Our Greatest Joy

A few years ago President Nelson spoke in general conference about our efforts to live the second great commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39). As he highlighted efforts of members of the Church to help their brothers and sisters he said this: “Regardless of where we call home, members of the Church feel passionately about the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Thus, our greatest joy comes as we help our brothers and sisters, no matter where we live in this wonderful world. Giving help to others—making a conscientious effort to care about others as much as or more than we care about ourselves—is our joy. Especially, I might add, when it is not convenient and when it takes us out of our comfort zone.” To become true disciples of the Savior, we must seek to love and serve and help those who are in need close at hand and far away. The Lord said it this way in a modern revelation: “And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple” (Doctrine and Covenants 52:40). That is strong language but consistent with what He taught His apostles shortly before His death: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). The most important indication of our discipleship is the love we show towards one another, whether family or friend or enemy or stranger.

President Nelson also said this: “Latter-day Saints, as with other followers of Jesus Christ, are always looking for ways to help, to lift, and to love others. They who are willing to be called the Lord’s people ‘are willing to bear one another’s burdens, … to mourn with those that mourn; … and [to] comfort those that stand in need of comfort.’” The Prophet Joseph Smith put it this way: “Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.” In our day when reaching across the world is easier than ever, we too should be anxious to bless all people wherever they may be. I love the image of President Monson that Elder Holland gave us in a talk about helping those in heed: “I pay a personal tribute to President Thomas Spencer Monson. I have been blessed by an association with this man for 47 years now, and the image of him I will cherish until I die is of him flying home from then–economically devastated East Germany in his house slippers because he had given away not only his second suit and his extra shirts but the very shoes from off his feet. ‘How beautiful upon the mountains [and shuffling through an airline terminal] are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace.’ More than any man I know, President Monson has ‘done all he could’ for the widow and the fatherless, the poor and the oppressed.” When we are willing to give away the literal shoes off our feet to those in need we will know we are becoming more like the Savior who commanded the rich young ruler, “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21).