How Can I Invite All to Come unto Christ?
If you are anything like me, then lessons on missionary work set my heart racing and fill me with dread. Maybe it has something to do with that time a friend returned the Book of Mormon I gave her, accompanied by a short lecture on respecting others’ religious boundaries, or maybe I’m just not cut out for proselytizing. Either way, this lesson will focus on ways to invite people to learn about the Savior that stay within my comfort zone.
The lesson references D&C 30-36 when members were called on missions to gather “elect from the four quarters of the earth” and pivots to asking all members to work towards bringing people to the Lord.
You might want to get a read on what experiences the YW have had in sharing the gospel and their belief in the Savior.
- What experiences have you had with inviting others to learn about the Savior’s gospel?
- What prompted you to say something?
- Was it hard?
- Were people receptive?
Talk with them about why it can be so hard. Possible reasons:
- Fear of rejection
- Anxiety about discussing religion with non-religious peers
- Lack of testimony
- Don’t know what to say
Have the class read Matthew 25:35-45. What does this tell us about the power of our actions? Explain that we can share our beliefs using actions and not necessarily words. Ask them for times when they have shared the gospel through actions and see if this shifts their thinking.
- When have you served someone in a Christlike way?
- What was the response?
- Has anyone ever reached out to you because your service made a difference to them?
- It is less stressful to act like Christ than to talk about Christ?
Ultimately, everything we do and say can be a testimony. Timothy 4:12 reads, “… be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” There is no one way to reflect the Savior’s light.
Many of these chapters mention missionaries by name. I would take the time to share with the young women the story of the first two women who served missions and were powerful leaders: Amanda Inez Knight Allen and Lucy Jane Brimhall Knight. Here is a link to one page story about their experiences, taken from our coloring book, Illuminating Ladies: Amanda_Lucy_Text_Final2
Finally, Elder Uchtdorf has a wonderful talk on missionary work that sets out a very attainable pattern bringing yourself and others to Christ. He outlines five steps:
- Draw closer to our Heavenly Parents. As we draw closer to them, they will share their light with us and will draw others to us.
- Fill our hearts with love for others. “Laugh with them. Rejoice with them. Weep with them. Respect them. Heal, lift, and strengthen them.”
- Walk the path of discipleship. As our faith strengthens, talk with others about it. It gets more natural the more we do it.
- Share what is in your heart. Acts of kindness, sharing testimony, inviting people to join in service, all can testify of Jesus.
- Trust the Lord. It’s our job to witness (whether actions or words) and it’s God’s job to convert people. If we are doing our best to love others, we have succeeded.
In closing, ask the class to share or write down the ways their everyday lives reflect the Savior’s love and light and encourage them to see this as missionary work.
This lesson plan was originally written in 2021 for the Young Women lesson: How Can I Invite All to Come unto Christ?
One Response
I love this lesson, particularly just focusing on mission work through our actions. And highlighting women in our coloring book who aren’t as well known (but should be) is a wonderful touch for our Young Women.