3 Easy (and Unscary) Ways to Share the Gospel with Others

When I was young, I was always so scared of sharing the gospel with my friends.

But when I got my mission call, all my friends at school knew that I would be going to Spain after graduation, though most of them weren’t entirely sure why. So I took advantage of their questions to tell them more about the Book of Mormon, about what I would be doing as a missionary, and about Jesus Christ.

I ended up giving five copies of the Book of Mormon to my closest friends and even to a few teachers at school before the end of the year, and even though my heart would pound in fear when I would share it with them, I would feel excited and energized from the Spirit soon after.

That experience showed me that sharing our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t have to be forced or terrifying or even unpleasant. In fact, there are many ways we can naturally share what is in our hearts when it comes to our love of the gospel, whether it be in person or virtually. And because “the gospel of Christ … is the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16), you can be confident, courageous, and humble as you share it.

Here are a few ideas from my experiences and the scriptures that have helped me.

1. Be Authentic

When I was in Barcelona on my mission, my companion and I were walking by our church building when we saw a young woman walking toward us. We felt prompted to talk to her, so we stopped her and asked the woman if she had ever seen our church building before. We learned that her name was Maya (all names have been changed), and I invited her to come to a game night that we were planning with other young adults the following Friday. She accepted.

At the game night, I still remember how Maya and Alicia, a friend of ours who was a recent convert, were laughing together. Alicia was such a good friend to Maya. She asked Maya about her family, her interests, and her religious beliefs and built a friendship with Maya over time. We learned more about Maya’s religious background and her devotion to God, and she also expressed an interest in learning more about how we communicate with God.

Over time, as my companion and I, Alicia, and the rest of the ward got to know Maya and kept inviting her and showing her love, she felt the Spirit of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and decided to be baptized. As we remembered patience and brotherly kindness (see Doctrine and Covenants 4:6), I know that the authentic friendships Maya experienced influenced her decision.

2. Pray to Recognize Missionary Opportunities

After coming back from my mission, I moved from my home in Guatemala and started going to school at Brigham Young University in Utah, USA. I was sad and a bit discouraged to move to a place where I seemingly wouldn’t have many opportunities to share the gospel. So I prayed earnestly to find someone who needed to hear the truth.

After a few weeks, I went on a walk after church and saw a tall man looking at posters on campus. I immediately felt that I should talk to him. I was nervous because I was still polishing my English and had no clue what to say. I walked past him but then turned around and introduced myself, trusting Heavenly Father to help me (see Doctrine and Covenants 100:5–6).

We had a nice conversation, and he told me that he wasn’t a member of the Church but he was a student and that he was amazed by the service the Church does for people. I could not believe that I was talking to a nonmember on BYU’s campus! We exchanged phone numbers, and eventually I introduced him to more members of the Church and helped him learn more about the gospel.

The man didn’t join the Church, but through that experience I learned that if we desire to bless other people’s lives, God will help us take the opportunities all around us (see Doctrine and Covenants 4:3). So now I don’t pray for missionary opportunities—I pray to have the eyes to see the missionary opportunities that are in front of me.

3. Show Christ’s Perfect Love to Others

When I was getting married, Maria, a close family member of mine, visited me. Maria had previously decided to leave the Church to pursue a relationship with another woman. I don’t agree with all her choices, but I love Maria and respect her agency, so I have tried to maintain a good relationship with her.

When Maria and Kristen visited, I had the opportunity to give them both priesthood blessings, as they were seeking guidance through some struggles in their lives. The Savior often responded to the faith of those who were outside of the covenant or who weren’t keeping His commandments (see Matthew 8:5–13; Mark 7:24–30; Luke 7:36–50). So even though I wasn’t sure of what I was going to say, I dressed up and prepared to let God’s power flow through me.

During the blessings, I felt prompted to share specific counsel with both Maria and Kristen and to make certain promises. I’ll never forget the strong Spirit we all felt. I believe it changed all of us for the better.

Because of our love for each other, I can share my feelings about the gospel with Maria in a way that she may not welcome from others. Love qualifies us to do His work by opening doors to share His gospel and by inviting His help into our efforts (see Doctrine and Covenants 4:5). In perfect love, the Savior shared truths with the woman at the well, even though she had sinned and was a Samaritan (see John 4). She felt the love and truths He shared with her and was forever changed by His message.

And even if our invitations to live the gospel aren’t accepted, sharing the love of God with others can still make a lasting difference in their lives.

We Can Have Courage When Helping Others Move toward Christ

With regards to missionary work, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

“Trust the Lord to work His miracles. Understand that it’s not your job to convert people. That is the role of the Holy Ghost. Your role is to share what is in your heart and live consistent with your beliefs.

“So, don’t be discouraged if someone does not accept the gospel message immediately. …

“That is between the individual and Heavenly Father.

“Yours is to love God and love your neighbors, His children.

“Believe, love, do.

“Follow this path, and God will work miracles through you to bless His precious children.”¹

When our love for others is bigger than our fear of rejection, we get to see the beautiful blessings of Christ unfold as we strive to gather Israel. Breaking those barriers I had as a teenager has helped me establish a strong testimony of the importance of missionary work in my life. We can invite others to come unto Christ through natural, small, and simple ways, especially by getting to know them, offering help, and loving them.

Not all my efforts to share what is in my heart have led to conversion, but I recognize that when I have the courage to share the gospel, I am helping others take a step toward Christ, and I am also springing forward in my own journey on the covenant path. After all, we can find greater happiness and blessings when we try to be like Jesus and bring others to Him.

Note

1. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in Your Heart,” Liahona, May 2019, 17.