As true disciples of Jesus Christ, many Latter-day Saint women offer their willing hearts and their helping hands to hasten His work, said Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society general president.
“Our sisterhood reaches across the generations to those faithful sisters who have walked before,” she said. “Together as sisters and in unity with living prophets, seers and revelators with restored priesthood keys we can walk as one, as disciples, as servants with willing hearts and hands to hasten the work of salvation. As we do so, we will become like the Savior.”
Speaking during the Church’s General Women’s meeting March 29, Sister Burton addressed the topic, “Wanted: Hands and Hearts to Hasten the Work.”
She asked women, young women and girls to answer the Savior’s call to become part of His work — the work of a disciple. “We are to ‘lay aside the things of the world, cleave to our covenants,’ (Doctrine and Covenants 25:10, 13) and come unto Christ and follow Him,” she said. “That’s what disciples do.”
She said Latter-day Saint women cannot do the difficult things they have been asked to do without help. “Help comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the guidance of the Holy Ghost, and through the helping hands of others. …
“You have been sent to earth in this dispensation of time because of who you are and what you have been prepared to do. Regardless of what Satan would try to persuade us to think about who we are, our true identity is that of a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
Sister Burton said it is a blessing to be called to give the gift of daily discipleship to the Lord. “I love the women of the Church — young and old,” she said. “I have seen your strength. I have seen your faith. You have something to give and you are willing to give it. You do this without fanfare or publicity, drawing attention to the God you worship not yourselves, and with no thought of what you will receive. That’s what disciples do.”
The best way to strengthen a home, current or future, is to keep covenants, said Sister Burton.
“Visualize for a minute you and me standing together with the other millions of sisters and brothers in His Church, going forth boldly, doing what disciples do ? serving and loving like the Savior,” she said.
Mormon Helping Hands vests and shirts have been worn by hundreds of thousands of selfless disciples of Jesus Christ who have embraced the opportunity to provide temporal service, she said. But there are other ways to serve as devoted disciples.
She concluded by asking the worldwide congregation of women to imagine some of the possible spiritual “help wanted” signs related to the work of salvation.
Help wanted:
Parents to bring up their children in light and truth. Those to serve as mentors and offer helping hands along the covenant path. Those who listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and act on impressions received. Those who live the gospel daily in small and simple ways. Family history and temple workers to link families eternally. Missionaries and members to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rescuers to find those who have lost their way. Covenant keepers to stand firm for truth and right. True disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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