[I shared this idea as a devotional in Seminary my sophomore year.]

As I mention quite often on my Wattpad and YouTube channel, I have a group of friends that I talk to on Instagram that I met from my fan account for my favorite band. The first person to reach out to me from this group is probably one of my closest friends. We often talk about music and other random stuff, but he also is aware that I am LDS.

I've never been afraid to share the gospel. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a converted member of the gospel. I do get scared that I will be made fun of for handing someone a Book of Mormon or a church pamphlet, but if someone asks me a question about who I am, I don't hesitate.

This friend of mine is not a member of the church. Often something will pop up and he will ask a question relating to my beliefs. One thing I have learned about him: he has very strong opinions. He's often polite and respects what I believe in, but I don't think he quite understands exactly why I have been converted to the gospel. Because he has strong opinions and relies on proof for a lot of things, I get scared sometimes that I will say something wrong and start an argument. I don't want to argue with him. He's my friend, and I respect his beliefs - I don't want to offend him or start a fight. So far, we haven't argued severely about anything.

When you are in a situation like this, it can be hard to stay calm and sincere. You want to share the gospel, but you don't want to offend the other person. In these sorts of situations, I've learned that you just need to be polite, patient, and make sure that the other person knows that you are not angry, hostile, or attacking their opinions or beliefs in any way. This way, you can preach the gospel without driving the other person away or sugarcoating your beliefs as if from fear or embarrassment. If you don't have an answer to a question, be honest. Tell them you are unsure. Encourage them to find out for themselves. If they still are looking for an answer, tell them what you know. Additionally, let them know that you trust your Heavenly Father and knows that everything happens for a reason.

I really wish my friend was a part of the church. He's my friend, and I can't think of any better feeling than to see someone I care about be happy in the gospel. I hope that maybe someday I can see him in the Celestial Kingdom, but that's not my choice.

A few people have asked me why I am still friends with this person. His opinions have started arguments with a few of the others in the group. Because I have limited information and was never involved in the first place, I've chosen to just stay out of it. It hurts a bit to see my friends fight with each other, but that hasn't changed how I feel about any of them.

I know that my friend has strong opinions. I've known that from the first day I met him. There have been many times that I feel like he could be a little more open, but at the same time, those strong opinions contribute to the personality that I've grown to enjoy. Yes, he sometimes seems aggressive, but I've learned that most of the time, he's really not that serious about it. There have been so many conversations between us that have been a lot of fun because I get to see his side of things (especially when it comes to music). He's challenged my faith, but he's also strengthened it in a weird way.

One thing that not a lot of people know is that anyone who chooses to have a civil conversation with me is automatically my friend. I'm not about to spill my secrets then and there, but any person I meet is immediately my friend. It's just a matter of if they want to be.

As time goes on, I see the goodness in them. I get to see the lift me or others up, I get to see them laugh and have fun, I get to see them help others. I see that they are a good person. So when conflict arises, I don't hold grudges. We are friends because I know that they are a good person. If I've seen that side of them that is good and I enjoy being around that, why would I ruin my relationship with them because of some argument or undesirable flaw in their personality?

I'm not saying that I never get mad. I'm human, and I'm not perfect. But forgiveness has always been easy for me. When you get in a fight with someone close to you, don't dwell on hate. Remember the little things about the person that you love. Let them know you love them. People make mistakes, but people can also change.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each and every one of us unconditionally. They are able to look past our flaws and love us in spite of any sin we may commit. I have personally felt that everlasting love in many memorable experiences in my life that have brought me so much closer to the gospel and to my Father in Heaven. He is able to disregard our flaws and love us no matter what.

So why can't I?

I'd like to end this off with a quote from Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, "The Merciful Obtain Mercy." "We must recognize that we are all imperfect-that we are beggars before God. Haven't we all, at one time or another, meekly approached the mercy seat and pleaded for grace? Haven't we wished with all the energy of our souls for mercy-to be forgiven for the mistakes we have made and the sins we have committed? Because we all depend on the mercy of God, how can we deny to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves? My beloved brothers and sisters, should we not forgive as we wish to be forgiven?"

I know my Heavenly Father loves us all. I know that we were sent to this earth so that we may learn and grow from our mistakes. I have a strong testimony of my Father's love and I know that you may experience it too. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.