Among the responsibilities of the “elected representatives” in each community

Nor must the elected representatives of this community neglect their supreme responsibility to safeguard the spiritual life of its members, to continually enrich that life by every means in their power, to deepen their grasp of the distinguishing features and the fundamental verities of the Bahá'í Faith, and to encourage and inspire them to reflect its spirit and precepts in their personal lives and conduct. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 1 March 1951 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of South America; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Importance of Deepening Our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith)