Digital Only
How Can We “Be One” in the Lord’s Way?
I want the safety that comes with being unified in Christ.
Do you, like me, ever wonder, “How can I feel more joy in my life?”
While there are many things that bring joy, I’ve recently been moved by a statement by President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: “Joy comes when we are blessed with unity.” Since the days of Adam and Eve, God’s children have sought to become more unified with Him and each other, while Satan has sought to destroy unity.
I have had many experiences over the years where I have experienced the joy of unity and the pain of disunity. I find great hope that, as President Eyring said: “As we pray and work for it in the Lord’s way[,] … our hearts will be knit together in unity. God has promised that blessing to His faithful Saints whatever their differences in background and whatever conflict rages around them.”
So, how can we “be one” in the way the Lord has commanded (Doctrine and Covenants 38:27)? Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught us three ways: “We will become of one heart and one mind as we individually place the Savior at the center of our lives and follow those He has commissioned to lead us. We can unite … in love and concern for one another.”
Here’s how I’m working to live those truths in my own life:
Placing the Savior at the Center of My Life
In John 17, the Savior pleads with the Father for us in His Intercessory Prayer: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21). The word Atonement (at-one-ment) literally means “to make one,” or to reconcile. I marvel that the Savior desires our unity with Him and Heavenly Father so much that He was willing to bleed from every pore to make it possible.
It makes sense to me that I would want to be one with Them. However, it astonishes me that They would want to be one with me. And yet, the Holy Ghost has witnessed to me many times that They do.
My unity with Them is the greatest source of joy and safety in my life. This unity invites the guiding, protecting, and sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost more fully in my life. I pray each morning that the Holy Ghost will be with me and work through me that day. I really try to place Jesus Christ at the center of my life and hear Him.
Do I do it perfectly? Heavens, no! But do I strive every day? Absolutely! We may all have different needs and circumstances, but the Spirit will guide us as we strive to follow the Savior’s teachings and example each day.
No matter what I try, I am motivated by knowing that Christ pleads for each one of us to become one with Him and Heavenly Father.
Following Those Whom Jesus Christ Has Commissioned to Lead Me
As I have become better at placing the Savior at the center of my life, I have noticed that my ability to be unified with His chosen prophets has increased, and the Spirit has testified to me that they have been commissioned to lead me. The word “commission” means “authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another.”
Mosiah 18 is a beautiful example of people finding unity with God by following prophets. Alma the Elder had recently been converted after receiving Abinadi’s message. He then began teaching people who were willing to go through a land that was “infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts” (Mosiah 18:4) to learn of God and His perfect plan for them.
The followers of Alma in this account help us understand that while sometimes it may feel like we travel through difficult circumstances to follow our leaders (see Matthew 5:10), there is safety in being unified with God’s prophets because they will always lead us to Jesus Christ. As the people received truth and made covenants with God, “their hearts [were] knit together in unity and in love one towards another” (Mosiah 18:21).
Because of the gift of technology, prophets have been great companions to me—especially in my loneliness. I have listened to their messages repeatedly as I’ve mowed my lawn, cleaned my house, shoveled snow, and gone for walks. Their hearts and voices are familiar to me.
And even when their counsel has been hard for me, they have helped me place the Savior at the center of my life. I have greater unity with the Godhead because of those Christ has commissioned to lead me.
Uniting in Love and Concern for One Another
In my experience, following Jesus Christ and His prophets will always lead us to care for one another. President Eyring taught: “The joy of unity He wants so much to give us is not solitary. We must seek it and qualify for it with others.” There are so many differences among people in my everyday life that I don’t always know how to act in a way to help bring unity. And sometimes I just feel really tired, and my desire to unify isn’t very strong.
Remembering that “pride is the great enemy of unity” can help us seek the Lord’s help in developing unity. 1 Corinthians 12 has helped me recognize that every one of God’s children has different spiritual gifts and that their gifts are essential in my life. I have also learned that differences in His children make things more exciting and beautiful.
Although I know we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others, unfortunately I’m sometimes really good at comparing my weaknesses to others’ strengths. And at times, these types of feelings have kept me from developing unity with others because I judged them unrighteously (see Matthew 7:1, footnote a).
The Lord is clear that He desires to have “no schism [division or separation] in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
So I’ve asked, “What could I do to stop separating myself from others in my mind and heart?”
I have prayed to see others as Christ sees them. I have prayed to recognize the gift they had that met my need that day. And just as important, I’ve allowed myself to be grateful for it.
I then began to ask myself, “What can I learn from others who have experiences that I’ll never have?” Doing this has helped me see my family, the gas station attendant, teenagers, co-workers, and everyone around me differently and connect with them in more meaningful ways.
I have also had to rely on the strengths of others to be successful in my family, at work, in callings, or on teams. In most cases, rather than competing, we complemented and relied on one another. Our collective efforts and differences, magnified by Heavenly Father, brought miracles—miracles that could only be worked by a perfect God who is masterful at melding together desires, differences, and gifts in a way that blesses His children.
I know that my attitude and actions can either create or destroy unity. I also know that I want to create it. I want to have the safety that comes with being unified in Christ. I want to feel near to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and allow prophets to lead me to Them. And I want to help and be helped by others in my journey here in mortality.
I want to choose unity in Christ. I am confident that doing so will bring more joy!