Pray With All the Energy of Heart

We were all saddened to hear yesterday that President Nelson will not be at general conference this weekend. He posted, “This weekend, however, I will be watching general conference through technology just as most of you will. Three weeks ago, I fell and injured the muscles in my lower back. This episode has reminded me of the reality that things sometimes change quickly in our lives.” President Nelson did give us these words of encouragement for conference: “I pray that each of us, wherever we may be, will approach this sacred weekend with our hearts full of gratitude for the privilege of hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed by His servants. May this general conference be a time of joy and spiritual rejuvenation for you. I know that it will be for me!” He will certainly be missed, and we hope that he will still hear a recorded message from him. I am indeed grateful for the opportunity that we have to watch general conference and to hear messages of faith and instruction as we continue to try to overcome the world in our own lives. Many years ago, when my oldest daughter was about four, I remember taking a walk in our neighborhood in Maryland between conference sessions with her. With great enthusiasm, she exclaimed to more than one person that we passed, “We’re watching general conference!” Not having a clue what she was talking about, we got some strange looks as I tried to give some small explanation for her words. I hope that I can maintain the level of excitement she had that day for the opportunity to hear the word of the Lord from His servants this weekend.

            Listening again to President Nelson’s messages from the April conference of this year today, though, reminds me that I still have plenty to work on to try to apply those teachings to my life. He encouraged us to rid ourselves of contention and become peacemakers. With that he taught, “Charity is the antidote to contention. Charity is the spiritual gift that helps us to cast off the natural man, who is selfish, defensive, prideful, and jealous. Charity is the principal characteristic of a true follower of Jesus Christ. Charity defines a peacemaker. When we humble ourselves before God and pray with all the energy of our hearts, God will grant us charity.” He of course was quoting from Mormon who taught that the way to obtain charity is through intense seeking and prayer. Mormon taught those trying to follow the Savior in his day, “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” (Moroni 7:48). This is what President Nelson was seeking to teach us in that talk: if we want to be a true follower of the Savior, we must have charity. As He taught His apostles shortly before His death, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). Our defining characteristic as members of the Church should be the love that we show and feel for others, especially in this contentious time in our society. President Nelson continued, “Brothers and sisters, the pure love of Christ is the answer to the contention that ails us today. Charity propels us ‘to bear one another’s burdens’ 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’—especially in tense situations. Charity allows us to demonstrate how men and women of Christ speak and act—especially when under fire.” I know that I have a long way to go in personally developing charity, but I pray that the “Comforter [which] filleth with hope and perfect love” will accompany the messages of this conference and help us all to take one step closer to developing that love