As I continued to study “The Work of Salvation and Exaltation,” the second subheading says…
Care: for those in need
Immediately I thought: MINISTERING!
If the Lord was willing to condescend to meet me where I am, as I am… (salvation)
I should be willing, and prepared, to meet others where they are as they are also!
I love this definition: ministering is to care for those in need AS THE SAVIOR WOULD!
Think about this…
YOU REPRESENT THE LORD!!
What an honor and a gift!
What trust He must have in us to help Him do His work, and do it as He would do it!
Sure you can read on in the “handbook” if you’d like …(no thanks)
But this is what I love best…
Ministering can be done in normal and natural ways!
See a need – fill a need!
The other day my daughter was looking at the stars on our trampoline and I felt the need to join her. So I bundled up and went outside. We laughed and talked about nothing really. I kept shivering making the whole tramp shake, which made us laugh more. I don’t know why I was needed out there- but I knew I had been prompted to join her.
You can’t fill everyone’s need, but you can fill many needs (one’s in your home, at work, or even down the street)! And together – that’s a lot!
Which ones are you drawn to? Do you have a specific gift or talent that could help? Do you have the time? Do you need to think outside your normal box and get on your knees and seek more inspiration? Do you have a habit of smiling to everyone you meet or bringing in your neighbor trash can for them?
When ministering I often wonder, “Am I doing enough? Am I making a big enough impact?”
But here’s the thing, “By SMALL and SIMPLE things are great things brought to pass!”
Do what naturally comes to you.
It’s enough!
Zion is built by people just “living” the gospel because it’s become normal and natural to do so!
**
As I continued to arduously read the handbook (lol) …
PRAY FOR THEM BY NAME…stood out to me.
There is power in a person’s name and if it is used repeatedly and appropriately it helps people feel known and cared for!
Confession: I am terrible and remembering names – I’m a visual learner – I have to see it written on paper or in my head before I’ll even have a prayer at remembering it…
I recognize faces well though, and associate them with conversations and experiences, which is why I love working on relationships.
I have made a measured effort, though, to remember people’s names (as I can), and use them often!
The more I do, the more those people open up and talk with me.
I’ve noticed it myself… when people use my name, I feel more connected to them and cared for; like they really wanted to get to know me because they remembered!
I also believe when you pray for a group you get “group needs – type answers.”
When you pray for people by name, you get more specific answers!
FOCUS ON ONE… and one at a time!
The other day my husband and I stopped in at a local restaurant for our date.
The darling girl taking our order USE TO BE in our ward and part of our Young Women’s.
I used her name, “Hey — I didn’t know you started working here. It’s so good to see you!”
Recently she had moved to another small town.
I asked how she liked her new place – she didn’t (moving is always hard), she missed her friends.
We continued to chat while our food was being prepared…
It was the chattiest conversation I had ever had with JUST HER!
It was so fun to see her and show her that I missed her to and still cared, even though she wasn’t part of our ward anymore!
This is “meeting people where they are, as they are!” and focusing on the ONE!
In the Lord’s house, we are all known by Him, as individuals! He knows us and what we need and He can inspire others to help in specific ways.
**
One day I was having a conversation with a friend who felt alone, maybe even abandoned…and they mentioned they didn’t like being “someone’s assignment.”
They continued to explain that it felt forced and not authentic…
I pondered this for many days, wondering how I could help them feel the authenticity of my concern better…
Eventually I realized something…
We are all SOMEONE’s ASSIGNMENT!
“Assignments are made in the church to help ensure members are remembered and cared for” (not to make them feel uncomfortable or forgotten, and not to force us to un-authentically care about them).
Yes, some approach it more heartfelt than others, but…
We are a busy people in a noisy world – we make assignments so we don’t forget things all the time!
Then I remembered a time when I felt left alone and abandoned…
I had two sisters ‘assigned’ to visit with me!
We never talked about the particular struggle I was going through, I didn’t want to…
But we visited every month, and they occasionally brought over a loaf of yummy bread, or babysat my kids for a few hours.
I could have felt like I was “someone’s assignment” – ugh, but instead I decided to be so grateful for the simple time they took to check in on me every month.
We became friends, we still never talked about that particular hardship (they probably didn’t’ know what to say or how to help; and I didn’t want to bring it all up anyway).
But they were there, and I knew they cared.
So if you are ever that person who is “someone’s assignment”- instead of being bothered by it…
BE GRATEFUL! Accept their offer of love and care, don’t push it away with your own thoughts.
What if you’re wrong! What if they are being authentic and they really do care!
You don’t have to let them in on all the struggles, just say YES to the loaf of bread or the fun chat about nothing really important.
Say YES to receiving love, however it shows up! Decide people really do care, instead of assuming they don’t.
We all need help sometimes, and we are all each others ‘assignment!’
