Because my talk today was very similar to the one I gave last week, I am posting one of my favorites, which I actually gave in three different wards on 16 August 2009.
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As a young man, I spent many wonderful weekends in our mountains, backpacking and enjoying nature. As I gained experience, I learned to pace myself so that I could reach my destinations in a timely manner. A comfortable uphill pace for me was around 5 MPH. An older scout, Paul Jackman, whom I considered an expert backpacker, never topped 2 MPH, but he could hike 20 hours a day. Even though we had a very different pace, we both reached our destination time and time again.
Nephi described another hiking experience:
“For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
“And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; . . .
“And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” (2 Nephi 31:17 - 20)
So here we are together on this path, moving forward, each one at his own pace. We have experienced guides to lead us as we press forward. We may sometimes lose sight of President Monson or President Poulsen or Bishop Kinser as they round a bend ahead of us, but they are still leading the way. We may need to stop and rest occasionally. But we press on despite the dangers and the fatigue, maintaining a firm grasp on the iron rod to steady our steps. We do not allow ourselves to be distracted from our goal.
We know we will be safe as long as we stay on the path. Rockfalls, treacherous stream crossings, mists of darkness, and slick slopes will not hinder us as we travel together. The howling of wolves in the distance does not bother us: we don’t fear them as long as we move together in our families and in our wards.
We do all that we can to help the stragglers: we lend a helping hand or offer a word of encouragement. We also reach out to those who have strayed off the path; we are willing to reach out as long we do not have to release our grasp on the iron rod. We continually assist each other: you may help shoulder my load as we cross a raging torrent of temptation; I may help pull you up over a divide of discouragement. When the storms come, they batter all of us, whether we are properly prepared or not. Those who are prepared pull on their ponchos or their parkas and continue on.
We move forward as a team: continuing on toward our goal. Our trekking team is referred to as the “Latter-day Saints.” This name is important to us, as it was given by our leader, who awaits our arrival at the end of the trail.
What is the significance of the term “Saint?” King Benjamin described it “the natural man . . . becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19)
If I would be perfect,
The path to be trod
Is the one that will bring me
In nearness to God.
If we want to develop perfection in any area of our lives, we must look to those who have approached or achieved perfection in that area. We must try to associate with those individuals who can help us achieve the perfection or proficiency we seek. Then we practice those skills until we develop proficiency. This is a part of discipleship, which will lead us to perfection.
For example, when I wanted to become a better backpacker, I listened to Brother Howard (my Scoutmaster), and copied him. After I watched Dave Wottle win the 800m race in the 1972 Olympics, I became a better runner. Watching Eric Clapton and B.B. King play guitar has improved my playing. I’m a better singer because I learned harmonies from the Beach Boys, and also learned to sing with Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s recordings. When I wanted to do a better root canal, I sought out the experts and learned how they do root canals.
On the spiritual side, I am a better person because of the wonderful people with whom I associate in church, including all of you. I am strengthened by worshiping with you. And I keep an eye on my heroes, the First Presidency and the Twelve.
If I want to be a better home teacher, I look to my father and grandfather (at my Grandpa Stevenson’s funeral, it was said that he was a lifelong 100% home teacher). If I want to become a better speaker, I pay close attention to the First Presidency and the Twelve. If I want to be a better teacher, I will learn from those who teach well. If I want to minister more effectively to my brothers and sisters, I look to the example of my leaders and my Savior.
There are good role models all around us. The San Bernardino First Ward is full of exemplary members who are eager to serve. When you are doing your duty, you never know when you will have the opportunity to touch a life, or when your example will come back to you.
Of course the best example is the Savior, he who “marked the path and led the way.” He is our great exemplar. When he invited us to follow him, it wasn’t just political posturing for a good sound bite. The prophets’ invitations to come unto Christ aren’t just hollow phrases or catchy taglines. These are invitations to be taken seriously!
The quest for perfection seems overwhelming. It is a long journey, and not an easy one. We know that not all who start the trek will finish it. But we should remember this: men are that they might have joy --- not guilt trips! We should also remember the promise that the Lord will not give us any commandments that are impossible to obey.
As we progress, we become disciples of Jesus Christ. President Uchtdorf told us: “Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours. . . . Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television. . . . Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do.”
It becomes less discouraging as we note that there are two levels of perfection: mortal perfection and eternal perfection.
James gave us an indicator of mortal perfection. He said, “If any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.” As we overcome our weaknesses, we become perfect. Perfection does not mean that we don’t ever make mistakes; rather it means that we are repenting of all of them, and are trying to do better. We all make mistakes. Heavenly Father knew that we would. This is why we meet each week to take the sacrament together.
We advance a step at a time. In this life, I can become perfect in my Sabbath observance; I can become perfect in paying my tithes and offerings, in observing the word of wisdom, and the law of chastity; I can become a perfect home teacher. And so, step by step, I progress up the path.
Elder McConkie offered some comforting words: "We have to become perfect to be saved in the celestial kingdom. But nobody becomes perfect in this life. Only the Lord Jesus attained that state, and he had an advantage that none of us has. He was the Son of God. . . . He lived a perfect life, and he set an ideal example. . . . As it is with being born again, and as it is with sanctifying our souls, so becoming perfect in Christ is a process.
"As members of the Church, if we chart a course leading to eternal life; if we begin the processes of spiritual rebirth, and are going in the right direction; if we chart a course of sanctifying our souls, and degree by degree are going in that direction; and if we chart a course of becoming perfect, and, step by step and phase by phase, are perfecting our souls by overcoming the world, then it is absolutely guaranteed—there is no question whatever about it—we shall gain eternal life. Even though we have spiritual rebirth ahead of us, perfection ahead of us, the full degree of sanctification ahead of us, if we chart a course and follow it to the best of our ability in this life, then when we go out of this life we'll continue in exactly that same course. . . .We will have passed successfully the tests of this mortal probation and in due course, we’ll get the fulness of our Father’s kingdom---and that means eternal life in his everlasting presence.” (BYU Speeches of the Year, 1976, pp. 399-401.)
We can achieve mortal perfection as we strive to do our best. If we try to do our duty, with a willing heart, the Lord will bless us according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts. Our loving Heavenly Father’s fondest wish is that we all make it back to him safely, without too many bumps and bruises.
Eternal perfection, where we actually become like our Heavenly Father, will come in the next life. The word for this type of perfection comes from the Greek teleios, which means complete or whole. It does not imply freedom from error; rather it means achieving a distant end or goal. The root tele- is commonly used in English, in words like telephone (distant talk), television (distant seeing), and the telestial kingdom (the distant kingdom).
It does not matter where we are on the path as long as we are facing the right direction and understand that we can reach our goal.
“The Prophet Joseph told that there are many things that people have to do, even after the grave, to work out their salvation. We’re not going to be perfect the minute we die. But if we’ve charted a course, if our desires are right, if our appetites are curtailed and bridled, and if we believe in the Lord and are doing to the very best of our abilities what we ought to do, we’ll go on to eternal salvation, which is the fulness of eternal reward in our Father’s kingdom.” (McConkie, op cit.)
Understanding this concept is critical to our well-being. Heavenly Father knows that we cannot become like him in this life. With this in mind, we should not beat ourselves up over our imperfections, or get caught up in comparing ourselves to others. We simply need to keep moving forward. Discouragement is one of Satan’s greatest tools to slow or stop our progress.
Although our journey through mortality will at times place us in harm’s way, there are three suggestions from President Monson which will lead us to safety if we follow them:
1. Study diligently
2. Pray fervently
3. Live righteously
Of course, we cannot progress in our journey without the atonement of Christ. I testify that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins and weaknesses so that we can complete this journey. Without his help, we would be lost. It is he who blazed the trail that we follow. He smoothed some (but not all) of the rough spots on the trail. He provided the backing, and he equipped us for this trek to immortality and eternal life. He paid the price so that we can complete our journey.
Without the atonement, without Jesus’ help we can never, worlds without end, never ever achieve perfection.
It would be nice if there were a simple, foolproof method to ensure perfection. Actually, there is. King Benjamin mentioned it in his great sermon, and it is one of my favorite scriptures. He said: “And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.” (Mosiah 2:22) That’s all God asks, is for us to keep his commandments. It’s as easy as that!
So maybe it isn’t that simple. But often we complicate our travel by carrying excess baggage or by packing the wrong gear, even when we have the equipment list available.
Nephi commented: “And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God [or strive to do so] he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them . . .” (1 Ne. 17:3). I also take comfort when I read in Section 46 that the gifts of the Spirit are given “for the benefit of those who love [God] and keep all [his] commandments, and him that seeketh so to do. . .” (D&C 46:9). So if we are doing our best, and trying to keep a good attitude, and we’re headed in the right direction, then we’re in good shape.
Perfection is a process. It does not happen instantly. Perfection occurs step by step and degree by degree throughout our entire life.
The Olympic Games are a case in point. I have always enjoyed watching the Olympics and seeing the incredible performances that take place. The gold medal winners are not twice as good as the silver medal winners. Very often, the difference between gold and silver is measured in hundredths of a second, or hundredths of a point: the margin of victory is usually very slim. As each athlete works to improve his or her personal best (by perfecting his or her skills!), he or she is improving by fractions at a time. The better they become, the smaller the increments of improvement. So the gold medal is given to those who do just a little bit better.
So it is in life. We just have to do a little better each time: just improve our personal bests. Sometimes we will stumble and fall, or commit a foul. As long as we pick ourselves up and continue on, and learn from our mistakes, we will qualify to stand on the winner’s platform, and unlike the Olympics, on the Celestial platform, there is room for all.
We all know that we are supposed to be striving for perfection. What I want to emphasize, my brothers and sisters, is that perfection is something we can all achieve. We just need to stay focused on our ultimate objective, while at the same remembering to put one foot in front of the other. But it is possible for each of us! You can do it! We can do it together! But we must lengthen our stride and quicken our pace, brothers and sisters. If we don’t, we will surely be eating the dust of those up ahead.
Our first obligation is to believe in Christ and to accept him literally as the Son of God and as our Savior. When we believe in him, then we believe his words, and the words of his servants. Once we believe, then we must conform to the truths that we have learned, and again, step by step, we make them a part of our lives. As this happens, we grow from grace to grace, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little.
Often it is that slow pace that frustrates us, but we must not forget where we are headed. Our direction is more important than our pace. When Paul encouraged the Philippians to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), he had seen the path. He knew of its perils. But if we keep going forward we need not fear. Paul also said to the Romans “Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11). In other words, the destination is closer than it appears, and it is closer than when we started. As long we press forward with a steadfastness in Christ and endure to the end, we will make it.
Perhaps the biggest difference between this life’s journey, and the backpacking trips I took as a young man, is that as we progress toward our destination, we become cleaner.
The process of perfection requires that we become born again, that we commit to “crucify the old man of sin and come forth in a newness of life” (Rom. 6:6).We die as pertaining to the unrighteous things in the world. After that, we become sanctified, becoming pure and spotless, having evil and sin burned out of our souls as if by fire. We do this because we know that no unclean thing can enter the presence of the Father.
I testify that God is our Eternal Father, and that he lives and loves us. It is his plan for us that will “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Mos. 1:39), and permit us to live “after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne. 5:27). I testify that Jesus Christ truly is his Son, and that he is our Savior. His atoning sacrifice makes eternal life possible for us. He could have just seen the hazards of the path by revelation, but because he loves us, he walked the path. He knows its pitfalls and dangers, and how to help us to overcome them. That we may all continue on the path, and find joy in the journey is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Charity: The Pure Love of Christ
A talk given in San Bernardino First Ward this morning.
This talk was repeated in Crestline Ward on September 18.
I am grateful to be here with my friends in San Bernardino First Ward this afternoon. I’m glad that I can join you in worshiping our Heavenly Father. I bring you the love and greetings from President Garvin and his Counselors. We are all very thankful for their leadership. I am thankful to serve with them.
We also thank you for your countless hours of service, to each other and to our community.
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Today is the anniversary of one of the great tragedies of our generation. I hope that you all remember how you felt that day. I will never forget the pain I felt. I enjoyed the feeling of unity we had as Americans in the weeks and months following. How I wish it could have lasted.
President Monson stated recently: “There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it. Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.
“Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well. …
“If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.
“The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him every week and each day. We truly ‘need Him every hour,’ not just in hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.
“It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm.” (President Monson)(Excerpts from Washington Post blog on 9-8-2011 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/911-destruction-allowed-us-to-spiritually-rebuild/2011/09/08/gIQAbkjKCK_blog.html?fb_ref=NetworkNews&fb_source=profile_multiline)
I am grateful for the guidance we receive from our living prophet, and I pray that I will have the courage to follow his counsel.
Brothers and sisters, we are living in challenging times. We face economic difficulties. We face gross wickedness. We are seeing great storms and earthquakes and many other disasters, both natural and man-made. In fact, one person has observed: "The world is passing through troublous times. Young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they alone know everything. As for girls, they are forward, immodest, and unwomanly in speech, behavior, and dress." Now the interesting thing about this quote is that it is from 1274: 737 years ago!
But even if some things have not changed, things are bad, and getting worse. The Savior told us that in our day, “the love of many shall wax cold.” (Mt. 24:12) So what are we to do?
Well, I happen to think that we can fight this trend! We can provide the leaven of love that will help the world to keep from going flat.
As the world grows in wickedness, what do you want to be known for? Will you choose to be known as one who was not too bad, but not too good? Or would you rather be known as a seeker of righteousness, as was Abraham? I contend that as Latter-day Saints, we should be known as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that there should be no question in anyone’s mind where we stand. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
I testify to you that God lives. He is our Heavenly Father, and he really does love us. We are his spirit children. When we sing our beloved hymn, I Am a Child of God, we bear testimony to this grand truth.
Jesus Christ also loves us with a perfect love, for the same reason his Father does. Look at what he has done for us. I know that the Savior’s atoning sacrifice was done out of love for us. I truly stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me.
Jacob counseled us to “feast upon God’s love.” (Jac. 3:2) Feasting is not just nibbling a little here and there. When we feast, we indulge ourselves.
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A story is told of a man who wanted to see heaven and hell. The Lord led the man to two doors. He opened one of the doors, and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large pot filled with stew, which smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water.
The people who sat around the table were very thin and unhealthy. They seemed to be starving. They were holding spoons with long handles that were strapped to their arms. They were able to reach into the pot and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons up to their mouths.
The man shook at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, “You have seen hell.”
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first room. There was the large round table with the large pot filled with stew that made the man’s mouth water. The people had the same long-handled spoons strapped to their arms, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The man said, “I don’t understand!”
“It is simple,” said the Lord. “It requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.”
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Paul, writing to the Romans, said: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
“Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:35, 38-39.)
Not even our own disobedience can separate us from the love of God. I have been struck by the number of times Isaiah repeated the Lord’s words: “for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” In spite of weakness, in spite of our failings, our Heavenly Father continues to love us. John reminded us that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (Jn. 3:16.)
Our quest is to become like our Savior so that we can return to our Heavenly Father and live with him again. President McKay taught: “No man can sincerely resolve to apply to his daily life the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his own nature.”
Discipleship is a result of spiritual training. We need to train spiritually in order to achieve our eternal goals. “We believe that through living the gospel of Jesus Christ we can become like our Savior, who is perfect. … And even the most humble person can take hope in the invitation to become like the Savior.” (Pres. Eyring)
In the end, that is all that matters. In the final judgment, it will not matter if I am republican or democrat, Mac or PC, Pacific or San Bernardino, Cougar or Ute, chocolate, strawberry or vanilla. What will matter is if we chose to follow Christ and were true to our covenants.
A scribe asked Jesus “Which is the first commandment of all?” To which Jesus responded; “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
“And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31).
So there are two main commandments that we must keep: to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. All other commandments fall within these two categories. That makes it much simpler for us to keep track of. “Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.” (Pres. Uchtdorf)
President Eyring said: “Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is the love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey him.”
So the first great commandment is to love God, completely and totally.
President Uchtdorf told us in Conference: “We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness---not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him.”
I hope that we will all be known as a people who love God and follow Him.
Now, I believe that the most difficult commandment we have been given is the commandment to love our neighbor. It is usually pretty easy to love those who love us; it is usually easy to return love to those who show love. But we are expected to love as Christ loved. In order to be like Jesus, we must develop charity, the pure love of Christ, for everyone.
But what about the guy who cuts you off on the freeway, or the person who fails to pay his bill, or the one who says something hurtful to you or about you? Do we really have to love them, too? I’m afraid so.
“Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.
“Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of being a basher repulsive.
“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.
“None of us need one more person bashing us or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have the patience to teach us, who believe in us, and who believe we’re trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other?” (Marvin J. Ashton, Apr 92).
Christ told us to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.” (3 Ne. 12:44.) That is where we really become like the Savior and love as he loved. That is probably the most difficult thing he asks of us.
John told us: “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” (1 Jn. 2:9-10.)
One of Satan’s best strategies to slow our progress in the latter days is to stir up hatred among the children of men. He knows that if he can get us to criticize each other, or to make fun, or just be unkind, he can win the battle.
Why is this? The minute that we pick on each other, find fault, bash, undermine, humiliate or taunt someone, we have been neutralized spiritually. While this may not be a grievous sin, what it means is that whenever we refuse to show love and kindness, we are laying aside a part of the armor of God, and we become vulnerable to more serious attacks by the devil. The Spirit of the Lord cannot dwell where there is contention, bickering, judging or any kind of bashing.
It is interesting that the first principles the Lord taught his newly called Apostles centered on how we treat each other, and when he visited the Nephites on this continent, his message was much the same. This should tell us something. Could it be that the way we treat each other is the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
As a matter of fact, yes it is! The way we treat members of our families, our friends, and our brothers and sisters in the church is as important as some of the more noticeable gospel principles that seem to get more attention.
“By this shall all men know that ye are [Christ’s] disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)
I don’t want to stumble, but sometimes I do. I don’t really hate anyone; although there are people whom I just don’t like. So how do we show love for our neighbor?
First of all, we must remember that this love is a gift from God. In each of the three instances where the gifts of the Spirit are discussed (1 Co. 12, Mni. 10, and D&C 46), a discussion of charity accompanies it in a nearby chapter. We cannot develop charity, or brotherly love, or whatever we choose to call it, without the Lord’s assistance. It is the most important gift of the Spirit.
Moroni told us to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love ...” (Mni. 7:48.) It takes a conscious effort to become charitable. In fact, it takes years of conscious effort.
We learn from Enos that until we have personal conversion and remission of our sins, and have love for those who love us, we cannot develop love and concern for our enemies. We must take it a step at a time.
We should be motivated by the words of the Savior in Matthew 25: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” But, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” (Matt. 25:40)
Heavenly Father has offered us the family as the ideal setting in which we can learn to love as he loves. That is where we start. Love is present at the beginning of each family. That’s why we pair off to form families.
The greatest joys and sorrows in our lives come from our family experiences. What can we do to increase the love in our families?
Remember the counsel from President Poulsen. He asked us to get on our knees every morning and pray for an increased capacity to love those for whom we are responsible. My first stewardship is for my wife and then for my children.
In Conference, President Eyring gave similar counsel to husbands and wives. “Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion.” What would that do for our marriages if each of us followed that counsel?
As parents, we need to love our children, and to persist in loving them. Even when they are at their least lovable. Paul said “fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.” Even when they try our patience, we must continue to love them. Try to understand them. One of Covey’s principles is “Seek first to understand; then to be understood.” Often it is through listening without judgment that our youth feel our love.
Mother Teresa said: “If you want to encourage world peace, show love to your children.”
And we must remember that the pattern of love we establish in our homes will be copied in our children’s homes. Never, ever forget to express your love to your children. They need to know by word and by action that you love them.
Children, you need to love your parents. Sometimes we are not lovable. We have many worries about work and paying the bills and other things. Sometimes we bring them home with us and that makes us grumpy. That doesn’t mean we are upset with you.
But don’t forget to tell your parents you love them. Sometimes when I had a bad day at work and my little daughter gave me a hug and a kiss, it made everything seem better. That’s an incredible power you children have!
And make sure that you love your brothers and sisters, too. Sometimes that is a real challenge, but they should be your best friends when you’re growing up. My brother and sisters never call me, and sometimes that makes me wonder if I was a bad brother. Just remember what John said: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
“And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 Jn. 4:20-21.)
Of course, the Lord doesn’t want us to stop at home. He has asked us to “press forward with . . . a love of God and of all men . . .” (2 Ne. 31:20.)
The best way to show our love for others is by serving them. Our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson is a great example of that. He learned to serve at an early age, and has lived his life cheerfully serving others. In Conference, President Monson posed the question “what did you do for someone today?”
He said that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. You may recall a few years ago, President Monson was asked what he would consider the ideal gift that members of the church could give him for his birthday. He responded “Find someone who is having a hard time, or is ill or lonely, and do something for him or her.”
We would all do well to follow his example.
In Moroni 7 we read a description of charity: “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Mni. 7:45.)
To me, that is a difficult list. I cannot do that on my own. The Holy Ghost will help me to develop these characteristics if I seek to develop them.
As we seek to develop charity in our own lives, we would do well to note the words of the prophets in the scriptures.
Isaiah said: “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isa. 1:17.)
James said: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keep himself unspotted from the world.” (Jas. 1:27.)
Peter said: “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:8.) I wouldn’t mind my multitude of sins being covered.
The Savior told Joseph Smith to: “Clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.” D&C 88:125.)
King Benjamin offered us some instruction on charity: “But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
“And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
“But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
“For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?”(Msh. 4:15-19.)
Charity is more than love: it is everlasting love, perfect love, the pure love of Christ which endureth forever. It is love so centered in righteousness that the possessor has no aim or desire except for the eternal welfare of his own soul and the souls of those around him.
Charity is an essential qualification for the ministers of Christ. (See D&C 4.)
This love is the only force that can bring about world peace. Armies will not. Advanced armaments will not. Negotiations will not. Wealth will not. Only charity can bridge the divides that separate so many factions in the world today.
This can only happen as we spread the gospel in all the world and see changes in lives and societies as individuals and families accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and accept his atonement and make the needed changes in their lives.
Charity is also an essential part of creating a Zion society. Without charity, without the love and forgiveness that accompany it, we cannot hope to achieve the unity and enjoy the blessings that accompany Zion.
President Hinckley said: “As we look with love to him, as we serve with an eye single to his glory, there will go from us the darkness of sin, the darkness of selfishness, the darkness of pride. There will come an increased love for our Eternal Father and for his Beloved Son, our Savior and our Redeemer. There will come a greater sense of service toward our fellowmen---a little less of thinking of our own selfish pursuits, a little more reaching out to others. And in our own individual lives . . . there will be a higher power on whom we can call for help and direction.”
So you see, this one principle, learning to love as the Savior loved, will bless all areas of our lives as we strive to live by it. It will bring us more joy than any other principle.
I testify to you again that our Heavenly Father lives, that he loves us. Considering all he has given us, and all he has promised us, he asks for very little in return. Jesus Christ is His Son. He truly atoned for our sins, so that we may choose to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence.
I testify that he restored his gospel to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that there is a living prophet on earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I know that he was chosen of the Lord to lead us at this time.
I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. How I love the scriptures! I know that we can rely on the promises made by our Heavenly Father as we obey his commandments.
I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
This talk was repeated in Crestline Ward on September 18.
I am grateful to be here with my friends in San Bernardino First Ward this afternoon. I’m glad that I can join you in worshiping our Heavenly Father. I bring you the love and greetings from President Garvin and his Counselors. We are all very thankful for their leadership. I am thankful to serve with them.
We also thank you for your countless hours of service, to each other and to our community.
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Today is the anniversary of one of the great tragedies of our generation. I hope that you all remember how you felt that day. I will never forget the pain I felt. I enjoyed the feeling of unity we had as Americans in the weeks and months following. How I wish it could have lasted.
President Monson stated recently: “There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it. Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.
“Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well. …
“If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.
“The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him every week and each day. We truly ‘need Him every hour,’ not just in hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.
“It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm.” (President Monson)(Excerpts from Washington Post blog on 9-8-2011 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/911-destruction-allowed-us-to-spiritually-rebuild/2011/09/08/gIQAbkjKCK_blog.html?fb_ref=NetworkNews&fb_source=profile_multiline)
I am grateful for the guidance we receive from our living prophet, and I pray that I will have the courage to follow his counsel.
Brothers and sisters, we are living in challenging times. We face economic difficulties. We face gross wickedness. We are seeing great storms and earthquakes and many other disasters, both natural and man-made. In fact, one person has observed: "The world is passing through troublous times. Young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they alone know everything. As for girls, they are forward, immodest, and unwomanly in speech, behavior, and dress." Now the interesting thing about this quote is that it is from 1274: 737 years ago!
But even if some things have not changed, things are bad, and getting worse. The Savior told us that in our day, “the love of many shall wax cold.” (Mt. 24:12) So what are we to do?
Well, I happen to think that we can fight this trend! We can provide the leaven of love that will help the world to keep from going flat.
As the world grows in wickedness, what do you want to be known for? Will you choose to be known as one who was not too bad, but not too good? Or would you rather be known as a seeker of righteousness, as was Abraham? I contend that as Latter-day Saints, we should be known as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that there should be no question in anyone’s mind where we stand. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
I testify to you that God lives. He is our Heavenly Father, and he really does love us. We are his spirit children. When we sing our beloved hymn, I Am a Child of God, we bear testimony to this grand truth.
Jesus Christ also loves us with a perfect love, for the same reason his Father does. Look at what he has done for us. I know that the Savior’s atoning sacrifice was done out of love for us. I truly stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me.
Jacob counseled us to “feast upon God’s love.” (Jac. 3:2) Feasting is not just nibbling a little here and there. When we feast, we indulge ourselves.
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A story is told of a man who wanted to see heaven and hell. The Lord led the man to two doors. He opened one of the doors, and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large pot filled with stew, which smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water.
The people who sat around the table were very thin and unhealthy. They seemed to be starving. They were holding spoons with long handles that were strapped to their arms. They were able to reach into the pot and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons up to their mouths.
The man shook at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, “You have seen hell.”
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first room. There was the large round table with the large pot filled with stew that made the man’s mouth water. The people had the same long-handled spoons strapped to their arms, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The man said, “I don’t understand!”
“It is simple,” said the Lord. “It requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.”
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Paul, writing to the Romans, said: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
“Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:35, 38-39.)
Not even our own disobedience can separate us from the love of God. I have been struck by the number of times Isaiah repeated the Lord’s words: “for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” In spite of weakness, in spite of our failings, our Heavenly Father continues to love us. John reminded us that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (Jn. 3:16.)
Our quest is to become like our Savior so that we can return to our Heavenly Father and live with him again. President McKay taught: “No man can sincerely resolve to apply to his daily life the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his own nature.”
Discipleship is a result of spiritual training. We need to train spiritually in order to achieve our eternal goals. “We believe that through living the gospel of Jesus Christ we can become like our Savior, who is perfect. … And even the most humble person can take hope in the invitation to become like the Savior.” (Pres. Eyring)
In the end, that is all that matters. In the final judgment, it will not matter if I am republican or democrat, Mac or PC, Pacific or San Bernardino, Cougar or Ute, chocolate, strawberry or vanilla. What will matter is if we chose to follow Christ and were true to our covenants.
A scribe asked Jesus “Which is the first commandment of all?” To which Jesus responded; “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
“And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31).
So there are two main commandments that we must keep: to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. All other commandments fall within these two categories. That makes it much simpler for us to keep track of. “Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.” (Pres. Uchtdorf)
President Eyring said: “Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is the love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey him.”
So the first great commandment is to love God, completely and totally.
President Uchtdorf told us in Conference: “We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness---not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him.”
I hope that we will all be known as a people who love God and follow Him.
Now, I believe that the most difficult commandment we have been given is the commandment to love our neighbor. It is usually pretty easy to love those who love us; it is usually easy to return love to those who show love. But we are expected to love as Christ loved. In order to be like Jesus, we must develop charity, the pure love of Christ, for everyone.
But what about the guy who cuts you off on the freeway, or the person who fails to pay his bill, or the one who says something hurtful to you or about you? Do we really have to love them, too? I’m afraid so.
“Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.
“Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of being a basher repulsive.
“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.
“None of us need one more person bashing us or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have the patience to teach us, who believe in us, and who believe we’re trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other?” (Marvin J. Ashton, Apr 92).
Christ told us to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.” (3 Ne. 12:44.) That is where we really become like the Savior and love as he loved. That is probably the most difficult thing he asks of us.
John told us: “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” (1 Jn. 2:9-10.)
One of Satan’s best strategies to slow our progress in the latter days is to stir up hatred among the children of men. He knows that if he can get us to criticize each other, or to make fun, or just be unkind, he can win the battle.
Why is this? The minute that we pick on each other, find fault, bash, undermine, humiliate or taunt someone, we have been neutralized spiritually. While this may not be a grievous sin, what it means is that whenever we refuse to show love and kindness, we are laying aside a part of the armor of God, and we become vulnerable to more serious attacks by the devil. The Spirit of the Lord cannot dwell where there is contention, bickering, judging or any kind of bashing.
It is interesting that the first principles the Lord taught his newly called Apostles centered on how we treat each other, and when he visited the Nephites on this continent, his message was much the same. This should tell us something. Could it be that the way we treat each other is the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
As a matter of fact, yes it is! The way we treat members of our families, our friends, and our brothers and sisters in the church is as important as some of the more noticeable gospel principles that seem to get more attention.
“By this shall all men know that ye are [Christ’s] disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)
I don’t want to stumble, but sometimes I do. I don’t really hate anyone; although there are people whom I just don’t like. So how do we show love for our neighbor?
First of all, we must remember that this love is a gift from God. In each of the three instances where the gifts of the Spirit are discussed (1 Co. 12, Mni. 10, and D&C 46), a discussion of charity accompanies it in a nearby chapter. We cannot develop charity, or brotherly love, or whatever we choose to call it, without the Lord’s assistance. It is the most important gift of the Spirit.
Moroni told us to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love ...” (Mni. 7:48.) It takes a conscious effort to become charitable. In fact, it takes years of conscious effort.
We learn from Enos that until we have personal conversion and remission of our sins, and have love for those who love us, we cannot develop love and concern for our enemies. We must take it a step at a time.
We should be motivated by the words of the Savior in Matthew 25: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” But, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” (Matt. 25:40)
Heavenly Father has offered us the family as the ideal setting in which we can learn to love as he loves. That is where we start. Love is present at the beginning of each family. That’s why we pair off to form families.
The greatest joys and sorrows in our lives come from our family experiences. What can we do to increase the love in our families?
Remember the counsel from President Poulsen. He asked us to get on our knees every morning and pray for an increased capacity to love those for whom we are responsible. My first stewardship is for my wife and then for my children.
In Conference, President Eyring gave similar counsel to husbands and wives. “Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion.” What would that do for our marriages if each of us followed that counsel?
As parents, we need to love our children, and to persist in loving them. Even when they are at their least lovable. Paul said “fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.” Even when they try our patience, we must continue to love them. Try to understand them. One of Covey’s principles is “Seek first to understand; then to be understood.” Often it is through listening without judgment that our youth feel our love.
Mother Teresa said: “If you want to encourage world peace, show love to your children.”
And we must remember that the pattern of love we establish in our homes will be copied in our children’s homes. Never, ever forget to express your love to your children. They need to know by word and by action that you love them.
Children, you need to love your parents. Sometimes we are not lovable. We have many worries about work and paying the bills and other things. Sometimes we bring them home with us and that makes us grumpy. That doesn’t mean we are upset with you.
But don’t forget to tell your parents you love them. Sometimes when I had a bad day at work and my little daughter gave me a hug and a kiss, it made everything seem better. That’s an incredible power you children have!
And make sure that you love your brothers and sisters, too. Sometimes that is a real challenge, but they should be your best friends when you’re growing up. My brother and sisters never call me, and sometimes that makes me wonder if I was a bad brother. Just remember what John said: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
“And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 Jn. 4:20-21.)
Of course, the Lord doesn’t want us to stop at home. He has asked us to “press forward with . . . a love of God and of all men . . .” (2 Ne. 31:20.)
The best way to show our love for others is by serving them. Our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson is a great example of that. He learned to serve at an early age, and has lived his life cheerfully serving others. In Conference, President Monson posed the question “what did you do for someone today?”
He said that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. You may recall a few years ago, President Monson was asked what he would consider the ideal gift that members of the church could give him for his birthday. He responded “Find someone who is having a hard time, or is ill or lonely, and do something for him or her.”
We would all do well to follow his example.
In Moroni 7 we read a description of charity: “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Mni. 7:45.)
To me, that is a difficult list. I cannot do that on my own. The Holy Ghost will help me to develop these characteristics if I seek to develop them.
As we seek to develop charity in our own lives, we would do well to note the words of the prophets in the scriptures.
Isaiah said: “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isa. 1:17.)
James said: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keep himself unspotted from the world.” (Jas. 1:27.)
Peter said: “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:8.) I wouldn’t mind my multitude of sins being covered.
The Savior told Joseph Smith to: “Clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.” D&C 88:125.)
King Benjamin offered us some instruction on charity: “But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
“And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
“But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
“For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?”(Msh. 4:15-19.)
Charity is more than love: it is everlasting love, perfect love, the pure love of Christ which endureth forever. It is love so centered in righteousness that the possessor has no aim or desire except for the eternal welfare of his own soul and the souls of those around him.
Charity is an essential qualification for the ministers of Christ. (See D&C 4.)
This love is the only force that can bring about world peace. Armies will not. Advanced armaments will not. Negotiations will not. Wealth will not. Only charity can bridge the divides that separate so many factions in the world today.
This can only happen as we spread the gospel in all the world and see changes in lives and societies as individuals and families accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and accept his atonement and make the needed changes in their lives.
Charity is also an essential part of creating a Zion society. Without charity, without the love and forgiveness that accompany it, we cannot hope to achieve the unity and enjoy the blessings that accompany Zion.
President Hinckley said: “As we look with love to him, as we serve with an eye single to his glory, there will go from us the darkness of sin, the darkness of selfishness, the darkness of pride. There will come an increased love for our Eternal Father and for his Beloved Son, our Savior and our Redeemer. There will come a greater sense of service toward our fellowmen---a little less of thinking of our own selfish pursuits, a little more reaching out to others. And in our own individual lives . . . there will be a higher power on whom we can call for help and direction.”
So you see, this one principle, learning to love as the Savior loved, will bless all areas of our lives as we strive to live by it. It will bring us more joy than any other principle.
I testify to you again that our Heavenly Father lives, that he loves us. Considering all he has given us, and all he has promised us, he asks for very little in return. Jesus Christ is His Son. He truly atoned for our sins, so that we may choose to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence.
I testify that he restored his gospel to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that there is a living prophet on earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I know that he was chosen of the Lord to lead us at this time.
I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. How I love the scriptures! I know that we can rely on the promises made by our Heavenly Father as we obey his commandments.
I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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