Elder Jonathan S. Schmitt, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Missionary Department, invited missionaries to drop five specific "nets" during a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. Speaking to 1,535 training missionaries, Schmitt urged listeners to commit their whole souls to Jesus Christ and their missionary purpose immediately.
The five nets identified by Schmitt included worldly media and entertainment, pornography, casualness, pride and selfishness, and unrepented sin. Regarding media, Schmitt noted that while technology can assist in finding and teaching, missionaries should avoid online content that distracts or damages the spirit, such as unauthorized shared media folders or inappropriate online chats.
To combat the net of pornography, Schmitt stated that the Lord provides power through Jesus Christ and suggested the Book of Mormon as a primary instrument. He referenced a 2017 promise from the late Church President Russell M. Nelson that daily immersion in the Book of Mormon can act as an immunization against such evils.
Schmitt also addressed the net of casualness, suggesting that missionaries should match their language, dress, and appearance to their calling as representatives of Jesus Christ. He noted that dropping the net of pride and selfishness through faith and repentance allows for transformation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Finally, Schmitt addressed unrepented sin, describing repentance as a joyous and hopeful process that grants access to the grace and cleansing power of the Savior's Atonement. He encouraged missionaries not to wait to drop the net of unrepented sin.
Sister Alexis Schmitt accompanied Elder Schmitt during the devotional. In her remarks, she testified that God calls ordinary and unlikely people to do the impossible and stated that Christ is in charge of the missionary work.
Following the devotional, missionaries shared personal reflections. Sister Isabella Dracoulis from San Antonio, Texas, expressed a desire not to let anything hold her back from serving the Lord, while Sister Alece Schiwek from Stuttgart, Germany, noted her intent to focus on Christ rather than everyday distractions.
