Relief Society · Elders Quorum · 25 minutes
Sister Kristin M. Yee · Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency · Saturday Morning Session
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Ministering is not a program or checklist, it is the covenant way of becoming like Christ, and it changes both the giver and the receiver.
Skip the secondary principle entirely if discussion runs long; one principle discussed well is the goal.
Before Sunday
A question to sit with before Sunday
Sister Kristin M. Yee opens her conference talk with a quiet story: two ministering brothers who spent three years simply driving her father to the temple, no fanfare, no agenda, just showing up. Their faithfulness changed an entire family tree. She teaches that ministering is not a program we check off; it is a covenant way of loving that God designed to bring us healing and joy too. Before Sunday, read or listen to her talk at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. As you do, ponder: Who in my life has ministered to me in a way that left a lasting mark, and what did they actually do?
Pick one opening
Think of a time someone showed up for you in a way you didn't expect, a visit, a text, a small act of care that landed at exactly the right moment. You don't have to share details. Just sit with that memory for a second. What did it feel like to be on the receiving end of that kind of attention? [Pause. Let two or three people respond briefly, then move on.]
Think of a time someone showed up for you in a way you didn't expect, a visit, a text, a small act of care that landed at exactly the right moment. You don't have to share details. Just sit with that memory for a second. What did it feel like to be on the receiving end of that kind of attention? [Pause. Let two or three people respond briefly, then move on.]
Sister Yee's father had hit a very low point in his life. Two ministering brothers began visiting him, and one quietly invited him to come along to the temple. Every week, they drove him to the next city. This went on for three years. Sister Yee says she watched her father change: he grew attentive to others, he took better care of himself, and he drew closer to God. Those two brothers are still his closest friends. Because of them, she says, her whole family was eternally blessed.
Teach this first
Sister Yee teaches that ministering is not a program we are assigned to or released from, it flows from the covenants we already made at baptism and in the temple. When we minister as the Savior would, we gradually begin to think, feel, and love as He does. And because God designed it this way, those who minister often receive healing and peace themselves.
"Ministering is truly loving and caring for others as the Savior would. It is a way of being; it is the way of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is not a program or a checklist; ministering is the essence of who God is and who we can become as we follow Him.", Sister Kristin M. Yee
Ask the class
If time remains
Sister Yee acknowledges that ministering can feel nerve-wracking; we don't always know how people will respond. But she promises that as we step out in faith, the Lord will be with us and will help us bless those we serve in the ways they actually need.
Ask the class
Counsel together
Last 3–5 minutes
This week, think of one person in your ministering assignment, or someone who has simply crossed your mind, and do one small, specific thing for them: a text, a call, dropping something by. Don't wait for the perfect idea; just go.
Sister Yee testifies that as we emulate the Savior's sacrifice by ministering as He would, we will find our own joy, healing, and relief in Him, and we will become even as He is.
Your witness: Share briefly what ministering has cost you and what it has given you, then witness what you know about the Savior's love for the individuals in this room.