Alma 17:11-15

Questions

What does the Lord mean by "establish my word"? Does this just mean teach? What kind of teaching is implied here?
Why are they counseled to be "patient in long suffering and afflictions"?
How does being patient in long suffering and afflictions "show forth good examples"?
What does it mean to be an example "in me"?
What does it mean to be an "instrument...in my hands unto the salvation of many souls"?
Why would the Lord give them a promise of being able to help save "many souls"? Do modern missionaries have similar promises? What do they have to do to obtain that promise? Is it important for them to obtain such a promise before they actually start their missions?

What made their hearts take courage?
Do we have any indication of what these missionaries expected as far as the tactics they would use to "declare...the word of God" to the Lamanites?

Why did they separate themselves?
If they didn't expect to "meet again" until "the close of their harvest", how long did they think that their missions would last?
What does it mean for them to suppose "that great was the work which they had undertaken"? What basis did they have for thinking that?

So, we learn that the Lamanites are very wicked, yet "the promises of the Lord were extended unto them on conditions of repentance." How does this differ from any group of modern people that missionaries might be called to teach? Can modern missionaries take faith in knowing that they can have similar success with any other group of wicked people that they might be called to teach?
Why do the Sons of Mosiah have such great success on their missions, while many modern missionaries seem to have only modest success? Is there something about how they served that made them more effective, or was it all just luck of the draw and they happened to find a receptive audience? How much should modern missionaries take the account of this mission as normative for their work, and for the expectations of success we should have as missionaries?