OYM... just do it.

As baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ, we're under covenant to tell others what we know. Sometimes, even for those who've spent years preaching the gospel, speaking up can be really hard. I'm as guilty as anyone of looking at someone and thinking, "oh, she has a religion, she wouldn't care about mine" or "that guy would NEVER give up alcohol." Don't ever hesitate to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone because you think they won't accept it. Opening your mouth can be scary. It's easy to justify not doing it by judging someone, but the truth is, not one of us can truly judge the heart of the person beside us. We never know what another person is thinking or what she's been praying for behind closed doors. 

A few years ago, I felt prompted to share my testimony with one of my neighbors. Every time I saw him, I thought about saying something, but I always brushed it off thinking that he wouldn't want to hear it. I never said a word, but a year later, he learned of the Church by other means and was baptized. I had nothing to do with it, but I was blessed by the humbling experience of seeing it happen after I decided it couldn't. Heavenly Father didn't withhold any blessings from that man because of my failure to act -- He made another way for His son to find his way home. But I learned an important lesson from it.

Watching that man soak in the gospel and make changes in his life was one of the most humbling experiences I've ever had... yet I'm still prone to do this. To tell myself "there's no way" and comfortably keep my mouth closed. To say "I don't want to be a Crazy Jesus Girl" and keep what I know to myself.

On an even more personal note, I was the kind of person who many would never expect to take an interest in the gospel.

I wasn't just an atheist, I was a LOUD and PROUD atheist. I took every opportunity to slam religion and insult people who believed. I cursed like a sailor and bragged about things my Mormon friends thought of as sins. My beliefs, my behavior, and my words conflicted with the gospel in every possible way.

Yet, deep in my heart, I wanted something to believe in.

It would have been so easy for the Christians in my life to look at me and say, "There's no way that girl would ever want to hear about my faith." Or even, "If I try to talk to her about the gospel, she's just going to argue with me." (And at times, they would have been right!)

When I was 16, I was lucky enough to have a friend who saw past the walls I'd built and recognized my potential. It took me a long time (we're talking years) to admit it, but every time he shared his testimony with me, I was left questioning my most strongly-held beliefs and yearning for more.

How many others out there are looking for truth despite outward appearances? How many people would leap at the chance to put aside their sins to gain the peace that comes from knowing their Heavenly Father?

If there's even one, isn't it worth the risk to try? 

Opening your mouth to share the gospel won't always end in a baptism -- duh! -- but I believe that someday, I'll come face to face with each of my brothers and sisters and remember the promises I made to them before this life. I don't want to be asked "Why didn't you tell me what you knew!?" I want them to know that I tried.