Eyring - A Child and a Disciple - April 2003

President Eyring speaks of opening our mouth and sharing the gospel with those around us.  He notes that some people find this to be much easier then others.  He encourages us to look at the things that people do in their lives to become more comfortable sharing the gospel with others.  He outlines two things that are known by those that have an easier time sharing the gospel with their friends and family.

• First, they feel that they are the beloved children of a loving Heavenly Father. Because of that they turn to Him easily and often in prayer. They expect to receive His personal direction. They obey in meekness and humility, as the children of a perfect parent. He is close to them.
  
• Second, they are the grateful disciples of the resurrected Jesus Christ. They know for themselves that the Atonement is real and necessary for all. They have felt cleansed through baptism by those in authority and the receipt of the Holy Ghost for themselves. And because of the peace they have experienced, they are like the sons of Mosiah, “desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.”

As we gain the knowledge of these two things, our lives will change.  People will see the happiness and peace that come into our lives as we live the gospel.  The Lord will have confidence in us that He can send people into our path that are hungry and eager for the gospel in their lives.

• The Lord trusts His true disciples. He sends prepared people to His prepared servants. You have had the experience, as have I, of meeting people where you were sure the meeting could not have been by chance.

Your commitment to the Savior will become part of who you are.  It will show in your face.  You will show others that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ.

• Your worthiness and your desire will shine in your face and your eyes. You will be excited about the Lord’s Church and His work, and it will show. You will be His disciple 24 hours a day in every situation. You won’t need to build up your courage for one great moment to speak to someone and then retreat. The fact that most people are not interested in the restored gospel will have little bearing on what you do and say. Speaking what you believe will be part of what you are.
  

People who have Christ in their heart and know of the happiness that comes from the living the gospel are different.  President Eyring explains how they are different from others in the world.

• They see themselves as children of a loving, living Father in Heaven. And they see themselves as disciples of Jesus Christ. It takes no discipline for them to pray. They do it naturally. It is no special effort to remember the Savior. His love for them and theirs for Him is always with them. That is who they are and how they see themselves and see those around them.
  

Don't delay sharing the gospel until you feel you are ready.  Begin today to have faith in the Savior.  Begin today to share the gospel message through your actions.  Your testimony will show to all those around you.

• To be part of that miracle, you must not wait until you feel closer to Heavenly Father or until you are sure that you have been purified through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Pray for the chance to encounter people who sense there could be something better in their lives. Pray to know what you should do to help them. Your prayers will be answered. You will meet people prepared by the Lord. You will find yourself feeling and saying things beyond your past experience. And then in time you will feel yourself drawing closer to your Heavenly Father, and you will feel the cleansing and the forgiveness the Savior promises His faithful witnesses. And you will feel His approval, knowing you have done what He asked of you, because He loves you and trusts you.
  

What a great message about preparing yourself to share the gospel with others.  We all have anxieties about talking to our friends and family about the gospel.  President Eyring gives us key things we need to have to make our sharing effective.  As these things enter into our souls, we will be able to easily share the gospel message with others because they will notice that it is part of who we are.  To be a disciple of Jesus Christ requires that we share the gospel and President Eyring has given us great advice on how to prepare ourselves so it doesn't seem hard or unnatural.  If the gospel is part of who we are, there is nothing unusual about sharing who we are with others.