Area Leadership Message
Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ Leads Us to Unity
Sometimes we ask ourselves, how can we strengthen unity among the Saints? We seek ways to be happier by sharing common beliefs with others. The Book of Mormon in 4 Nephi provides us with a model of unity: “And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.”
Another example of unity is the people of Enoch, where we read, “And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.”
In 3 Nephi 11, we learn about Jesus Christ ministering to the inhabitants of the Americas, an extraordinary experience that must have been very special for anyone, whether in ancient times or today. He taught them how to improve their lives and emphasized the importance of unity through the gospel to return to God’s presence through promised blessings. “Blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Here are some recommendations for nurturing unity by living the gospel and by following the teachings of Jesus Christ:
Reconcile with your Adversary
Among the principles that our Savior taught the inhabitants of the Americas is to reconcile with your brother.
“Therefore, if ye shall come into me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee—
“Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.
“Agree with thine adversary quickly.”
If we want to have pure hearts, we must forgive and seek forgiveness. In this way, we demonstrate how united we want to be with our Heavenly Father and how much we desire to be a united people as well. This, my brothers and sisters, includes being united with our family, friends, brothers, and Church leaders.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
“But if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Do Not Judge So You Will Not be Judged
“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
In what way could we have pure hearts, as the Savior asks us if we judge our neighbor all the time? Only God, who knows the heart of each person, can make definitive judgments about people. We should not judge any human being; we must be very careful in forming opinions about others. All our judgments must be guided by principles of righteousness.
In many important decisions, we will need to form judgments about people, such as when choosing friends, choosing our eternal partner, and making other important decisions in our lives. Let’s use our agency wisely in making these types of decisions and forming judgments about something or someone. Remember Christ’s counsel in 3 Nephi 14:5, “First cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
Renew Sacrament Covenants
“And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.”
What a great opportunity we have to renew our covenants with our Heavenly Father (and Jesus Christ) each Sunday and have the promise that the Holy Spirit will be with us! As we worthily partake of the sacrament, we are building our testimonies on a rock foundation, making our hearts purer every day, and we will not be building on a sandy foundation where, when the rain falls, the torrents come, and the winds blow, we can fall.
Living on the Covenant Path
By taking the sacrament worthily, we see how Heavenly Father blesses us with the Holy Spirit’s guidance to faithfully follow the Savior’s covenant path in our daily lives. Our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, declared:
“Your commitment to follow the Savior in making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere. . . .
“The ordinances of the temple and the covenants you make there are key to strengthening your life, your marriage and family, and your ability to resist the attacks of the adversary. Your worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with greater personal revelation and peace and will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path.”
My family went to the temple 45 years ago. My parents made covenants, and then our family was sealed in the Washington D.C. Temple. I was almost 2 years old at the time, so I do not remember what happened there, but I remember many other things after. I remember watching my parents strive to live and persevere on the covenant path, making our home a piece of heaven. I watched them fulfill their Church callings and take care of their children so that we would not stray from the covenant path. I learned many of the things about being successful in my callings from my father. I watched how he ministered to the brothers, how they came to our home seeking help, and how he loved them, just as my mother did with the sisters.
Because they stayed on the covenant path and persevered, they and their family received blessings. Their three children served full-time missions, have been sealed to their families in the temple, and have seen blessings and the fruit of their efforts. Although it takes a little work, the rewards of living on the covenant path can be seen, as it happened with the inhabitants of ancient America who “taught, and did minister one to another; and they had all things common among them, every man dealing justly, one with another.”
Let us begin to see unity within the walls of our own homes. Let us make our home a little piece of heaven and let our pure hearts lead us to unity with one another, which is what the gospel of Jesus Christ does in our lives. The Lord asks us and tells us, “What manner of men ought ye to be? . . . even as I am.”
My beloved brothers and sisters, this is not just an invitation; it is what the Lord expects of us.
I know that our Savior, Jesus Christ, loves us, that this is His Church, and that if we live on the covenant path, we will see the fruits of unity and become individuals and families with pure hearts.