Thank you very much, Elder Andersen. We've been joined in this session by Brother David Beck, Sister Elaine Dalton, and Brother Russell Osguthorpe. And we'll start this session by viewing an example of a ward council from Guatemala City.

The Lord's work requires many hands. So Church leaders are called to labor together in His vineyard. When they do, much is accomplished. This is why leaders work together in councils.

Leaders in the Monserrat Ward recently rescued a less-active family. Their united efforts were vital in helping the family return. [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] The Monserrat Ward leaders understood an important principle from Church Handbook 2. In ward council meeting, leaders discussed needs that can benefit from everyone's counsel. Each leader knew the family. Each felt a responsibility to help them. And each participated in the council discussion. They understood that most of the work to help the family would take place outside of the meeting. They also understood that they were expected to involve other quorum and auxiliary members in reaching out to serve the family. As they counseled together, they felt the spirit of unity. Through the influence of the Holy Ghost, they understood the needs of the family more clearly. After listening carefully to the inspired discussion, the bishop exercised priesthood keys and assigned leaders in the Sunday School, high priests group, and Relief Society to visit the family that week.

[SPEAKNG SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] Because leaders worked together, much was accomplished. The Sunday School president helped the family begin studying the scriptures together. The high priests group leader taught the brother how to administer to his family. The Relief Society presidency learned of the family's urgent welfare needs and worked with the priesthood executive committee to address them. The ward council works together, with each leader doing their part. After many months, hearts were softened and progress was made. [SPEAKING SPANISH] When leaders labor together in the Lord's vineyard, much is accomplished. As they counsel about specific needs, make plans to meet those needs, and then carry out their plans, working together in a spirit of love and unity, families and individuals are blessed. Because when the Lord's servants work together, the Lord Himself also works with them.

What a wonderful example. What are some of the key points or items you saw in that example that you'd like to highlight for those listening to us today? I think the purpose that they all had as they combined their faith was really to help this family progress on the path toward receiving the saving ordinances and making the covenant, so that they could become an eternal family, so they could be worthy to be in the temple. Something that stood out for me was how blessed that bishop was. Bishops are so burdened. And they have this responsibility they fill day and night. And to have a ward council like that, that that bishop could turn to and rely upon and accept those assignments, actually come up with ideas of how to bless that family. What a blessing for the bishop. I thought it was powerful how the bishop, as he was directing that council, could feel the desires of each individual member of the council. In other words, he wasn't telling the Relief Society president or the Young Men president or the Sunday School president to do something. They were actually saying, "I want to do this." Brother Osguthorpe, I think the bishop had created the conditions for that to happen, to have people feel like it was safe. And it was appreciated that their opinions were respected. And I think he empowered that-- That's the whole-- --council. --gift. It's a challenge to put ourselves aside when we're a leader and ask for everybody else's opinion first. If a president decides this is the plan of action before they ask their counselors for their contribution, often we lose something very valuable. We do. And I think listening is empowering for a council. When you have a presiding officer that listens, it empowers every member. Did you notice how all the members listened to each other? They were all engaged in this council process. Sister Wixom, did you sense a spirit of unity among the members, and how was that achieved? How do you see they came together? Well I give credit to those leaders because, number one, they all knew that family. They were unified. And what I loved about it is they didn't come with their own agenda. It was the Lord's will. In a short segment, they made it look so easy, like it all happened in three minutes. Is it that easy? How do we help people understand that ward council keeps working on these things and most of the work happens outside of the council with their own presidencies and those around them? What we didn't see was there were probably some moments of discouragement along the way. Because this took a number of months and there were probably some difficult times along the way when the family was maybe not reacting, not responding, not accepting what the others would hope they would. That's where the rest of the ward comes in. An elders quorum president, high priests group leader, they have home teachers and other men who can help with that lifting. A Relief Society president has the visiting teachers, and those need to be carefully assigned out to help with each case of helping them. The presidents of these organizations and members of the ward council can't carry it all themselves. Where in fact, they go back in their presidencies and work with their quorums or auxiliary organizations and organize a broader work. Is that what you're saying? That's right. I think it's also important to note that in the handbook it says that not all matters need to be brought before a council. And so there are a lot of things you can solve in your individual auxiliary. And an auxiliary president could come and say, "We'd like to give you a report today." Let's look at this through the family's eyes. So think of the father and the mother and the family members and how this work, this ministry helped and strengthened them. What are some of the things we noticed in the example from that? Well, the father was taught how to give blessings to his family. I looked at the mother. And when they were working with her on the welfare needs, imagine if they're hungry, that is the basic need. Feed my physical body first, and then my spirit can hear and feel the Spirit. And you can see that in her. I would like to think that a Primary teacher knew about this whole process. And so from her perspective, she could meet the needs of the children in that family. I think Elder Holland in the November training talked about how the work of salvation is all of our work. And so when a young man or young adult needs that help, we're not thinking just in terms of our organization. If we're united, if we're thinking in terms of the work of salvation, a long-term goal, we're going to come together. What advice, what counsel would you give those watching that might be new members of the Church or haven't seen a council setting that really is functioning the way we saw in this video? My advice would be, when you receive a prompting, act, move, even if it doesn't make sense. Don't question it; just act. Totally. Be brave. When you notice that someone's not, like a young woman, is not at church, contact her. Just be there. Be there. Act and be there. That's the way the Lord works. He uses us to be His hands on this earth. And I feel that same way. I think we need to react. I think to just start, if I were a new Relief Society president, I watch this video example and I didn't think I was good at that, the next ward council meeting, I'd choose something that I saw in that example. At least try it. Open my mouth and say something. Or raise my hand. Or if I were a new bishop and I didn't know how to do that, in my next ward council, I'd try something I haven't tried before. And then you get better the next time. The Lord loves the beginners. And He helps us get better. Because we're all beginners. We're all beginners. Can you see how actively you're listening? And some of the revelation that comes in a council is not necessarily when you're speaking, but when you're listening. And then you can add to the comments that are being made to move this to a united decision. The bishop is listening carefully as well. And then at the end, as he's heard your comments, he'll lay out some plan and make some assignments to actually do the work. But the counseling process is both a listening as well as a participating experience. You've all done wonderfully. Thank you. We will now be pleased to hear from Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He'll be followed by Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and some of our members here to address the topic of ministering to the youth. Thank you.