Area Leadership Message
God Invites All to Participate in His Work of Salvation and Exaltation
Responding to a question from Moses, God revealed to us His work and glory: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
When we speak of immortality and eternal life, we usually use the words “salvation” and “exaltation.” In the April 2008 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson defined those terms more precisely. He explained:
“To be saved—or to gain salvation—means to be saved from physical and spiritual death. Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected and saved from physical death. People may also be saved from individual spiritual death through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, by their faith in Him, by living in obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel, and by serving Him.
“To be exalted—or to gain exaltation—refers to the highest state of happiness and glory in the celestial realm. These blessings can come to us after we leave this frail and mortal existence. The time to prepare for our eventual salvation and exaltation is now.
“As part of that preparation, one must first hear and understand the gospel. For this reason, the gospel of Jesus Christ is being taken to ‘every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.’”
When Jesus rose from the dead, He met with His Apostles and gave them a sacred charge to take this message to the world. As recorded in Matthew 28:19–20, the Saviour commanded:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
This commandment is not just for His Apostles; it is for all of God’s children. Sometimes members of the Church don’t understand this. When I was a stake president many years ago, I extended a call to a brother to be a stake high councilor. After I extended the call, the brother said with a heart of delight, “Now I have the opportunity to help in the Lord’s work.” I felt prompted to help the brother understand that the invitation to serve is indeed for all and not just for those who have been sustained to a calling in the Church. As the Saviour told us in 3 Nephi 27:21: “This is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do.”
We are to do what we have seen the Saviour do, so with or without a sustained calling, we are all invited to participate in His marvellous work!
Another way we partner with God is by letting our light shine. Eighteen years ago, while I was serving as a bishop, a woman visited our ward for a Sunday worship. After the service, I invited her to meet in my office. During our discussion, a Primary child walked into my office, greeted the visitor, and gave me her tithing envelope, after which I proceeded to shake her hand and thank her. These few seconds with this faithful Primary child touched the visitor, and she began to ask questions about tithing and other doctrines of the Church. She later joined the Church and today serves as a stake Relief Society president—all because a Primary child was living the gospel.
Church councils help in this work. In councils that focus on the needs of others, we should ask, “What is the next ordinance for that member, and how can we help him or her progress in making that covenant?” Since council members come from quorums and organizations, discussions can be brought back to their groups so that all can share in the work.
Perhaps most importantly, all things must be done with proper priesthood authority. Bishops, stake presidents, mission and temple presidents as well as others hold important priesthood keys that are essential in overseeing the work.
As we partner with God in this work, what we do must be done in line with the doctrines and principles of the gospel and according to the commandment to love God and our neighbour. A little song, a helping hand, a smile, or a brief gospel message can do remarkable things. Just show love! Share and invite that person to know the message of truth in a simple and natural way.
The adversary will try to discourage us, but we cannot grow weary and excuse ourselves from the work. The Lord’s words found in Doctrine and Covenants 4:1–3 remind us of its importance:
“Now behold, a marvellous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
“Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
“Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work.”
Finally, as we consider God’s work and glory, we must remember that, in baptism, we entered into a covenant to partner with Him in His work. Mosiah 18:9 tells us: “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.”
It is a privilege to be recruited and employed by the Lord in His work. In doing so, we are learning to become like Him. He is Alpha and Omega. He is the light of the world. May we embrace the opportunity to partner with Him and never turn it down. He knows the weight of that calling and will always sustain us. This is my prayer in the name of our Lord, Saviour, Redeemer, and Friend, Jesus Christ.