Brothers and sisters, I'd like to talk to you about sharing the gospel and invite you
to consider a few suggestions to help you fulfill this responsibility to our Heavenly
Father.
The Lord has clearly taught us that there is nothing more important than bringing souls
unto Him on condition of repentance.
I have been studying the Savior's life once again, and I'm impressed that one of His central
messages to His disciples was to share the gospel.
Let me begin by saying that most members have a genuine desire to do missionary work, and
many have, at least to some degree, felt the blessings and the rewards that come from rendering
this service.
Few aspects of the gospel bring more joy than helping someone we know and love come to understand
and embrace the truth.
We then begin to acquire some of the perspective our Father in Heaven has, a perspective which
has caused Him to say, this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality
and eternal life of man.
Each of us, by accepting membership in the restored Church and the kingdom of God, shares
part of His burden in this work.
We know from extensive studies that an essential aspect of member missionary work is working
with someone we know and love.
This to me suggests a relationship that is close and trusting, and that includes a spiritual
element, the sharing of feelings about God and religion.
Most Church members have such a relationship with a non-member already, and these relationships
exist in large measure because Latter-day Saints are, as a whole, loving, sharing, and
trusting people.
With such a relationship established, we are then in a position, with the help of our Heavenly
Father, to move beyond the realm of friendship only and invite them to learn more about the
Church.
Now, I'll acknowledge that this is usually the most challenging obstacle in our missionary
service, but the same Father in Heaven who has aided His faithful children in all ages
stands ready to assist you in a very personal way in taking this step.
To help you accomplish this, I would like to share with you suggestions for approaching
your non-member friends and illustrate for you how to carry them out.
In introducing these suggestions, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the Lord's
guidance in each step, to rely on His knowledge and understanding of those we will share the
gospel with, and to exercise the faith to carry out His will as communicated through
the Holy Ghost.
Step one is to prayerfully set a date by which you will have someone prepared to hear the
gospel.
Do not worry that you do not have someone already in mind.
Let the Lord help you as you pray diligently.
Fast and pray, seeking guidance and direction from our Heavenly Father.
Step two, prayerfully choose a friend you already know, someone you may have already
discussed the gospel with, shown a church film to, or given a Book of Mormon or other
church literature, taken to church, or invited to a family home evening.
Step three, share your date and your plans with your ward mission leader and the missionaries.
And step four, with the help of the Spirit, invite your non-member friend to hear the
missionary discussions.
This step, actually extending an invitation to hear the gospel, requires the most faith,
faith to carry out the promptings from the Holy Ghost.
In talking of faith and missionary work, it should be mentioned that when the Spirit is
present, non-members are not offended when we share our feelings about religion.
By prayerfully setting a date, choosing a friend, sharing your date and plans with your
ward mission leader and the missionaries, and extending an invitation to hear the discussions,
you are implementing a plan whereby your faith is translated into action.
As you implement these suggestions, let me give emphasis to a few points.
When you approach your non-member friend to invite him to participate in the missionary
discussions, you can prepare him to feel the Spirit by the sharing of your testimony, praying
together, reading the scriptures, sharing spiritual experiences, presenting a film or
a tape, and discussing the gospel.
In the fiftieth section of the Doctrine and Covenants, we are taught by the Lord, Therefore
why is it that ye cannot understand and know that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit
of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?
Therefore he that preacheth and he that receiveth understand one another, and both are edified
and rejoice together.
At a time when you feel the Spirit and you sense your friend does as well, you extend
an invitation to begin to hear the gospel on the date and time you have set.
At this point, our work has just begun, for it will be necessary for you to follow up.
You will need to follow up on his or her commitment to hear the discussions.
I would like to share with you some examples of members following these principles of preparing,
inviting, and following up.
The first example shows how a young member of the church uses the chance to express her
feelings about the Book of Mormon as an opportunity to invite her friend to hear more about the
gospel.
You know, back the other night when we were talking about our churches, and I was talking
to you a little bit about other scriptures that we use along with the Bible, like the
Book of Mormon?
Yeah, can I say something about that, because I was really wondering about that.
I guess what I was wondering is why it's so important to you, because a lot of things
that you told me about your church, I really like, I really do, I can really agree with
a lot of it, but the thing about the other scriptures, the Book of Mormon and all, why
is that so important to your religion?
I mean, why can't you just use the Bible like everyone else?
Well, you see, the Bible, it was written by prophets of the Old World, and it's a testament
of Christ.
Well, the Book of Mormon was written by prophets here in the Americas, and it's a second witness
of Christ, and that's why we use the Book of Mormon.
I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like we don't use the Bible, because we do, and
it's very important, but the Book of Mormon is scripture just like the Bible.
And you really believe that?
Yeah, I do, I really believe that.
I know that the Book of Mormon is a book of scripture.
See, there you go again.
I've heard you say that before, that you know that this or that is true or whatever.
How can you say that you know that that's true?
Because I've prayed about it.
See, I've prayed to know whether or not the Book of Mormon is true, and that's how I know.
That's how I know Joseph Smith was a prophet.
So you prayed?
Yeah, I prayed.
Well, I thought about praying too.
Really?
You mean about this?
Yeah, and about other things too.
It's all your fault.
I was fine until I made friends with you.
Oh, thanks.
I know.
So you've been thinking about it, huh?
Mm-hmm, yeah, I have.
Well, would you like to talk about it again sometime?
What?
What do you mean, would I like to talk about this again?
We talk about it all the time.
Well, what I mean is, see, there are missionaries from our church here in this area, and I was
thinking that maybe you could come over like Friday night to my place and talk with them.
Missionaries?
Marcia, do I look like I need missionaries?
I'm going to answer that.
Yeah, I think I'd really like that.
Yeah, Friday?
Mm-hmm.
Friday would be fine.
Great.
That'd be great.
Okay, well, I'll call the missionaries and see if they can do that at seven o'clock.
Is seven okay with you?
Oh, yeah, seven o'clock is fine.
Okay, great.
Can I ask you one more question?
Sure.
Tell me again how Joseph Smith got the coins.
In this next example, we see how an opportunity to share a spiritual experience can prepare
someone for an invitation to hear the gospel.
Here's one little stump here.
What number was Ty Cobb?
I don't know, seven.
Think hard.
No, back in those days.
Three, one, zero.
They didn't have numbers back in those days.
Oh, give me a break.
That's a trick question.
See if you're thinking.
Boy, how come on days like this we can't move our desks outside, and they'd see how much
we'd get done?
Hey, how'd you guys like church the other day?
We didn't get a chance to talk much afterwards.
We liked it.
We really did.
It's a lot different from other churches.
Yeah, we think so.
We really enjoyed it.
As a matter of fact, while we're on this stuff, I've got a question for you.
Okay.
Um, you know, Jill and I were talking the other day after we got back from church, and
we wondered, uh, we wondered how both of you became Mormons.
Was that kind of a personal question?
No, no, no, no.
No, I don't mind.
Uh, well, actually, I'm not a convert.
Neither is Becky.
As a matter of fact, our families go back several generations in the church.
Oh, I see.
You know, but I still had to find out if the church was right for me, just like a convert
would.
I wouldn't think you'd have to, I mean, having been born in the faith.
Yeah, I know what you mean.
Neither did I.
At least I never thought about it.
I was, you know, I was just born into the church, so I naturally believed it.
Well, that's what it's all about, isn't it?
Well, not really.
Um, when I got ready to go on my mission.
Now, you went to Canada, right?
Yeah.
I remember.
My, uh, my dad asked me if I'd read this short history about my third great grandfather,
and I hadn't read it.
So, you know, he gave it to me, and I read it.
And in there, he talked about his deep convictions about Mormonism, that it was the true faith
on the earth, you know, the true church of Jesus Christ.
And that really got me thinking.
As a matter of fact, it bothered me, because, you know, here I was ready to go on my mission,
and I realized I didn't have anywhere near the kind of convictions that he had.
And I decided I was going to pray about this, and I prayed hard, because it was important
to me.
And uh, you know, after a while, I felt better.
I mean, I felt good.
I knew I was having an answer to my prayers.
Remember I told you about Joseph Smith, and what happened to him?
Well, I didn't have a vision or anything, but I know I had an answer to my prayers.
And for me, that was one of the most important experiences of my whole life.
Sounds like it.
I mean, by what you said, it sounds like that's something that's very important to you.
Listen, let me ask you a question.
Um, do you think about religion at all?
I mean, I know we get together when we talk about it sometimes, but do you think about
spiritual things a lot?
I don't know whether I think about it a lot.
What, do you mean, do I think about it more than what you and I talk about together?
Yeah.
Yeah, I think about it.
What about Jill?
I think she does too.
We both do.
Well, the only reason I'm asking is because, well, you know, Becky and I, we thought we'd
have you guys over one of these nights, you know, maybe for dinner and invite the missionaries
over.
And, you know, they could just explain more about the church, what we believe.
What do you think?
That sounds fine with me.
Great.
Listen, I could try to set some up this weekend, you know, Friday or Saturday, if that's not
too soon.
Saturday would be better for us.
Okay, great.
How about around eight o'clock?
Fine.
I just need to, well, let me double check the schedule with Jill, but I don't think we've
got anything going on.
I think everything should be fine.
Well, it's worth it.
Becky, you going to make the guacamole?
We'll have a whole Mexican feast if you want.
Everything.
Without the onions, please.
All right.
Okay.
As we talk to our non-member friends, they may sometimes have concerns about doing some
of the things we invite them to do or about doctrinal points we may discuss with them.
This is your opportunity to follow up and to help them resolve their concerns by using
the scriptures, perhaps in a way illustrated in this example.
Some of this hay is a little wet.
Yeah, I know.
I'm going to have to get up on that shed and see if there isn't a leak or something.
Yeah.
So are we still on for Saturday night?
Yeah.
Saturday's going to be fine.
I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things that we talked about the other night.
Listen, have you got a minute or do you have to run?
No, no.
I've got some time.
What do you want to talk about?
Well, you remember the other night when we were talking about your church and you asked
me to read and pray about the Book of Mormon?
Right.
Have you done that?
Oh, no, I haven't.
That's why I wanted to talk to you.
I have kind of a problem with prayer.
Have you been able to pray at all?
No, not really.
I think what the problem is, and this is kind of dumb, but I've never prayed before.
I've never prayed before ever and I just feel all embarrassed when I kneel down to pray.
I don't know.
I've tried.
It's just every time I kneel down to pray, I just, all of a sudden, I feel embarrassed.
Have you thought about why you feel this way?
Well, I don't know.
I know it has something to do with the fact that I never prayed before, like I said.
Well, until you and I became friends, I never really thought about God or believed in God.
So now, all of a sudden, I find myself on my knees and I'm not really sure I'm talking
to anyone.
I know it's something I've just got to get over and do.
I just…
Yeah, eventually, but it sounds like you've been thinking about this a lot.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I have.
How do you feel about it?
Well, I feel really good about it.
Well, you know, thinking about spiritual things like that is really an important part of prayer.
It's sort of like you've taken the first hurdle already.
Now you just have to get over the next one and actually pray.
Does that help a little?
Hmm.
Something else might help a little.
Next Saturday, when we meet with the missionaries, why don't we just ask them to talk about
this?
Maybe they can give you some scriptures to read about prayer.
That might help.
What do you say?
Is that a good idea?
Oh, yeah.
It sounds like a real good idea.
Well, as long as we're talking about it, I know a scripture myself, a real good one
about prayer and faith, and I can show you that right now.
I'll show you this, and you can go home and read it and think about it a bit, and then
we'll talk about it on Saturday, okay?
Now, Alan, chapter 32, starting with verse 27 is what we're really interested in, and
it talks about...
It's important to understand that unless our non-member friends feel the Spirit in their
lives, they will not move beyond the friendship stage to the point of hearing the gospel.
In this last example, we see how the understanding of a true friend helps resolve concerns, brings
the Spirit into their conversation, and enables her to help her friend through the sometimes
difficult decision to meet with the missionaries for the first time.
Hi.
What a storm.
I know.
What are you doing here?
I thought you were going to go shopping.
No, I thought I'd come by and let you fix me lunch.
Oh, brother.
I think I've got peanut butter and jam and tuna fish, and I think my kids ate all the
bread this morning.
I'm starving.
Tuna fish on raisin toast?
Oh, interesting.
So what does bring you here?
What are you up to?
Well, I wanted to come over and ask you something.
Okay.
Well, we would really like to have you and Brad over on Monday night, and we'd like to
have the missionaries from the church over, too.
We've been wanting to ask you for such a long time, and is this kind of a bad time for me
to ask?
I mean, you seem a little funny.
No, no.
It's not that.
I'm really glad you asked.
It's just that, uh, well, I'm not sure there would really be a good time to tell you the
truth.
Oh.
Well, you know, I guess it seemed like you two were really interested in it, and we've
talked about it so much.
Oh, we are.
We are interested.
We really are interested.
It's not a matter of being interested or not.
It's, well, we're just not, I guess we're just not really sure we should.
Well, it sounds like you're a little ahead of me, like you've already been thinking about
it.
Well, yeah, we have, and we want to know more about your church, and, you know, it
would be a big step for us.
I just don't know if we're ready for that kind of a commitment yet.
We see you and Paul, and we see the kind of changes that we would want to make in our
lives before we took that step, and, you know, we want the time to be right.
We don't want to do anything in a half-baked way.
Does that make any sense?
Oh, sure.
I understand, and we certainly wouldn't want you to do something that you didn't feel good
about.
I know, the funny part of it is, we do feel good about it.
We're just not sure we should do it.
Oh, I know that does not make any sense at all.
You're not offended, are you?
No, no, not at all.
In fact, I kind of thought you might be feeling a little apprehensive about it.
Really?
Yeah.
Well, I thought if you wanted to, we could maybe pray about it and see if it was the
right thing for you to do.
You mean pray together?
Well, you know, if you feel good about it, and if you think it might help.
I know Heavenly Father will answer your prayers if you pray to him.
I'm not saying that he's going to answer your prayers right this afternoon, but I know
he will if you continue to pray, and if you really want to know, and, well, I would really
like to pray with you this afternoon if you want to.
Okay.
Would you like me to say the prayer?
You read my mind.
Brothers and sisters, I want to encourage you to fulfill your missionary responsibility.
Let me review again the suggestions that you, one, prayerfully set a date by which you will
have someone prepared to hear the gospel, two, prayerfully choose a friend with whom
you have begun to establish a loving, trusting relationship, three, share your date and your
plans with your ward mission leader and the missionaries, four, under the guidance of
the Spirit, invite your friend to hear the missionary discussions.
As you follow these suggestions, many of you will have special spiritual experiences as
the Lord inspires you.
Please do not wait for anyone but the Lord to help you.
He will help you.
We know from the experiences of members who have followed these suggestions and have invited
the Lord to help them that many people have joined the Church.
Remember, brothers and sisters, that through our faith and good works, we shall move the
Church forward as the Prophet Joseph Smith stated, that the truth of God will go forth
boldly, nobly, and independent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every
lime, swept every country and sounded in every ear, till the purpose of God shall be accomplished
and the great Jehovah shall say, the work is done.
Please know that we appreciate all the good work that has been and will be done as we
work together to accomplish the Lord's purpose.
May he bless you in your missionary work.