September 1, 2022 by

On June 5, a team of eight, which consisted of six students (including myself) and IT Services and Support Coordinator, Scott Crosby, from Cedarville University met in Salt Lake City, Utah, to share the Gospel with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I anticipated this trip to consist of witnessing to Mormons and winning people over to Christ. While we had many opportunities to witness to unbelievers, that was not the main takeaway. In reality, God humbled us to see the ever-present sin in our world. When we encountered lost and hurting individuals who were seeking some unfulfilling hope, He softened our hearts to show compassion toward them and see them just as Christ sees His lost children. We are no better than they are, yet our eyes have been opened to the undeserved grace and salvation He has gifted to us.  

Itinerary 

We started the missions trip with a tour of Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City led by two Mormon sisters. They spoke to us about their beliefs on personal revelation, church leadership structure, and different levels of heaven. Throughout the week, our church partners of Gospel Grace Church (GGC) led sessions on James and what it means to have godly wisdom. Other sessions focused on what it looks like to share the Gospel with both the religious and irreligious. Our team went canvassing, where we walked up and down streets to put door hangers on the houses’ doorknobs that invited families to visit GGC. We also went to Liberty Park and set up tables to talk with people in the community about the Gospel. On Wednesday night, GGC held an event called Church in the Park, and many people gathered for free dinner, worship, and a sermon.  

For the remainder of the trip, we had many more opportunities to have Gospel conversations with people at Liberty Park. Our team had the chance to do some landscaping at a ministry home for GGC. One night, we gathered with the other teams and worshipped God by singing and sharing testimonies in Millcreek Canyon. On Friday, we had sessions that focused on what it means to do evangelical ministry in Salt Lake City. To wrap up the busy week, our team hiked Bells Canyon (5.8 miles/1,400 feet elevation), where we reached the waterfall at the peak of the trail.  

Prayer 

Please pray for the people of Salt Lake City, specifically those who heard the Gospel during our time there. Pray that they would draw near to God and find refuge in Him and Him alone. During this trip, we were able to meet a lot of people who were in extra need of prayer. It was a beautiful thing to hear people ASK for prayer, and to ASK to hear the Gospel! So, when you go to pray, try to remember the people of Salt Lake City; although you don’t know their names, your prayers are powerful. 

Concluding Thoughts 

I am overwhelmed by how good God is. I wish I could put into words every feeling I felt, every conversation I had, every sight I saw, and every memory I made. God has grown my heart for people in a new, fresh way.  

I have learned to care for others better by listening because people talk about what they care about. Caring for others means asking directed questions that will get to their heart. You never know what background a person has come from or what kind of story they have until you start a conversation. 

Before going to Salt Lake City, I had never considered speaking to strangers about their beliefs and seeking to share the Gospel with them. I think Satan definitely gripped me and had spoken lies to me in the past, such as “I’m not intelligent enough” or “This isn’t the right time” or “Why can’t someone else?” Yet, when I went on this trip, I learned that these lies were hindering me from being obedient to the Great Commission. While God opened my eyes to the brokenness in the community (Mormonism, Satanism, agnosticism, etc.), God taught me that I am as much of a sinner as they are, yet I have Christ. He is far greater than anything I could ever imagine, and He has already overcome the sting of sin. I am spurred on and much more passionate as I now consider how to integrate sharing the Gospel into my daily life moving forward.  

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9  

While I do not know how God specifically used our team to penetrate the hearts of those we encountered during our short visit, I do know that He worked each of our hearts to reflect on the importance of sharing the Good News with the lost. Praise God for how Gospel Grace Church is impacting Salt Lake City in the name of Jesus. I pray that you would consider what it looks like to share the Gospel within your circle of influence and how you can make a Kingdom impact for the glory of God. 

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