Paul's Second Mission

Acts 16:6-10 Acts 18:9-11

Four cities that Paul visited on his second mission to whom he later wrote epistles to were: Phillipi, Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Corinth. The Holy Ghost directed Paul in many different ways on his journeys to go to the cities that God wanted Paul to preach in. Paul had the Spirit tell them not to go to certain cities and he also had visions of people asking him for help in others and visions of God telling him where he needed to be.

The Spirit has directed my missionary efforts in small and simple ways. Just by giving me little nudges on what I should say when opportunities have come up or knowing who I should share my testimony to. I remember one friend not wanting to have anything to do with our Church, but after years of seeing my example and of me bearing testimony of the things I knew to be true, she called me up one day and said that she met with the missionaries and was getting baptized! The Lord really does work in miraculous and mysterious ways. One way I can be more directed by the Spirit in my life is to always be in and at place to receive promptings, whether that be in a physical or spiritual place. That means I need to be reading the scriptures and praying daily for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 16:9-33

Paul was able to preach the gospel so effectively because:

-he immediately obeyed when the Lord called on him
-he had the Lord on his side
-he preached to everyone of all different backgrounds
-he used his priesthood powers righteously
-he praised God even in hard times

Paul turned his experiences into missionary opportunities by always relying on and praising God. Even when Paul was thrown into prison, he still sang praises to God, which led to the jailor's baptism. From Paul's missionary experiences I can learn to be a missionary wherever I go. I don't have to wear a missionary badge to go out and share my testimony. Even if I do service, that is showing others the good that is taught from God and my testimony of Him. The jailer is an example of a true convert because he chose to listen to Paul's words and get baptized right after, even though the same men he was learning from were thrown in jail because of what they believed.

Mosiah 4:9-10 expands my understanding of Acts 17:30-31 by showing that God knows all and understands things that man cannot. In the versus of Acts, those who were learning about resurrection did not believe in it. They could not comprehend the idea that after being in such an imperfect state with our spirits, why we would have them again after we die. Mosiah expounds on the idea that God knows all and even though man might not, doesn't mean that it isn't true and won't happen.

In order to be a better member missionary, I can prepare now by sharing my testimony in small ways with everyone I come in contact with. Whether it be some sort of service or actually expounding on the beliefs of the gospel, I can come that much closer to being the kind of missionary Paul was.