Area Leadership Message
Are You Willing to Bear One Another’s Burdens?
Our Heavenly Father loves all his children on the face of the earth, whether they are in distant villages or islands of the sea. (See Doctrine and Covenants 1:1) Due to His perfect love for us, He has organized us into branches, wards, districts, and stakes, but primarily as families to support each other in times of trials, challenges, and difficulties.
The prophet Alma the Elder taught his people at the waters of Mormon: “And now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
“Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:8–9).
I believe that everyone in this earthly life, without exception, has days of trials and difficulties; we all have our dark days. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we strive to keep the two great commandments that our Savior Jesus Christ taught: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and to love your neighbor as yourself (See Matthew 22:36-39).
Based on this second great commandment, we have received the following instruction: “Ministering means serving others as the Savior did. He loved, taught, comforted, and blessed those around Him. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we seek to minister to God’s children.
“The Lord wants all members of His Church to receive such care. For this reason, priesthood holders are assigned as ministering brothers to each member household. Ministering sisters are assigned to each adult sister. These assignments help ensure that members of the Church are remembered and cared for.”
When I was baptized in 1977 at the age of 10, my mother, with 8 children, was separated from my father, and we had many needs, both temporal and spiritual. The sisters of that small branch in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, were faithful in visiting my mother to minister to her. These sisters lightened the burdens of my mother and the entire family in many ways; they were a great blessing in our lives.
My dear brothers and sisters, my invitation to you today is to help our Savior Jesus Christ shepherd His sheep. Remember the words He spoke to the Apostle Peter:
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
“He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17).
President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Brethren, there are doors we can open, priesthood blessings we can give, hearts we can heal, burdens we can lift, testimonies we can strengthen, lives we can save, and joy we can bring into the homes of the Latter-day Saints.”
The bishop, the elders quorum president, or the Relief Society president cannot do it alone. Each one of us must help wherever we are serving.
Some years ago, in the ward I attended in Mexico, I was assigned a young ministering companion who was a counselor in a ward bishopric. He and his wife were both students, and they had two small children. He had a modest job and strove to serve faithfully in the Church. He was a well-organized and diligent young man, a good husband, father, and son. While I was on an assignment as an Area Seventy in the state of Yucatan, one Sunday afternoon, this dear brother sent me a text message saying he needed to travel to another city, Guadalajara, because one of his brothers was seriously ill. I replied asking how I could help, but he didn’t respond. As I returned from my assignment, arriving late that Sunday in Mexico City, I tried again to contact my companion, but there was no response. I assumed he was traveling and had no signal. That night, I stayed in a hotel near the Mexico City airport to travel early the next day to my final destination. That evening before going to bed, and again in the morning when I woke up , I prayed for Heavenly Father to help this brother, and I also expressed my desire to help him.
In the morning, I tried to contact him again with no success. Then I headed to the airport. Upon arriving, I knew the route to the boarding gates well, but this time I decided to walk in the opposite direction because I wanted to explore a different place for breakfast, as I hadn’t had the opportunity to do so at the hotel. As I walked a bit, to my surprise, I found this dear brother standing there, looking lost and pensive. Immediately, I greeted him and asked, “What are you doing here?” He told me he had traveled by bus all night from Oaxaca to Mexico City, but now he needed to take a plane because he urgently needed to get to Guadalajara to minister to his brother, however, he was having some difficulties getting his plane ticket. He also mentioned that his phone battery had died, and he couldn’t charge it. I knew perfectly well that I had arrived at that precise moment and in that precise place, there, in response to both our prayers, with the purpose of helping him.
My dear brothers and sisters, do you consider it a mere coincidence that, in a city of over 20 million inhabitants, I would encounter this brother by chance, who I had prayed for and asked to be able to help?
My dear brothers and sisters, when we have the desire to help, there are many burdens we can lighten. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27).
I testify that when we are baptized, we enter into a covenant with God and promise to mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort. Many times, dear brothers and sisters in the faith have wept with me, and many times more they have comforted me. Through them, our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ have shown me that just as they love and know each of you, they love and know us by name, they know of our afflictions, challenges, weaknesses, and even the desires of our hearts.