REACH

Stories shared about REACH from leaders in the Stake

Here is a recent story related to REACH that shows the power of focused effort and invitations in many aspects of a person’s life:

One of our responsibilities as EQ and RS leaders is to help people to be self reliant. We also work with ministers to help them be “self reliant” as they work with their assigned families. One of the ministers in our ward was asked to help work with a family that was struggling financially, but also planning to move in the next few weeks. The ministers applied principles of REACH by praying about the needs of the family, staying in regular contact with the family (often more than once a day conversations) to identify needs and how the family could address their needs on their own, asking the family to do what they could, and then the ministers coordinated with the EQ and RS presidents (who talked with the Bishop as needed) to determine what help the ward could provide, Using this approach, much of the move was organized and implemented by the family and the ward was able to provide the few items the family could not, including a little physical labor (much less than a “normal” move would take!). The prayer, invitations, actions, communication, and help are all key principles of REACH.

Some Best Practices

• Teach the principles of REACH in ministering interviews: When discussing families assigned to a ministering brother or sister, as the ministering brother or sister how they are applying the principles of REACH Are they in their ministering. Are they praying about the needs of the family? What invitations have they made or are planning to make? How are they preparing the family or individual to accept the invitations and keep their commitments? How are they supporting the family in keeping their commitments or covenants?

• Use the principles of REACH with other leaders (even in your presidency). The power of REACH comes from focusing loving service and interactions on individuals. When you work with other leaders, pray about their potential needs, set aside time to work with or communicate with them, invite them to act, and then continue the communication and follow up. These are all principles of REACH!

How Do I Apply REACH to Temple and Family History?

As leaders this coming year, we will be implementing the stake’s focus related to Temple and Family History Work. REACH can be applied to this focus as well.

Revelation: Pray to know who to visit and what invitations should be extended to Temple and Family History Work.

Effort: Visit with them using appropriate means and develop a relationship of love.

Act: Invite them to engage in an appropriate Temple or Family History activity

Communicate: Visit or interact with them regularly (every week) to strengthen the relationship, provide a new invitation, and follow up on previous invitations.

Help: Provide resources, training, or encouragement to help them keep their commitment related to Temple and Family History Work

Recent General Conference Talk Related to REACH

Several talks at the October 2021 General Conference taught important principles of REACH. I highlight one here. Principles of REACH in the story are underlined:

Simply Beautiful—Beautifully Simple

By Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I think you will enjoy this example of inviting all to receive the gospel. Seventeen-year-old Cleiton of Cape Verde had no idea what would happen as a result of walking into his ward’s seminary class one day. But his life and the lives of others would be forever changed because he did.

Cleiton, along with his mother and older brother, had been baptized into the Church some time earlier, and yet the family stopped attending. His single act of attending seminary would prove to be a hinge point for the family.

The other youth in the seminary class were warm and welcoming. They made Cleiton feel at home and encouraged him to attend another activity. He did so and soon began attending his other Church meetings. A wise bishop saw spiritual potential in Cleiton and invited him to be his assistant. “From that moment on,” says Bishop Cruz, “Cleiton became an example and an influence to other young people.”

The first person Cleiton invited back to church was his mother, then his older brother. He then widened his circle to friends. One of those friends was a young man his own age, Wilson. Upon his very first meeting with the missionaries, Wilson expressed his desire to be baptized. The missionaries were impressed and amazed at how much Cleiton had already shared with Wilson.

Cleiton’s efforts didn’t stop there. He helped other less-active members return, in addition to sharing the gospel with friends of other faiths. Today the ward has 35 active youth, with a thriving seminary program, thanks in large part to Cleiton’s efforts to love, share, and invite. Cleiton and his older brother, Cléber, are both preparing to serve full-time missions.

REACH requires us to receive revelation to know on whom we should focus. We then pray to know what invitations these individuals need to receive. We then reach out to them and build a relationship of love and trust. We invite the individuals to make a commitment, and then follow up on that commitment a short time later. We continue to engage with these individuals on a consistent basis, hopefully at least once a week, and invite them to take a small step each time we interact. We continue to build a close and loving relationship that enables us to help them with sincerity and an understanding of their needs. This effort continues until they are able to stand on their own and make and keep their covenants. And this applies to all areas of our service!

Questions or Comments about this Newsletter? Please contact Bruce Gale brucekgale@gmail.com