Review
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Title: What to Know Before You Go: Developing the Heart and Soul of a Missionary
Author: Don H. Staheli
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: LDS “How To”
Year Published: 2015
Number of Pages: 168
Binding: Paperbound
ISBN 978-1-62972-044-9
Price: $16.99
Reviewed by Catherine C. Peterson for the Association of Mormon Letters
*What to Know Before You Go – Developing the Heart and Soul of A Missionary* by Don H. Staheli is a handbook of good suggestions – practical and spiritual – for those planning to serve as missionaries for the Church.
The format of the book makes it easy to read, either from cover-to-cover, or by picking and choosing a topic. The chapter titles succinctly imply the content within, such as “The Power of Repentance” or “Common Courtesy.” Each chapter is concluded with a missionary’s personal account, “In Their Own Words,” which enriches and enlivens the content. Relevant scriptures give emphasis to the topics discussed.
The author teaches many useful concepts, such as how to love yourself, how to be courteous, and the definition of a successful missionary. He writes:
“It is essential that you love yourself. In fact, your ability to love others is directly dependent upon your ability to love yourself … Having compassion for yourself – that is, kindness, forgiveness, caring, patience – is just as important as having love for others.”
He explains why courtesy and manners are important. “Courtesy is shown by the driver who slows so that other cars can merge. It lives in the person who stands on a crowded bus to give a seat to one who needs it more. Courtesy is displayed whenever we do even a small kindness that shows respect, or makes life a little easier, or brightens the day of someone else.” He explains how the number of baptisms a missionary may accrue does not determine success.
He shares the story of missionaries in France who met a woman who said she did not have time to listen to them because she was leaving for America. So the missionaries challenged the woman to look up the church in America. He writes what happened later when the woman returned to France and saw those same missionaries in a small ward meeting. He quoted the woman saying, “You met me on a bus over a year ago, just before I went to America. I met the missionaries there and remembered your testimony and your challenge. I was taught the gospel and have been baptized.” He continues, “You never know when your seed-planting efforts will bear abundant fruit.”
The author, a former mission president, shares wisdom accrued through his life of service within the church. With apparent understanding of human nature, gospel principles and the rigors of missionary work, he offers powerful ideas aiding any prospective missionary with the how-to’s of building personal relationships, teaching the Gospel, focusing on spirituality and understanding oneself. The tone of the book is positive, motivational and inspirational.
I especially enjoyed the personal accounts by the missionaries at the end of each chapter. Some examples:
A missionary felt led to turn around and go back to a particular dry cleaning shop. He writes, “When we entered the shop, before we could say anything, the woman behind the counter said, ‘Do you smoke?’ We answered, ‘No.’ She then said, ‘Do you drink?’ Again, we said, ‘No.’ ‘Good,’ she said. ‘I have been trying to quit smoking and drinking, but haven’t been able to. When I saw you walk by in front of the store, I said a quick prayer that, if you were the ones who could help me, you would come back. And you did.'”
When one missionary and his companion ran out of investigators they “decided, during our weekly planning session, that we needed to be more specific about who we were looking for. We felt that we should search for a woman with a baby stroller who would be ready to receive the gospel. Within two days, we had found two women who were walking with baby strollers. One would be baptized with her family 5 weeks later. The other turned out to be a less-active member. She returned to Church after twenty years of inactivity.”
I liked how Brother Staheli used the acronyms, A.S.K. (Ask, Seek, Knock) and F.O.D. (Foreign Object Debris/Faith, Obedience, Diligence) as teaching tools.
The title of the book seems long to me and seems too close to the avalanche safety phrase, “Know Before You Go.” My brain immediately went to avalanches until I read the rest of the title. I suppose those who haven’t had any skiing/avalanche training wouldn’t notice.
Prospective missionaries can learn important insights for personal growth and preparation for service from Don H. Staheli’s book. If these principles are applied they will help individuals to truly develop the heart and soul of a missionary.