Speaking to Latter-day Saints throughout Mexico, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that sharing the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and inviting others to partake of its blessings are acts that stem naturally from the “pure love of Christ.”
Said Elder Christofferson, “This is a natural behavior, a natural fruit of the pure love of Christ: to share and invite.”
Elder Christofferson spoke to Latter-day Saints in Mexico in a devotional broadcast live on Sunday, May 25, from the multistake center near the Mexico City Mexico Temple. The devotional carried the theme “Love, Share and Invite” and included messages from the Church’s Mexico Area president, Elder Hugo Montoya, and his wife, Sister Carmen Montoya, and Elder Sean Douglas, first counselor in the area presidency. Elders Montoya and Douglas are General Authority Seventies.
At the start of his devotional remarks, Elder Christofferson congratulated the Mexico Area presidency for its emphasis on missionary work and for teaching Church members how they can share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and contribute to the gathering of Israel.
He testified of the many blessings that come to those who share their “love for the Savior and His gospel.”
“Sharing our love for the Savior’s gospel can bring joy, both to ourselves and others, as well as the Savior Himself,” he said. “It protects us from temptation, provides healing and forgiveness of sins.”
Yet, Elder Christofferson emphasized that the invitation to “love, share and invite” is not a new Church program. He referenced the words of Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which he delivered in April 2022 general conference, and said this invitation is “merely an extension of who we already are as disciples of Jesus Christ.”
“It is a way of living,” Elder Christofferson continued. To love, share and invite are acts that occur naturally in the lives of Christ’s disciples.
Elder Christofferson added that to love, share and invite also enables disciples of Jesus Christ to keep the covenants they have made with God.
He reinforced this principle by citing the Savior’s words to the Nephites, as recorded in 3 Nephi 18:24: “Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up.”
Testified Elder Christofferson, “That is our duty, our opportunity.”
Elder Christofferson explained that to hold up the Savior’s light is to be His disciple, to reflect Him and His example in “our way of being.”
“Everyone around us should see something of Him in us, something of the Lord Himself,” he declared.
Referencing the prophet Moroni’s teachings on charity in the Book of Mormon (Moroni 7:47-48), Elder Christofferson taught that charity is the “natural fruit” of discipleship.
He said: “Charity is a spiritual gift. We can receive it as disciples, but we have to ask for it; in fact, we are commanded to ask for the pure love of Christ through the Holy Ghost.”
Motivated by this pure love, Elder Christofferson explained, Christ’s disciples can share with and invite others, in sincere and natural ways, to partake of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“There are thousands of ways we can share and invite based on the love we feel,” he said.
Elder Christofferson illustrated this point by sharing a couple of videos that demonstrate how Church members can share the gospel in simple and natural ways. One of these videos featured the different ways a series of Church leaders was invited to learn more about the Savior and His Church.
Elder Christofferson then told listeners that while not all people will accept their invitations, the act of inviting others is itself a success.
He said: “People can decide whether to accept or not, but there is joy in sharing. We should not be afraid or ashamed. We have the truth, we have salvation, and people cannot find salvation anywhere else.”
Elder Christofferson concluded by testifying of the Savior and His gospel, inviting listeners to, as disciples of Jesus Christ, offer others the same blessings they enjoy daily through the restored gospel.
— Alfredo Alcántara Hernandez, communications manager in the Church’s Mexico Area, contributed to this article.
