Senior leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints highlighted a pattern of sharing the gospel — “Love, Share, Invite” — during a special missionary broadcast on Saturday morning.
“Sharing the gospel brings joy and peace to everyone involved — to the person sharing, loving and inviting; to the person who receives the gospel; and to the Lord Himself,” said President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
To love, share and invite is “a normal and natural pattern that fits right in with simply being a follower of the Savior,” said Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf during the worldwide event, broadcast as part of the 2021 Seminar for New Mission Leaders.
Intended for a general Church audience in addition to the new mission leaders, the broadcast featured a discussion among three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — Elder Uchtdorf, Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Quentin L. Cook — and moderated by President Bonnie H. Cordon, Young Women general president. The broadcast concluded with remarks from President Ballard.
Video stories with members of the Church around the world were also shown to illustrate the “Love, Share and Invite” principles of sharing the gospel.
“The Lord’s work of gathering Israel crosses boundaries of age and experience and of formal callings,” Elder Bednar said. “It even crosses traditional boundaries between what we call missionary work, temple work and family history work. It is one work.”
Not only is it all one work, it is one work that everyone can participate in, Elder Cook said.
“Whether you are a full-time missionary, a member of the stake high council, a Relief Society president or a president of your Young Women class, we are all really doing the same work — helping Heavenly Father’s children bind themselves to the Savior by making and keeping covenants,” Elder Cook said. “The way we do that is by loving, sharing and inviting.”
Loving
“When I think of love, I remember the Lord’s two great commandments — to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and serve him, and to love our neighbor as ourselves,” Elder Uchtdorf said. “Love ought to be the foundation and motivation for everything we do.”
Love being a key motivating factor for sharing the gospel was a point repeated throughout the broadcast.
Elder Bednar said: “We learn in the scriptures that charity suffereth long and endureth all things. Charity has staying power. When you love someone, you do not give up on them.”
Showing love is also not something temporary, he added.
“Love does not have a timetable or an expiration date. When our sharing and inviting are motivated by love, we do not get impatient. We keep trying, and we trust the Lord.”
Elder Cook reiterated the same principle of love with an emphasis on children and their role in sharing the gospel.
“It is not easy for children or for anyone to be in a new and unfamiliar environment, but when that environment is filled with love, it is so much easier. That is why love has to be at the foundation of everything we do.”
Sharing
Elder Uchtdorf defined the “share” of sharing the gospel as being generous and open with others. “Freely give to them what God has so freely given to us,” he said. “Talk openly about your experiences. … Share what it is you have in your heart as a testimony.”
Sharing the gospel is not an extra thing added to the plate of the Savior’s disciples, he said. It should be integrated into life’s activities.
“We simply include others in the things we are already doing. You do not have to stop living your normal life. Share what you love about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Cook said he understands that it may be hard to share and feel different from those around us.
“It can be hard to stand out for young people and for anyone. We would much rather blend in, but the Lord needs us to shine,” he said. “We never know who among our friends might be searching for the light of the gospel.”
Inviting
Elder Uchtdorf explained that to invite simply means to include other people in your experiences. “Give them the opportunity to receive the same blessings. It is like opening a door and letting people know that we want them to come in — to come and see, come and help, and come and belong.”
While adults may find it challenging to share the gospel, even in normal and natural ways, children do not frequently have the same barrier, Elder Cook said. “Children personify the phrase ‘normal and natural.’”
Elder Bednar said children and youth have a lot to teach adults about sharing the gospel.
“I believe we have underestimated the rising generation for far too long. Children can do this — many times far better than adults can,” he said.
For members of the Church of all ages, “being on the covenant path is more than just going to church on Sundays,” he taught. “It is an everyday way of life, and it creates a natural desire to reach out to others.”
Elder Bednar noted that the youth hunger for belonging. “Some of them are starving for it. What better place for them to find belonging than in the Church of Jesus Christ where they learn who they truly are and why they are here.”
Expectations
While each Apostle in the event encouraged members to see the easy ways of sharing the gospel through everyday activities, Elder Uchtdorf said efforts must also be intentional.
“To love, share and invite is not a passive or casual experience, no, but it is a joyful experience,” he said.
President Cordon said: “It is interesting to me to see how the Savior is accomplishing His redeeming work through people who are willing to love, share and invite.”
Following the discussion and videos, President Ballard closed the event with his testimony of the importance and blessings of sharing the gospel.
“Living these principles helps all of us bind ourselves to the Savior through covenants and ordinances so that we can receive his help in this life and ultimately return to our Father’s presence and receive eternal life.”
President Ballard said the Lord blesses those who do what was discussed in the broadcast.
“As you apply these principles, the Lord will work His miracles through you. The Holy Ghost guides our actions and makes these experiences sweet and enduring.”
He said members need to ask Heavenly Father for help in knowing who to share the gospel with — but cautioned against that being the only effort made.
“Praying alone will not bring one soul to the Savior. We must act. We must love, share and invite,” President Ballard said. “He will prompt us to share our experience, activities and what we are doing. And He will inspire us to invite others to come and see, to come and help, and to come and belong.”
Watch the broadcast at Share.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
