The Beauty of What Ministering Really Means

Today was a combined lesson with the Relief Society and the Young Women. Honestly I wish it happened more often! It was awesome! We heard about what ministering really looks like in the real world. It was powerful and personal. Thank you for those that shared their thoughts and experiences recapped below.

Real Stories

Today we heard small pieces of the lives of our neighbors, showing how ministering is more than a nice idea—it's real action that touches us all.

Tessa shared about her own home and a neighbor's getting flooded. Neighbors and friends came together, bringing helping hands, necessities and toys for the kids when theirs had been destroyed, turning a tough time into a showing of love and support. Tessa's so sweetly said: “The tiniest things… brought so much joy. It reminds us how small acts of kindness can fill the biggest voids in our hearts.” She reminded us that light often comes from those small gestures of care and kindness.

Joan opened up about looking after her husband post-surgery and how just getting out for breakfast with visiting teachers was a game-changer for her. It’s about those moments when someone steps in to say, “Hey, you’re not alone in this.” Joan’s words really hit home: “It was a sweet experience for me… just to get out. The kindness of companionship in our hardest times can be a beacon of hope.”

Tori discussed the importance of feeling included and remembered, sharing her own experiences with feeling overlooked and how ministering served as a powerful reminder of our Heavenly Father’s love. “Ministering is there to help us remember our Heavenly Father is there with us. It’s our job to remind everyone that they’re not forgotten”.

Carlie challenged us to simplify our approach to ministering, advocating for actions rooted in making others feel loved and seen. Her message, “Perhaps many of us, like me, overthink what ministering is and needs to be. But maybe if we simply minister to help people feel loved, it won’t seem so daunting,” .

Ashley reflected on the personalized nature of ministering and its capacity to significantly affect individuals through thoughtful gestures, such as a birthday message that left a lasting impression on a young woman. “A simple text message… and she was actually excited to celebrate her birthday. That’s ministry. Ministering is simply being kind.”

Open Ears

These stories aren’t just for listening; they’re for sharing and building on. Do you have a moment where a simple act of kindness made all the difference? If you feel like sharing we would love to hear!! Comment below.

Final Thoughts

Ministering is about mirroring Jesus Christ's example, involving genuine acts of reaching out and being open to receiving. It's about confronting the possibility of rejection and sometimes the vulnerability in admitting we need support, but that's part of what makes it meaningful. Every effort to connect, whether it’s offering a hand or accepting one, strengthens our empathy and resilience and develops relationships.

Ministering is about an authentic exchange, where both acts draw us closer to the way Jesus lived. It's about straightforward, simple acts of kindness, beautiful moments of vulnerability, where both reaching out and welcoming in are acts of bravery as. Cinderella said “Be kind, have courage, and always believe in a little magic” (@carlie).

Much love,

VV3RS

Announcements

And don’t forget, we’ve got the General Relief Society Devotional at Ashley's place at 6:30 coming up this evening.