From YA Weekly
Afraid to Share Your Testimony? 3 Ways Easter Makes Testifying of Christ Simple
The Easter season has helped me share my testimony with others, and it can help you too.
“You’re a Mormon, right? What’s that about?”
The first time someone asked me about being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was during a party in middle school. I was pretty shy about making friends, and religion could be a touchy subject where I lived.
So I rambled off a bit about prophets and eternal families, and at the end of the party, I scurried home as fast as possible.
I felt disappointed in myself—I had failed to explain how important the gospel was to me.
As I kept thinking about my testimony, I realized that Jesus Christ’s Resurrection is the foundation of everything I love about the gospel. Sharing that truth could take the pressure off in the future when I wanted to share my faith.
And this foundational truth is what Easter is all about—Jesus Christ, His Resurrection, and what His redeeming power means for us. For anyone who has felt timid about sharing their testimony, the Easter season can make sharing truth simple! Here are just a few things you can do:
1. Talk of Christ
Though not everyone celebrates Easter, most people understand its significance for those who believe in Jesus Christ. And the best way we can share our faith in Him is simply by talking about Him. “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, [and] we prophesy of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26).
Talking of Christ doesn’t have to be complex. For example, if a friend asks how you’ll be spending your Easter, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to share about how much the holiday means to you. Simply saying something like “Easter always gives me hope that I’ll be able to see my loved ones again” can spark a natural conversation about the plan of salvation or eternal families.
If someone mentions troubles that are happening in the world, a simple response like “That’s why I love Easter— it gives me so much peace in knowing that Jesus Christ will come again” can open the door to a conversation about your faith.
If someone visits your home and notices any Easter decor you have in your home that points to the Savior, tell them about Him. And don’t underestimate the power of sharing your faith in Christ on social media. (The Church’s accounts have amazing content to repost and share!)
2. Connect Through Traditions
A variety of cultures enjoy Easter, so it’s a great time to connect with others through a shared love of the Savior. The First Presidency has recently encouraged us to do this by “[establishing] Easter traditions in our society as a whole.”
You can do this by asking others how they remember Christ during Easter or what this time of year means to them. Then consider what traditions you already use to center Him during your own festivities and how you can share those with other followers of Christ.
For example, in my family, we would always join the ward choir at Easter time to perform hymns about Christ’s Resurrection. This was one of my favorite traditions, and it was something easy to talk about with other people.
3. Point to His Living Witnesses
Current prophets and apostles testify of Christ. Sharing their simple, profound teachings about Easter can help us explain our faith to those who don’t know much about it.
President Dallin H. Oaks testified: “We can celebrate the reality of the Resurrection in this Easter season. This gives us the perspective and strength to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and those we love.”
Pointing others to our living prophets and their teachings can help them understand our belief in modern revelation that comes from a living, resurrected Redeemer. Easter is the perfect time to share about living prophets and the living Christ.
As I’ve looked for these kinds of opportunities at Easter, I’ve been able to have more conversations about the gospel and enjoy them. This has helped me overcome a lot of the shyness I experienced when I was younger, and I’ve been able to connect with people on a deeper level as we’ve learned from each other.
So this Easter, whether you’re singing with a choir, sharing a scripture, or simply answering a friend’s question, remember—you’re testifying of the most important truth there is: that Jesus Christ lives.