Brethren and sisters, the strength of this enhanced ministering effort is that it is one work to minister to and care for the families and individuals of the wards and branches. Combining such Relief Society efforts with the now-restructured elders quorum will bring a unity that can yield astonishing results. Ministering becomes one coordinated effort to fulfill the priesthood duty to "visit the house of each member, and ... to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them," as well as to achieve the Relief Society purpose to help one another prepare for the blessings of eternal life. Perhaps for the first time, it may be possible for the bishop of the ward to find relief from most of the Melchizedek duties he has had to shoulder in the past, leaving him free to attend to those bishopric duties which cannot and should not be delegated. Thus, while the bishop is freed up to preside over the Aaronic Priesthood and the Young Women, to be a common judge, to watch over the finances and temporal affairs of the Church, and to care for the poor and the needy, the elders quorum leadership and auxiliary presidencies, especially the Relief Society president, can take primary responsibility for missionary work, temple and family history work, the quality of teaching in the ward, watching over and ministering to the members of the Church. The bishop remains, of course, the presiding high priest of the ward. But this new alignment should let him preside over the work of the Melchizedek Priesthood and the Relief Society without requiring him to do the work of either of those bodies.

Brethren and sisters, we must be united. If we are united, we are unstoppable. If we are divided, Lucifer can create havoc in this work. The uniting of priesthood quorums unifies priesthood holders. The ward council unifies ward leaders. So these adjustments will help elders quorums and Relief Societies become united in their ministries.