Proclaim Peace

In the most recent general conference Elder Stevenson spoke about becoming peacemakers. He invited us to seek to be a peacemaker in three ways. He said, “Today, peacemaking still begins in the most basic place—in our hearts. Then in homes and families. As we practice there, peacemaking will spread into our neighborhoods and communities.” Though the world would typically think of peace as the absence of war between nations, at the most basic level peace can be found as individuals between each of us and God. The Savior said this, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Peace starts in our hearts through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. As we find peace through Him individually, we can help our families to do the same. Through a story he gave us a key to how we can do that. He told this of a particular family: “Children in this family were struggling in their relationship with an adult whose demeanor was often grumpy, condescending, and curt. The children, hurt and frustrated, began to wonder if the only way forward was to mirror that same mean-spirited behavior.” They decided to try an experiment: “Instead of responding with silence or retaliation, the children would do something unexpected: they would respond with kindness. Not just polite restraint but a deliberate, heartfelt outpouring of kind words and thoughtful deeds, no matter how they were treated in return. All agreed to try it for a set time, after which they’d regroup and reflect.” He told of the miracle that ensued, “The cold exchanges began to thaw. Smiles replaced scowls. The adult, once distant and harsh, began to change. The children, empowered by their choice to lead with love, found joy in the transformation. The change was so profound that the planned follow-up meeting was never needed. Kindness had done its quiet work.” To find peace in our homes we must seek to respond in all situations with that same kindness, something that is much easier said than done. But this is exactly how the Savior asked us to interact with others: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).  

After we find peace individually and in our families, we can help our communities to do likewise. Elder Stevenson told two of religious leaders in Nigeria who are seeking to be peacemakers in the midst of violence: “Several years ago, two men—a Muslim imam and a Christian pastor from Nigeria—stood on opposite sides of a painful religious divide. Each had suffered deeply. And yet, through the healing power of forgiveness, they chose to walk a path together. Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye became friends and unlikely partners in peace. Together they established a center for interfaith mediation. They now teach others to replace hatred with hope…. These former enemies now travel side by side rebuilding what was broken, living witnesses that the Savior’s invitation to be peacemakers is not only possible—it is powerful.” I looked up more information about these two people and found this description: “In 1992, violent interreligious conflict broke out in Kaduna State. Christians and Muslims fought each other in the marketplace, destroying each others’ crops and attacking each others’ families. Both the Imam and the Pastor were drawn into the fighting, and both paid a heavy price for their involvement — Imam Ashafa with the loss of two brothers and his teacher, Pastor James with the loss of his hand.” They originally wanted revenge on each other, but a mutual friend said to them, “The two of you can pull this nation together, or you can destroy it. Do something.” So gradually they set aside their differences to work together for the peace of their communities, forming the Interfaith Mediation Centre to mediate between Muslims and Christians in their country. They showed that to sue for peace is more powerful than violence. They learned to heed this invitation of the Savior in our dispensation: “Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:16). We can all strive to “proclaim peace” through our actions at home and in our communities as we respond with kindness and encourage others to “replace hatred with hope.”