16 And it came to pass that they did call on the name of the Lord, in their might, even until they had all fallen to the earth, save it were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was Abish, she having been converted unto the Lord for many years, on account of a remarkable vision of her father—
17 Thus, having been converted to the Lord, and never having made it known, therefore, when she saw that all the servants of Lamoni had fallen to the earth, and also her mistress, the queen, and the king, and Ammon lay prostrate upon the earth, she knew that it was the power of God; and supposing that this opportunity, by making known unto the people what had happened among them, that by beholding this scene it would cause them to believe in the power of God, therefore she ran forth from house to house, making it known unto the people.
(Alma 19:16-17)
An important principle in missionary work is that we need to take advantage of opportunities to teach and invite when they present themselves. In the passage above, we read about a woman named Abish, a Lamanite who had been converted to the gospel many years earlier “on account of a remarkable vision of her father.” She had kept quiet about her convictions all this time, knowing that they would not be well received. But when she saw the king, the queen, Ammon, and all of the other servants overpowered by the Spirit of the Lord, she saw an opportunity to share the gospel with her friends and neighbors. Mormon tells us that she “ran forth from house to house, making it known unto the people.”
Full-time missionaries are taught to take advantage of opportunities to share the gospel with others:
As you move swiftly to planned activities, pray for the ability to see unplanned opportunities to serve and teach those who may be “perishing in unbelief.” Pray for the spiritual sensitivity to recognize opportunities. You will find that God will place in your path His children who are being prepared to receive the restored gospel.
Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach. Talk with as many people as you can each day. It is natural to be somewhat apprehensive about talking to people, but you can pray for the faith and strength to be more bold in opening your mouth to proclaim the restored gospel.
(Preach My Gospel, Chapter 9: “How Do I Find People to Teach?“)
Today, I will pray for an awareness of opportunities to share the gospel with others. As I participate in my planned activities, I will look for unplanned and unexpected opportunities which may arise. When I see those opportunities, I will follow the example of Abish and enthusiastically share and invite.