During Stake Conference this weekend, a simple truth about ministering shifted how I view this sacred responsibility. Unlike other callings in the Church, we’re never set apart as ministers. Have you ever wondered why?
The answer lies in the covenants we made at baptism. When we entered those waters, we didn’t just join a church—we made sacred promises that fundamentally changed who we are and how we relate to others. As Alma taught at the Waters of Mormon, we covenanted to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light… mourn with those that mourn… and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:8-9).
What strikes me most about these verses is how perfectly they describe the essence of ministering. We don’t need to be set apart as ministers because we’ve already covenanted to minister. It’s not just something we do—it’s part of who we’ve promised to become.
As President Nelson explained when introducing ministering, we must “help our members keep the commandments of God, especially those two great commandments to love God and our neighbors.” This divine pattern flows naturally from our baptismal covenants and represents a “newer, holier approach to caring for and ministering to others.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught that we have “a heaven-sent opportunity as an entire Church to demonstrate ‘pure religion … undefiled before God’—’to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light’ and to ‘comfort those that stand in need of comfort.’” Through ministering, we become instruments in God’s hands to bless His children, helping with what Elder Holland calls “His staggering task of answering prayers, providing comfort, drying tears, and strengthening feeble knees.”
When we understand ministering as part of our covenant identity, everything changes. Instead of waiting for assignments, we naturally look for opportunities to serve. Rather than seeing ministering as an obligation, we recognize it as an expression of who we’ve promised to become. Our focus shifts from completing tasks to building genuine relationships—following the pattern the Savior established when He taught that the second great commandment was to “love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39).
The beauty of this perspective is that it aligns perfectly with the Savior’s example. Jesus didn’t minister because He was assigned to—He ministered because that’s who He is. As we strive to become more like Him, ministering becomes a natural expression of our discipleship.
I invite you to look at ministering through the lens of your baptismal covenants. How might this perspective change the way you serve? What opportunities do you see to minister, not because you’re assigned to, but because it’s who you’ve promised to become?
I testify that ministering isn’t just another program of the Church—it’s a divine pattern established by our Savior and sealed by our covenants. As we embrace this truth, our service will become less about obligation and more about love. Our actions will flow naturally from who we are, not just from what we’re asked to do.
Elder Linder 