sharing the gospel with them,' Kelley said.
Interested members of the Church, missionaries and other can see the second edition of Preach My Gospel here and access the Preach My Gospel app.