This week on social media, four members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared videos from their ministering visits around the world, while the Relief Society general presidency launched new accounts for the worldwide women’s organization.
Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a video of them outside the Accra Ghana Temple talking about their ministering visit to West Africa. Both said they learned important lessons witnessing the faith and joy of the people and are already looking to return.
“We love these people and we love this place,” Elder Bednar said.
In their first reel on the account, the Relief Society general presidency — President Camille N. Johnson, Sister J. Anette Dennis and Sister Kristin M. Yee — announced the launch of Relief Society Worldwide. They expressed excitement in connecting with a “global sisterhood” in this way and in sharing examples of “higher, holier ministering” and covenant keeping.
“You are a conduit through which Jesus Christ provides His relief, and we are thrilled to share your stories,” President Johnson said, “Because whenever you provide relief — temporal or spiritual — you are bringing others the love of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a video from his visit to an orphanage in the Philippines where he taught youth that God loves them. He praised the children for choosing to dream, to love and to have faith rather than to despair, languish and fear.
He told them that despite the big responsibilities he has as a Church leader, God does not love him more than He does them.
“And He does not know me more than He knows you,” Elder Andersen said. “Don’t ever forget that.”
The Young Women general presidency — President Emily Belle Freeman, Sister Tamara W. Runia and Sister Andrea Munoz Spannaus — posted a reel inviting Young Women Worldwide followers to follow the new Young Men Worldwide Instagram account.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a video of his visit to a health center for women and infants in Tanzania — a clinic the Church helped establish in collaboration with the community in the nation’s capital of Dar es Salaam.
Elder Stevenson said that in speaking to the media, he shared Mosiah 2:17 — “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn a wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” — and Matthew 25:40 — “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
“We are on His errand in doing things like this,” Elder Stevenson said.
Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, posted about her young niece, Jane, who was recently called as a ward missionary and taught her peers about the importance of exercising faith in Jesus Christ. She told them that when the prophet Nephi was commanded by God to build a ship, he asked God where he could find the necessary supplies, having faith God would show him how to build it (see 1 Nephi 17:8–10).
“I add my testimony to Jane’s that as we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His living prophets, we will be guided, directed and enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own,” Sister Wright said.
Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, posted on Young Men Worldwide that a unique facet of the Book of Mormon is its teaching of covenants — particularly, that baptism is associated with a covenant.
“We are blessed to have the Book of Mormon,” Brother Wilcox said, “which teaches us that we can invite and access the grace and power of God and Christ into our lives by entering into a covenant relationship with Them.”
Sunday School General President Mark L. Pace wrote a post on the power the Book of Mormon can have in developing an individual’s faith. He said he raises chickens, and whenever he decides to help a struggling hatching chick by opening the shell for it, the baby eventually dies.
“Similarly,” he said, “we must spiritually ‘hatch’ for ourselves” by studying the scriptures.
