Ministering

     One of the elements of the LDS Church which I have appreciated is the focus on the responsibility of individual members to follow Christ's example- not just the clergy or leaders. Almost since its founding over a century ago, members of the Church have been assigned a number of other members to visit at least once a month for the purpose of gospel teaching as well as checking on their welfare to help when needed (called visiting teaching for women and home teaching for men). The one problem that developed was too much focus on "statistics". Rather than individuals simply using the assignment as a way to ensure no-one gets neglected, it sometimes became a race to beat the calendar (making a quick, ineffective visit just before turning the page to the next month), or a competition to claim the highest percentage of visits regardless of how helpful or effective, or simply another cause to feel guilt for someone who was truly busy or ill and just couldn't make it to everyone they had been assigned. In the most recent General Conference of the Church, the announcement was made that there was no longer going to be statistics kept or reports given concerning visiting or home teaching. This is NOT to decrease the load of expectations on members! Quite the contrary- the new emphasis is on effectiveness, rather than numbers. As the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, looms ever more imminently, we are being urged to personally prepare. That requires more study of scriptures, more fervent and meaningful prayers, more temple attendance and family history work, more diligence in keeping the commandments and becoming more like the Lord. As I have thought about how this changes things, I have discovered lots of important emphases:
     from teacher to receiver- It isn't about finding a great quote or preparing an impressive lesson by the member doing the visit but having that member pray to know what the visited member needs then listening to the Spirit as well as listening to the visited member to know how to be a help and support.
     from presentation to results- It doesn't matter how amazing the lesson or point being made by the visiting member if there is nothing in it to truly be effective for that specific member being visited. The focus is changed from the teacher's ability to how much the individual is helped.
     from lesson to need- When deciding what to bring to the member being visited, it requires knowing what the genuine need of that individual is, not how new or interesting a point to be made can be. It's about truly loving the members we visit, not about our creativity in teaching. What we take to each one we visit may be totally different.
     from concern for performance to concern for service- It isn't about impressing anyone with scriptural knowledge or even temporal skills. Ministering as the Savior did is about understanding the needs of the individual being taught and discovering how to meet those needs.
     Jesus Christ and our Father care about each individual and if we are to be like Them, we must teach, love, and minister as They would. Each person is unique in their needs, development, abilities, and concerns. Service to others is only truly effective if it meets those very individual needs. Giving a batch of cookies to a diabetic is not effective service. Giving a lovely handmade toy to a single adult is not effective service. Being willing to patch the roof of a person living in an apartment building is not effective service. Urging temple attendance to someone who has very little financial resources and lives hundreds of miles from the nearest temple is not effective service. We must take the time and make the effort to know each other so we can anticipate the greatest needs and discover how to supply those needs. As we do so, our good intentions and desires will develop into genuine Christlike love. Then we will be prepared to greet the Savior when  He comes and assist in His kingdom.