Public affairs work is primarily about building strong, positive relationships that can benefit the Church. These relationships open doors to opportunities for the Church to fulfill its mission and help to avoid the consequences of prejudice, misunderstanding, and mistrust.

The First Presidency has approved a “core purpose” statement that helps to keep the Public Affairs Department focused on activities that do the most good for the Church worldwide. This statement can be equally helpful to local public affairs councils as they work with priesthood leaders to assist the Church where they live. It reads as follows:

“The Public Affairs Core Purpose is to build strong and positive relationships with opinion leaders who affect the reputation of the Church of Jesus Christ and whose actions and influence can help or hinder the Church's mission.”