A Good Life

In the October general conference last year Elder Christofferson suggested that sustainable societies are founded on an “exemplary devotion to the two great commandments: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind’ and ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’” He suggested that in those two scriptural accounts of righteous societies (the city of Enoch and the Nephites in 4 Nephi), “They were obedient to God in their personal lives, and they looked after one another’s physical and spiritual welfare. In the words of the Doctrine and Covenants, these were societies with ‘every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.’” The most important element of a sustainable society then is love: love for God and love for one another. And that is exactly what the Savior showed with His life—He loved God and He loved all mankind, culminating in the ultimate offering of His life doing the will of the Father and saving us. As Moroni taught and Elder Christofferson quoted, “[Jesus Christ] doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.” Jesus selflessly offered His life out of love for us to offer salvation, and at the same time He showed us that it is sacrifice and service to God and man, not worldly fame or fortune, that are the key ingredients of a meaningful life and a successful society.  

               In his talk Elder Christofferson quoted an editorial by a man named Gerard Baker who honored his 100-year-old father in these words: “While we may all want to know the secret to a long life, I often feel we’d be better off devoting more time to figuring out what makes a good life, whatever span we’re allotted…. He is from an era when life was defined primarily by duty, not by entitlement; by social responsibilities, not personal privileges. The primary animating principle throughout his century has been a sense of obligation—to family, God, country. In an era dominated by the detritus of broken families, my father was a devoted husband to his wife of 46 years, a dutiful father to six children…. My father has lived as a true, faithful Catholic, with an unshakable belief in the promises of Christ…. Without fuss or drama, without expectation of reward or even acknowledgment, [he] has got on—for a century now—with the simple duties, obligations and, ultimately, joys of living a virtuous life.” What made a “good life” for this man? It was duty to “God, family, and country”—in other words, He followed the two great commandments of loving God and His fellow man. He was satisfied with “simple duties” and serving without “reward or even acknowledgement.” Most of us will not do anything to be recognized by the world, but we can love God and man each day and humbly find joy in simple service. As Mother Teresa said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” As we remember the Savior’s ultimate act of love this season, we should remember that fulfillment in our lives will only come as we seek to emulate Him through simple devotion to God and fellow man.