Many members face a variety of challenges. Parents, leaders, ministering brothers and sisters, and friends have the opportunity to provide help. As you minister to the needs of others, you can help them experience joy and fulfillment. As people seek solutions to their personal problems, they can find help and healing through Jesus Christ and His redeeming power.
A section of ChurchofJesusChrist.org titled Life Help provides gospel-centered teachings and practical helps for many of life’s challenges. These practical and spiritual resources are also found in the Gospel Library.
Life Help provides gospel-centered teachings and practical helps in the following areas:
- Abuse
- Addiction
- Adoption
- Caring for Those in Need
- Death
- Disabilities
- Divorce
- Education
- Employment
- English Learning
- Family
- Finances
- Grief
- Hope
- Media Safety
- Mental Health
- Physical Health
- Pornography
- Pregnant and Single
- Preparedness
- Same-Sex Attraction
- Single-Parent Families
- Suicide
- Transgender
In addition to these Life Help resources, the Church offers counseling resources with advice on how to counsel with others about difficult and sensitive issues. These are found online and in the Gospel Library under Handbooks and Callings, then Ward or Branch Callings, Bishopric, and then Counseling Resources.
Guiding Principles
- Love first. All of God’s children are worthy of love and kindness. We may not understand a person’s individual experiences, but we can always show love.
- Listen to understand. Be careful not to make assumptions about feelings or behavior. Ask questions and listen, then respond with interest and empathy. As you listen, you will nurture trust and gain understanding in how to minister.
- Teach truth. True principles provide the foundation for faithful choices. As guided by the Spirit, lovingly teach those truths that will help the person stay on a path toward eternal joy.
- Nourish faith. Faith is founded on trust in a loving Heavenly Father, on an understanding of Jesus Christ’s Atonement, on confidence in the Holy Ghost’s guidance, and on the assurance that God has a plan for each person’s eternal progression. Encourage individuals to nourish their personal faith through daily prayer and scripture study.
- Minister. Acting in love, listening to understand, and seeking direction from the Spirit will provide a deeper understanding of the best way to lovingly minister to individual needs.
Thank you so much for this information as I have just got 3 people to minister to on line or phone. And have no idea how to go about it. Well except introduce myself and my reason for joining this church. It has been told me that everyone at church has been a member a long time they forget that I’m not. Big hug dear one. You have been a big help in so many ways