What do Mormon Missionaries Teach?
Where do I start? Mormon Missionaries, or Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teach a lot of things. But first and formost, missionaries teach that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, the Redeemer of the world. They teach that “God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). I know this is the most basic thing that Mormon missionaries teach because I was a Mormon missionary. Joseph Smith said,
“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the apostles and prophets concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings, 121).
It is not much of a surprise, then, to read of on the Title Page of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, that the purpose of the book is “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.”
Because of these statements, Mormon missionaries also teach about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. They teach that God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and called him to be a prophet. An angel named Moroni later appeared to Joseph and showed him where to find an ancient book of scripture that he would later translate by the gift and power of God. This record is called The Book of Mormon.
When I was a missionary, one of the things we did was teach the doctrine, testify that we knew that it was true, and then invite the person we were teaching to find out for themselves if what we were teaching is true. This approach is, I believe, the best way to teach the gospel.  You respect others’ opinions. If they want to listen, you teach them what you believe, and then you invite them to apply what the Savior Himself said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).
I’ve heard some people say that Mormon missionaries are master manipulators or that they’re amazing hypnotists or strange things like that. When I first heard this, I started laughing. I was 19 years old when I left on my mission. I had only been out of high school for a year. I had no experience away from home, no college education, no training in fancy rhetoric. I just knew that what I was teaching was true. And I knew that if a sincere person would ask God, they would receive the same answer I received when I asked.
At the end of the Book of Mormon there is the following promise:
I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:3-5)
That’s the basic message. It’s to find out for yourself if Jesus the Christ really did appear to the boy Joseph Smith (he was fourteen) and tell him to restore The Church of Jesus Christ. It’s either true or it’s not true. Joseph either was a prophet of God or he was not. If he was a prophet of God then The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must true. The Lord said,
“But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8).
“Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
“Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground” (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3).