Fellowship

Fellowship is defined as companionship, association, and a company of equals or friends.[1]

For Latter-day Saints, fellowship includes offering friendly companionship, serving, uplifting, and strengthening others.[2]

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a letter to the membership of the Church on May 15, 1997. It read, in part:

"Every member needs three things – a friend, a responsibility and spiritual nourishment through gospel study. All members are responsible to fellowship those who are new and help them feel the strength of the gospel. Each new member should feel the influence of loving and caring friends within the Church. The personal influence of Church members is one of the most powerful factors in helping new members achieve an enduring conversion and continued activity in the Church.”[3]

In addition to encouraging fellowshipping members of the Church in a ward and stake, President Hinckley indicated that members of the Church of Jesus Christ should also be friendly to those people not of our faith. President Hinckley sat in an interview with celebrated newsman Mike Wallace that aired in April 1996. It included this exchange:

Mr. Wallace: “How do you view non-Mormons?”

President Hinckley: “With love and respect. I have many non-Mormon friends. I respect them. I have the greatest of admiration for them.”

Mr. Wallace: “Despite the fact that they haven’t really seen the light yet?”

President Hinckley: “Yes. To anybody who is not of this Church, I say we recognize all of the virtues and the good that you have. Bring it with you and see if we might add to it.”

By the time the interview process was over, President Hinckley and Mike Wallace were friends. Mr. Wallace spoke of President Hinckley as a “warm and thoughtful and decent and optimistic leader” who “fully deserves the almost universal admiration that he gets.”[4]