- In God’s kingdom, greatness and leadership means seeing others as they truly are—as God sees them—and then reaching out and ministering to them. It means rejoicing with those who are happy, weeping with those who grieve, lifting up those in distress, and loving our neighbor as Christ loves us. The Savior loves all of God’s children regardless of their socioeconomic circumstance, race, religion, language, political orientation, nationality, or any other grouping. And so should we!
He provides great instruction on what true leadership is in the kingdom of God. As leaders, we should be focused on receiving instruction from God and less on telling people what to do.
- To be effective Church leaders, we must learn this critical lesson: leadership in the Church is not so much about directing others as it is about our willingness to be directed by God.
President Uchtdorf reminds us that faith and humility are essential characteristics for us to be effective in our callings. These traits can be built within us as we allow God to direct our path of service.
- If we approach our callings as opportunities to serve God and minister to others with faith and humility, every act of service will be a step on the path of discipleship. In this way, God not only builds up His Church but also builds up His servants.
Service is a key element of leadership and allows blessings to come to us and the those we serve.
- Our service—whether great or small—refines our spirits, opens the windows of heaven, and releases God’s blessings not only upon those we serve but upon us as well. When we reach out to others, we can know with humble confidence that God acknowledges our service with approval and approbation. He smiles upon us as we offer these heartfelt acts of compassion, especially acts that are unseen and unnoticed by others.
- Each time we give of ourselves to others, we take a step closer to becoming good and true disciples of the One who gave His all for us: our Savior.
Providing acts of service can sometimes be done with a selfish desire. When this happens, the blessings of heaven are withheld from us as we have our worldly reward instead.
- There is nothing wrong with wanting to serve the Lord, but when we seek to gain influence in the Church for our own sake—in order to receive the praise and admiration of men—we have our reward.
What I think is one of the greatest comments about church service in all of General Conference history, President Uchtdorf addresses what the most important calling is in the church. If we can understand this comment, we will be able to serve with honor, humility, and compassion wherever we are called to labor.
- What is the most important calling in the Church? It is the one you currently have. No matter how humble or prominent it may seem to be, the calling you have right now is the one that will allow you not only to lift others but also to become the man of God you were created to be.
Finally, we might not see the value in our service at the time we are giving it. It is important to realize that the atonement is for all and if we can bring a little bit of the atonement to others, we will be providers of God's grace to those that need it the most.
- Even though our acts of service may seem lowly, modest, or of little value, those who reach out in kindness and compassion to others will one day know the value of their service by the eternal and blessed grace of Almighty God.
It is important for us to serve God and to serve our fellow man. It is important when we do, that we recognize the trust that God has put into us to be instruments in His hands to touch the lives of His children at this time in their lives. I am so grateful for the trust that God has given to me to serve in the calling that I currently have and know that in the future, other callings will be asked of me. When those callings come, I pray that I will recognize the trust that God has put in me and serve with humility and compassion. Our callings are given to us to serve others. But they are also given to us to increase our personal discipleship. If you are feeling stuck in your calling or unappreciated for your contribution, I would encourage you to focus on the influence you have over the people you serve and seek to understand why God thinks you are the right person to be part of their lives at this time. If you ask for guidance, you will receive it and be able to focus on the blessings you can bring into other peoples lives.