When it comes to ward ministering assignments in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some people might not know where to start. Perhaps there is even some anxiety or awkwardness involved.
In his most recent general conference address, Church President Russell M. Nelson spoke about having confidence in the presence of God.
“Let thy bowels … be full of charity towards all men, … and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God,” President Nelson said, quoting Doctrine and Covenants 121:45.
Latter-day Saints can grow in confidence in this way in their ministering assignments, said Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson.
“We can have confidence before God when we work to be worthy of the gift of charity, the pure love of Jesus Christ,” she said.
President Johnson spoke about ministering on a recent episode of the Church News podcast in a conversation with Elder Robert M. Daines, a General Authority Seventy who is assigned to the Church’s Priesthood and Family Department. They talked about how ministering assignments in the Church are made so that all members of the Church are remembered and cared for in ways similar to how Jesus Christ blessed those around Him.
Confidence in the assignment
President Johnson said Church members can remember that every one of their ministering assignments comes with delegated priesthood authority.
“It is the bishop who has priesthood keys that makes those assignments. He’s the one that approves those assignments. And by virtue of that, the assignment comes with delegated priesthood authority, which means that the opportunity, the privilege and the blessing to act in the Lord’s name,” she said.
Elder Daines said having an assignment feels liberating when it comes to approaching people.
“The ministering assignment gives me an excuse,” he said. “I can say, ‘I know this is weird, but this is my assignment, and is it OK if I come over?’ It kind of opens the door a little for me. So that solves some anxiety or some social awkwardness a little bit.”
This also gives confidence, President Johnson explained — almost like putting on a missionary badge: “I have delegated priesthood authority with respect to this assignment to engage with you with the hope to develop a relationship with you as I try to become like the Savior and foster charity.”
‘You have to start somewhere’
After receiving an assignment, ministers can begin to engage with the other person or family, President Johnson and Elder Daines said. This might begin with food, a thoughtful note, a flower, an act of service or a home visit.
Elder Daines’ first memory of being ministered to as a young teenager involved an older gentleman who came to their home with note cards.
“He would look at me, and he’d say, ‘Um’ — and then he’d look down at his note — ‘Rob. How is’ — and then he’d look down — ‘seventh grade?’” This showed Elder Daines that the ministering brother was trying and that he cared.
President Johnson said relationships are formed over multiple engagements.
“Born of the engagement and relationship, then you have charity, that is the pure love of Christ, then your motivation is love, and that’s what we’re working towards. But no one should fault themselves if they don‘t start out with that right at the beginning. You have to start somewhere,” she said.
And don’t be afraid to ask how someone wants to be ministered to, President Johnson said.
‘How are we going to follow Him?’
After the Savior’s Resurrection, His last words before He leaves in the Gospel of John are two invitations to “follow Me.”
Elder Daines said part of this invitation is to figure out “How are we going to follow Him?” And ministering, for him, is the easiest way to do that. The prayers he always gets an answer to are those when he prays to find out who he can help for the Savior.
“That gives me a kind of confidence that the Savior sees me, He’s paying attention, that He’s giving me direction, because I always think of somebody; I get a face or a name,” Elder Daines said. “And so even if I’m frustrated that I’m not doing something else right or that there’s some big issue in my life that’s unresolved, I can feel confidence that I’m following Him, that I’m getting advice and direction in His work.”
Ministering then becomes a way of life, President Johnson said.
“We can have confidence if we go to Him and say, ‘Who can I help today? How can I be Your hands or Your listening ears? How can I be Your feet today?’” she said. “He will hear and answer those prayers. And as we seek to have a ministering heart and mind, we can have confidence before God.”
