2013
A friend of mine wants to know more about the gospel but doesn’t want to go to church or meet with the missionaries. I can’t answer all of his questions. What should I do?
December 2013


“A friend of mine wants to know more about the gospel but doesn’t want to go to church or meet with the missionaries. I can’t answer all of his questions. What should I do?” New Era, Dec. 2013, 39

A friend of mine wants to know more about the gospel but doesn’t want to go to church or meet with the missionaries. I can’t answer all of his questions. What should I do?

young men

Photo illustration by John Luke

You can do many things to help your friend, and there are many resources your friend can use to learn more. Though you may not feel confident in your ability to answer all of your friend’s questions, you should always show your care and support for him and assure him that there are answers. Here are a few of the things you could do:

  • Invite your friend to a family home evening.

  • Give your friend a copy of the Book of Mormon, read it together, and invite him to read it and pray about it on his own.

  • Invite your friend to Mutual activities or youth conference.

  • Take your friend to a nearby temple, especially if it has an adjacent visitors’ center, and tell him what we believe about temple ordinances and eternal families.

  • Use emails, text messages, posts through social networking, or other ways of communicating to stay in touch and answer questions. You could link him to some of the articles or videos on LDS.org, especially at lds.org/youth/video.

  • Go online with your friend and show him the Mormon.org website.

  • Give your friend a gift subscription to the New Era at store.lds.org.

  • As Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles might say, “Ask the missionaries! They can help you!” (see Ensign, Nov. 2012, 18). Get in touch with them to see if they have any suggestions for you.