Quotes About Fellowshipping
"With the increase of missionary work throughout the world, there must be a comparable increase in the effort to make every convert feel at home in his or her ward or branch. . .I invite every member to reach out in friendship and love for those who come into the Church as converts."
"Brothers and sisters, we must ever keep in mind that missionary work throughout the world requires great sacrifice, and all of this sacrifice, effort, and exhaustive preparation of missionaries may be in vain if those who accept the gospel do not receive a loving and warm welcome by the members of the Church."
Elder M. Russell Ballard, "The Hand of Fellowship" - Nov. 1988 Ensign, p. 28
"Those who have come into the Church made a great sacrifice, many of them, when they were baptized. They are precious. They are the same kind of people that you are and their generations will become the same kind of people as will your generations if they are nurtured and brought along in the Church. I don't know how to say it more strongly. This is a matter about which I feel so deeply as I go about this Church across the world."
Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley — Woods Cross, Utah, priesthood leadership meeting, Jan. 10, 1998
"Every one of us has an obligation to fellowship those (converts), to put our arms around them, to bring them into the Church in full activity. It is not enough just to go to Church on Sundays, we must reach out each day. I wish with all my heart that in Costa Rica every man, woman, and child who was baptized would remain faithful and active. And that can happen if all of you make up your minds to reach out and help the new convert. There is no point in the missionaries baptizing people only to have them come into the Church for a little while and then drift off. You have remained faithful, and I thank you for that, but again urge that you make an extra effort to reach out to those who have recently been baptized. They cannot do it alone. They are not strong enough yet. They need your help. God bless you to fellowship the new convert. That is so very, very important. That is a principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only as we reach out to help others are we truly Latter-day Saints."
President Gordon B. Hinckley—From member fireside, San Jose, Costa Rica, Jan 20, 1997.
(Teach the new converts they have to live the gospel to get the blessings and not fall back into their old habits.)
"An enterprising turkey gathered the flock together and, following instructions and demonstrations, taught them how to fly. All afternoon they enjoyed soaring and flying and the thrill of seeing new vistas. After the meeting, all of the turkeys walked home. — It is not our understanding of the principles of the gospel that brings the blessings of heaven, but the living of them."
Merlin R. Lybbert, "A Latter-day Samaritan" - May 1990 Ensign, page 82
"When all these individuals have come from so great a distance, surely we can go a second mile in friendshipping and fellowshipping them! If with quiet heroism they can make their way across the border into belief, surely we can cross a crowded foyer to extend the hand of fellowship. Has it been so long that we have forgotten our first anxious day at a new school or our timidity in a new neighborhood? In the city of Zion, there are constantly new kids on the block!"
Neal A. Maxwell, "The Net Gathers of Every Kind" - Ensign, Nov. 1980, p. 14
"To dig a straight furrow, the plowman needs to keep his eyes on a fixed point ahead of him. That keeps him on a true course. If, however, he happens to look back to see where he has been, his chances of straying are increased. The results are crooked and irregular furrows. We invite those of you who are new members to fix your attention on your new goal and never look back on your earlier problems or transgressions except as a reminder of your growth and your worth and your blessings from God. If our energies are focused not behind us but ahead of us—on eternal life and the joy of salvation—we assuredly will obtain it."
Howard W. Hunter, "Am I a 'Living' Member?" - Ensign, May 1987, p. 17
"Every convert is precious. Every convert is a son or daughter of God who has been touched by His Holy Spirit. Every individual worthy of baptism is also worthy of saving with full activity in the Church. . .Do all within your power to save them, to bless their lives, to help them taste the sweet truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. See that those whom you baptize are in very deed converts to the Church who have had come into their hearts a testimony of the truth of this work. Write their names and their addresses in your books of scriptures so that you will never forget them or lose track of them because they are your special people. They are your converts and God will hold you responsible for them.
President Gordon B. Hinckley - From missionary meeting, Santiago, Chile, April 26, 1999
"I think the Lord would be very pleased if we would get on our knees, each of us, and pray to Him and ask Him to help us bring someone into this Church. And then when that occurs, you stay so very close to that individual until he or she becomes well grounded in the faith, so that there will be no falling away after they've come into the Church."
President Gordon B. Hinckley - From regional conference, Oahu, Hawaii, Jan. 22, 2000
"The Saints of God have always been under covenant to nourish each other spiritually, especially those tender in the gospel."
"Feed My Lambs" - Elder Henry B. Eyring - Ensign, Nov. 1997, 82
"In summary, then, finding, bringing back, and caring for lost sheep and lambs are tasks of supernal significance assigned by the Good Shepherd to faithful under-shepherds. In the accomplishment of these tasks is found some of the richest joy of work in the Master's cause. How thrilling it is to assist in brushing away the ashes of apathy, indifference, even antagonism, to reveal and revive the still-flickering flame of faith. Those so involved can exult with Ammon: 'Yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.' (Alma 26:11.)"
Alexander B. Morrison, "Fire Where Once Were Ashes," Ensign, August 1990, p. 11