Helping the Church Grow

Elder Jörg Klebingat

Second Counselor in the Africa West Area Presidency

Dear brothers and sisters, a sacred commission is encapsulated in the Savior’s parting plea to us before His Ascension into heaven:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19–20).

We are therefore not surprised that the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.”¹ The Savior reminded the Apostle Peter, and therefore all of us, that the greatest manifestation of our love for Him—aside from keeping His commandments—is to “feed [His] lambs” and to “feed [His] sheep” (John 21:15–17).

It is my prayer that we, meaning you and I and all the Saints in the Africa West Area, will joyfully consider the Savior’s encouragement to let our lights shine and to share the gospel as never before. To this end, let us consider three aspects that all of us can do:

First: I invite you to pray in your homes and in church meetings for the Church to grow.

This obvious but all-too-often-neglected call to action was echoed by President Dallin H. Oaks when he noted that “we can all pray for desire to help with this vital part of the work of salvation. All efforts begin with desire.”²

I therefore invite you, both at home and at church, to pray daily that the Church will grow, that the honest in heart in our neighborhoods will be led to us and the Church. I invite bishoprics to remind those who pray in our meetings to remember those not of our faith—that their hearts, as well as our hearts, might be softened, and that they may choose to learn about the restored Church.

Second: I invite you to pray for personal missionary opportunities and increased convert baptisms.

Here again, we turn to President Oaks, who taught that “we can pray for inspiration on what we can do in our individual circumstances to share the gospel with others. This is different than praying for the missionaries or praying for what others can do. We should pray for what we can do personally. When we pray, we should remember that prayers for this kind of inspiration will be answered if accompanied by a commitment—something the scriptures call ‘real intent’ or ‘full purpose of heart.’ Pray with a commitment to act upon the inspiration you receive, promising the Lord that if He will inspire you to speak to someone about the gospel, you will do it.”³

Well do we remember President Thomas S. Monson’s (1927-2018) prophetic declaration: “Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together . . . [and] labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work.”⁴ This, brothers and sisters, is a prophetic promise!

Let us recognize that sharing the gospel with others and letting our light shine is really nothing more than ministering. As our love for Heavenly Father and for His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement increase, so will our love for those around us also increase, both in and out of the Church. Therefore, praying a little more purposefully, living the gospel a little more outwardly, opening our mouths and extending invitations to act a little more courageously will touch the hearts of those around us and lead many to ask us a reason of the hope that is in us (See 1 Peter 3:15).

Third: I invite you to help new converts to become converted and enjoy the blessings of the gospel.

Again, all the Lord is asking us to do is to save our own souls by ministering in Christlike love to those who are learning about the gospel or who have recently joined the Church. Let it be us who fellowship friends and neighbors into the Church and to meet with the missionaries. Let it be us who first recognize someone who seems to be in church for the first time. Let it be us who are the first to greet newcomers each Sunday and to invite them to sit with us. Let it be us who ask missionaries whom they are currently teaching and then offer our time and testimony to help fellowship them into the church.

President Russell M. Nelson taught new mission presidents and their wives in a mission leadership training seminar that “your ability to link the enthusiasm of the missionaries with the loving stability and helpful efforts of the members cannot be overemphasized. In fact, your success will be multiplied exponentially as you harness the power of members with whom you serve.”

Brothers and sisters, can we be the kind of members, the kind of Saints that President Nelson is referring to? Can we demonstrate to the Lord that it is safe to send His children who are looking for the truth to our neighborhoods and wards knowing that we will love and take good care of them? Can you and I be the means of bringing many souls unto Christ, regardless of our personal circumstances? Can we be the means of growing the Church where we live? The answer is yes! May the Lord bless you as you assist Heavenly Father to gather His children on both sides of the veil.