As early Saints embraced the message of the Restoration, they had a great desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Some shared their beliefs with family members and friends. Others responded to a call from the Savior to serve a mission. This lesson can help students share the Savior’s gospel throughout their lives.
Possible Learning Activities
Opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ
Help students identify opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Consider inviting students to read this statement and discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared:
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Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Wherever you are on this earth, there are plenty of opportunities to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with people you meet, study with, and live with or work and socialize with. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in Your Heart,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 15)
What experiences have you had sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ?
What opportunities to share the gospel do you think you will have throughout your life?
How confident are you in your ability to share the gospel of Jesus Christ? What can make it hard to share the gospel?
Invite students to prayerfully identify someone they could share the gospel of Jesus Christ with. If students were invited to complete the preparation activity, they may already have someone in mind. Invite students to write the names of these people in their study journal. Or, if no one came to mind, invite them to continue pondering opportunities they might have to share the gospel with others. Encourage students to seek inspiration from the Holy Ghost throughout this learning experience.
Glad tidings of great joy
In the revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 79–80, the Savior called three individuals to serve missions: Jared Carter, Stephen Burnett, and Eden Smith.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 79:1. Look for how the Lord described the message He asked Jared Carter to share with others.
What words impressed you from this verse? What does the Savior invite us to do?
Help students identify that Jesus Christ invites us to share the joy of His gospel with everyone. Consider writing Glad tidings of great joy on the board. Invite students to list what they know about Jesus Christ and His everlasting gospel that brings them great joy.
Think of the lives of the people whose names you wrote down at the beginning of the lesson. Record next to their names how you think the “glad tidings” of the gospel could bring them joy.
Doctrine and Covenants 79–80 contains teachings from the Savior that can help students in their efforts to share the gospel. Consider ways you can help them discover these teachings. The following activity is one way you could do this. It can be modified to meet the needs of your students.
Provide each student with the handout titled “Preach My Gospel.” Or invite students to create a similar chart on a blank sheet of paper and provide them with the instructions for each box.
Preach my gospel
Preach My Gospel
As you do this activity, look for teachings from Jesus Christ that can help you in your efforts to share the joy of His gospel.
Read the scripture passage and complete the instructions in each square. If you need more space, you can use the reverse side of the handout.
Write what you believe is the most important word or phrase in this verse and a brief explanation of why you feel it is important in sharing the gospel.
Write something you have heard, believe, or know to be true about Jesus Christ or His gospel. Include why that truth can be valuable for others to hear.
Read this verse as though it were being spoken directly to you. Write how knowing the Savior has called you to share the gospel can give you confidence to do so.
A possible way to use this handout is to determine beforehand how much time students might need to complete each activity. Inform students of their allotted time to complete the activity in each box and set a timer. Each time the timer sounds, instruct them to pass their paper to another student, read what their classmates have written, and do the activity in the next box.
After this activity, instruct students to return the papers to the original owners. Invite students to read to themselves everything written on their paper. Students could share insights from their classmates or their own study that they feel will help in their efforts to share the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sharing what we have heard, believe, and know to be true
Consider reviewing Doctrine and Covenants 80:4. In this verse, the Lord asks us to share what we have heard, believe, and know to be true. Invite a few students to share what they or a classmate wrote in that square.
To help students visualize how they can use what they have learned to share the gospel, consider sharing an example with a story or video. One such video is “Good Things to Share” (2:21), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
What have you felt today that has increased your desire to share the joy of the Savior’s gospel?
What are some ways you can apply the truths you have learned today throughout your lives?
Invite students to record the impressions they received that can help them share the joy of the Savior’s gospel with the individuals they identified at the beginning of class. Encourage students to follow their impressions and share their beliefs with others in meaningful ways such as through personal conversations, text messages, or on social media.