Many members of the Church feel concern about how to begin gospel conversations. Ammon’s approach was to ask Lamoni questions about his belief in God. Others have found it natural to simply talk about their “Church life” with their friends. Elder M. Russell Ballard gave valuable counsel about starting gospel conversations with our friends:
“Creating a gospel-sharing home does not mean that we are going to have to dedicate large amounts of time to meeting and cultivating friends with whom to share the gospel. These friends will come naturally into our lives, and if we are open about our membership in the Church from the very beginning, we can easily bring gospel discussions into the relationship with very little risk of being misunderstood. Friends and acquaintances will accept that this is part of who we are, and they will feel free to ask questions. …
“A sister in France was asked about the secret of her success. She said, ‘I simply share my joy. I treat everyone as if they were already a member of the Church. If I’m standing by someone in line and strike up a conversation, I share with them how much I enjoyed my Church meetings on Sunday. When co-workers ask, “What did you do this weekend?” I do not skip from Saturday night to Monday morning. I share with them that I went to church, what was said, and my experiences with the Saints. I talk about how I live, think, and feel’” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2006, 89; or Ensign, May 2006, 86).