Five Reminders for Sharing the Gospel

By Victoria Alliaud

Church Magazines

These five ideas can help us share the gospel in normal and natural ways and invite others to come unto Christ.

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a collage of people serving in different ways

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have the responsibility and blessing to share the gospel with all of Heavenly Father’s children. Heavenly Father loves each of His children perfectly and wants each of them to be able to receive all His blessings. One way we can show our love for Him is by “inviting all to receive the gospel, [which] includes:

Participating in missionary work and serving as missionaries.
Helping new and returning Church members progress along the covenant path.”¹

As we love and serve our sisters and brothers, we’ll be filled with a desire to help them experience the “exceeding joy” that comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ (Alma 36:24). Sharing the gospel might seem overwhelming at times, but “the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7). We can trust that He will help us when we heed His call to “feed my sheep” (John 21:16–17).

As we strive to invite others to come unto Christ, we might consider the following principles.

Share the Gospel as Part of Our Covenants

As President Russell M. Nelson has taught: “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.”²

Remember that we don’t need to be full-time missionaries to share the gospel. President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve, reminded us that “studying the gospel and sharing it daily can be accomplished by anyone with or without an official call. Please remember that it doesn’t take a name tag to do missionary work!”³ And Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has similarly taught, “If you’re not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart—painted, as Paul said, ‘not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God’ [2 Corinthians 3:3].”⁴

As we seek to share the gospel, we are helping fulfill our baptismal covenant, which includes “stand[ing] as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in” (Mosiah 18:9).

Invite All to Come unto Christ

Jesus Christ is “no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). Just as He invited the rich young ruler long ago, He invites all to “come, follow me” (Luke 18:22). We can do the same—inviting anyone and everyone to follow Christ without judging whom we think would or would not accept the invitation. He is the answer so many people are searching for.

As President Russell M. Nelson taught: “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.”⁵

Those we share the gospel with may or may not accept our invitations or testimonies. But that does not determine our success. We do God’s work in the sharing.

Trust the Holy Ghost to Testify

Sharing our most precious and sacred beliefs can be intimidating at times. But the Lord promises He will guide us and help us communicate in a way that will bring the Spirit. We can trust the Holy Ghost to guide our words when we open our mouths to share. Our role is to share, and it is the role of the Holy Ghost to testify of Jesus Christ.

As taught in Doctrine and Covenants 100:5–8: “Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;

“For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.

“But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things.

“And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.”

Remember what 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. It is not a personal failure.

“That is between the individual and Heavenly Father.

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

“Believe, love, do.”⁶

Bring Up the Gospel Naturally

Sharing the gospel doesn’t have to be complex. We can, as Elder Uchtdorf encouraged, “invite people—in normal and natural ways—to come and see, come and help, and come and belong.”⁷ We can find ways to incorporate the gospel as we talk about our interests, our hobbies, our struggles, and the blessings we experience through the role Jesus Christ plays in our own lives.

President Ballard counseled: “Do not be afraid to share with others your story, your experiences as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. We all have interesting stories that have influenced our identity. Sharing those stories is a non-threatening way to talk to others. You can also help overcome many misperceptions about the Church through your sphere of influence.”⁸

If you don’t feel confident in your abilities to share the gospel, remember this counsel from Elder Uchtdorf:

“The Lord has never required expert, flawless missionary efforts. Instead, ‘the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind’ [Doctrine and Covenants 64:34]. …

“The important thing is that you don’t give up; keep trying to get it right. You will eventually become better, happier, and more authentic. Talking with others about your faith will become normal and natural. In fact, the gospel will be such an essential, precious part of your lives that it would feel unnatural not to talk about it with others. That may not happen immediately—it is a lifelong effort. But it will happen.”⁹

Live the Gospel to Share the Gospel

Have you heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words”? Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “whenever we show Christlike love toward our neighbor, we preach the gospel—even if we do not voice a single word.”¹⁰

Elder Stevenson also provided a simple model for sharing the gospel: “The Savior’s great commission can be accomplished through simple, easily understandable principles taught to each of us from childhood: love, share, and invite.”¹¹

We can also follow President Nelson’s counsel to “take charge of [our] testimony.”¹² And as Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, becoming converted is also an important part of living the gospel by example: “For the Savior’s mandate to share the gospel to become part of who we are, we need to become converted to the will of God; we need to love our neighbors, share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and invite all to come and see.”¹³

As we seek to “talk of Christ, … rejoice in Christ, … preach of Christ, [and] prophesy of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26), we can trust Him to help us. We can also find strength in this promise from Elder Stevenson: “I invite you to consider ways you can love, share, and invite. As you do so, you will feel a measure of joy knowing that you are heeding the words of our beloved Savior.”¹⁴