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Seven Ideas to Become a More Unified and Welcoming Community of Saints
Strengthening our congregations starts with us.
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In a Church whose members span the globe, our testimony of Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ unites our community of Latter-day Saints. We strive together to be more like our Savior, embracing His truth that “if ye are not one ye are not mine” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:27).
In 4 Nephi we read of the rise and fall of a Christ-centered society. They had no contention among them, they had “all things common” (4 Nephi 1:3), they took care of their poor, and they were motivated by the “love of God” (4 Nephi 1:15) in their hearts. They had become one (see 4 Nephi 1:17). However, over time they forsook these values and turned inward, losing the unified society they once had.
How can we move toward a more Christ-centered community like they once had? The following are seven ideas that can help us become more united as children of God.
1. Introduce Yourself to Those You Don’t Know
As the Good Shepherd, our Savior knows us personally and “calleth his own sheep by name” (John 10:3). We can follow His example by seeking to get to know and understand one another. We can also help others feel valued. No matter how big your stake or how small your branch, there is always someone you can get to know better.
Introducing yourself shows you care about your brothers and sisters, whether you visit with someone attending church for the first time or talk to a longtime member whom you don’t often have a conversation with. It shows gratitude for what Elder Randy D. Funk, when he was a member of the Seventy, called “their willingness to come into the fold and to stay in the fold.”1 In future conversations, remember the Savior’s example of how powerful and considerate it can be to call someone by their name.
2. Focus on Our Common Work—the Work of Salvation and Exaltation
Writing to the Saints in Corinth, the Apostle Paul pleaded that “there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). One way to be of the same mind is to work together toward common efforts to get on and stay on the covenant path, wherever each of us currently is in our journey. The invitations to live, care, invite, and unite in the work of salvation and exaltation2 provide us with unified opportunities as covenant keepers.
We can focus on these four divinely appointed responsibilities to address the needs of our local unit and communities. As a branch, ward, stake, or mission, members and leaders can counsel together to better understand how to minister to one another in a common cause. Working side by side in this common cause can unite us in extraordinary ways.
3. Avoid Starting or Spreading Rumors
Rumors, or hurtful gossip that may or may not be true, can grow a negative perception of others and tear our bonds apart. Don’t believe harmful rumors, since doing so creates cracks in the foundation of our Church communities. Even if a rumor is true, avoid spreading or starting it. Nobody is perfect, and nobody is exempt from needing God’s help, so don’t be the first to cast your stone (see John 8:7).
If a ward or branch member needs correction, leaders should counsel together with him or her in private. Christ commanded, “if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone” (Matthew 18:15).
4. Minister with a Smile
Elder Adrián Ochoa of the Seventy said that the Lord “wants you to be part of His great work. Never will the plan of happiness become more real to you than when you are helping others to live it.”3 Our ministering assignments are one way we can do this joyfully.
Whether you minister often or need to find out what your ministering assignment is, we can always seek the Spirit to know what God would have us do to serve others in His name. As we seek to follow the Savior’s example of ministering to the one, we can experience the joy and goodness of the gospel of Jesus Christ in creating a welcoming community.
5. Seek to Better Understand One Another
All of us have different personalities and characteristics. And all of us are needed in the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12:12–31). We can seek to understand and better value every person. As we strive to get to know one another better, we may find that we can better support the needs of each other.
For instance, one trait that may differ among us is between introverts and extroverts. Some people, often referred to as “extroverts,” feel very comfortable in large group settings or assignments that require them to interact with people they don’t know. Others, called “introverts,” often prefer situations that allow them to interact with smaller groups of people whom they can connect with more closely. Both have qualities that are important in the Lord’s work. The Church provides many opportunities that are sometimes more natural to extroverts, such as speaking in church, doing missionary work, or attending activities with others they don’t know well. As we seek to strengthen our community, we can recognize the needs of introverts and take steps to help them participate more comfortably in the work of salvation and exaltation in a way that complements their strengths and introverted qualities.
Other ways we can seek to better understand and support one another include being sensitive to family backgrounds, economics, health needs, interests, and where each person is on the covenant path. In preparing for all types of activities, classes, meetings, and interactions, we can keep in mind how to help everyone feel included and see how needed they are in the Lord’s work. This is true in reaching members with a variety of interests and backgrounds as well.
6. Forgive and Seek Forgiveness
The New Testament talks about many miraculous healings and divine calls to discipleship. It is a timeless witness of our ability to change. A welcoming and Christ-centered congregation is not complete without the doctrine of forgiveness. It’s important that when we have wronged others and when they have wronged us, we can all be reconciled through our Redeemer (see 2 Corinthians 5:18).
President Russell M. Nelson urged us to “exercise the humility, courage, and strength required both to forgive and to seek forgiveness.”4 While forgiving others may not be easy, it can expand our capacity to love. While seeking forgiveness from others may not be pleasant, it can strengthen our ability to repent.
Showing compassion toward the shortcomings and mistakes of others broadens the reach of God’s love through us. Forgiveness brings our group of Latter-day Saints closer to Christ and allows us to more fully have our “hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another” (Mosiah 18:21).
7. Create a Community of Religious Freedom among All Religions and Beliefs
Creating a more united and welcoming religious community extends beyond the bounds of our own religion. As Church members offer worldwide service from Argentina to Zimbabwe, we can love everyone, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “As a church, we join with other religions protecting people of all faiths and persuasions and their right to speak their convictions. This does not mean we accept their beliefs, nor they ours, but we have more in common than we have with those who desire to silence us.”5
Have conversations with others about why they love their beliefs, and share with them why you love your beliefs. See what you can do together to strengthen your community. Befriending those not of our faith creates indestructible unity that delights God, for we “are all one in Christ Jesus” (see Galatians 3:28).