“Sharing the Gospel Naturally,” New Era, Mar. 2014, 20–21

Sharing the Gospel Naturally

You can be a missionary in small ways each day.

In the October 2013 general conference, President Thomas S. Monson reminded us how important it is to help others come unto Christ.¹ For many of us, sharing the gospel can feel intimidating, though. After all, have you ever felt nervous about talking to others about the gospel or the Church?

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that there is a way to overcome that fear. He said, “Fear will be replaced with faith and confidence when members and the full-time missionaries kneel in prayer and ask the Lord to bless them with missionary opportunities. Then, we must demonstrate our faith and watch for opportunities to introduce the gospel of Jesus Christ to our Heavenly Father’s children, and surely those opportunities will come. These opportunities will never require a forced or a contrived response. They will flow as a natural result of our love for our brothers and sisters. Just be positive, and those whom you speak with will feel your love.”²

As you strive to follow that counsel, check out these ideas about how you can share the gospel in your everyday life.

10 Scriptures to Cheer Up Your Friends

Know people who are having a bad day? Sharing a scripture with them might be just the thing to brighten their day. And if they see that you believe in the scriptures, they may ask you more about your beliefs or the Church. Here are 10 scriptures that inspire with hope and provide comfort to the soul.

10 Conversation Starters

Need some suggestions for how to bring up the gospel in everyday conversations? Here are 10 simple ideas.

Ask your friend what he thinks about God, and really listen. Then share your thoughts.
Talk about what you did at Mutual this week. If your friend asks what “Mutual” is, then it’s an easy way to say what Church you belong to.
Ask around for jobs or ideas to earn money and let others know you’re saving to pay for a mission.
Share a scripture you read in the Book of Mormon that touched you.
Tell about a skill you learned at a ward activity or family home evening—and talk about what a “ward” or “FHE” is.
When you’re outside, share your thoughts about all the beautiful things Heavenly Father made for us.
Ask your friends where their names came from. If they’re family names, you can bring up family history and share how it connects us to our past and to our future through temples.
Talk about seminary—about getting up early to go or about something you learned there.
When talking about what you did over the weekend, tell about an experience at church.
When anyone talks about media, share what you like and why you have your standards.

10 Videos to Share

Sharing videos created by the Church is a great way to lift another’s spirits or share gospel truths in a friendly way. Here are 10 videos you might want to consider.

If your friend:

Wants to know who the Savior is and how He lived, share “Christlike Attributes” at lds.org/go/attributesNE3.
Suffers from the pain of losing a friend or loved one, share “He Will Give You Help” at lds.org/go/helpNE3.
Wonders if you’re a Christian, share “For God so Loved the World” at lds.org/go/loveNE3 (or any video at biblevideos.lds.org).
Has a health problem and wants to know how to stay happy, share “God Will Lift Us Up” at lds.org/go/liftNE3.
Would like to know what the Book of Mormon is, share “Book of Mormon: An Apostle’s Introduction” at lds.org/go/bookNE3.
Wants a better life, share the story of a homeless young man who changed his life after learning about Jesus Christ in “Hi, I’m Paris. I’m a Mormon” at lds.org/go/ParisNE3.
Wonders why the law of chastity is important, share “I Choose to Be Pure” at lds.org/go/pureNE3.
Doesn’t understand exactly what you mean when you talk about “serving in your quorum” or “priesthood service” or a “class presidency,” share an example of looking out for each other in “Dayton’s Legs” at lds.org/go/DaytonNE3.
Wants to know who we really are, why we’re here on earth, and where we’re going after this life, share “Our True Identity” at lds.org/go/trueNE3.
Has lost hope, share “The Power of Hope” at lds.org/go/hopeNE3.