We love feeding the missionaries in our home. They bring a feeling of peace and excitement to our home as our young boys look up to them in preparation for their missions.

The one thing I always dread, though, is the inevitable challenge and questions they extend prior to leaving my home. “Do you have anyone we can talk to?” “Do you know anyone who would be willing to visit with us?” “We would like you to take these pass-along cards/this copy of The Book of Mormon and give it to someone this week. Will you do that?”

Why these challenges conjure such a knot in my stomach and throat, I have not yet figured out, but thanks to a friend (we’ll call her Tinta), I am learning to overcome this fear.

Tinta is from Zambia. She is a wonderfully eccentric, outspoken lady who is completely at ease discussing Christ and scriptures with anyone. So, during our Spanish 101 class, when we really should be practicing Spanish, we talk about religion, Christ and the scriptures. Here is something I have learned from Tinta:

When talking to others about religion, find a common ground.

Most of us are, to some extent, Christians, whether we admit it or not. That is, we believe in the existence and/or life of Christ. We know as much about Him as our friends of other faiths. We read the Bible and study His life and teachings. So, all we have to do is be comfortable enough with our knowledge and understanding of Christ to talk about Him with them.

With Tinta’s help, I have had the opportunity to visit with friends, talk about our commonalities, and expound the differences to those who would like to know. Suddenly, handing out pass-along cards and an occasional copy of The Book of Mormon isn’t so daunting. We aren’t asking them to be baptized next week, just to understand or respect our point of view.

By the way, Tinta has a copy of The Book of Mormon, and some pass-along cards, but she is happy with her own faith, and I have a friend I can talk to about gospel principles without fear of rejection, and whom I can count on for support when others join our conversations. As a result, it has become much easier to share my testimony of our Savior with others. That is a feeling everyone should be able to experience and enjoy!