Empathy to Minister

I have read an article in the February issue of Ensign magazine “Developing Empathy to Minister”. I was drawn to the first few sentences that strike my eyes.

Ministering is lifting. We can lift others as we try to understand what they are experiencing and show that we are willing to walk with them.

What is Empathy? Empathy is understanding another person’s feelings, thoughts, and condition from their perspective, rather than our own. Walking in someone else’s shoes. Being emphatic is important in our efforts to minister to others.

Honestly I was a little bit of exhausted for the past few weeks, struggling on what I needed to do and supposed to do. This article have gave me a new insight on how Jesus Christ ministered with empathy.

When the Savior appeared to the Nephites. He taught  them until He perceived that they could not understand  everything He had  to teach them. But as He considered them, He knew that they didn’t want Him to leave, but He felt compassionate for them.

He responded by shifting from expounding on the gospel to ministering to their temporal needs, inviting them to bring forward those who were sick, lame, blind, or maimed. He healed them. Then He prayed for them and ministered to their children, spending them with them individually to bless them.

When I have read this, I am starting to ponder about what can I learn from the Savior’s example of empathy in ministering to the Nephites. It is indeed troubled me with this due to what I have experienced and I personally find that it is quite difficult for me to apply this principle when it comes to minister to temporal needs.

During I was at Church today while Annabelle and Issac were having their seminary and violin classes, I have the opportunity to sit down with Sister Robinia and we have a little conversation about this.

I shared with her this article and what troubled me on this principle especially the ministering to temporal needs. How sometimes it seems to be difficult for me to do. After listening to my concerns, Sister Robinia gave her opinion or what she understand about this principle.

Sister Robinia shared that, ministering work is just like missionary work. When Jesus ministered to the Nephites, He knows and aware of what their temporal needs. In this context, when we minister to the sisters, they might have their own temporal needs which they think they need, and most of the time the temporal needs they think they should have are not the things which the Lord think they need.

As we minister to the sisters, we would rely on the Spirit guidance to know what we see or feel that the sisters’ temporal needs. She counselled to me that, if the temporal needs which the sisters requested are beyond my comfort level, it is ok to decline it. Sometimes, every each individual has their own challenges or trials that they need to face it of their own.

Sister Robinia shared with me her experience during her missionary. She said that, during when we minister to others, we will rediscover ourselves, we realise our weakness and we try to make it better. As we serve others, we get to know ourselves.

I was comforted today and the uneasiness and what was troubled in my mind for the past weeks. I thanked her for her counsels and her testimony.

The article also shared how we can develop empathy by understand, imagine and respond. As we consider the circumstances of those we minister to, imagine being in their situation and what we would find most helpful if we were in their shoes. Pray to understand how they feel and follow through. Our response may be simple, but it may be more meaningful.