A Holier Approach

President Russell M. Nelson spoke of a holier approach to caring for others, known as ministering, when he announced the retiring of home teaching and visiting teaching in the Sunday afternoon session of the April 2018 general conference¹.

If our hearts are filled with love, we will not hesitate to heed this invitation to lift the brokenhearted and care for the needy through ministering. The inherent blessings of ministering are best manifested by the goodness that our genuine care and love brings to others.

That care and love I have been fortunate to observe as the blessings of ministering were poured upon my family.

While I was travelling for work some time ago, my wife fell very ill and I could not immediately be with her and the children. Her situation became so dire that she was almost admitted to hospital. All I could do was to phone her and try to comfort her.

As soon as my wife missed this one Sunday when she was ill, I got a reassuring message from one of her Relief Society sisters: that they would immediately set in motion a chain of actions to help a sister in need.

I still get emotional as I re-read a series of WhatsApp messages of that very tough day. As soon as word spread that all was not well in my household, one of her ministering sisters asked on WhatsApp two simple but poignant questions: “Are the kids sick, too? Would you like a meal or two?”

Unsurprisingly, my wife felt helpless. All she could say was, “Yes.”

This “Yes” I now know was an affirmation of her belief that, with ministering, help is never far away. In the end I realized that not only was my wife ill that weekend, but our three children as well because everyone had contracted a very bad strain of flu.

The help was generous, and my wife assured me that it was sufficient enough that I would not have to cut my business trip short to rush home.

I knew these women who were her ministering sisters. Their diligence often inspired me to do my own ministering service as they never missed an appointment with my wife.

Being disciples of Jesus Christ requires that we overcome our doubts about how much others need our help and care. Ministering has the ability to foster unity among Saints. It can also bring joy and smiles to those we serve.

Undoubtedly, just like a fitness exercise, we will only get better or stronger at ministering by actually doing it. We need to remove all excuses or obstacles that stand in the way of accomplishing the good that is inherent in the divinely inspired ministering effort. Ministering will help us build a stronger sense of belonging and fellowship.

Through ministering we will come to fully understand Heavenly Father’s abiding love for all his children, manifested in the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins. Through the Atonement He reclaimed us from Satan’s grasp.

If we trivialize ministering, we make it impossible to strengthen one another and to fortify our homes—and thereby make it easy for Satan’s influence to overcome us. But as we minister with strength we can be sustained by the power of Christ’s love as we reach out to fulfill our responsibility to care for others.