1- things that need to be done immediatly  --> a boat, in case you need to flee in panic

2- things that need to be done but can wait a little longer --> sex, christians have always this in the head, but 1st they have to meet the villagers and convert their teenagers so they can abuse them later.

3- how to actually complete the task --> you need an army, to pillage and rape all the way down, so the new borns will be christians.  Spanish did it in south america and look at them now, they're more christians than an 'Opus Dei' bishop.

4- any difficulties that can be overcome and how --> their native language may be an issue, so you'll have to cut their tongues if they dont learn to speak like you (using the bible as the didactic book)

5- any difficulties that cannot be overcome --> the mosquitos!  damn evil creatures!

lol i got a slightly more productive/civilised response but took all these factors into account .

History shows Christian missionaries were in general not civilised.

Hahaha sounds like your classmates are a bunch of naive fools with a romanticised view of (19th century) uncharted African areas. Muskets would have been a good idea, as would shiny metal iron be! Make them believe you are gods with silver skin that shoot fire from their wooden beams!

In many cases a Priest would befriend an elder, or important person.

He would show cooking methods, metalurgy, medicine, writing, digging a well, water purification, and other important things.

The value of such things would be apparent easily, and the priest would improve the lives of those he was working with.

Usually the priest, being taught multiple languages already, would learn the language of those around him. He would then make a book anoting the language as he had learned it.

The Priest(s) would often make others better off by far before making their own structure(s). Many of the places these Priests helped in the America's flourished and became cities and towns. Tribes in Africa who were protected by a Priest suffered less the ravages of slavery (slavers avoided organized area's) and were far less likely to perish entirely. Many area's in Africa, where cities bloomed, owe their growth to Christian or Islamic missionaries (or armies, yes).

A priest was also typically unarmed and therefore unable to defend themselves. However some national groups spreading religion (Conquistidors for instance) were quite well armed and caused great harm.

History shows a great many of these Priests lived and helped their followers gain wealth in the form of better infrastructure (buildings, wells, sewers even), property (paintings, books, better clothes) and also helped dramatically increase survivability.

I am sorry I did not see this thread before your report was written.

Alundra how do you think Hernan Cortes did=?

To turn them into belief, first they have to see you like a god, making their pagan sacrifices look childish compared to yours

Don't know eksactly where you're studyign, but if your classmates think religion did anything good to the world kick their asses until they're closed in a monastery.
Religion = Blood and mass assasinations, and catholics have the 1st prize on that task. 

History does not lie, and human being is constantly repeating it and not learning from past massacres.  Look at us now, we're heading 2014 very similar to our grand-grandpas were heading 1914 where 1st WW started.  We're the damned to repeat our history in a foolish loop.