Ward Mission Leader

Under the bishop’s direction, the ward mission leader has the following responsibilities:

He coordinates the ward’s efforts to find, teach, and baptize investigators. He coordinates this work with the work of the full-time missionaries and ward missionaries. In ward council meetings, the bishop may ask him to lead discussions on missionary work.

He conducts missionary coordination meetings and directs the work of ward missionaries.

He arranges as many teaching opportunities for the full-time missionaries as possible each week.

He organizes convert baptismal services, assisted by the full-time missionaries (see 20.3.4).

He helps coordinate the confirmations of new members in sacrament meetings.

He participates with full-time missionaries in teaching and fellowshipping investigators.

He attends the Gospel Principles class, and he may teach the class when assigned by the bishopric.

A Melchizedek Priesthood holder may be called as an assistant ward mission leader.

Ward Missionaries

The bishopric and the ward mission leader determine how many ward missionaries are needed in the ward. Ward missionaries serve under their direction. Priesthood holders, sisters, and married couples may serve as ward missionaries. They need not have assigned companions, but they should not go alone when visiting in homes. A man and a woman do not make visits together as ward missionaries unless they are husband and wife.

Ward missionaries are called to a specified term of service, such as two years. They normally do not have other Church responsibilities, except for assignments as home teachers or visiting teachers, preferably to part-member or less-active families. They do not wear name tags.

Ward missionaries find and prepare people for the full-time missionaries to teach. They also assist in fellowshipping and teaching investigators.

Ward missionaries visit members’ homes to encourage members to seek missionary experiences, identify people the missionaries could teach, and prepare people to be taught.

Missionary Coordination Meeting

The ward mission leader conducts a missionary coordination meeting with the ward missionaries and the full-time missionaries. The meeting is held regularly. If full-time missionaries serve in several wards, they attend as often as circumstances allow.

In this meeting, the ward mission leader coordinates the work of the full-time missionaries and the ward members. The ward mission leader may also lead discussions on implementing the ward mission plan, scheduling as many teaching appointments for the missionaries as possible, and arranging to have members present as often as possible when investigators are taught.

Members and Full-Time Missionaries Working Together

The mission president holds the keys for baptizing and confirming converts. Under his direction, full-time missionaries have the primary responsibility for teaching investigators. Full-time missionaries also conduct baptism and confirmation interviews for each candidate and authorize the ordinances to take place.

The bishop becomes acquainted with all investigators and follows their progress. Although he does not interview baptismal candidates, he meets with them personally before they are baptized. He also oversees ward members’ efforts to fellowship them. Investigators are more likely to be baptized and confirmed and remain active when they have close friendships with Church members.

Normally, full-time missionary companionships are not separated to work with ward members. However, they may be separated to work with members when necessary to fill a large number of teaching appointments. In such cases, the ward mission leader ensures that those who work as companions to full-time missionaries understand and accept mission rules. He instructs them that they must never leave a full-time missionary without an authorized companion.

Baptismal Services and Confirmations

Baptismal services should be scheduled as soon as an investigator has committed to be baptized. The services should not normally be delayed past this date unless a person is not prepared. Baptisms of family members should not be delayed so the father can receive the priesthood and perform the baptisms himself.

A baptismal service offers the opportunity to find and encourage other investigators. Converts should be encouraged to invite their family members, other relatives, and friends. Church leaders and missionaries may also invite other investigators who are being taught, potential investigators, and leaders and members who will be working with the new members. Other ward members may also attend.

Converts are confirmed in a sacrament meeting in the ward where they live, preferably on the Sunday following their baptism.

Guidelines for baptismal services and confirmations, including guidelines for baptisms and confirmations of 8-year-olds, are found in 20.3.

Ward Mission Plan

Under the direction of the bishop, the ward council develops a ward mission plan. The plan should be brief and simple. It should include specific goals and activities to help members of ward priesthood and auxiliary organizations participate in member missionary work, retention, and activation. The ward council coordinates the ward mission plan with the plans of the full-time missionaries assigned to the ward. The following steps may be helpful in this planning process:

1. Consider the needs and resources of the ward in member missionary work, retention, and activation, including the availability of full-time missionaries.
2. Set specific goals for member missionary work, retention, and activation to be accomplished within the next year.
3. Determine how to accomplish the goals. Leaders could plan ways to lift the ward’s overall vision and attitude about missionary work. They could develop ideas for activities to help the full-time missionaries find, teach, and baptize more investigators. They could also plan ways to befriend and strengthen new members and improve the activation of less-active members.

The ward council reviews the ward mission plan regularly and revises it as needed.