Participate to Prepare for Christ’s Return
Elder Steven D. Shumway, “Participate to Prepare for Christ’s Return”
In his April 2025 General Conference address, Elder Steven D. Shumway taught that callings and participation in God’s work are sacred opportunities to prepare ourselves and others to meet the Savior. As he explained, “When we say yes to serving, we are saying yes to Jesus Christ. And when we say yes to Christ, we are saying yes to the most abundant life possible.”
But some struggle with callings. “Why does the Church keep piling on assignments? Aren’t callings just burdens?” Elder Shumway’s message provides an answer: service in God’s kingdom isn’t busywork—it is consecrated discipleship that transforms us into the kind of people who can meet the Savior with joy.
Common Criticism: Callings Are Inconvenient
Many members—and critics—see Church callings as overwhelming, exhausting, or sometimes even meaningless. Instead of remembering the blessings and growth that come through service, they focus on the stress, sacrifice, or times they’ve felt overlooked.
Fallacy at Work: Negativity Bias
Negativity Bias is our tendency to pay more attention to problems and frustrations than to blessings and growth.
In this case, someone may only recall the stress of a demanding calling or the weariness of late nights, while overlooking the friendships formed, faith strengthened, or character deepened through the same service.
Elder Shumway’s Correction: Callings are consecrated opportunities. As he testified: “When we consecrate our meager but best effort, God magnifies it. When we sacrifice for Jesus Christ, He sanctifies us.” Service is not about flawless performance—it’s about offering what we can and letting Christ transform both us and those we serve.
Solution: Rather than burdens, callings are God’s gift to His children: a way to prepare our hearts for the Second Coming. The bias toward seeing only difficulty hides the reality that discipleship through service is one of the greatest ways the Lord refines us.
Living Apologetics: Service as Transformation, Not Performance
A common struggle is the feeling that callings are about performance—checking boxes or living up to expectations—rather than growth.
Elder Shumway reframes this: when we consecrate our efforts to Christ, our service becomes joyful and sanctifying. Our callings are not about what the Church gets from us, but about what God makes of us through them.
Practical Apologetic Use:
- If someone says: “My calling just feels like exhausting busywork.”
- You can respond: “Callings aren’t meant to measure performance—they are sacred opportunities for Christ to change us. God doesn’t ask us to serve because He needs the help, but because we need the growth and grace that come through service.”
Ways to Apply Today:
1️⃣ Shift perspective. Instead of asking, “Why me?” ask, “What is God helping me become through this calling?”
2️⃣ Notice blessings. Write down one way your calling has blessed you or others this month—it’s easy to forget when Negativity Bias takes over.
Keep This Talk With You
General Conference is meant to be more than a weekend of inspiration—it is an invitation to live differently. Elder Shumway reminds us that participation in God’s work—through callings, covenants, and quiet acts of service—prepares us for Christ’s return.
This week, try one small step:
- Pray to see your calling as preparation, not performance.
- Record one blessing that has come through your service.
- Encourage someone who feels overlooked to participate in God’s work.
“When we say yes to serving, we are saying yes to Jesus Christ.” —Elder Steven D. Shumway
How will you let your service—whether visible or unseen—prepare you to meet Jesus Christ?
The Consider Conference series by FAIR offers an in-depth look at recent General Conference talks to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints navigate common questions, misunderstandings, and criticisms. Each post provides doctrinal insights, historical context, and practical ways to apply gospel principles in everyday conversations. Through this series, we hope to equip readers with faith-promoting resources that encourage thoughtful reflection, respectful dialogue, and a stronger foundation in gospel truths, fostering both personal conviction and meaningful discussions with others.
