“Chapter 12: Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Russell M. Nelson (2023)
“Chapter 12,” Teachings: Russell M. Nelson
Chapter 12
Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ
You may be the very one to open the door to [an individual’s] salvation and understanding of the doctrine of Christ.
From the Life of Russell M. Nelson
President Russell M. Nelson has said, “Everyone deserves the chance to know about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.” He has shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and government leaders through his words and by his example. One example comes out of his friendship with Dr. Zhang Zhen-Xiang:
“Many years ago, I was invited to be a visiting professor of surgery in the People’s Republic of China. Upon meeting and becoming well acquainted with my host, Dr. Zhang, I found myself picturing him in white baptismal clothing. Then, when I met Dr. Zhang’s wife, I couldn’t help but think of the two of them dressed in white in the temple together. I realized these thoughts were not practical, as I was not permitted to talk about the gospel while in China and I strictly adhered to that rule. Nonetheless, over the course of many trips to China, Dr. Zhang and I became dear friends.
“Six years after my call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I received an unexpected letter from Dr. Zhang. He said that he had lived under both Japanese and Chinese rule and had also worked in a Presbyterian hospital. Then he said that he was now seventy years old, and the only way of living that made sense to him was Dr. Russell Nelson’s. He wanted to know if he could be taught the gospel if he and his wife moved to Toronto, Canada. I of course told him that I would be delighted to arrange for him to meet with missionaries.
“A few weeks after contacting the mission president in Toronto, I learned that these dear friends were ready to be baptized. I flew to Toronto to participate in their baptismal service. After their confirmations, I told them that I would return in one year to perform their sealing as a couple in the Toronto Ontario Temple, which I did. These were singular treasured experiences that commenced by visualizing them dressed in white.”
Teachings of Russell M. Nelson
The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been needed more than it is today
Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ has never been needed more than it is today. Contention violates everything the Savior stood for and taught. I love the Lord Jesus Christ and testify that His gospel is the only enduring solution for peace. His gospel is a gospel of peace.
His gospel is the only answer when many in the world are stunned with fear. This underscores the urgent need for us to follow the Lord’s instruction to His disciples to “go … into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” [Mark 16:15; emphasis added]. We have the sacred responsibility to share the power and peace of Jesus Christ with all who will listen and who will let God prevail in their lives.
Every person who has made covenants with God has promised to care about others and serve those in need. We can demonstrate faith in God and always be ready to respond to those who ask about “the hope that is in [us]” [1 Peter 3:15]. Each of us has a role to play in the gathering of Israel.
Study Question
In what ways has the gospel of Jesus Christ helped you find peace?
You may be the very one to open the door to someone’s salvation
All can be member missionaries. … Each member can be an example of the believers [see 1 Timothy 4:12]. … As followers of Jesus Christ, each of you can live in accord with His teachings. You can have “a pure heart and clean hands”; you can have “the image of God engraven upon your [countenance]” [Alma 5:19]. Your good works will be evident to others. The light of the Lord can beam from your eyes. With that radiance, you had better prepare for questions. The Apostle Peter so counseled, “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” [1 Peter 3:15].
Let your response be warm and joyful. And let your response be relevant to that individual. Remember, he or she is also a child of God, that very God who dearly wants that person to qualify for eternal life and return to Him one day. You may be the very one to open the door to his or her salvation and understanding of the doctrine of Christ.
After your initial response, be ready to take the next step. You may invite your friend to attend church with you. Many of our friends do not know they are welcome in our Church buildings. “Come and see” was the Savior’s invitation to those who desired to learn more about Him [John 1:39]. An invitation to attend a Sunday meeting with you or to participate in a Church social or service activity will help to dispel mistaken myths and make visitors feel more comfortable among us.
As a member of the Church, reach out to those you do not know and greet them warmly. Each Sunday extend a hand of fellowship to at least one person you did not know before. Each day of your life, strive to enlarge your own circle of friendship.
You can invite a friend to read the Book of Mormon. Explain that it is not a novel or a history book. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. Its very purpose is “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” [title page of the Book of Mormon]. There is a power in this book that can touch the hearts and lift the lives of honest seekers of truth. Invite your friend to read the book prayerfully. …
Another way that you can share the gospel is to invite friends to meet with full-time missionaries in your home. Those missionaries are called and prepared to teach the gospel. Your friends, in the comfort of your home and with your constant reassurance, can begin their journey toward salvation and exaltation. The Lord said, “Ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts” [Doctrine and Covenants 29:7].
Scripture tells us that “there are many yet on the earth … who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” [Doctrine and Covenants 123:12]. Isn’t that your opportunity? You can become their own disciple of discovery! …
Each exemplary follower of Jesus Christ can become an effective member missionary. Members and full-time missionaries may walk arm in arm in bringing the blessings of the gospel to cherished friends and neighbors.
When people ask you about the joy and hope they see in you, they want a simple reply, not a long discourse. I suggest that you respond briefly. That may open the door to longer conversations later.
Study Question
What would you say to someone who wants to know why you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
All of us may preach the gospel by precept and example
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have the sacred and covenant responsibility to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and bless the lives of all of God’s children. … Our charge is much more than just inviting people to join the Church. We want each one to become a truly converted disciple of Jesus Christ and to follow Him—now and forever.
Each and every time we share the gospel with others, we are fulfilling our commission as disciples of the Lord.
Paul wrote to young Timothy, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” [1 Timothy 4:12; emphasis added]. That counsel is just as valid for us now as it was then.
All of us may preach the gospel by precept and example. The word gospel means “good news.” The good news is the Lord Jesus Christ and His message of salvation.
Participate in this great gathering process. Be a great example to your neighbors, to your friends. … Be kinder; be a little sweeter to be around. … Be nice to one another; be courteous to one another; look for the good in one another. As you set that example, other people will want to emulate you, will want to be more like you.
Study Questions
Who are some people who have been examples of the believers for you? How have their examples inspired you to share your faith in Jesus Christ with others?
We need more full-time missionaries—more worthy missionaries
Today I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. You young men have been reserved for this time when the promised gathering of Israel is taking place. As you serve missions, you play a pivotal role in this unprecedented event!
For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. We love sister missionaries and welcome them wholeheartedly. What you contribute to this work is magnificent! Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission, and the Holy Ghost will respond to your heart and mind.
Dear young friends, you are each vital to the Lord. He has held you in reserve until now to help gather Israel. Your decision to serve a mission, whether a proselyting or a service mission, will bless you and many others. We also welcome senior couples to serve when their circumstances permit. Their efforts are simply irreplaceable.
All missionaries teach and testify of the Savior. The spiritual darkness in the world makes the light of Jesus Christ needed more than ever. Everyone deserves the chance to know about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Every person deserves to know where they can find the hope and peace that “[pass] all understanding” [Philippians 4:7].
We need more missionaries—more worthy missionaries. During His earthly ministry, the Lord told His disciples, “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest” [Luke 10:2].
Study Question
What would you say to encourage and support someone who is considering a full-time mission?
Marvelous senior missionaries answer the pleadings of prophets and apostles
When we think of missionaries, we generally picture in our minds young men with shirts and ties and young women dressed modestly. But along with them are marvelous senior missionaries who have answered the pleadings of prophets and apostles for more missionary couples.
I express gratitude for our senior missionaries. They are young in spirit, wise, and willing to work. … These dear members are willing to serve and strengthen the lives of others. …
… Opportunities for senior missionaries are varied and vast. Their calls to serve are officially made after prayerful consideration has been given to their occupational background, language experience, and personal capabilities. Of all qualifications to serve, a desire to serve may be the most important. [see Doctrine and Covenants 4:2–3]. …
Many humble Latter-day Saints fear that they are not qualified for missionary labors. But to such a prospective missionary, the Lord has given this assurance: “Faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work” [Doctrine and Covenants 4:5].
Study Questions
In what ways have you seen senior missionaries strengthen the lives of others? In what ways are senior missionaries and their families blessed by their service?
Missionaries teach the fulness of the gospel and bless the lives of people everywhere
All missionaries, younger and older, serve with the sole hope of making life better for other people.
The decision to serve a mission will shape the spiritual destiny of the missionary, his or her spouse, and their posterity for generations to come. A desire to serve is a natural outcome of one’s conversion, worthiness, and preparation. …
We follow the Lord Jesus Christ and teach of Him. We know that after His glorious triumph over death, the resurrected Lord appeared to His disciples on numerous occasions. He ate with them. He walked with them. Before His final Ascension, He commissioned them to “go … and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” [Matthew 28:19]. The Apostles heeded that instruction. They also called upon others to help them fulfill the Lord’s command.
Today, under the direction of modern apostles and prophets, that same charge has been extended to missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These missionaries serve in more than 150 nations. As representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, they strive to fulfill that divine command—renewed in our day by the Lord Himself—to take the fulness of the gospel abroad and bless the lives of people everywhere.
Study Question
How has your life been influenced by a decision that you or someone else made to serve a mission?
We want missionaries to have the doctrine of Christ written in their hearts
The Lord foresaw our day when He said through His prophet: “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” [Jeremiah 31:33; emphasis added]. More than anything else, we want our missionaries to receive that blessing, to have the doctrine of Christ engraved in their hearts—rooted deeply in the marrow of their bones [see 3 Nephi 11:31–40]. Through these mighty missionaries, more and more people will come to a knowledge of the Lord and be baptized. …
Missionaries who strive for the Lord’s law to be inscribed upon their hearts literally become—by their action, example, and ministry—“epistle[s] of Christ” to be “known and read of all men” [2 Corinthians 3:2–3]. Because the gospel of Christ is written indelibly upon their hearts, they become true messengers and eloquent examples of the Lord.
Study Question
What does it mean to you to have the doctrine of Christ written in your heart?
We need to proceed in faith and do our best, knowing that God will help us
You are well aware of the Lord’s statement “I will hasten my work in its time” [Doctrine and Covenants 88:73]. We are eyewitnesses of this amazing development. …
Though the work of salvation is hastening and some of our tools for doing the work have changed, God’s goals have not changed. His work and His glory is always “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” [Moses 1:39]. In other words, as a beneficent and loving Father, He yearns for the safe and successful return of His children. So He and His Beloved Son established His Church, that His children may learn of Them, choose to obey the commandments, and qualify for God’s greatest gift—that of eternal life.
We, as agents of the Lord, are privileged to preach His gospel. The Apostle Paul taught an amazing concept. He declared that each agent, each disciple—yes, each missionary—can become a living “epistle of Christ, … written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God … [embedded] in fleshy tables of the heart” [2 Corinthians 3:3]. … We need to proceed in faith and do our best, knowing that He will help us.
Study Question
How has the Lord helped you as you have tried to share His gospel with family members or others?
Invitations and Promises
You may be the very one to open the door to someone’s salvation
As followers of Jesus Christ, each of you can live in accord with His teachings. You can have “a pure heart and clean hands”; you can have “the image of God engraven upon your [countenance]” [Alma 5:19]. Your good works will be evident to others. The light of the Lord can beam from your eyes. With that radiance, you had better prepare for questions. The Apostle Peter so counseled, “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” [1 Peter 3:15].
Let your response be warm and joyful. And let your response be relevant to that individual. Remember, he or she is also a child of God, that very God who dearly wants that person to qualify for eternal life and return to Him one day. You may be the very one to open the door to his or her salvation and understanding of the doctrine of Christ.
Each follower of Jesus Christ can become an effective member missionary
Each exemplary follower of Jesus Christ can become an effective member missionary. Members and full-time missionaries may walk arm in arm in bringing the blessings of the gospel to cherished friends and neighbors.
Your decision to serve a proselyting or service mission will bless you and many others
Today I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. You young men have been reserved for this time when the promised gathering of Israel is taking place. As you serve missions, you play a pivotal role in this unprecedented event!
For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. We love sister missionaries and welcome them wholeheartedly. What you contribute to this work is magnificent! Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission, and the Holy Ghost will respond to your heart and mind.
Dear young friends, you are each vital to the Lord. He has held you in reserve until now to help gather Israel. Your decision to serve a mission, whether a proselyting or a service mission, will bless you and many others. We also welcome senior couples to serve when their circumstances permit. Their efforts are simply irreplaceable.
Faith, hope, charity, and love qualify senior missionaries for missionary labors
Opportunities for senior missionaries are varied and vast. Their calls to serve are officially made after prayerful consideration has been given to their occupational background, language experience, and personal capabilities. Of all qualifications to serve, a desire to serve may be the most important. The Lord has declared:
“O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
“Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work” [Doctrine and Covenants 4:2–3; emphasis added].
Many humble Latter-day Saints fear that they are not qualified for missionary labors. But to such a prospective missionary, the Lord has given this assurance: “Faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work” [Doctrine and Covenants 4:5].
Faithful missionaries will bring people to a knowledge of the Lord
The Lord foresaw our day when He said through His prophet: “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” [Jeremiah 31:33; emphasis added]. More than anything else, we want our missionaries to receive that blessing, to have the doctrine of Christ engraved in their hearts—rooted deeply in the marrow of their bones [see 3 Nephi 11:31–40]. Through these mighty missionaries, more and more people will come to a knowledge of the Lord and be baptized.
We need to proceed in faith and do our best, knowing that God will help us
You are well aware of the Lord’s statement “I will hasten my work in its time” [Doctrine and Covenants 88:73]. We are eyewitnesses of this amazing development. … The Lord expects us to maintain His quickened pace. We need to proceed in faith and do our best, knowing that He will help us.
Video
Related Talks
“Preaching the Gospel of Peace” (April 2022 general conference)
“Catch the Wave” (April 2013 general conference)
“Ask the Missionaries! They Can Help You!” (October 2012 general conference)
“Be Thou an Example of the Believers” (October 2010 general conference)
“Senior Missionaries and the Gospel” (October 2004 general conference)
“The Work of Salvation: Parable of a Father at Bedtime” (special missionary broadcast, June 2013)