“What It Means to Be Disciples of Jesus Christ,” Liahona, Dec. 2022, United States and Canada Section.
Ministry of Church Leaders
What It Means to Be Disciples of Jesus Christ
Church leaders minister and share messages around the world. Here are a few highlights from their ministry in North America.
Elder Bednar Speaking to the Press
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to journalists at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on May 26. This was the first time a Church leader has spoken there since President Gordon B. Hinckley in 2000.
Elder Bednar shared details about the Church’s efforts with temples, education, humanitarian aid, race relations, and the LGBTQ community and answered questions from the reporters.
He testified: “We are the Church of Jesus Christ, reestablished or restored upon the earth in the latter days in preparation for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do all of these things because as His disciples we love Him and want to follow His example in our lives.”1
The First Presidency and other Church leaders visit with the Reverend A. R. Bernard and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik from New York.
Supporting Religious Freedom
In June, seven faith leaders from New York visited Utah. They toured welfare and humanitarian sites, visited the Family History Library, and attended Brigham Young University’s annual religious freedom conference, where they participated on a panel with Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Of their visit, Elder Cook said, “We find people that have come to these events, and it has enriched them, and they’ve gone back and they’ve been an influence for religious freedom.”2
Teaching Children to Hear Him
In a #HearHim video, President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society General President, shared her experiences hearing the voice of the Savior. She taught how we can help children learn to recognize the Holy Ghost:
“When we think the Spirit is present, we can ask how the children feel. Let the children put words to how the Spirit is expressing itself to them. We frequently, and appropriately, use a warm, comforting blanket as an analogy for how the Spirit makes us feel.
“But what about the child who doesn’t feel the Spirit as a warm blanket, but as a tingle or a shiver? We have a responsibility to help our children recognize the diversity of ways in which the Spirit speaks. If we create opportunities for the Spirit to be present and help our children recognize and put a name to what they are feeling, we will provide them with a reservoir of spiritual experiences to draw upon for a lifetime.”3
The stone etching that inspired President David O. McKay says, “What-e’er Thou Art Act Well Thy Part.”
Photograph of replica stone by Simon Jones
Acting Well Our Part
On June 23, 2022, Michelle D. Craig, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, shared a message on social media about the value of each of us in God’s plan. She related an experience President David O. McKay (1873–1970) had with finding inspiration from a stone etched with the words “What-e’er Thou Art Act Well Thy Part.” She explained that part of the stone was divided into squares, with each square containing a symbol representing a number. “The sum of each column (in any direction) is 18. … The ‘magic’ only happens when each symbol is in its proper place—acting well its part.”
Sister Craig continued: “We each have a role to fulfill as children of God sent to earth in the ‘winding up scenes.’ EACH ONE OF US IS NEEDED. AND WE NEED EACH OTHER. As we are intentional about acting well our parts, about being where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there, ‘magic’ will happen. We will see miracles!”4