“If Teaching Missionaries Are the Lord’s Mouth, Then Service Missionaries Are the Lord’s Hands”

I loved that Elder James Evanson shared this phrase at October 2025 Sunday Morning General Conference.

This phrase describes two kinds of missionary service as well as two divine expressions of God’s work among His children: the Word that teaches and the Hand that transforms.

The Mouth and the Hand of God

Teaching missionaries can be seen as the “mouth of the Lord.” They speak truth, testify of Christ, and invite all to come unto Him. Their words echo the prophets who cried repentance and proclaimed deliverance. In ancient Hebrew, the prophet was called a navi, one who “calls out” the will of God. Through their voices, the Lord still calls His children home.

Yet the “mouth” is only one side of divine expression. In scripture, the “hand” represents power, action, and deliverance. The Hebrew word yad (hand) is one of the most theologically charged symbols in the Bible. To be in someone’s hand was to be under their authority or care. When the Israelites were delivered from Egypt, it was “by the mighty hand of the LORD” (Exodus 13:3). The divine hand meant the power to create, redeem, and protect.

The Hand as Power Made Visible

In the ancient Near Eastern world, kings and gods were often described as possessing an “outstretched hand.” This did not mean literal reach, but active intervention and strength. When the hand of a deity moved, things changed. Life was given, enemies were subdued, blessings were poured out.

When service missionaries act with compassion, they represent this sacred symbol. They become the “hands of the Lord,” making divine power visible in the lives of others. Their work reveals that God’s strength is not abstract. It is expressed in feeding the hungry, comforting the lonely, and lifting the weary. They are the embodied power of divine love.

Embodied Covenant

In the biblical world, covenants were went beyond mere words spoken. They were also actions performed. Ancient covenants were sealed by symbolic gestures: clasping hands, sharing a meal, building an altar. To “raise one’s hand” before the Lord was to swear loyalty and partnership with Him (Genesis 14:22).

Service missionaries live out that same covenantal rhythm. They speak about discipleship AND they enact it. Each task, whether repairing a wheelchair, organizing supplies, or offering quiet companionship, becomes a sacred act of covenant renewal.

They are “doing” the covenant, not just “saying” it.

The Pattern of the Divine Work

From the beginning, God’s pattern has been both verbal and active. In creation, He first spoke: “And God said, Let there be light.” Then He acted: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground.” The Word declared truth. The Hand shaped life.

Teaching missionaries extend the Word.

Service missionaries extend the Hand.

Both are essential to the creative and redemptive work of God.

The one proclaims the path; the other clears it.

The one plants faith in hearts; the other nourishes it through service.

Modern Miracles of the Hands

I heard the story of a young service missionary who spent his days maintaining wheelchairs at a humanitarian center. He smiled and said, “I may not preach with words, but I can help someone move again.” His quiet devotion reminded me that the Lord’s power is most often revealed through gentle, consistent acts of care.

When the Lord’s mouth speaks through teaching missionaries, truth is restored. When His hands move through service missionaries, lives are restored. The same divine energy flows through both.

The Book of Mormon Echo

The Book of Mormon repeatedly unites the mouth and the hand. Ammon both taught and served. He preached the word of God, but he also defended the flocks of the king’s servants. His courage and service opened the hearts of the Lamanites to the message of Christ. The Nephite record teaches that faith is never only spoken. It is shown.

The Whole Body of Christ

Paul taught that the Church is the body of Christ. Every part is essential. The mouth cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of thee.” Without the mouth, the world would not hear truth. Without the hands, the world would not feel love. Together they reveal the living Christ, who both taught and touched, who both spoke and saved.

So when we hear that “teaching missionaries are the Lord’s mouth, and service missionaries are the Lord’s hands,” we are hearing an eternal truth. God’s work is both proclamation and power. His covenant is both word and deed. His mission is both spoken and shown.

May we each become part of this divine partnership: a mouth that bears witness, and a hand that bears others. In so doing, we participate in the very pattern of creation and redemption, the ongoing work of the living God.

Taylor Halverson

Learn Deeply. Live Meaningfully. Spread Light and Goodness!