Elder Stevenson’s talk can be watched here.

Elder Stevenson uses the analogy of lost luggage at airports to teach about God’s children. Just as airlines carefully track and return lost bags, Heavenly Father is deeply concerned about each of His children and their safe return to Him.

Key quotes:

‘In a reverent way, I wonder what it is like for a loving Heavenly Father to send His most precious belongings, His children, away from their heavenly home, knowing they must pass through the challenges of mortality.’ (Paragraph 16)

‘Parents, family, leaders, friends, ministering brothers and sisters, you and I serve as stewards of His most precious possessions.” (Paragraph 16)

‘How beloved and precious His children are to Him.

And how beloved and blessed are those who care for and nurture others.’ (Paragraphs 17 and 18)

‘The greatest success in missionary work comes as we act in normal and natural ways; the same is true in ministering.’ (Paragraph 25)

‘In the perilous times in which we live, the rising generation needs a defense and refuge from the storm.’ (Paragraph 33)

‘Unlike pieces of luggage, each of us is ultimately responsible for our decisions, beliefs, and actions, assisted by heavenly and earthly ministering angels.’ (Paragraph 42)

‘In the end, we are all one family.’ (Paragraph 43)

‘We each possess a tag that marks us as a child of a loving Heavenly Father’ (Paragraph 45)

Questions to discuss or ponder:

What does the metaphor of “lost luggage” teach us? (Paragraphs 1-14)

How should this perspective change the way we look at others?

How can we serve as stewards of Heavenly Father’s most precious possessions? (Paragraph 16)

Have you had the experience of entrusting something precious to the care of others? How did it feel? (Paragraph 19)

How can we minister in normal and natural ways? (Paragraph 25)

How can we better do the things that Elder Stevenson outlines at paragraphs 26-30?

What can we do to help the rising generation find a refuge and defence from the storm? (Paragraph 33)

What feelings do you get as you read paragraph 39?

Invitations and application:

‘I invite you to contemplate how you can:

• Provide Christlike love, caring, and service.
• Offer help and comfort in times of spiritual or temporal need.
• Prayerfully seek the guidance of the Spirit.
• Help prepare families to make and keep sacred covenants with God as they receive ordinances. ‘(Paragraphs 26-30)

‘I invite you to implement small acts of kindness and care into your ministering, becoming better ministers of Jesus Christ.’ (Paragraph 31)

‘Consider your ministering assignment as “Christlike caring” of the Lord’s most treasured possessions, who at the end of their mortal journey can be claimed and redeemed by Him.’ (Paragraph 31)

‘Inspire them (the rising generation) to “sincerely and persistently do the spiritual work needed to develop the crucial, spiritual skill of learning how to hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, [giving them] all the direction [they] will ever need in [their lives].”’ (Paragraph 38)

‘Teach the rising generation to know, love, and emulate their Savior, Jesus Christ. “He is the strength of youth.”’ (Paragraph 40)

See others as “precious cargo”.

Help others stay—or return—to the covenant path.

Be reliable and trustworthy in others’ lives.

Partner with the Lord in His work.

Additional thoughts:

“The Lord is telling us it’s our responsibility to not only care for the Church but to also care for the people within the Church the way that Christ would because this is His Church. If we are trying to keep the commandments, be kind to each other, be honest, be good friends, and enjoy being together, then we will be able to have the Spirit with us and know what Heavenly Father wants us to do. If we don’t, then we can’t fulfill our calling.” (President Eyring, April 2018)

‘Ministering’ – is defined as ‘attending to the needs and wants of someone’.  It is distinct from ‘administering’ which is ‘ having charge of, or controlling.’

‘After all is said and done, true ministering is accomplished one by one with love as the motivation. The value and merit and wonder of sincere ministering is that it truly changes lives! When our hearts are open and willing to love and include, encourage and comfort, the power of our ministering will be irresistible. With love as the motivation, miracles will happen, and we will find ways to bring our “missing” sisters and brothers into the all-inclusive embrace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.’ (Sister Jean B Bingham, April 2018).

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