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Participating in the Work of Salvation and Exaltation—Recent Messages from Prophets, Apostles, and Other Church Leaders
See what Church leaders have taught recently on social media about the work of salvation and exaltation.
Woman Touching the Hem of Savior’s Garment, by Judith Mehr
“The purpose of the doctrine and policies of this restored Church,” said President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, “is to prepare God’s children for salvation in the celestial kingdom and for exaltation in its highest degree.”1 We speak often of this work—the work of salvation and exaltation—but what does it mean?
“As we come unto Christ and help others do the same, we participate in God’s work of salvation and exaltation. This work is guided by the two great commandments to love God and to love our neighbors (see Matthew 22:37–39). …
“The work of salvation and exaltation focuses on four divinely appointed responsibilities. …
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Living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Caring for those in need.
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Inviting all to receive the gospel.
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Uniting families for eternity.”2
See what Church leaders have shared recently on social media about how we can live, care, invite, and unite.
Pray for Direction to Help Those in Need
“On this National Day of Prayer, I have been pondering the evolving meaning in our society of the phrase ‘thoughts and prayers.’ For many, this is still a sincere expression of condolence and concern. For others, it is viewed as a perceived lack of action in the face of tragedy.
“I have a firm belief that praying for those in need is pleasing to God; in fact, He commands us to turn to Him and to pray for others! However, it is my own personal experience that when I ask God in prayer for direction on what I can do to help minister, lift, love, and support those in need, He answers these prayers with specific and simple things I can actually do to bless one of His children.
“I invite you to consider how your thoughts and prayers can be a catalyst for God to inspire and direct you toward acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity. Imagine how much good you could do in the world—and in your own family, school, and workplace. As we seek to be His healing and helping hands, we surely will exalt the Lord.”
President Russell M. Nelson, Facebook, May 5, 2022, facebook.com/russell.m.nelson.
Forgive Others and See Them as Brothers and Sisters
“‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34).
“These words, uttered by the Savior Jesus Christ as He hung on the cross, give us a pattern to follow in our own lives. He taught us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, and even to pray for those who despitefully use us.
“When we choose to forgive others, we allow the Lord to remove the poison from our souls. We permit Him to soothe and soften our hearts so we can see others, especially those who have wronged us, as children of God and as our brothers and sisters.
“… I would invite you to consider prayerfully if there is someone whom you should forgive or someone you should ask to forgive you. I promise that the Savior will relieve you of anger, resentment, and pain. The Prince of Peace will bring you peace.
“… May we turn to the risen Lord as He helps us to experience the joy and miracle of forgiveness.”
President Russell M. Nelson, Facebook, Apr. 2, 2023, facebook.com/russell.m.nelson.
Share Your Light
“As a young adult member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you may experience moments when you wonder what you can do to make an impact on the world. Early on, I learned that if you want to change the world, you need to first change yourself.
“I love the experience of Gordon B. Hinckley as a young missionary when his father told him, ‘Forget about yourself and go to work.’ The world needs your enthusiasm, your energy, your faith, your testimony. There are many ways you can share your light and make the world a better place. …
“No matter how you choose to share the light you have, others will benefit from your experiences. You will draw closer to the Savior when you engage in wholesome activities and serve others. I promise it will change you and the world for the better.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Facebook, Feb. 3, 2023, facebook.com/dieterf.uchtdorf.
Be Aware of Our Responsibilities
“My family were refugees twice. The first time I was only four; the second time I was 11 years old. I reflected on this as I had the privilege to address Latter-day Saint chaplains from all over the world. …
“My heart is filled with sadness when I think of the worldwide flow of refugees and emigrants and the suffering of so many families and innocent children. They are our brothers and sisters. We should be cognizant of our responsibilities as Christians.
“Laws of the country must be obeyed, and laws must also reflect our willingness as Christians to help the poor and the needy, to be willing to mourn with them, to comfort them, to pray with them, to generously share our means and possibilities with them, and certainly to be their friends.
“Committing ourselves to this kind of service will best express the pure love of Christ to our fellow men and women. Christlike compassion and empathy for our fellow men and women will change us. It will bring a positive change to the future of the world. Both our desire and our action to help someone who is sick, hungry or in trouble will bring peace to our personal lives. This will bless your communities and will bring Christ’s peace to the nations of the world. Therefore, every day can and should be a day of new beginning.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Facebook, Oct. 10, 2021, facebook.com/dieterf.uchtdorf.
Let Love Be Your Motivation
“When it comes to sharing the gospel, the simple pattern of ‘love, share, and invite’ brings greater focus to all aspects of the Lord’s work. Naturally living these fundamental gospel principles will enable us to help others come unto Christ by making and keeping covenants. We may not even realize we are sharing the gospel, because sharing and inviting are a natural expression of our genuine love for others. It’s simply part of who we are!
“The scriptures say that ‘charity suffereth long’ and ‘endureth all things’ (1 Corinthians 13:4, 7). Love does not have a timetable or an expiration date. When our sharing and inviting are motivated by love, we do not become impatient. We keep trying, and we trust the Lord as we reach out to others.”
Elder David A. Bednar, Facebook, Aug. 2, 2021, facebook.com/davida.bednar.
Advance the Father’s Plan of Happiness
“Many of you reading this are part of Generation Z. You have grown up with a natural knowledge of the internet, smart devices, social media, and other related technologies that we older generations have had to make an effort to learn. For you, ‘liking,’ ‘sharing,’ and ‘direct messaging’ are as common as calling, knocking, and writing a letter was for generations before you. But along with your vast knowledge of the digital world around you, you have something even greater in your possession—you have the foundation to be the most capable generation ever for advancing our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness to all of His children. And we need your help.
“I share with you [an] invitation …: Remember that your choices matter. As you make daily choices to follow the example of Jesus Christ, you will find success, happiness, and purpose that will bless your life in unimaginable ways.”
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Facebook, Jan. 26, 2023, facebook.com/quentin.lcook.
Prepare to Enter the House of the Lord
“Construction on [the Monrovia Liberia Temple] has not yet begun, but I shared with a large gathering in Liberia that the time for individual preparation for the temple begins now.
“In the past, individuals preparing for worshipping in the house of the Lord may have considered what sort of offering they should make to enter this holy house.
“However, today, members of the Church in Liberia—as well as Latter-day Saints across the globe—are to follow Jesus Christ’s example and offer up a ‘broken heart and contrite spirit’ (3 Nephi 9:20). Those of us who focus on preparing ourselves in this way will be a holier people as we have the opportunity to take part in temple service.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Facebook, Mar. 10, 2023, facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson.
Have Great Faith and Courage
“I have been so very impressed with the young adults and the youth I have met here [in Tokyo]. Japan is a country of 125 million people. Only 1% of the population is Christian, and fewer than 10% of the Christians are members of the Church. It requires great faith and courage to live their lives as followers of Jesus Christ and to share their faith with others.
“I talked to them about openly sharing that they believe and follow Jesus Christ. I expressed to them the love we have for them and for who they are. I told them that the Lord needs them in keeping devoted disciples of Jesus Christ among this very beautiful and impressive people.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Facebook, May 27, 2022, facebook.com/neill.andersen.
Love God
“Joshua 22:5 lays out four distinct steps that teach us how we can love God, fulfilling the first great commandment:
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Walk in all His ways. We walk in His ways when we care about things that He cares about. He cares about you, so why wouldn’t we care for His children as well?
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Keep His commandments. President Russell M. Nelson has taught, ‘God’s laws are motivated entirely by His infinite love for us and His desire for us to become all we can become’ (‘The Love and Laws of God’ [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 17, 2019], speeches.byu.edu).
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Cleave unto Him. When you cleave unto God, you stay close to Him and can hear Him better.
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Serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Service to my family and to the Church has been one of the greatest blessings in shaping who I am.
“Make the commitment now to love God. I promise that everything else will fall in line if you put Him first. Loving God is the key to happiness and will prepare you to face whatever comes.”
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Facebook, Feb. 13, 2022, facebook.com/ronaldarasband.
Know That Jesus Christ Is Involved in His Work
“One of the key principles of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that He is intimately involved in the work of salvation.”
Elder Dale G. Renlund, Facebook, Mar. 2, 2021, facebook.com/DaleGRenlund.
Go About Doing Good
“How we deal with advantages and disadvantages is part of life’s test. We will be judged not so much by what we say but by how we treat the vulnerable and disadvantaged. As Latter-day Saints, we seek to follow the Savior’s example, to go about doing good. We demonstrate our love for our neighbor by working to ensure the dignity of all Heavenly Father’s children. As we become more like the Savior, we develop more empathy, understanding, and charity.”
Elder Dale G. Renlund, Facebook, July 19, 2021, facebook.com/DaleGRenlund.
Become a Welding Link in Family Generations
“Through our faith in Jesus Christ, may we become a welding link in our generations. May we connect with our ancestors and bless our current and future families—the families we have and the families we want.”
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Facebook, Mar. 21, 2023, facebook.com/gerritw.gong.
Work beside the Lord
“Last month at the worldwide devotional, I invited you to become a better ‘you’ as you work beside the Lord.
“As disciples of Jesus Christ, our covenant belonging with God and each other invites us to be good and do good. As you know, our Church provides humanitarian assistance without regard to race, religious affiliation, or nationality. We work with partners of all faiths or of no faith. We respond to immediate and long-term needs. We feel heaven’s blessings as we express our love of God in doing all possible for our brothers and sisters, His sons and daughters, everywhere in every way we can.
“If you are looking for ways to become a better ‘you,’ consider downloading the JustServe.org app to find opportunities near you.”
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Facebook, Feb. 12, 2021, facebook.com/gerritw.gong.
Know Who You Are
“As you seek to discover and pass down who you are, and from where and whom you came, you will come to know who He is—your Savior Jesus Christ; and I promise you that you will find purity and peace, perspective and purpose, and you will find power and place in the family of God.”
Elder Ulisses Soares, Facebook, Mar. 5, 2022, facebook.com/soares.u.
Discover Family Stories
“What family stories do you draw strength from? What traditions do you keep alive? If nothing comes to mind, do not be discouraged. We encourage you to discover them; and remember, family history isn’t all about the distant past. It is a combination of the past and the present that makes you uniquely you.”
Elder Ulisses Soares, Facebook, Mar. 2, 2022, facebook.com/soares.u.
Counsel Together about the Work of Salvation and Exaltation
“Relief Society should be a safe place where sisters can share their experiences, counsel together, contribute to meaningful gospel instruction, and feel the love of Heavenly Father and the Savior. …
“The General Handbook invites us to spend time each Relief Society meeting counseling together about topics related to the work of salvation and exaltation, which can include anything from serving together in our communities to understanding a gospel topic or facing a specific challenge—always focusing on our Savior.
“We hope each local Relief Society presidency will prayerfully select topics that are needful for the women in their care. This time can be a valuable resource for learning from and ministering to each other as Jesus Christ would.”
President Camille N. Johnson, Facebook, Jan. 8, 2023, facebook.com/RSGeneralPresident.
Access and Draw upon Priesthood Power
“Sisters, you have access to priesthood power! The blessings of priesthood power are available to all Church members who keep their covenants—women, men, and children.
“I am learning that in order to draw upon priesthood power, I must do more than just obey the commandments. I must set aside the things of this world and consecrate my talents, time, and resources to God. It is a heart, might, mind, and strength kind of commitment to the work of salvation and exaltation—the gathering of Israel—that allows me to draw upon the priesthood power with which I have been endowed.
“President Russell M. Nelson has promised that ‘those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power’ (‘Spiritual Treasures,’ general conference, Oct. 2019).
In response to his promise, I have worked to examine my life. I made a list: ‘What do I do in a day/week/month?’ Then I asked the question of myself, with a prayerful heart, ‘What is no longer worthy of my time and energy?’ Just as the prophet suggested, things that once seemed important receded in priority, and some activities were crossed off my list all together, because while seemingly harmless, they were a distraction.
“My self-examination was not a one-time exercise. I am learning that a meticulous examination of my time and energies is, as President Nelson said, a ‘lifelong process of consecrating [my] life to the Lord’ (‘Spiritual Treasures,’ general conference, Oct. 2019) and has changed my understanding about what I must do to draw upon the priesthood power to which I have access if I keep my covenants.
“Will you join me in seeking access to and drawing upon priesthood power?”
President Camille N. Johnson, Facebook, Nov. 13, 2022, facebook.com/RSGeneralPresident.
Pray and Listen
“The Savior does His work through each of us. So let us pray for one another and listen to how He would have us bless those around us. He will answer because He loves your good heart, and He loves those in your path. May you feel His love for you as you see and bless others as He would.”
Sister Kristin M. Yee, Facebook, Feb. 8, 2023, facebook.com/RS2ndCounselor.
Help Children Participate in the Work of Salvation and Exaltation
“While visiting different Primary groups around the world, I am always inspired by how willing and capable children are to participate in the work of salvation and exaltation. Children who have been baptized are living their baptismal covenants!
“Our hope as a presidency is that all children can understand and live the covenants they make at baptism—as well as prepare for other ordinances on the Savior’s covenant path.
“We are thrilled to share new resources for parents and Primary leaders to help children and youth understand the blessings and privileges of making and keeping sacred covenants. I hope you’ll find and review these resources in the Come, Follow Me manual on the Gospel Library app or ChurchofJesusChrist.org.”
President Susan H. Porter, Facebook, Oct. 28, 2022, facebook.com/PrimaryPresident.
“Behold Your Little Ones”
“When the Savior admonished the people of ancient America to ‘behold [their] little ones’ (3 Nephi 17:23), He was inviting them not simply to see them but to see them deeply. Look into their eyes and see their divine worth, capacity, and potential. The same invitation regarding our precious little ones has been extended to us today. Our children have been invited by a prophet of God to help gather Israel. I testify that they have the capacity to do so. I was so inspired by the children I met during my recent visit to the Philippines as they shared what they can do to help build the kingdom of God.
“How have you seen children live the gospel of Jesus Christ, care for those in need, invite all to receive the gospel, and unite families for eternity within your realm of influence?”
Sister Amy A. Wright, Facebook, Jan. 18, 2023, facebook.com/Primary1stCounselor.