PROVO, Utah — Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Letha Stevenson, have had a lot of practice teaching children how to ride bicycles.
As parents of four sons, they know the challenges and joys of riding a bike, so much so that they associate it with Chapter 11 of the Preach My Gospel manual: “Helping People Fulfill and Keep Promises.”
Elder and Sister Stevenson taught this chapter at the 2026 New Missionary Leaders Seminar on Friday, June 19, at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.
Newly called mission leaders met remotely and in person from June 18 to 21 to hear counsel and direction from members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as well as other members of the Mission Executive Council, before reporting to missions in July.
Elder and Mrs. Stevenson said helping people make and keep promises begins with extending an invitation, promising blessings associated with keeping promises, and sharing personal testimonies of gospel principles.
This process is similar to teaching a child how to ride a bicycle. Parents first invite their children to ride bikes, tell them about the blessings that bicycling promises (such as fast, easy, and enjoyable transportation), and then offer personal “testimonials” about the virtues of bicycling.
But if parents do all of this without actually helping their children ride their bikes, Elder Stevenson says, “Gen Z’s children and grandchildren will call this a ‘failure.'”
Conversely, from a gospel perspective, “when missionaries and members alike learn to help people keep their promises as the last consistent element of our order, progress on the covenant path is more likely to continue,” Elder Stevenson said.
Invite, Promise, Share Testimony
Elder and Mrs. Stevenson discussed the steps they take to help people make and keep their promises, starting with extending the invitation.
Sister Stevenson shared a story about serving with Elder Stevenson as a mission leader in the Japan Nagoya Mission from 2004 to 2007. During that time, they invited the mother of their son’s new friend to church activities.
This began a years-long process of gospel learning that resulted in not only the mother’s son and husband being baptized, but also her own baptism a few years later. The family was ultimately sealed in the Taipei Taiwan Temple.
“Remarkably, this journey that began 10 years ago began with a simple invitation to an activity,” Sister Stevenson said.
Elder Stevenson added that when missionaries understand the principles behind extending invitations, they are more willing to extend invitations. Whether it’s teaching a lesson to a friend, participating in a service project, meeting with a member, or following up on social media referrals, “invitations come in normal, natural ways.”
The second principle for helping people make and keep promises is to promise blessings. Elder Stevenson read Doctrine and Covenants 4:7, which simply says, “Ask, knock, Amen” if there is no promised blessing. But when a promised blessing is included in a course of action, the Bible says:
Elder Stevenson said mission leaders should not over-teach the lesson of promising blessings that come with accepting an invitation.
“The Lord has perfected this pattern, and it works,” he said. “When there is a promise of blessing, the desire to accept the invitation increases, not just gradually, but greatly.”
Elder Stevenson said the third principle for helping people make and keep promises is to share your testimony. He told a story about a conversation he had with a taxi driver about the New York Manhattan Temple. The conversation was friendly, but as Elder Stevenson opened the cab door to leave, he realized that he had not yet given his testimony about the temple, so he paused to do so.
“Everything changed in an instant, from the conversation to the Spirit-filled experience,” Elder Stevenson said. “This simple act invited the Spirit, touched our hearts, and brought tears to our eyes.”
help keep promises
Elder Stevenson said this series of invitations, promises of blessings, and testimonies will help people keep their promises.
Sister Stevenson said that for missionaries, this may be similar to having brief daily contact with those they are teaching. In between lessons, send follow-up texts about what you learned during scripture study. Or you could visit an interested friend after church and thank them for attending sacrament meeting.
“Every day, love, share, invite others to come see, serve, and belong to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ,” she said.
