how to share the gospel

[ElderDarionBevan]

what are you fears about sharing the gospel? what are some creative ways to share the gospel? president eyring gave some great counsel to us all. come and read his words click on the link President Eyring talk

[Mortal Man]

what are some creative ways to share the gospel?

Use the internet?

[Anakin7]

I work outside all the time so I keep passalong cards in my pockets so as to share with individuals during the day.

In His Debt/Grace

Anakin 7

LDS JEDI KNIGHT

[Deborah]

When I was traveling I'd take Books of Mormon with me and leave them in hotel rooms.

[katherine the great]

Pray for someone to approach you about the gospel. (For the shy members)

[TAO]

Pray for someone to approach you about the gospel. (For the shy members)

Actually, I find this is quite effective for everyone, shy or not =). People have had some pretty good missionary experiences with it, I have heard.

[LDSToronto]

what are you fears about sharing the gospel? what are some creative ways to share the gospel? president eyring gave some great counsel to us all. come and read his words click on the link President Eyring talk

I fear the missionaries will teach a sanitized version of the church's history, that the missionaries won't teach about the church's position on gay marriage, that the missionaries won't tell my friends about the huge time and financial commitment they are in for. I fear that my friends will be baptized and then find out about polygamy, the way blacks were treated, the authenticity of the Book of Abraham, and a whole host of other things.

So what do I do to share the gospel? I am a good example. That's what everyone in my ward says is most important. So I don't spit on people, call them bad names, sometimes I shovel my neighbours sidewalk and tell him the reason I do it is because I'm a Mormon, and if I wasn't a Mormon, there's no way I'd be outside shoveling his sidewalk....

H.

[ElderDarionBevan]

I fear the missionaries will teach a sanitized version of the church's history, that the missionaries won't teach about the church's position on gay marriage, that the missionaries won't tell my friends about the huge time and financial commitment they are in for. I fear that my friends will be baptized and then find out about polygamy, the way blacks were treated, the authenticity of the Book of Abraham, and a whole host of other things.

As a missionary we help people become converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to the Book of Mormon which testifies of him and of his great and marvelous latter day work. If they are truly converted, those concerns and question won't matter and we never have to address. We don't convert them by reasoning and defense. We let the light of the Gospel illuminate within us, and let them FEEL that these things are true. If you want to share the gospel message, you have to be an example of the message. Be beaming when you talk to friends about the gospel, let them feel the truth of it by the spirit you bring

[LDSToronto]

As a missionary we help people become converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to the Book of Mormon which testifies of him and of his great and marvelous latter day work. If they are truly converted, those concerns and question won't matter and we never have to address. We don't convert them by reasoning and defense. We let the light of the Gospel illuminate within us, and let them FEEL that these things are true. If you want to share the gospel message, you have to be an example of the message. Be beaming when you talk to friends about the gospel, let them feel the truth of it by the spirit you bring

Well, *you* won't need to address these concerns and questions because you won't mention them. However, long after *you* are gone, and those questions *do* pop up, well, it will take more than light and happiness to explain away.

But I'm curious, Elder Bevan, suppose you have a golden contact, ready to be baptised, and you ask them for a referral (after all, missionaries are trained to ask new converts for referrals, while that testimony is still burning hot). That new, happy, excited person refers you to her gay brother who is legally married to his partner (assume you live where I do, in Canada). How exactly would that whole light and truth thing work on them? What would you do to convince them to be baptised? Or would you let them perish?

H.

[TAO]

That new, happy, excited person refers you to her gay brother who is legally married to his partner (assume you live where I do, in Canada). How exactly would that whole light and truth thing work on them? What would you do to convince them to be baptised? Or would you let them perish?

I would teach them very patiently, patiently indeed =). Patience allows good feelings.

[evangelist]

I give out Chick tract the best witnessing tool i ever seen to reach very youg and old!

deleted links

one love

[bluebell]

I give out Chick tract the best witnessing tool i ever seen to reach very youg and old!

deleted links

one love

I had no idea anyone took those cartoons seriously.

[volgadon]

I give out Chick tract the best witnessing tool i ever seen to reach very youg and old!

deleted links

one love

Falling into ditches must be all in a day's work.

[Hughes]

Well, *you* won't need to address these concerns and questions because you won't mention them. However, long after *you* are gone, and those questions *do* pop up, well, it will take more than light and happiness to explain away.

But I'm curious, Elder Bevan, suppose you have a golden contact, ready to be baptised, and you ask them for a referral (after all, missionaries are trained to ask new converts for referrals, while that testimony is still burning hot). That new, happy, excited person refers you to her gay brother who is legally married to his partner (assume you live where I do, in Canada). How exactly would that whole light and truth thing work on them? What would you do to convince them to be baptised? Or would you let them perish?

H.

I've heard many ex-mormons are angry because they felt like they were lied to. That's their feeling, true or not. But, purposely withholding information is a sin of omission which is just as bad as commission of sin.

[Daniel Peterson]

I fear the missionaries will teach a sanitized version of the church's history,

What they teach will be the truth.

that the missionaries won't teach about the church's position on gay marriage,

Why on earth should that be considered a basic teaching?

"Mr. and Mrs. Brown, along with our belief in God and Christ it is absolutely essential for you to know that, like most Americans and like almost everybody else in every other place except perhaps Canada and parts of western Europe and like the entire human race in every culture everywhere until about a decade ago, we Mormons don't support changing the definition of marriage so that men can 'marry' men and women can 'marry' women."

that the missionaries won't tell my friends about the huge time and financial commitment they are in for.

"Come, follow me," said Jesus to those fishermen on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. "Oh yeah. But first -- truth in advertising, dontcha know? -- would being crucified upside down be a deal-breaker for ya?"

I fear that my friends will be baptized and then find out about polygamy, the way blacks were treated, the authenticity of the Book of Abraham, and a whole host of other things.

I hope that they'll learn about the authenticity of the Book of Abraham really, really early.

[Gohan]

How exactly would that whole light and truth thing work on them? What would you do to convince them to be baptised? Or would you let them perish?

That's a rather loaded question there my friend, especially that last statement. Rather uncalled for.

It's not the Elder's job to 'convince' anyone to be baptized, although that does happen. What our job was is to teach and invite the Spirit into their lives in such a way that it invites them to change, not us.

[Ceeboo]

What they teach will be the truth.

Hello Dr. Dan,

Not in my experience.

BTW:

Still waiting, after being ignored on a few kind reminders, for your response to the time I took in answering your PM sent/questioning me on this very topic.

I am a little disappointed that you have not extended me the same courtesy that I extended to you.

I wonder what, if anything, that speaks to?

Peace,

Ceeboo

[Hestia]

I give out Chick tract the best witnessing tool i ever seen to reach very youg and old!

deleted links

one love

Anti Mormon links are not appropriate and these are offensive.

[Hamba Tuhan]

That new, happy, excited person refers you to her gay brother who is legally married to his partner (assume you live where I do, in Canada). How exactly would that whole light and truth thing work on them?

As a fulltime missionary, I interviewed for baptism a man who, until sometime during the course of reading the Book of Mormon, had been a practicing homosexual. '[T]hat whole light and truth thing,' as you've sarcastically chosen to call it, seemed to work for him. I also personally taught a woman who, at the time, was living in a de facto relationship with a man. It was agonisingly, heart-wrenchingly painful for her, but, as part of the conversion process, she chose to end this relationship. (The man refused to marry her.) I spoke to her just before this last Christmas, and she thanked me again for helping introduce her to something which has completely changed her fundamental nature for the better and brought her so much peace, joy, and growth. Methinks she might assert TWL&TT has worked for her, too.

I suspect, naturally, that individual results may vary.

[Daniel Peterson]

Hello Dr. Dan,

Not in my experience.

In your experience, too.

What they teach is the truth.

BTW:

Still waiting, after being ignored on a few kind reminders, for your response to the time I took in answering your PM sent/questioning me on this very topic.

I am a little disappointed that you have not extended me the same courtesy that I extended to you.

I wonder what, if anything, that speaks to?

Peace,

Ceeboo

That speaks to the fact that I have a life, and ten thousand things demanding my time. I don't do message boards for a living.

But I do teach university classes. I serve in my church. I hold university administrative responsibilities. I write newspaper columns. I research. I'm working on several books. I'm writing several academic articles. Three of them are overdue. I'm editing a couple of books, and I edit a book-length semiannual periodical. I run a substantial Website. I'm organizing an academic conference and helping to organize two others. I've been involved in setting up a significant academic project in Saudi Arabia. I've been asked to comment on events in Egypt. I'm in the middle of facilitating a possibly huge antiquities purchase by people in a foreign country. My basement recently flooded. My home office is a total mess. Major plumbing work is required. My wife's aunt just died. My brother's mother-in-law just died. My youngest son is about to get married.

I'm sorry that I haven't responded to you as quickly as you think I should have.

.

[Hamba Tuhan]

Well, *you* won't need to address these concerns and questions because you won't mention them. However, long after *you* are gone, and those questions *do* pop up, well, it will take more than light and happiness to explain away.

About two-and-a-half years ago, the missionaries asked if they could use my home in which to teach an investigator, a well-educated woman who works in the Prime Minister's office. (Her flatmates weren't keen on having religious discussions there.) One evening, after she had already made the decision to be baptised, I waited for the elders to leave and asked her if she had any concerns about what she was doing, encouraging her to make her investigation as thorough as possible. She said she didn't. I then asked her if she was familiar with the litany of critical challenges against the Church and its truth claims. She said she was familiar with some of it. I provided her the names of some web sites and encouraged her to have a look and let us know if she had any questions.

About a week later, we had a chance to catch up and discuss what she'd been reading. I asked her again if she had any concerns. She said no. The past is always open to contestation, she said--a claim which rings true to me since I'm a professional historian--but what matters is the absolutely reality of what I'm experiencing right now. I thought that was a good answer since I've always been discombobulated by this issue.

If a person has, in the past twelve months, say, 1) received multiple clear and verifiable answers to prayers, 2) obtained life-changing insights whilst studying from the Book of Mormon, 3) received revelations of multiple sorts, 4) experienced fundamental changes to his nature as he's turned to Christ and prayed for change and forgiveness, 5) found peace and answers in the temple, 6) helped a person whom he home teaches to return to activity and seen the joy and peace return to that person's life, 7) healed an infant by the power of the priesthood, been inspired to go to the very place he needs to be to save another's life, 9) felt the burden of his sins lifted as he's partaken of the sacrament, 10) experienced divine guidance and strength beyond his own in the performance of his calling(s), etc., how does he then decide to throw it all away when a contestable concern 'pops up'?

To me, it's a bit like reading on the internet that, based on Thomas Edison's past, he must have been a fraud, and then deciding that incandescent lightglobes don't really work. I don't have unfettered access to Edison's past, and neither does anyone else, but I do have access to the lightglobe, and it absolutely works as claimed. Therefore, I'd be a fool to conclude that Edison was a fraud.

I'm assuming that Elder Bevan is hoping that the people he works with as a missionary will actually enjoy the blessings of embracing 'Mormonism' fully and will therefore just shake their heads when someone tells them that what they're experiencing each day can't possibly be true.

[Ceeboo]

In your experience, too.

What they teach is the truth.

That speaks to the fact that I have a life, and ten thousand things demanding my time. I don't do message boards for a living.

But I do teach university classes. I serve in my church. I hold university administrative responsibilities. I write newspaper columns. I research. I'm working on several books. I'm writing several academic articles. Three of them are overdue. I'm editing a couple of books, and I edit a book-length semiannual periodical. I run a substantial Website. I'm organizing an academic conference and helping to organize two others. I've been involved in setting up a significant academic project in Saudi Arabia. I've been asked to comment on events in Egypt. I'm in the middle of facilitating a possibly huge antiquities purchase by people in a foreign country. My basement recently flooded. My home office is a total mess. Major plumbing work is required. My wife's aunt just died. My brother's mother-in-law just died. My youngest son is about to get married.

I'm sorry that I haven't responded to you as quickly as you think I should have.

.

Dr Dan,

Take it easy my friend (It's me Ceeboo, the one that has always been fair with, respectful to, and fond of you)

First, I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your wife's aunt and your brother's mother-in-law.

Because you seem to have a lot on your plate (sorry for that), I will choose to simply let this go (Further courtesy extended to you)

Congrats on you son's wedding

Peace Dr. Dan

Ceeboo

[LDSToronto]

What they teach will be the truth.

Partial truth, Dan.

Why on earth should that be considered a basic teaching?

"Mr. and Mrs. Brown, along with our belief in God and Christ it is absolutely essential for you to know that, like most Americans and like almost everybody else in every other place except perhaps Canada and parts of western Europe and like the entire human race in every culture everywhere until about a decade ago, we Mormons don't support changing the definition of marriage so that men can 'marry' men and women can 'marry' women."

Your statement is misguided. But yes, this is important. How the church stands on social issues of the day should be revealed - after all, we are talking about doctrine in practice. If the teaching is correct, it should stand up to scrutiny, right?

And, for what it's worth, this is probably an important thing to teach in gay-friendly places like Canada and western Europe, and Vermont, wouldn't you agree, Dan?

"Come, follow me," said Jesus to those fishermen on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. "Oh yeah. But first -- truth in advertising, dontcha know? -- would being crucified upside down be a deal-breaker for ya?"

Or... "Hey, we're a family-oriented church, but get used to spending 5-6 hours away from your family each week as you sit in useless meetings where the same-old same-old is rehashed."

I hope that they'll learn about the authenticity of the Book of Abraham really' date=' really early.

[/quote']

Me too, Dan, me too.

H.

[LDSToronto]

As a fulltime missionary, I interviewed for baptism a man who, until sometime during the course of reading the Book of Mormon, had been a practicing homosexual. '[T]hat whole light and truth thing,' as you've sarcastically chosen to call it, seemed to work for him. I also personally taught a woman who, at the time, was living in a de facto relationship with a man. It was agonisingly, heart-wrenchingly painful for her, but, as part of the conversion process, she chose to end this relationship. (The man refused to marry her.) I spoke to her just before this last Christmas, and she thanked me again for helping introduce her to something which has completely changed her fundamental nature for the better and brought her so much peace, joy, and growth. Methinks she might assert TWL&TT has worked for her, too.

I suspect, naturally, that individual results may vary.

I too was converted to the story the missionaries told. But, Hamba, the point of my questioning was to address the statement that Elder Bevan made about not having to address serious issues if a person feels the light and truth of the gospel. Once I discovered other truths about the church, that whole light and truth thing' cast a rather long shadow on the sanitized version of history that I'd been spoon fed. Many have found the same things I have.

Once you join the church, you are saddled with it's baggage, unwittingly or not. I'm simply saying let's fully disclose prior to baptism, and see if the results are still the same.

H.

[Vanguard]

what are you fears about sharing the gospel? what are some creative ways to share the gospel? president eyring gave some great counsel to us all. come and read his words click on the link President Eyring talk

There is probably more than one type of fear that inhibits my sharing of the gospel - some more understandable than others. One more legitimate fear I have involves sharing the gospel with my professional subordinates as my professional relationship with some of them is often marked with animosity, offense taken, and misunderstanding. Such powerful feelings/experiences can and do make it hard for them to reconcile with the outpouring of love shown them at their conversion.