Ministering in the Savior’s Way

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Elder Walter F. Gonzalez

To increase our faith in our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ requires that we learn about them. The Son taught the things that His Father taught Him, and the Son did the things that He saw His Father do. We are to learn from the Savior’s teachings, from His behavior, and from His attributes.

When we observe the Savior ministering to others, we learn ways in which we can improve our ministering skills little by little. For instance, focusing on the needs of others helps us to increase our ability to love or feel compassion for others, which is a Christ-like attribute.

May I share two examples from the scriptures. One of them occurred in the Ancient Americas. Many blessings came to those that were suffering, especially to the young children, when the Savior ministered to them as shown in chapter 17 of 3rd Nephi. These blessings came because the Savior ministered to them according to their needs.

 The Savior perceived their weaknesses and gave them an assignment.  He invited them to go home and prepare their minds by pondering upon the things which He had taught them. He also asked them to pray to the Father so that their minds might be opened.  The Savior focused on the needs of those that were listening to Him.

Later, He explained the things He wanted to do; but as He focused on their needs, He noticed that “they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.” (3 Nephi 17:2-6).

image Jesus teaching in the western hemisphere.

What followed shows the blessings that are produced by the activation of a Christ-like attribute. The Savior felt compassion. As a result, blessings came to the people as never before.

From this we learn that focusing on the needs of others will help us to develop Christ-like attributes.

This is an exercise we participate in as we minister to those around us and to those that have been assigned to us. Little by little we become more like Him as we focused on the needs of those we minister to.

Another example is found in the New Testament. We learn that when Christ was near the gate of the city of Nain,

“behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city were with her.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

And he that was dead sat up and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.” (Luke 7:11-15)

Blessings will flow as we focus on the needs of others, also helping us to develop Christ-like attributes.  This is the very root of our becoming; or our conversion process, as we minister in the Saviors way.