Ministering

Ministering is the term for Christian service given to fellow congregants, known as "ward (LDS Church), ward members," within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Prior to April 1, 2018, a somewhat similar program within the church was termed "home teaching", "block teaching", and "ward teaching", when performed by male priesthood (LDS Church), priesthood holders and "visiting teaching," when performed by female members of the church's Relief Society. The previous dual home- and visiting-teaching programs had been designed to allow families to be provided spiritual instruction in their own homes, in addition to worship services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, weekly church services. The present joint program deemphasizes teaching, replacing it with prayerful consideration given to the needs of one's assigned congregants, finding ways to serve and fellowship them.

In areas with few church members, the local units are called Branch (LDS Church), branches, rather than wards. The ministering program operates within these branches in a like manner to the wards.

History

Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching programs

Home teaching had been introduced to the church by Harold B. Lee, as part of the Priesthood Correlation Program, priesthood correlation effort. The program took effect on January 1, 1964. It replaced the ward teachers, who had previously had similar responsibilities.

The mandate of the correlation committee was to simplify the curriculum of the church, but Lee used it to implement wider changes. Just three days before Lee made his General Conference (LDS Church), general conference address announcing the home teaching program, Henry D. Moyle objected to the change during a First Presidency (LDS Church), first presidency meeting on the grounds that the correlation committee was overstepping its bounds and taking responsibility away from the Presiding Bishop (LDS Church), presiding bishop who supervised the ward teaching program. Even though Church President David O. McKay probably agreed with Moyle on this issue, he did not intercede to stop Lee.

In May 1963, a home teaching committee was formed with the purpose of visiting stake (Latter Day Saints), stakes and promoting the home teaching program. The committee was chaired by Marion G. Romney. Thomas S. Monson was asked to be a member of the committee five months before his call as an Apostle (Latter Day Saints), apostle.

Ministering program

During the church's April 2018 General Conference (LDS Church), general conference, President of the Church (LDS Church), church president Russell M. Nelson announced the retirement of home teaching and visiting teaching and its replacement with "a newer, holier approach" called ministering.Ministering
by Russell M. Nelson. April 2018. Accessed January 14, 2022.

Ministering assignments and responsibilities

A ward's elder (Latter Day Saints), elders quorum (Latter Day Saints), quorum's leadership assigns priesthood-holding companionships to entire household families to be served. Often youth, who are members of the Teacher (Latter Day Saints), teachers or Priest (Latter Day Saints), priests quorums, are assigned as a junior companion to a member of the elders quorum.

The ward Relief Society leadership also assigns its members to companionships. These companionships, which may include youth from the ward's Young Women (organization), Young Women organization as junior companions, serve the needs of women and young women members of a family assigned them.

Sometimes the quorum and Relief Society leaders collaborate in order to create a companionship which consists of a Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints), Melchizedek priesthood holder and his wife. All assignments are approved by the bishop (Latter Day Saints), bishop or the branch president.

With the approval of a mission president, Mormon missionary, full-time missionaries of the LDS Church may assist church members with these visits.

See also

* Bishop's storehouse
* LDS Humanitarian Services
* Priesthood blessing

References

Further reading

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External links

Latter Day Saint practices
Latter Day Saint terms
Relief Society
Young Men (organization)
Young people and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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