Sisters!
How does ministering work? Well, you’ll be happy to know that you’ve probably been doing this all your life.
Catch the Vision:
It’s simple. “Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5). “…mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:9). Not only are we to care for those who are hurting, we need to help each family and individual prepare to meet their Savior.
“We are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.
“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, … that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Ne. 25:26).
As we minister, we show our love for God. Just think: Jesus Christ bled from every pour as He suffered
excruciating pain for every single one of us. Then He hung on a cross where new pain and agony was added upon what He had already suffered. Almost immediately after He resurrected, He visited His friends on the road to Emmaus and His apostles. Then He arrived in the Americas. The record states that He invited them to come one by one (all 2500 of them!) to feel the prints in His hands.
I think I can make time to visit and keep careful watch over 2-3 sisters and their families.
The Doctrine:
Our leaders have directed us to Mosiah 23:18.
“Therefore, they did watch over their people, and did nourish them with things pertaining to righteousness.”
Needs have to be met temporally in order for spiritual needs to be satisfied. So, while we all need to be on the lookout for opportunities to help a family overcome temporal hardships, the true ministry lies in their spiritual wellbeing. This is the difference between Ministering and Visiting Teaching. We want to help our families become temporally whole (as needed) so we can help them become spiritually whole.
“For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness” (Moroni 7:30).
How Do We Do This According to Church Directive?
It may be helpful to know what leaders have been taught about the regular interviews.
Interviews are to be short, flexible and customized to each situation, yet these interviews are key to making sure ministering is being administered with love and support. Preferably, interviews are to be held with companionships, but a quick text, FaceTime, or catch in the hallway may be used for a quick update. Elder Christofferson emphasized, “One a quarter is a floor, not a ceiling,” so interviews can happen anywhere, anytime and they can be initiated by the ministering sister as well as her leader.
There are to be no forms to fill out, no check marks, and no guilt trips. The leader is to offer guidance when necessary, appropriate training, and most of all, words of encouragement. The interview has a specific focus: to find out how each family is doing and what can be done to help them build their families in the kingdom of God. The ministering sisters have the power to use inspiration to offer appropriate solutions. Tip: The leader is advised to keep private notes in order to follow-up on certain action items.
Not all families have problems all the time. However, they still need a friend and spiritual support, so be sure to create a relationship, so that when there is any kind of problem, they know they can call on you for needed support.
We are encouraged to be creative, sincere, consistent, and keep things simple. But all our ministering should have a more refined purpose. Elder Christofferson said to “act with the end in mind.” It might be interesting to discuss as a Relief Society what that simple phrase might mean.
Long-term Purposes and Results
Inspiration is a key ingredient in knowing how best to fulfill the needs of our sisters. Don’t shy away from prayer, either for your sisters or with your sisters. Encourage scripture discussions together offering strength and hope. Follow promptings so both you and your sister are strengthened and bonded together.
Brigham Young said, “The building up of the kingdom of God is to be done by little acts.” How can our simple acts of service build the kingdom of this sister’s family?
4th Sunday Discussions
We have the opportunity to share what we’re learning about ministering for the next six months. Keep in mind: ministering is more spiritual in nature than visiting teaching, so make sure your group discussions are more spiritual in nature. And remember, we have to get out of the “giving a lesson” mentality, so facilitators might come prepared with one or two questions for each discussion period. Here are some sample ideas and questions:
- Discuss what Pres. Nelson said. “We invite all of God’s children, on both sides of the veil, to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life.”
- In what ways can the Relief Society and Elder’s Quorum coordinate better in order to move ward
families toward eternity? (EQ and RS are responsible for Missionary Work, Temple and Family History, general teaching, and ministering.) - How can ministering companionships relieve the bishop?
- Have a discussion on the ministering that took place during Christ’s visit to the Americas (3 Nephi).
- Discuss the results of Christ’s ministering to the Americas (4 Nephi).
- What sets “ministering” apart from merely visiting?
- We know Pres. Nelson is urging us to focus on the temple. How do we minister with the idea of getting families to the temple?
- Elder Ballard said, “If we are united we are unstoppable.” This alludes to becoming a Zion people. What are a Zion people and what must we do to reach that ideal?
- Are we aware of all the resources the church offers, dealing with specific problems we may encounter in our ministering? How do we find and use these resources?
- There were nine talks given this last conference on Ministering. What personal inspiration have you gained from studying any or all of these talks?
