Week Nine Focus – Service

Since the days of Adam, God has admonished his people to watch over and care for one another. Cain was admonished in part because he did not see himself as his brother’s keeper.
The Savior taught His disciples to strengthen each other and to feed His sheep and in this last dispensation we are encouraged in D&C 81:5 to, ‘succor the weak, lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

For a good share of my life I’ve pondered on the question, “What is Charity?” My studies have taught me that Charity is actually a gift from God that is bestowed upon us when we have done all that we can do to be our brothers keeper. There is much more to being a charitable person than we may realize. I haven’t achieved it yet, but I pray for it.
1 Cor. 13:3 states:
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
I would have thought that giving all your goods to the poor would be charity. What’s lacking?

Charity is an attitude rather than simply a description of action.
In 1 Cor. 13:4-7 we read:
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

"Above all the attributes of godliness and perfection, charity is the one most devoutly to be desired. Charity is more than love, far more; 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 for the souls of those around him." (Bruce R McConkie,Mormon Doctrine, p121)

Since charity, according to Moroni is the pure love of Christ, we should not be surprised to find that Jesus embodied all the characteristics of charity.
His mortal ministry alone stands as a testimony that He suffered long, and was kind;
He envied not; He vaunted not himself, was not puffed up,
He did not behave himself unseemly, He was always tactful, well mannered and modest.
He sought not his own, He was not interested in praise or reward, in fact many times after He performed a miracle He said, ‘Tell no man.’
He was not easily provoked, thought no evil; if He would have had one bad thought the plan of salvation would have been frustrated.
He rejoiced not in iniquity, but rejoiced in the truth;
He bore all things, believed all things, hoped all things, endured all things.
As Nephi declared, ‘wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.’ (1 Ne. 19:9).
Then Jesus said, ‘Ye shall do the work which ye see me do.’

Christ was the epitome of charity. I hope at some point in my life I might achieve it but I think I’m running out of time. Let’s help one another!

As women in Zion, ours is the task of shepherding, of ministering, of nourishing and nurturing, of being instruments of the Saviors love.

Let’s pray to have a heart filled with charity. If we have the pure love of Christ in our hearts we will be inspired to see the needs of those around us and know what we need to do to meet those needs.
The Savior is our exemplar in living these principles. He taught and blessed and forgave and healed individuals, according to their specific needs.

We have a stewardship over those on our visiting teaching beats and in our various callings, but charity does not end there, it should permeate our lives and our relationships with everyone that we come in contact with. It should be there when we are in heavy traffic, or in a long line at the grocery store. It should be there when we are judged unfairly or when we begin to have feelings that there is nothing left in us to give.

The Savior was effective in blessing individual lives because He loved them unconditionally.

If we are filled with charity we will see beauty and goodness in everyone we associate with no matter where they stand in relation to perfection or maturity or station in life.

The Scriptures tell us that ‘charity NEVER faileth.’

Spencer W. Kimball:
There may be someone who will say, ‘Well, we know a man or a woman who can never be touched.’ Of course he or she can be touched. He or she can always be blessed and helped! There is the promise of scripture. It reads, ‘Charity never faileth.’ (1 Cor. 13:8.) Never! Charity, applied long enough, never fails to work its miracle either in the individual, in us, in both of us, or in others around the individual.” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Helping Others Obtain the Promises of the Lord,” Ensign, June 1983, 5)

When Joseph Smith organized the Relief Society he said, "I now turn the key in behalf of ALL women. This society is organized,’according to your natures...You are now placed in a situation in which you can act according to those sympathies within you. If you live to these privileges..... the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates. If this society listen to the counsel of the almighty through the heads of the Church, they shall have power to command queens in their midst..."

The Father and the Son set us the ultimate example in showing us how to love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son."
It has been said that it wasn’t nails that held the Savior to the cross but His love for all mankind.
Moroni prayed, ‘And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity’ (Ether 12:33-34).

It is our responsibility to develop charity in our own lives
Moroni 7: 47-48
But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

We need to help each other, to unitedly seek for the pure love of Christ and strive to become all that Heavenly Father wants us to be, both individually and collectively.

Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, said of the Relief Society:
‘This institution is a good one.....We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another, and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in heaven together."
I pray for and look forward to that day.

This week our focus is on serving those around us. Let’s pray each day that our hearts will be filled with charity and specifically ask to be led to where we can be windows to the Savior's love, to those who need to feel His love in their lives, but perhaps most of all let’s work on developing a heart “so centered in righteousness that the possessor has no aim or desire except for the eternal welfare of his own soul and for the souls of those around him." (BRM)

Two of the greatest blessings that come to us from developing the gift of charity, this pure love of Christ, are perfectness and peace.

D&C 88:125
And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

Each day this week ask Heavenly Father to bless you with an opportunity to serve. Watch the miracles happen and record them in your journal.