Relief Society lesson based on the Saturday morning talk "Ministering" given by Elder Gong in the April 2023 LDS General Conference.
Ask sisters to tell you the story behind:
1. The parable of the lost sheep
2. The parable of the lost coin
3. The parable of the son
What do these 3 parables have in common?
-something precious is lost
Now imagine that you have a child who is 100 miles away. He/She has made choices that have taken them away from the gospel, away from the things they learned as a child, away from their testimony.
Wouldn't you pray nightly for the Lord to send someone into his/her life to be a good friend to them?
As a parent, yes.
What about our Heavenly Father. Do you think he wants that same thing for his children?
Story from "Or So She Says..."
When we build a fire, how to we build it? Log by Log until it's a large, warm, comforting, mesmerizing fire.
"The fire represents a burning testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Explain that gaining a testimony is like building a fire. Just as we have to add wood to keep a fire burning, we must pray, repent, serve others, study the scriptures, and keep the commandments to help our testimonies grow.
"Point out how the wood that is in the flames burns and shines. The hot coals turn white and glow. Remove a portion of the wood coals from the fire. Set the piece to the rim of the fire ring, far enough from the flames that it is not considered part of the fire. Watch how it cools and eventually the light will go completely out. It does not have the heat from the rest of the wood to keep it’s light shining.
"When a person stops living the gospel or they feel alone and friendless their testimony can loose its strength. Without positive relationships and interaction with other Christians, it is hard to keep faith in Jesus and God. The longer they stay away from the flames, the dimmer their testimony becomes.
"Ministering can help! By reaching out to individuals who have lost their testimony, who feel sad or lonely, or who feel like they don’t belong in the Church, you can bring them back to the flame. Sharing your own light can cause a spark. Sincere efforts to be a friend and include an individual in wholesome activities can make a huge impact on their faith. Once the cold black coal is back with the rest of the coals, it doesn’t take long for it to begin to heat up and glow. Just as it doesn’t take long for someone to feel their own testimony burning again."
The Lord wants us to be the friend who watches for the light to dim. Who is sent in by the prayers of the mothers and fathers for that lost child. Who looks for the sheep and coins that are missing. He wants us to be "HIS Hands".
Show "A Vision of Ministering Video"
In his talk, Elder Gong gives many stories about individuals who have chosen to be that friend.
What are some of the stories that stood out to you the most? (If needed, read one or two.)
Are there stories that you would share with Elder Gong about service done to you, by you, or that you have seen?
What are some of the ways that these people ministered? (talk about what the ministering looked like.)
Why are there so many different ways to minister?
Why might those we minister to need more than one method?
Do you know which way your sisters want to be ministered to?
Notice that none of these examples Elder Gong gave are necessarily big acts of service, they were just acts of love and friendship.
Are we friends to our sisters?
Do we know their likes? Their favorites? The activities they (or their kids) are involved in?
Elder Gong says "Inspired ministering blesses families and individuals; it also strengthens wards and branches. Think of your ward or branch as a spiritual ecosystem. In the spirit of the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive trees, the Lord of the vineyard and his servants bring forth precious fruit and strengthen each tree by binding together the strengths and weaknesses of all the trees.
"Each tree in our grove is a living family tree. Roots and branches intertwine. Ministering blesses generations.
"Jesus Christ ministers. Angels minister. Followers of Jesus Christ “minister one to another,” “rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep,” “watch over [and] … nourish [the people] with things pertaining to righteousness,” “remember … the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted," let His name be known through our ministry. As we minister as He would, we witness His miracles, His blessings. We obtain “a more excellent ministry.”
As you go home today, think of ways that you can be more of a friend.
"We do not want checklist concern. But often we need more than a sincere hello in the hall or a casual “Can I help you?” in the parking lot. In many places, we can reach out, understand others where they are, and build relationships when we regularly visit members"
Let us be his hands.
Video song "HIS Hands"
I gave this handout as a magnet using these business card magnets from Amazon.
I found the graphic on Pinterest with no credit to who made it. So if you know who did, please let me know so I can give credit.
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