A Vision of Ministering: Creating a Culture of Ministering in Our Stake

2 May 2018

A Vision of Ministering

For the Mount Hood Oregon Stake

The Stake Presidency and Stake High Council • 2018

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ were prepared in the pre-mortal realm “to
labor in [in the Lord’s] vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men.”¹ It is accom-plished through the five elements of the Work of Salvation: (1) member missionary work,
(2) convert retention, (3) activation of less-active members, (4) temple and family history work, and (5) teaching the gospel. ²

A Culture of Ministering

Ministering is the common thread that weaves through every element of the Work of Salvation. It was the hallmark of the Savior’s exemplary journey on earth. It can be at
the heart of our daily walk as well. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to create a culture of ministering within ourselves and hopefully within our stake.

Prophets have taught³ that ministering includes: serving others,⁴ loving without judging,⁵ watching over,⁶  being with them,⁷ strengthening them,⁸ ministering one-by-one,⁹  and nourishing “with things pertaining to righteousness.”¹⁰ Ministering is never routine, often unscheduled, and usually inconvenient (see Mark 5:22-43).

A Newer, Holier Approach

Jesus’ critics once questioned with contempt why He would “eat and drink with publicans and sinners?” Jesus responded: “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” ¹¹ Though we all are sinners,¹² the salient message is that He ministered to those with the greatest needs.

True ministering is need-based. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught, we are to shift our focus from those with the fewest needs to “those who need us most—investigators, newly baptized converts, those who are ill, the lonely, the less active, single-parent families with children still at home, and so forth.” ¹³ Above all, we are to be one with the Lord in our efforts, constantly seeking His guidance and patiently awaiting His healing power. ¹⁴

President Russell M. Nelson described it as a “newer, holier approach to caring for and ministering to others.” ¹⁵

As we come together to make this change in our approach to ministering, we will see as God sees and value as God values the “worth of souls” ¹⁶ and appreciate anew that our Savior “suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.” ¹⁷

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¹ D&C 138:56

² Handbook 2, Chapter 5

³ Handbook 2, 3.2.3

⁴ Mosiah 2:17

⁵ John 13:34-35

^6-7 D&C 20:53

⁸ Luke 22:32

⁹ 3 Nephi 11:15, 17:21

¹⁰ Mosiah 23:18

¹¹ Luke 5:31-32

¹² Romans 3:9

¹³ “Emissaries to the Church,”
    Elder Holland, October 2016

¹⁴ 3 Nephi 18:32

¹⁵ “Ministering,” President
    Nelson, April 2018

¹⁶ D&C 18:10

¹⁷ D&C 18:11