Welcome.

Working for the church as a part time temple employee is a one-of-a-kind job with so many downright cool benefits, most of which are spiritual. Our custodial group just finished a nine-week abbreviated leadership journey course. I was so impressed and inspired.

In a nutshell, it was a learning pattern to help us know how to live the leadership pattern.

The learning pattern was focused on becoming like the Savior and was centered around three principles: ponder, learn, and act. After each segment, we asked ourselves: (1) What lack I yet? (2) What must I do? (3) Therefore, what? Then, we set goals and worked to keep them.

The leadership pattern aimed to help us lead like the Savior and was composed of nine segments.

It was really inspiring to make goals and seek to improve in both learning about and leading in the Savior’s way. I’ve included some of my favorite quotes from the course from recorded round table discussions with leaders in the church.

Week 1: Lead like the Savior

Elder Holland: “God is in the people business…It’s always people-oriented first…”

Elder Hales: “If you’re the same person with your leaders as you are with your peers and your subordinates, you’re worth having…Could I make it a little more like heaven to work here?…”

Week 2: Act Under the Direction of the Spirit

Elder Holland: “Section 43 of the Doctrine and Covenants talks about being endowed with power (see verse 16). That’s what it takes to succeed in this Church. That’s what it takes to succeed in the gospel. I don’t know how to get that except to be meek and lowly of heart and say, ‘I cannot do this alone.’…”

Elder Scott: “True humility is the fertile soil in which the Lord plants seeds that cause us to grow and to mature and to be more capable…”

Week 3: Align With the Brethren

Elder Andersen: “Getting ahead of the Brethren is more when you dismiss the Brethren…”

Week 4: Define Direction

Elder Andersen: “Thinking straight means knowing how to take something from the complex to the simple.”

Elder Hales: “There’s no way we can take this organization to do what it has to do unless you’re getting the revelation…”

Week 5: Counsel Together

Elder Stevenson: “Ego should go out the door. And when ego goes out the door, we should be able to accept perspective, come together, align, and come up with a better decision as a result of that…”

Elder Bednar: “Everyone in the council has the responsibility to act and not just sit and wait to be acted upon and contribute to that revelatory process. You are there to give voice to issues so that it can ultimately reflect the Lord’s will…Nobody cares about getting credit; nobody cares about being right and getting credit for being right. People just care about getting it right, the way the Lord wants it…”

Week 6:  Build Capability

President Ballard: “One of your primary responsibilities is to raise up those that’ll be a better leader than you ever were.”

Elder Oaks: “Looking good tempts us to focus on ourselves. But the first step toward being good is to focus on others…”

Elder Bednar: “I think leadership includes both what you do and what you leave. What you do is necessary but not sufficient; it’s not enough. The most important thing is what you leave when you’re not there…”

Elder Hales: “I leave with you a simple phrase my wife used: ‘Thee lift me, and I’ll lift thee, and we will ascend together.’…”

Week 7: Organize the Work

President Ballard: “If you have 20 priorities, your chances of really getting something done where you’re going to move something will be greatly lessened in my judgment, than they will be if you bring it down to two or three that are really doable. Don’t try to take the whole world on at once.”

Elder Clarke: “Don’t try to change 10 things. It will never work. See if you can get two or three good things changed. Start with two or three. When we have lots of priorities, there are no priorities.”

Week 8: Accomplish the Work

President Ballard: “…We’re a little handful of God-fearing people that know about the Restoration, living in a world of six and a half billion. We’ve got to be really good…”

Elder Gay: “The first principle of all, in everything that we do, whether it be in business, whether it be in lifting the poor, is faith because faith moves mountains. And anything we’re looking at is about moving a mountain. But if people can’t believe through the Lord that they can move a mountain, it’s going to be hard for them to ultimately get to where the Lord needs them to get.”

Bishop Causse: “Simplicity is a very fundamental element in the success of the Church.”

Elder Clarke: “God expects us to accomplish a lot…He expects us to achieve much more than we sometimes think we can…”

President Ballard: “…You don’t quit, you don’t give up. That’s exactly what Lucifer would like you to do. He’d like to knock you out of the game. Don’t let him do that…”

Elder Gay: “We have a living Christ who stands at the head of this Church…He’s in the details, and He will show you the way in your own work. That’s the greatest lesson I’ve learned. He will show you the way.

Elder Christofferson: “No higher honor can come to any man or woman than that the Lord found their offering worthy.”

Week 9: Render an Account

Elder Christofferson: “The Lord suggests we need to reprove betimes (in a timely way) with sharpness, and I interpret that sharpness to mean clarity, focus, and accurate feedback.”

Bishop Davies: “Who doesn’t appreciate a thank you?…We should be free and liberal with our appreciation and thanks…”

Elder Hales: “Our role is to help God with His plan…”

Although the targeted audience for this course were those employed by the Church, the principles apply nicely to our church callings and our families. I, for one, seek to improve in learning and living the pattern the Savior set forth for all who will choose His way.

Unto all the world: May we learn to lead like the Savior!