5 Things I wish I was told before I served a mission.

• Learn how you learn, and how others learn, then teach them how they learn.

Studies show that around 60-65% of people learn visually. I never connected this. I always thought I was different, and most people were auditory learners. I have found that when you start teaching someone, it is good to begin with saying “Our desire is to help you learn, and understand what we are teaching about Jesus Christ and His Gospel, how do you normally learn best?”

Right off the bat you know what you need to do, you know if you need to use “hands on” lessons (Tactile learning), or maybe you need to use object lessons or analogies (Visually learning), or if reading right out of the scriptures, and teaching them orally is best (Auditory learning).

It is VITAL that you teach them how they learn. Countless people on my mission remembered next to nothing of what they had been taught because they were taught in a different manner than they learn.

• Don’t forget how you feel the Spirit.

Many missionaries felt the Spirit for the first time via music, during an EFY or something like that. Many of them when you ask stories of when they felt the Spirit also tell stories of powerful songs.

However, for some reason when we become missionaries we don’t use music??? I learned on my mission, the POWER of sacred music. I can’t tell you how many times singing a song like “O My Father” has brought someone to tears. If you can’t sing, don’t worry. God always uses imperfect servants!