Paul's 2nd Mission (Acts 16;18)

On his second mission, Paul taught in several cities including four that he would later write epistles to. Those four were Philippi, Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus. In the chapters talking about this mission we learn a lot about the kind of missionary that Paul was. Here are some of the things that stuck out to me.

Guidance of the Holy Ghost in Missionary Work
In Acts 16:6-10; 18:9-11 we read about the different ways that Paul was led by the Spirit to know where he should go to teach the gospel. In the first section they were forbidden by the Spirit (prompted) to teach the gospel in Asia and Bithynia before Paul had vision and was instructed to go to Macedonia. In the second section Paul is shown another vision and is told to stay in Corinth and continue preaching the gospel.

Source

In my own missionary work I have often been guided by the Holy Ghost in who I should talk to or what I should say. As a full-time missionary the promptings I received were directed more toward "who should we go see right now?" or "should we knock on this door?" But I know that when we followed those promptings my companions and I were always blessed to find people who were willing to listen to message. In my work as a member missionary I have been prompted to invite people to church, share my testimony, ask a specific question, and even draw out the Plan of Salvation on a napkin. One thing that I would like to do more though is to constantly be seeking the guidance of the Spirit to help me share the gospel so that I am continually looking for those opportunities.

What Made Paul a Good Missionary? (Acts 16:9-33)
One of the things I discovered about Paul in these verses was that he was obedient. He acted immediately on the promptings he received and he was diligent in carrying out his responsibilities. He was also very faithful and never apologized for teaching the truth. Another thing is that he was always sharing the gospel with everyone in every situation. In these verses he cast out a devil and taught that it was by the power of the Priesthood. He was also cast into prison where he prayed and sang with his companion. When the jailer came in after the earthquake he taught him the gospel and what he had to do to be saved. The jailer was a true convert because he didn't just ask what he had to do to be saved. He listened and then he acted by being baptized and bringing others with him. In Mosiah 4:9-10 we learn that believing in God is not just saying the words, it is trying to emulate the way that Christ lived. We have to repent and continually strive to be better in order to truly be "saved." Being saved is a lifelong process, not just a one time event.
One of the things that I took away from reading this section is that I want to be the kind of missionary that Paul was. I want to be willing and ready to share the gospel at any time and in any situation. As Peter stated later in the New Testament, I want to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh...a reason of the hope that is in [me]" (1 Peter 3:15). To better prepare to do that I have to be living in a way that I can be open to the Spirit. I need to make a priority in my life to study the scriptures daily and focus on the things that really matter.