Elder D. Todd Christofferson (b. January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.
"Inasmuch as we follow Christ, we seek to participate in and further His redemptive work. The greatest service we can provide to others in this life, beginning with those of our own family, is to bring them to Christ through faith and repentance so they may experience His Redemption—peace and joy now and immortality and eternal life in the world to come....
"While the most important aspects of redemption have to do with repentance and forgiveness, there is a very significant temporal aspect as well. Jesus is said to have gone about doing good (see Acts 10:38), which included healing the sick and infirm, supplying food to hungry multitudes, and teaching a more excellent way. 'The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many' (Matthew 20:28). So may we, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, go about doing good in the redemptive pattern of the Master.
"This kind of redemptive work means helping people with their problems. It means befriending the poor and the weak, alleviating suffering, righting wrongs, defending truth, strengthening the rising generation, and achieving security and happiness at home. Much of our redemptive work on earth is to help others grow and achieve their just hopes and aspirations."
- D. Todd Christofferson, "Redemption," General Conference April 2013
Click here to read or listen to the full talk
What can we do, individually, as disciples of Christ, to "further His redemptive work"? How can we best assist in that work? Elder Christofferson suggests that first and foremost, we strive to bring those around us to Christ, helping them experience redemption through faith and repentance. That experience will bring them joy now, but more importantly, "eternal life in the world to come."
But there is more. The Savior's work also includes temporal aspects as we strive to assist and encourage one another in our daily lives. We can also assist in that aspect of His work:
It's intriguing to ponder how our efforts to help those around us with temporal problems may contribute to the overall redemptive work. As we "help others grow and achieve their just hopes and aspirations" we are blessing their lives in ways that the Savior did during His earthly ministry, and so we are a part of His ongoing loving service to all of His children.
(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)
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