Copyright 2001.

Version of April 22, 2001

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Contents:

Polish Culture and the Gospel

Testifying to Muslims: Tips for Latter-day Saints

Language Learning

By Jacob Muklewicz

[Below are some wonderful remarks on tailoring the gospel message to Polish culture from Jacob Muklewicz, reprinted with his permission. Jacob posted this information on the Poland Warsaw Mission Alumni discussion board (http://www.ldsmissions.net/pwm/) in answer to some of my questions in early November. Jacob served in the Poland Warsaw Mission from 1993 to 1995. Jacob has some of the best insights on missionary work and culture that I've seen. Many of his remarks can be adapted to preaching the gospel in the context of other cultures.]

As an American of Polish decent, I was fortunate to serve as a missionary in Poland. I already understood the Polish mentality and Polish culture to a certain degree. In my opinion, one of the most important things to remember when speaking of the Polish culture is that it evolved in an historical and religious context. All missionaries serving in Poland should be aware of the fact that Poles not only suffered the tragedies of the Second World War and the ensuing Soviet opression. The Poles endured foreign opression and occupation for over a century (1795-1918). During that time, the occupying powers of Russia, Prussia, and Austria each, to a different degree, attempted to strip the Poles of their national and cultural identity.

For example, in Polish lands dominated by Russia, Poles were not permitted to speak Polish or read the literature of their native authors and poets. The only place where many Poles could speak their native tongue and pass the Polish culture to younger generations was in Roman Catholic churches. This is the reason Poles have had such an affinity for the Roman Catholic Church throughout history. My grandparents always told me that if it were not for the Roman Catholic Church, it would have been difficult for Poland to regain its independence after World War I. Missionaries in Poland should also realize that the Roman Catholic Church was also very infuential in the struggle against communism. The leaders of Solidarity were often protected by the Vatican and the Polish pope John Paul II. For these reasons, missionaries in Poland should not portray the Roman Catholic Church as 'the great and spacious building' or 'whore of the earth.' This immediately offends most Poles, who attribute their independence and national identity to the Roman Catholic Church.

Many Poles also revere 'Matka Boska Czestochowska,' or Our Lady of Czestochowa. Many fervent Polish Catholics believe that Mary is the Queen of Poland. Again, history is important. During the Swedish Floods of the XVII century, the Swedes ravished most of Poland. At a battle at Czestochowa, superior Swedish forces vastly outnumbered Polish troops, who pleaded to 'Matka Boska Czestochowska' for deliverance. Miraculously, the Polish forces routed the Swedes and drove the foreign invaders out of Poland. Once again, religion, independence, and Polish nationalism are intertwined.

I found it an effective technique to use the Book of Mormon when Poles asked me what Latter-day Saints thought of the Virgin Mary. I read with them the passages in 1 Nephi, where Nephi foretells Christ birth of a virgin, a chosen vessel of the Lord. Most missionaries would respond by saying that although we believe she gave birth to the Son of God, we do not pray to her. Although this is true, I found that it offended Poles during an initial encounter. When a missionary first meets a prospective investigator, the missionary wants the person to feel the Spirit.

In my experiences, the Spirit testifies of what the truth is, not what it is not. I would share investigators on the street, in buses, trains, etc. my reverance to the Mother of Our Lord, her holiness, and favor before God. When I taught them the concept of prayer during the first discussion in their homes, I would simply say we pray to God the Father only through the Son Jesus Christ. I would not even invite contention by mentioning the intercession of Mary. Again, the Spirit testifies of truth, not of untruth.

I never asked converts to take paintings of 'Matka Boska Czestochowska' from their walls if I knew that the painting was not used as an idol. I understood that the painting has just as much historical and nationalistic significance as religious significance. Instead, I encourage new members to place a picture of an LDS temple, Joseph Smith, modern prophets, etc. next to 'Matka Boska Czestochowska.' This is what my family did once my father joined the Church. This showed other non-member family members that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged us to revere our ethnic heritage. Family members knew by the way we prayed that we did not invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary. It is much more effective to allow the Spirit of God to testify of truth than to allow the spirit of contention to foster animosity.

The Poles are a very religious people. One of the ways that helped me to initiate meaningful religious conversations with Poles was to use their 'religious vocabulary.'

For example, instead of merely saying 'Good day' ('Dzien dobry'), I would also initiate conversations with the phrase 'May Jesus Christ be praised' ('Niech bedzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus'). This phrase was used quite commonly by the older generations, and appeals to many, although it is no longer used as frequently. Also, instead of just saying 'Good bye' ('Do widzenia'), I would also say 'Go with God' ('Idzcie z Bogiem'). Instead of just saying 'Thank you' ('Dzienkuje'), I would also say 'God repay you' ('Bog zaplac').

I noticed that when I used these old greetings, many people were more inclined to talk with me about the Gospel. I thought that this was similar to Ammon's approach when he taught King Lamoni. Initially, when teaching the king about God, Ammon saying the Creator was 'the Great Spirit.' It was much easier for the Lamanites to continue learning about the Gospel once they could apply their fundamental theological ideas within a basic context. It is the same when introducing the Gospel to Roman Catholic Poles.

I also believe that many Poles were more inclined to talk with me about the Gospel when I used these phrases because these phrases immediately eliminated many of the false stereotypes pertaining to Latter-day Saints--we are not Christians etc. Using the old religious greetings also shows some knowledge and respect for the Polish culture. People were simply curious to know where I learned to use these old, but endearing greetings. People in general are more receptive to the Gospel not only when you communicate using the rudimentary elements of the language (i.e. grammar, vocabulary, etc.), but when you can truly bridge linguistic gaps with cultural and religious awareness.

One of the many things I learned as a missionary is that it is more effective to make the message fit the person, rather than make the person fit the message. To illustrate, during the onset of my mission, when contacting I always introduced the Book of Mormon as ancient scripture similar to the Bible, proclaiming Jesus as the Christ and focusing on God's dealings with a branch of the house of Israel on the American continent. I, like all other missionaries, learned this introduction in the MTC, where we memorized the first paragraphs of the Book of Moromon's introduction in Polish. Certainly a less effective approach is better than no approach at all. I think that is why young missionaries are taught to memorize certain phrases--so that they can enter the mission field feeling that they can contribute to the work.

However, I observed that after a few months in the mission field, I frequently used the same introduction to the Book of Mormon with every potential investigator. When I took a step back, it appeared to me that my contacts were very similar to a universal sales pitch--'one Book of Mormon fits all.' I realized that my approach was less effective when a wise Polish man told me 'I am glad that the Book of Mormon focuses on God's dealings with a branch of the house of Israel on the American continent, but what does the Book of Mormon have to offer me as a Pole?' I then decided to introduce the Book of Mormon as scripture, declaring Jesus as the Christ and showing all mankind the way to God as we face many new challenges.

I would then try to apply Book of Mormon scriptures to the Poles. For instance, I would share scriptures about Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty and compare his bravery to that of the Poles during the Partitions, the World Wars, and Soviet occupation. I would also share scriptures pertaining to King Benjamin, since many Poles did not know what to expect of their newly elected democratic leaders.

Once I learned to 'liken the scriptures' to the Poles, instead of expecting them to comprehend the scriptures from an American point of view, I noticed that many Poles were much more interested in reading the Book of Mormon. Thus, it is important to understand the needs of the Polish people collectively as well as individually. We should therefore listen to the people around us so that we can discover our neighbors' needs. Once we know what our neighbors need, we can then show them where and how to find their own answers.

This approach ties many facets of missionary work together--(1) we ourselves must know the scriptures and Gospel principles so that we may help others apply truths to their lives; (2) we must learn to listen effectively to discover the needs of those we serve; (3) we must learn to view the world from the point of view of those whom we serve; and (4) we must personalize the Gospel for each investigator so that he or she gains a personal testimony.

By David Stewart

Latter-day Saints have unique opportunities to reach out to Muslims. However, Muslims must be approached differently than Christians or Hindus. While the gospel is for everyone, spiritual truths cannot be presented in a 'one size fits all' fashion. The writers of the four Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John -- recognized that their respective audiences, Jews, Romans, Greeks, and 'all the world,' had different backgrounds and traits, and needed to be approached in differently. The Apostle Paul, too, recognized that missionary approaches appropriate for one culture might be ineffective in another. How effective could Paul have been if he had approached Jews, Greeks, and Romans all in an identical fashion? Yet those pronounced differences existed in cultures all united (although not happily) under the banner of the Roman Empire. How great, then, is the need to tailor the gospel message to the culture and to the individual today, when missionaries and the individuals they teach do not share a common culture, language, religion, or government.

LDS doctrines offer far more to Muslims than non-LDS Christianity, and the wise Latter-day Saint will ensure that his Muslim acquaintance understands that many of the traditional Muslim objections to Christianity do not apply to the LDS Church. Muslims frequently complain, correctly, that apostate Christianity upholds myths and fallicies of Greek philosophers and Roman pagans. Muslims also accept the Bible to be basically true, although they recognize that the Bible is not the infallible last word of God -- as non-LDS Christians claim -- but a document of inspired scripture that has undergone many changes as it has passed through the hands of careless scribes and conniving priests. Additionally, Muslims recognize that much non-LDS Christian doctrine comes not from the Bible, but from various creeds and non-apostolic works of the so-called 'early church fathers,' who interpreted Christian teachings to their own liking. In all of these points, Muslim doctrines correspond with revealed latter-day truths. These common beliefs can be used to build a foundation of trust.

Muslims have many grievances against apostate Christianity. The Crusades, the Balkan wars, the Colonial period, and the loss of Jerusalem to the state of Israel in 1948 through the mediation of Christian nations have left deep scars upon the Muslim consciousness. Ongoing interference of the West -- and especially the United States -- in Middle Eastern politics remains a bone of contention with Muslims. Recent U.S. invasions of Lebanon, ongoing aid to Israel, U.S. military actions against Iraq and Libya, U.S. missle strikes against Afghanistan, U.S. tensions with Iran, and a large U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia have polarized many Muslims against the U.S. and, by proxy, against Christianity. Faithful Muslims resent the low secular morals of the Christian world. The deterioration in the morals of the youth due to the influx of Western pornography and increase of other vices peddled from the West are common topics of discussion among observant Muslims. The ambassadors of the Christian West -- British colonialists, unscrupulous U.S. businessmen, alcohol-craving, often immoral U.S. soldiers, and others -- have seriously tarnished any remaining credibility of Christianity to most Muslims. It is not surprising, then, that many fundamentalist Muslims equate the United States with the devil. Islamic insurgencies to create fundamentalist Muslim states under Shariah law in many countries represent a backlash against the encroachments of Western secularism.

Muslims believe that there has been no revelation since the death of the prophet Mohammed in 632 AD. They believe that Mohammed was God's last and greatest messenger, while Christ was a prophet. The Koran (Quran) bears witness of Jesus Christ, teaching that he was born of a virgin, that he is all-righteous, that he is the Messiah, that he raised the dead and worked miracles, and that he lives in heaven and will oneday return to judge the earth. Mohammed taught that his followers should not harm the 'people of the Book,' Christians and Jews. In fact, he even taught that Muslims in doubt should ask Christians and Jews, who were reading the holy writings before him. Latter-day Saints can document to Muslims Christ's trancendency over Mohammed from the Koran alone: Mohammed never claimed to be sinless, or to have the power to restore sight or raise the dead, and -- as is said by Paul of the Biblical King David, 'his grave is with us still.' The Koran acknowledges Christ to be alive in heaven. Mohammed, in contrast, is buried in Medina.

Latter-day Saints and Muslims share in common a strong focus on the family. The supremacy of the family as the fundamental unit of society is vigorously defended in most Muslim cultures. In contrast to the lackadaisical attitudes of most of the non-LDS Christian world towards morality and divorce, chastity, fidelity in marriage, and familial responsibility are highly valued by religious Muslims.

The five pillars of the faith, which Muslims believe they must fulfill to escape the condemnation of Allah, include:

1) Recitation of the Shahadah ('There is no God but Allah and Muhammed is the prophet of Allah'),

2) Praying five times daily toward the holy city of Mecca,

3) Almsgiving, or giving one-fortieth of one's income,

4) Fasting from food and drink from sunrise to sunset from morning to evening throughout the entire month of Ramadan, and

5) A pilgimage to Mecca at least once in one's lifetime.

Discussing similarities between Latter-day Saint doctrines and the pillars of faith building common ground with Muslims:

1) Latter-day Saints also believe that there is one God, and that we must not have any other gods before Him. It is appropriate to refer to God as 'Allah' when speaking with Muslims, since Allah means 'The God.'

2) Latter-day Saints pray daily, personally and with their families, a minimum of five times daily -- before all meals, when rising in the morning, and when retireing in the evening. We also believe that we should always have a prayer in our hearts.

3) We believe in the law of tithing and return one-tenth of all of our increase to the Lord.

4) We believe in fasting for twenty-four hour periods once a month, or more frequently if the occasion warrants. Fasting can bring us closer to God.

5) The travels of the early Latter-day Saint pioneers are in many ways comparable to those of devout Muslims who make great sacrifices to visit Mecca. The sacrifices made by many LDS families to attend the temple at least once in a lifetime (and much more frequently, if opportunities allow) can also be compared to the Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca.

It is important to help Muslims to recognize how the Book of Mormon is relevant to their personal lives and challenges, rather than presenting the book simply as the word of God to ancient prophets in the Americas. It is important to remember that America carries strong negative connotations for many Muslims. Sharing scriptures out of the Book of Mormon about daily prayer, charity, service, repentance, resurrection, judgment, and the atonement can be helpful. '23 Questions Answered by the Book of Mormon' can provide a good starting point to simulate interest. Many Muslims can appreciate parallels between Book of Mormon prophets and Mohammed, and between the challenges of ancient Nephites and Lamanites and the contemporary challenges of many Muslim cultures.

Two major branches of Islam exist. Most Muslims are Sunni, which means 'the path' or 'the way.' Sunni Islam arose from followers of Mohammed who believed that successors should be elected from among his closest followers. Most Muslims in North Africa, Egypt, Turkey, Albania, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the two Yemens, Omen, Kuwait, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, northern India, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and and most other dominantly Islamic nations are Sunnis. Shiites believe in descent of authority through Mohammed's direct descendents. Shiites inhabit most of Iran and Azerbaijan, pockets of Iraq, and western Afghanistan, especially around Herat.

Additional opportunities exist for sharing the gospel with Shiite Muslims due to their beliefs in 1) martyrdom and 2) the divine light. The Shiite belief in the importance of martyrdom goes back to the first Shiite rulers, who were martyred by political enemies. Shiites believe that the Husayn and others atoned for sins through martyrdom. This presents opportunities to discuss the crucifixion of the Savior Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sins of the world. Shiites also believe that their early rulers had within them the 'divine light' -- roughly equivalent to LDS teachings of the Holy Ghost and revelation. However, Shiites themselves admit that the 'divine light' was lost when the line of descent from Mohammed was broken, and that their current Imans (priests) and Ayatollahs hold within themselves only a lesser light, inferior to that of the ancients. The Shiite recognition both of the existence of the 'divine light' and of their own loss of this light, at least in its fulness, presents a wonderful opportunity to introduce the concepts of revelation, priesthood authority, the Holy Ghost, and the unbroken line of 'divine light' from Allah (God) to contemporary Latter-day prophets.

Latter-day Saints believe that Mohammed was an inspired teacher, raised up by God, to teach His word. The Book of Mormon teaches: 'For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore, we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true' (Alma 29:8). Muslims who live their religion do not harm 'people of the Book,' Jews and Christians. To the extent that Muslims are faithful to the principles taught by the prophet Mohammed, they are brought closer to the truths of the restored gospel.

It can be helpful to ask Muslims to contemplate on the differences between Jews, non-LDS Christians, Muslims, and Latter-day Saints. Jews accept the holy writings constituting the Old Testament. Sectarian Christians claim to accept both the Old and New Testaments. Muslims claim to accept both the Old and the New Testament and the Koran. In each case, a certain amount of revelation is accepted, but no more. Each group draws a line cutting themselves off from ongoing, contemporary revelation. This diverges from the Lord's pattern of constant, ongoing revelation to His people throughout all of recorded scripture. Latter-day Saints differ from Jews, Sectarian Christians, and Muslims in that we accept not only the Lord's ancient words in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, but we accept the words that the Lord continues to give through living prophets. We also accept all truth, wherever it may be found, as part of our religion -- whether in the Koran, or in other good books.

Allah is eternal and unchanging, and He loves his children as much today as in the time of Abraham or Mohammed. He revealed to Abraham and Mohammed many particulars relating to even seemingly small aspects of daily life. Yet we face challenges today that did not exist at the time of Abraham or Mohammed. Would God withhold counsel from us today in great matters, when he taught Abraham and Mohammed even in small ones? Allah in his wisdom has provided living prophets on earth today, in whom the divine light dwells, to provide us with direction. Allah also provides a way in which all who live worthily and receive authorized ordinances can receive within themselves the divine light.

Many Muslims are descendents of Abraham and have claim to the blessings of the posterity of Abraham. Muslims, not Christians, represent the fastest-growing major branch of world religion. This is because, while Muslim proselytism is limited, most Muslim nations have much higher birth rates than most Christian nations. The promise to Abraham that his posterity would be as numerous as the sands of the sea is fulfilled, at least in part, in the Islamic world.

Many of the Arabian tribes recognize their descent from Abraham through the sons of Keturah. According to the Doctrine and Covenants, Moses himself received the Priesthood not from his forefathers of the tribes of Israel, but through his father-in-law Jethro, who was a descendant of Keturah! Several predominantly Muslim cultures are also substantially linked to the tribes of Israel. Substantive data supporting those connections are available in other venues and it is not my purpose to discourse on them at any length here. Suffice it to say that the dominant Pashtun tribe of Afghanistan claims direct descent from the tribes of Benjamin and Joseph, while the Kashmiris of Kashmir and Jammu and the Shinlung or B'nei Menashe of Manipur province, India, claim to be direct descendents of the tribes of Israel. There are undoubtedly other Muslim culture groups in which the blood of Israel is highly concentrated, in addition to the more generalized dispersion of the blood of Israel among all nations.

Investigating the Church can be very difficult for Muslims, as tight- knit family and social groups can exert considerable pressure on individuals not to investigate other faiths. Muslims who do investigate the Church may be ostracized or threatened. It is important to provide Muslims with steady friendship and strong support. It has frequently been reported that consistent Christian acts of caring often do more to soften a Muslim's heart to Christianity than lengthy doctrinal discussions.

By David Stewart

Language learning is not so much a matter of intelligence, as of work ethic and consistency. Small children learn languages well. They first learn intonation, then pronunciation, then vocabulary, and then grammar. They learn by listening. The result: native language mastery.

U.S. schools and universities teach languages poorly. They first teach grammar, then vocabulary, and then pronunciation. Intonation is learned last if it is learned at all. They learn by reading and speaking with little emphasis on listening until advanced stages. The result: a strong American accent.

In most language programs taught in the U.S., there is a lack of adequate modeling based on listening. Individuals are often encouraged to read, recite, compose phrases, and speak after only cursory exposure to native models. Accurate pronunciation requires much more than a few brief lessons to develop. It requires constant listening and modeling over prolonged periods to develop and retain. As native speakers are generally not constantly available during the learning phases, the constant use of helpful cassette tapes -- with modeling, comparison, and correction -- is vital to the acquisition of correct pronunciation and intonation patterns. It is impossible to learn correctly without constant modeling. As this is not the central element in most North American language teaching programs, the few individuals who learn to speak correctly almost always do so outside of the system. As a result, learning to speak accurately requires a high degree of self-motivation and independent effort.

In the Mission Field: Learn while Working

Proselyte first -- time is limited. Study in the cracks and whenever you can; there will always be time to study but opportunities to proselyte are limited to brief daylight and evening hours for only two years. When you first get to the country, you may feel like you know very little and may not understand people well. There is a temptation to stay in the apartment and study, study, study. Never, ever sit home during the day to get extra language study time. That is counterproductive to the very purpose of missionary work and offensive to the Spirit. Get out on the street and stay out! You will learn far more about the language and about people while you are working than while sitting at home. One can learn many things about language from listening to actual gospel conversations with natives that can not be learned from reading. The greatest feeling you can have is to come home after putting in a long day of well-used time, regardless of whether people have rejected you or invited you back, knowing that you did your best. If you lose time studying or performing tasks other than proselyting, you will lose the Spirit, regardless of how sincere your intentions may be.

Be Consistent!

There are two times when it is easy to become lax in language study. The first is when one starts studying a new language and feels overwhelmed. With consistent work, this challenge is overcome. The second (and more dangerous) time is when one is able to communicate and gets into a comfort zone and feels his or her language skills are better than they actually are. Maintaining consistent language learning protocol is important to move from just getting by to speaking correctly and developing a full range of expression.

Additional tips on language learning are found below in the discussion of each resource.

Language Resources

Gospel Literature

Official church literature (the Book of Mormon, the Joseph Smith Story, Gospel Principles, and the missionary discussions) should be the first reading material for missionaries. Church international magazines can also be helpful. These items can all be ordered at minimal cost through the Salt Lake Distribution Center and are available to missionaries, members, and nonmembers alike.

Language Cassettes

Language Cassettes are very helpful if the vocabulary selection is appropriate. Time is much better spent learning the vocabulary from cassettes recorded by native speakers than from vocabulary lists. Learning a word on paper will not give you the ability to pronounce or use it correctly. Hearing the words on cassette and repeating them is less mentally taxing than reading from paper and is retained better! You can use language cassettes to fill in the 'cracks' in your day, while driving, doing the dishes, or raking leaves. I've found my walkman and car cassette deck invaluable tools in language learning. In fact, I am confident that most people could become fluent in multiple languages if they would use 'down time' to master language cassettes. However, be sure to repeat the words out loud and compare your pronounciation and intonation rigorously to that of the native speaker until it is accurate. Passive listening without repeating does not convey the ability to speak. At first, you may not be able to hear important differences in pronounciation. Learn to listen accurately! Ask native speakers to critique your pronounciation, and once you learn to hear the sounds correctly, you will be more able to make them correctly and practice on your own.

My favorite language cassette series are the Learn in your Car Series and VocabuLearn from Penton Overseas (on the web at www.pentonoverseas.com). These series are available for many languages. Each series has three two-cassette sets each covering about 1500 words and phrases both in the foreign language and in English. That seems like a lot, but if you spend 45 minutes each way commuting every day, you could go through the whole set once a week! Other people prefer different cassette series. Find the one that best suits your taste at your local bookstore (or place a special order if the store does not stock the series you want). The key is to go over and over the cassettes again and again until you are thoroughly familiar with the words and their meanings and can pronounce them accurately.

The Gospel on Cassette

My single two favorite tools for studying the gospel in foreign languages are the missionary discussions on cassette and the foreign language cassette bible. You can get foreign language discussions on cassette at the Missionary Training Center. The New Testament on Cassette is available inexpensively from several sources. It is more productive and less taxing to use cassettes as supplements to reading the scriptures than reading alone. Audio Scriptures International, Inc. (on the web at www.audioscriptures.org, or by snail mail and phone PO Box 460634 Escondido, CA 92046-0634, tel. (619) 673-0867 or PO Box 28417 San Diego, CA 92198-8417 tel. (619) 745-8105) is a nonprofit organization producing foreign language audio scriptures at cost (about $25 for a 16-cassette-Russian New Testament Set). This set is well done with excellent pronunciation and intonation. Hosanna (2421 Aztec Road N.E., Albuquerque NM 87107-4224, 1-800-545-6552) also distributes the same versions available through Audio Scriptures for a comparable (or slightly cheaper) price.

Foreign Language News Broadcasts and Newspapers

Many people wonder which words they should learn. The problem is solved for us with the use of audio news broadcasts or newspapers. The words you hear are words people actually use. The words used most frequently will become a part of your active vocabulary. Words that are used less frequently will become part of your passive vocabulary. And you won't waste time learning words that you don't hear in active speech. Reading great literature may be philosophically interesting, but is of little value in acquiring practical language skills. No one talks like Shakespeare, Pushkin, or Dostoevsky today. While some familiarity with great literature is valuable from a cultural standpoint, its value for language-learning is limited. Much of the vocabulary of their great novels and poems is irrelevant to missionary work.

I recommend audio news broadcasts as the best way to learn to speak a language for those who don't have the opportunity to constantly be around native speakers. One should keep a dictionary handy and write down all unfamiliar words to look up later. In developing good listening skills, one acquires accurate pronunciation, intonation, syntax, and grammar.

News broadcasts provide real-life insight into the country and culture.

On-demand real audio internet radio news broadcasts above are helpful for intermediate and advanced speakers. The can be found by searching ask.com for ''audio' or 'news broadcast' and the language of your choice. Altavista.com also allows you to selectively search for audio resources.

Conventional newspapers also have a role. However, the actual news articles are generally of greater value (both culturally and linguistically) than editorials.

Special considerations for Russian and Ukrainian: Orthographic Dictionaries

For Russian and Ukrainian, one should make sure that any general dictionary lists all stress and stress changes. I highly recommend an orthographic dictionary (orthografichesky slovar') for these languages in addition to a comprehensive regular dictionary. An orthographic dictionary is a dictionary that shows the syllable stress and how the stress changes with declension. Many words have shifting stress that one could not anticipate without actually looking up the word. It is crucial to place the stress correctly when applying words you have only read before to conversational speech since unanticipated stress changes can occur with noun declension. You can acquire an orthographic dictionary at most large Russian bookstores. Online, you can get one from Kniga (www.kniga.com).