The One

I've recently been noticing how Jesus Christ finds it important to minister to the one. I first started noticing this in 3rd Nephi 17 where Christ heals every one that was brought before him (notice how the word is not everyone, but every one - I think it makes a difference in how you read that) (vs 9), and that he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them (vs 21). In the New Testament Jesus taught about the importance of leaving the ninety and nine to find the one (Matthew 18:12). And, in one of my favorite scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants, 18:15, Jesus teaches about how great our joy will be in bringing even one soul unto him. 

It should be no surprise that when Christ organizes His church, he places a high importance on knowing each one of its members because that is consistent with His teachings and His character. And that's exactly how Moroni describes the church during his day. "They were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken." (Moroni 6:4 italics added). So one characteristic of the true church of Jesus Christ would be a church that knows, by name, all of its members. Why? Because Jesus Christ knows each of us. And he wants to make sure that we are known and numbered as one of his disciples. Sister Michelle D. Craig said "Jesus Christ sees people deeply. He sees individuals, their needs, and who they can become...Even in our busy lives, we can follow the example of Jesus and see individuals-their needs, their faith, their struggle, and who they can become." (Eyes to See)

The way the church is organized gives us not just a way to commune with God, but to connect with other saints. It is a way to follow the two great commandments: first, love God, and second, love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39). Many of us (including myself) have enjoyed the opportunity of receiving permission to have Sunday Meetings in our homes and have been reluctant to embrace a full return to church. Even though we've still been able to keep that connection with God during this time, our ability to connect with others has been severely limited and it has made keeping the second great commandment more difficult. So why has the return-to-church process felt so haphazard? Why don't we just wait until we have the "all clear" and can resume our meetings as normal? Why are we trying to stumble along through this process of gathering each week when it's weird and uncomfortable to wear masks and have classes on Zoom and when home church is so nice? It's because of the important and sacred nature of the second great commandment. We need to be watching out and caring for others. And one of the best ways to do this is by meeting together as often as we can (Moroni 6: 5-6). Moroni uses chapter 6 to talk about all the wonderful blessings that come when we worship together...

• we are remembered (6:4)
• we are nourished by the word of God (6:4)
• we can be kept in the right way (6:4)
• we can be watched over through prayer (6:4)
• we can fast and pray together (6:5)
• we can speak to one other concerning the welfare of our souls (6:5)
• we can partake of the sacrament together (6:6)
• we can feel the power of the Holy Ghost through talks, prayers and music (6:9)

"It is true that we attend our weekly Church meetings to participate in ordinances, learn doctrine, and be inspired, but another very important reason for attending is that, as a ward family and as disciples of the Savior Jesus Christ, we watch out for one another, encourage one another, and find ways to serve and strengthen each other... stop, look around, and ask yourself, “Who needs me today?” You may be the key to reaching out and touching the life of a peer or to giving encouragement to a friend who is quietly struggling...I can guarantee that there will always be someone at every Church meeting you attend who is lonely, who is going through challenges and needs a friend, or who feels like he or she doesn’t belong. You have something important to contribute to every meeting or activity, and the Lord desires for you to look around at your peers and then minister as He would." Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson (The Needs Before Us).

Jesus Christ knows us personally and remembers us and we need to know Him personally and remember Him. The sacrament prayers (the scriptures we hear repeated more than any other scriptures) remind us that we need to "always remember him" (Moroni 4: 3, 5:2). One way we can do this is to look for ways to connect with the one, because that is what He would do if He were here. Additionally, we can't forget that the one needing our love could be someone in our own home. If we are intentional about finding the one, God will put people in our paths, and we will see these people as someone to connect with and not as someone to avoid or ignore.

As we strive to become more like Jesus Christ, let us not only minister to those we are assigned to, but look for opportunities to see others who are in need of our love as well. To reach out to the one, to serve the one, and to focus on the one, that we might be the Lord's hands in making sure that every one is cared for and remembered. "Now, as we enter the Christmas season and celebrate the living Christ, one of the most powerful ways we can show our gratitude is by serving His children. Let us follow His example to 'Light the World' by loving and serving others, one by one." (Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Instagram Post, Nov. 29, 2020; italics added)