Thank you to all of my readers who have acknowledged that you enjoy my articles. It means a lot that my readers are enjoying them.

In a 2020 YouTube video titled “Ministering to the One,” Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke about what it is like to witness the prophet, Russel M. Nelson, ministering unto those whom he visits across the world. Gong states: “I’ve been so deeply touched at how the prophet of God ministers to 10,000 people and a single family that’s grieving over the loss of their mother at the same time.”

Nelson is able to do this because “he brings the love of God and the doctrines that will be a blessing.” Members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are charged to minister unto others like the savior, Jesus Christ did during his earthly ministry by bringing his love and doctrine to others.

Formerly called home and visiting teaching, these programs were transformed into ministering to help members of Christ’s true church better see the true purpose behind why they visit and teach others. While members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have always been taught to invite nonmembers to come and worship with them and experience what it means to be a member of his restored church, the home and visiting teaching programs primary focus was to visit and teach members of his church about the gospel and the prophet’s words. While this is still part of the ministering program, there is now a deeper meaning behind the change. President Nelson, in an October 2018 General Conference, taught that ministering to “our brothers and sisters (is a) holier way (to) bring the savior’s love to families, neighbors, and friends, and to minister to them as (Jesus) would.” Nelson teaches that ministering to others means reaching out in love to family, friends and neighbors. Now called ministering brethren and ministering sisters, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are exhorted to be examples of Christ through ministering to all. This means being examples to others of how Christ talked, acted, taught and invited others to come and hear his message.

What did Jesus teach? How did he act? In the New Testament book of John, Jesus taught: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. … By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). What does loving others like Christ look like through ministering? We are his disciples when we help others. Ministering to others might look like getting to know a neighbor better by going to a community event together or taking them hot soup when they are sick. It might look like inviting others to take a nature walk; for Jesus taught, “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, they spin not” (Luke 12:27). In a world of turmoil and strife, we can all use some time to consider the lilies by admiring the beauties of the world that were created by God for us — in nature we can find joy and peace.

Ministering also means teaching others the doctrine of Christ. In the midst of the Pharisees, Jesus declared, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4.18). Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe “that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,” according to the Articles of Faith 1.3. Through ministering, Christ-like love is shown through actions of genuine care for others’ wellbeing and their eternal souls.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that everyone will live forever but that there are certain obligations to receive eternal life (living in God’s presence forever). Ministering brethren and sisters teach Christ’s restored gospel to others, and they invite them to pray, asking God if his church and gospel was restored through Joseph Smith? They teach that his church in present times is the same as what it was when Christ was on the earth. Priesthood authority to perform saving ordinances both in and outside of the temple was restored and is in full force today. My invitation is for ministering brethren and sisters to teach the doctrine of Christ to the brokenhearted. Befriend the captives of addiction and of heartache. We are charged to be like Christ by teaching, talking and acting as he did.

Case Stayner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Idaho State University and is currently working to obtain his master’s in secondary education from Grand Canyon University. He loves writing in his free time and teaching English and other subjects at his place of employment. The most important things he values in life are his religious beliefs, including his faith in God the father and his son Jesus Christ and his dedication to his family.