“The Gift of Charity,” Liahona, Dec. 2024.
Come, Follow Me
The Gift of Charity
The pure love of Christ can transform our lives as we seek this precious gift.
We have been invited to become like our Savior, Jesus Christ. He said, “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27). As we strive to become more like Him, we must seek charity even in the most challenging of times.
Moroni, the last Nephite prophet, had lived through “exceedingly fierce” wars and witnessed the entire destruction of his people. With his enemies vowing to destroy all who would not deny Jesus Christ, Moroni wandered alone “for the safety of [his] own life” (Moroni 1:2–3).
In this tragic situation, Moroni wrote “a few more things,” hoping it would “be of worth … in some future day” (Moroni 1:4). He included “the words of [his] father Mormon,” who taught that we “must needs have charity; for if [we] have not charity [we are] nothing.” “Charity is the pure love of Christ,” Mormon continued, “and it endureth forever” (Moroni 7:1, 44, 47).
Charity is a gift we receive as we “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ” (Moroni 7:48).
As another testament of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon beautifully testifies of the pure love of Christ and teaches how we can attain the gift of charity in our lives.
Christ’s Love for Us
From Mormon’s teachings, we learn that charity is inseparably connected to the Savior. The ultimate expression of charity is the love that comes from Jesus Christ through His atoning sacrifice.
Speaking to the Savior, Moroni said:
“I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world. …
“And now I know that this love which thou hast … is charity” (Ether 12:33–34).
At the start of His ministry in the Book of Mormon, the resurrected Savior invited the people to come and feel the mark in His side and the prints of the nails in His hands and feet so they would know Him and what He had done out of pure love for all the world (see 3 Nephi 11:14–15).
Christ’s love never fails. Mormon taught that we should “cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all” (Moroni 7:46). President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has assured us that “only the pure love of Christ will see us through. It is Christ’s love which suffereth long, and is kind. It is Christ’s love which is not puffed up nor easily provoked. Only his pure love enables him—and us—to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things. [See Moroni 7:45.]”
One way we receive this gift of charity is by following the Savior’s teaching to “repent … and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved” (Moroni 7:34).
Our Love for Christ
After hearing King Benjamin speak of Jesus Christ, his people experienced “a mighty change … in [their] hearts” and had “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2).
This change, possible only through Jesus Christ and His Atonement, creates in us a heart filled with love for Christ. This love is more than just appreciation, affection, or admiration. If we truly love Christ, we will give all our hearts to Him.
When King Lamoni’s father heard the gospel, he desired to receive the Spirit and to have eternal life. “Behold,” he said, “I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy” (Alma 22:15). In prayer, he told the Lord, “I will give away all my sins to know thee” (Alma 22:18).
Others in the Book of Mormon showed this love for Christ. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies “laid down the weapons of their rebellion” (Alma 23:13) and buried them “deep in the earth” (Alma 24:17). They covenanted that they “never would use [their] weapons again,” and “rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives” (Alma 24:18). They were so completely converted that they “never did fall away” (Alma 23:6).
We show our love for Christ by keeping His commandments, receiving ordinances of salvation and exaltation, making and honoring covenants, and living as His disciples. Our love for Him influences everything we do.
The Good Samaritan, by Walter Rane
Our Love for One Another
In addition to feeling love from Christ and for Christ, we should strive to have charity, or Christlike love, for one another.
Enos prayed all day and night for a remission of his sins. After he was forgiven and filled with the Savior’s love, he poured out his whole soul in prayer on behalf of his people—and his enemies (see Enos 1:4–12). Filled with charity, the sons of Mosiah also “were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish” (Mosiah 28:3).
Charity elevates the way we view and treat others. President Russell M. Nelson has taught: “Charity propels us ‘to bear one another’s burdens’ [Mosiah 18:8] rather than heap burdens upon each other. The pure love of Christ allows us ‘to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things’ [Mosiah 18:9]—especially in tense situations.”
When Nephi’s brothers bound his hands and feet with cords, intending to leave him to die in the wilderness, Nephi prayed for help and the Lord delivered him (see 1 Nephi 7:16–18). Instead of seeking revenge on his brothers, as the natural man would, Nephi exemplified how charity “suffereth long” (Moroni 7:45) by “frankly [forgiving] them all that they had done” (see 1 Nephi 7:21).
If everyone had the gift of charity, we would realize what the people in the Book of Mormon experienced after the Savior visited them, taught them, and established His Church among them: “There was no contention … because of the love of God which did dwell in [their] hearts” (4 Nephi 1:15).
A Most Precious Gift
When Nephi heard his father speak about his vision of the tree of life, Nephi said he “was desirous … that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (1 Nephi 10:17). Nephi was blessed to learn more about charity when he beheld the tree of life, which represents the love of God—“the most desirable above all things” and “the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11: 22, 23).
Nephi later wrote:
“Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men” (2 Nephi 31:20; emphasis added).
One day we will stand before the Savior. In that day, if we have gained an accurate view of His character, attributes, and role as our Redeemer, “we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (Moroni 7:48). The brother of Jared experienced this as he stood before Jesus Christ, who said, “Never have I showed myself unto man … , for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image?” (Ether 3:15).
Because of Jesus Christ, “we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure” (Moroni 7:48). It is impossible for us to achieve this alone. Charity is given to us as a gift from Him, and if we are “found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with [us]” (Moroni 7:47).
I testify that the gift of charity has the power to transform human existence if we will let it. May we pray with all the energy of our hearts to receive the Savior’s pure love for us, grow in our love for Him, and, as His true followers, share this most precious gift with others.