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Bryan Hughes currently serves as the Ward Mission Leader in his Topeka, KS ward. Raised in the Seattle, WA area and baptized shortly before his 18th birthday, he shares of his conversion experience after becoming inactive shortly after his baptism. These experiences have helped shape his approach to missionary work and serving in his current calling. Bryan’s approach to serving in the ward mission is guided by President’s Hinckley’s counsel that every new convert needs a friend, a responsibility, and to be nourished by the good word of God. He applies these teachings by regularly using the new member list in ward council to identify if these three things are happening for newly baptized members.

Five Leadership Principles

Principle #1 Recognize that you lead through influence (13:25)

• D&C 121:41-44 Principles that help us lead and influence others righteously.
• To pull someone rather than push them you need to earn that right.
  • This can be done by making and keeping commitments yourself – effective communication with those whom we serve.

Principle #2 Don’t assume that everyone knows how to be effective in every calling (16:00)

• We need to have grace for individuals and be willing to serve (and serve with) those who are learning in their callings.
• Seeking first to understand and then to be understood.
• Revelation comes to all of the parties associated in the work as we counsel together.

Principle #3 Recognize that this is the Lord’s work (25:20)

• If not aware, we can unintentionally close ourselves to revelation or get stuck in routines and become unable to adjust or change as needed.

Principle #4 Be pleasantly persistent (28:35)

• Avoiding making things a fire when it doesn’t need to be a fire.
• Be pleasantly (and proactively) persistent.
• Everybody can find their own way to be pleasantly persistent.
• Remember that we work with volunteers (as we are ourselves).
• Being more persistent in accountability, getting face time, getting the message of our auxiliary across, but doing so in an effective (pleasant) way.

Principle #5 Make sure you have a strong team (35:30)

• First and foremost we must defer to the Lord – we must not bypass the process of revelation.
• Should not hesitate to recommend individuals to serve in our auxiliaries if prompted to make those recommendations.
• Be willing to work with anyone the Lord sees fit to call to our team.
• Our responsibility as a leader is to make sure our team is strong, whomever has been called to be on that team