Before this earth was created, we lived with our Heavenly Father as his spirit children. He presented a plan to us that would allow us the opportunity to become like Him and receive all that He has, Christ being the Center of that plan. A main part of that plan is for us to come to this earth and “prove [ourselves] herewith, to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us].”[1] And so we came down to this earth as brothers and sisters to “work out [our] own salvation,”[2] so we may return to our Father and have a fullness of joy.[3]
God’s Work and Glory
So why bring up the plan of salvation? Because God’s work and glory is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,”[4] of which His plan plays a large part. The restored gospel teaches us that we as His children here on earth are to take part in His work. Consider, for example, the three missions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
1. Proclaim the Gospel
2. Redeem the Dead
3. Perfect the Saints
Upon further contemplation, one will note that all three of these missions fulfill God’s work and glory here on the earth. Each enables others to come unto Christ to ultimately receive His greatest blessings. Regarding our responsibility to take part in our Father’s work, Elder John A. Widtsoe, an Apostle in 1934, said the following:
“In our preexistent state, in the day of the great council, we made a certain agreement with the Almighty. The Lord proposed a plan, conceived by Him. We accepted it. Since the plan is intended for all men, we became parties to the salvation of every person under that plan. We agreed, right then and there, to be not only saviors for ourselves, but…saviors for the whole human family. We went into a partnership with the Lord. The working out of the plan became then not merely the Father’s work, and the Savior’s work, but also our work. The least of us, the humblest, is in partnership with the Almighty in achieving the purpose of the eternal plan of salvation.”[5]
The challenge then comes by having our knowledge of our pre-mortal life taken away, thereby forgetting the details of that council and that agreement. We are left not alone to our own merits, but are rather given the opportunity to be led by faith and by those who receive that knowledge of the plan of our God. As we obtain that knowledge for ourselves through revelation from a perfect Being, it then becomes our responsibility to share that light with those who are still in the dark.[6]
This is why sharing the gospel is so important! In fact, Joseph Smith once said, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.”[7] In a letter to the members of the 12 who were then serving a mission in Great Britain, he wrote, “…none is of more importance than the glorious work in which you are now engaged.”[8] Think of it! Of everything that goes on in this life, in this Church; of all the callings and positions one may hold; of all the things a person may be asked to do; nothing is more important than simply sharing the gospel. It’s then no wonder that Christ, who, when speaking to three of his Nephite disciples who desired to preach the gospel until Christ’s second coming, said, “Therefore, more blessed are ye.”[9] Why? Because nothing is more important than taking part in God’s work and glory!
We Are To Assist the Savior In His Own Work
In a very real sense, when we take part in this sacred work, we become saviors to our brothers and sisters. Think about it. In the New Testament, the Lord says, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”[10] In essence, He’s saying, “I’m only doing what the Father is doing. Whatever the Father does, I do.” So the Lord does what the Father does and then says, “Follow me.”[11] Because if Jesus Christ does what the Father does, that would mean He knows who our Father is and can lead us to Him. As we bring people to Christ, we also bring people to the Father, thereby doing the very work Christ is doing. We become involved in saving souls and can be considered saviors to those we bring to Christ. Keep in mind, this in no way replaces nor undermines the role, calling, position, and capacity of the Savior and Redeemer of mankind. However, by bringing souls to Christ we are made partakers of His work.
Let me now draw your attention to a scripture in the Book of Mormon. In Mosiah, we read the discourse Abinadi gives on the coming of the Messiah into the world and the great atonement He is going to bring forth. After speaking specifically of the sacrifice Christ would make for all of us, Abinadi poses the question, “And who shall be [Christ’s] seed?” In the following verses he gives his answer:
“And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!”[12]
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those” that publish “good tidings of good,” of those that share the gospel, of those that bring a message of peace and joy to others. Now, I left one more verse out, which I’d like to now share:
“And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people.”[13]
Do you see what Abinadi is doing? He is comparing the feet of those who publish “good tidings of good” with the feet of our Savior. I think this is such beautiful imagery and symbolism! As I understand it, the feet represent action on our part. Our feet take us to where we want to go, where we want to be. Basically, when we bring “good tidings of good” to others, we go where the Lord is. We stand with Christ! How beautiful that symbolism is!
Does this make sense to you? Does this feel good to you? Because it feels good to me. We are learning that “every man who has a friend in the eternal world can save him.”[14] It excites me and motivates me to do better at sharing the gospel with others! It puts things back into proper perspective. And now that I’ve shared with you these doctrines and principles, I would now like to focus on applying the principle of sharing the gospel. I wish to share five simple ways we can share the gospel. Also keep in mind that this principle applies to both nonmembers of the Church and even members who need to be brought back into the fold.
Prayer
We should “pray for the spiritual sensitivity to recognize opportunities.”[15]
Two summers ago I sold security systems in Chicago. One day I knocked on a door and an elderly lady with a thick accent and broken English opened the door. As we talked I asked the lady what her accent was. She said she was from Romania but spoke German. I told her I spoke German and would gladly speak in German if it were easier for her. She said yes and upon hearing my German, asked how I learned the language. I told her I had served a mission for my Church. This built up enough trust for her to let me in her house. She called her husband—in German—and introduced him to me. She told him I learned German by serving for my Church. She then asked what church it was. I told her the name of the Church; she had never heard of neither the name nor our nickname as the “Mormons.” We sat down, and I began my sales presentation. As I went through the steps of the sale I began to realize that they weren’t going to buy and decided in my head I needed to move on to the next house. Before I got up, I asked if they had any questions about the security system or what I shared with them. They just sat there, and the lady, who, during the entire presentation had a confused look on her face, said in her German, “I still don’t understand what Church you belong to!” Finally, a light went off in my head and the distinct thought came to my mind: “Teach them a First Discussion!”
During the next forty-five minutes I shared with them the message of the Restoration, including Joseph Smith’s first vision, and answered some questions the woman had. I shared my testimony of the blessings I’ve received from the knowledge the Lord has given me. The Spirit was felt. When I finished, they had a better understanding of the Church and its basic teachings.
As we specifically pray for opportunities to share the gospel, the Spirit will direct us to those who are ready to hear our message.
Study the Gospel
In a revelation through Joseph Smith, the Lord told Joseph’s brother, Hyrum, “[F]irst seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.”[16]
This scripture teaches us a very important principle. If we are to convince people of the truthfulness of our message, then we must have the Spirit with us, which comes by obtaining God’s word through the study of the gospel. It is not enough for us to rely on the knowledge of the gospel gained from institute or Sunday School. While we do obtain a portion of the Spirit from those places, we cannot be effective messengers of the gospel without our daily dose of sincere studying of the gospel. We cannot be effective by leaning upon our knowledge alone. Therefore gospel study, coupled with sincere prayer, becomes our conduit through which the Lord’s Spirit is poured out upon us. Without it, our words are but an empty shell void of life.
Invite People To Do Things
Inviting people to do things is perhaps the simplest and easiest way to share the gospel. It does not need to be an invitation to be baptized, nor does it need to be an invitation for full and immediate reactivation. Though there are proper moments for such commitments, they are not always the case. A simple “Hey, there’s a get-together with some friends from my Church this Friday. Do you want to come with me?” or even, “Will you come to Church with me this Sunday?” can go a long way toward helping people feel the Spirit and see the light which the Saints have to offer. This can eventually lead people to full membership in the Lord’s kingdom!
This past summer while selling security systems in Delaware, I talked with a man and his wife on their porch about security. After talking a while, he looked at me and, out of nowhere, asked, “Are you very religious?” Surprised at the random question, but excited that he asked I responded in the affirmative and told them what Church I belonged to. I then gave them a pass-along card I had in my pocket with the picture of the Salt Lake City temple and shared my testimony about how we can be married for time and all eternity and not just until death do we part. I left their house and continued knocking on doors. As I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about why he asked me that question. It kept nagging at me. Finally, at the end of the day I went back over to their house. The wife let me in and I asked the man why he asked his question.
He said I seemed different than other people my age and that my manners seemed “old-school.” I thanked him for the compliment, and then told them a little bit about my faith, that is was the teachings of my Church that have helped me become who I am. He explained to me that he didn’t believe in religion until a year earlier, when he became a Christian. Since then, he’s been diligent in going to Church and studying the Bible. I complimented his diligence and told him briefly about the apostasy and how Christ restored His church through Joseph Smith. I told him a couple of guys could come by and share more of that message and asked him if he’d be willing to meet with them. He said he was open-minded and gave me his contact info, which I promptly gave the elders in that area. Right before I left for school I discovered that a niece of his, who lived two hours away, had joined the Church a year earlier. What a small world! I don’t know what has become of him since meeting with the elders, but it was by a simple invitation that he was able to begin learning of the restored gospel.
Giving simple invitations allows others to use their agency and gives them the opportunity to understand our faith.
Listen to Understand
We should also learn to listen to others and seek to understand them. I love the simple insight given in a Josh Groban song: “Everybody wants to be understood…everybody wants to be loved.” I love it because it’s true. With the knowledge we have of the fullness of the gospel, we should be the best listeners out there. Our friends should feel comfortable coming to us when they need a shoulder to lean on, when they need someone to listen to them and comfort them in trying times.
Let me share with you a story from a friend who’s serving a mission in Italy. I recently received this letter from her and felt it appropriate to share with you:
“We went to visit a less active member here in Mistretta name Eleanora. We heard that she doesn’t come to Church anymore because she feels as though some members treated her wrongly, haven’t included her, etc…we went with the attitude that it might be a little tense with her but we decided to just listen to her story, powerfully testify and hopefully all would work out. ANOTHER MIRACLE…We begin talking about life and getting to know her and then I just feel like I should invite her to Church Sunday. I do. She explains to us how the members have wronged her and haven’t helped her when she was pregnant, wants her baptism to be cancelled, etc. We listen to this for quite a while, just letting her vent. I ask her who gave her the testimony she has of the Church? She said that God did and I then ask why she would allow the imperfect members of the branch to withhold these sacred blessings from her. She was very attentive and listening. She didn’t commit to come to Church…
”So we return to Eleanora’s later in the week. She is a DIFFERENT person. She is smiling and happy and SO thrilled to see us. She has THREE referrals for us and say that these friends ‘must know about OUR Church.’ This is all coming from the lady who wanted her baptism cancelled days prior. It was another great lesson with her and she realizes the need for the Church each week in her life, the importance of the sacrament, etc.
“Okay, English course that night…she SHOWS UP with her daughter who is six. A few members are there and they are friends again. It’s like nothing was ever wrong. She called the branch president after we left her house the second time saying how grateful she was for the missionaries and that we will be teaching her friends next week and how she wants to forget everything that happened in the past, apologizing for the mistakes, etc.
When the branch president told me about this phone call he had with her, I lost it. Tears filled my eyes and I couldn’t contain my joy, it was ridiculous. I was overcome with gratitude, that the Lord allowed me this opportunity to, in a small way, help one of His children come unto Him.”[17]
Because one person was willing to listen to the concerns of this lady, she returned to the Church in full fellowship, and my friend was “overcome with gratitude.” That’s what sharing the gospel is all about: sharing moments of joy with each other!
I testify to you that you don’t have to be a full-time missionary to experience such situations. As we listen to understand people’s concerns and be there for them, we have the opportunity to share precious truths that can help them with those specific concerns. Thus, we may help others see how living gospel principles can bless their lives.
Go About Doing Good
A great way of sharing the gospel is to do as the Savior did and “[go] about doing good.”[18] If we are to be “the light of the world”[19] then we must be out in the world, where others may see the light we possess. Service in the community is a wonderful way of exposing others to the Church. Here are some examples in the McKinney/Allen area, just to name a few:
· The yearly Crèche in December, in which the community participates.
· Handel’s Messiah is performed every Easter at the McKinney Stake Center, the conductor himself being a nonmember.
· McKinney’s “Make A Difference Day” is a yearly, community Church-sponsored event, in which community members meet at the McKinney Stake Center to receive assignments of service activities, then go to their assigned places.
· Community blood drives.
· Many LDS members are heavily involved in the local CERT program, which trains community members what to do in a large-scale disaster.
I have had many conversations with nonmembers who have expressed their respect to the LDS community because of the service and integrity rendered and shown by the Church and its members. The “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet teaches us that we are “to be an influence for good in the world.”[20] As we do so, many opportunities to share the gospel will come to us!
Life Is Not To Be Lived Alone
When you think about it, many of the joyful and happy moments we have in this life come from our interactions with others. This says a lot about part of our purpose on this earth. We are supposed to have these interactions. In fact, I would venture to say that our knowledge of our true relationship with those around us can increase that joy we experience. Why else would we be placed in families, in communities, in congregations?
Think of us all as one big family—because we are—and Church is the family reunion. It’s much more fun when more family members show up! And it’s up to us to make our other family members aware that we love them and want them to come to these weekly reunions. (Would that make the baptisms the pool parties? J)
“Be Not Afraid, Only Believe”
So I’ve shared with you some doctrine regarding sharing the gospel, as well as some ways to share the gospel. Some of you may still be apprehensive. Some of you may think that friends may misinterpret motives. Some of you may just not be sure who you can share the gospel with. These are understandable concerns. Let me share with you something I learned from a Church leader of mine. He came by to home teach me one evening. As we talked I found out that for his job, he went to businesses and sold medical equipment. Intrigued, I asked him what he did when he came across a business that had a “No Soliciting” sign posted out front. With a smile on his face he said simply, “You know what? If you have something they want, they’re gonna’ buy it.”
So it is with our friends and loved ones. They want a peace and freedom that brings them joy and that fill a void in their life. That’s what we have to offer.
To the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter died, Christ calmly and lovingly said, “Be not afraid, only believe.”[21] Let us have courage and faith that the Lord will assist us in our efforts to share the good news to others!
In Closing
I know that the plan of salvation is real and in effect. It is through the gospel, restored through Joseph Smith, that we have gained a full understanding and appreciation of this knowledge. This is why it is so important for us to share this message with others, that they, too, may know how to return to their loving Heavenly Father. May we all remember the importance of sharing the gospel. May we all have the courage and love to do so. Then, as Alma of the Book of Mormon, would our prayers be such:
“O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ. Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.”
That we may have such a prayer in our hearts, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
[1] Abraham 3:21-27; D&C 84:38.
[2] Philippians 2:12.
[3] 3 Nephi 28:10.
[4] Moses 1:39.
[5] Elder John A. Widtsoe, “The Worth of Souls,” Utah Genealogical & Historical Magazine, Oct. 1934, p. 189.
[6] D&C 88:81.
[7] History of the Church, 2:478; from discourse given by Joseph Smith, 6 April 1837.
[8] History of the Church 4:226; letter written from Joseph Smith, 15 Dec. 1840.
[9] 3 Nephi 28:7; italics added.
[10] John 5:19.
[11] Matthew 4:19; 2 Nephi 31:12.
[12] Mosiah 15:14-17; italics added.
[13] Mosiah 15:18.
[14] Joseph Smith, “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,” 1976, p. 357.
[15] “Finding People to Teach,” Preach My Gospel, page forthcoming.
[16] D&C 11:21.
[17] Letter written by Sister Anderson, 7 March 2009.
[18] Acts 10:38.
[19] Matthew 5:14. Note: It is interesting to compare this scripture with John 9:5 & 3 Nephi 11:11, where Christ calls himself the “light of the world.” This reiterates the fact that Christ wants us to be like He is.
[20] “For the Strength of Youth: Fulfilling Our Duty to God,” 2001, p. 9.
[21] Mark 5:36
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