Of One Heart and One Mind

In his most recent general conference talk, Elder Quentin L. Cook emphasized the inclusiveness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “The Lord’s saving mercy is not dependent on lineage, education, economic status, or race. It is based on being one with Christ and His commandments…. The requirements for baptism, while profound, are uniquely simple. They primarily include humility before God, a broken heart and contrite spirit, repenting of all sins, taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ, enduring to the end, and showing by our works that we have received of the Spirit of Christ. It is significant that all the qualifications for baptism are spiritual. No economic or social attainment is necessary. The poor and the rich have the same spiritual requirements. There are no race, gender, or ethnicity requirements.” Indeed, this is exactly what we see in the temple where all people, rich or poor, wear the same clothing and have the same privileges. President Nelson put it this way: “Within the temple, all are dressed in spotless white to remind us that God is to have a pure people. Nationality, language, or position in the Church are of secondary significance. In that democracy of dress, all sit side by side and are considered equal in the eyes of our Maker.” Our possessions or educational status or worldly prominence make no difference—we all sit together in the temple, learning and worshipping the Lord, as equals. All have the same opportunity to make covenants with the Lord there.     

Elder Cook continued, “The Book of Mormon makes it clear that all are invited to partake of the Lord’s goodness, ‘black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.’ ‘All men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.’” Rather than emphasizing our differences, as the world often tries to do, we should seek to be united in Christ and His word. Some of the Lord’s final teachings to His apostles—who at times had shown competition amongst themselves—included an earnest plea that they be one in Him. He prayed to the Father, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:21-23). Of course, this does not mean that we all need to act the same or think the same or like the same things, but rather that we should join together with faith in Him despite the differences that we may have. If Christ unites us, He is more important than everything else that might differentiate us.    

Elder Cook gave us a particular warning about how competition can drive us apart: “In this extremely competitive world, there is a constant effort to excel. Striving to be the best we can be is a righteous and worthwhile endeavor. It is consistent with the Lord’s doctrine. Efforts to diminish or deprecate others or create barriers to their success are contrary to the Lord’s doctrine. We cannot blame circumstances or others for a decision to act contrary to God’s commandments. In today’s world, it is easy to focus on material and occupational success. Some lose sight of eternal principles and choices that have eternal significance. We would be wise to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to ‘think celestial.’” It is so easy to forget that we are all brothers and sisters and equals in the site of God when our daily lives are filled with competition and opportunities to excel. But what matters most is not how much we excel in our worldly pursuits, even worthy ones: “Please understand I am not advocating less interest in education or occupation. What I am saying is that when efforts relating to education and occupation are elevated above the family or being one with Christ, the unintended consequences can be significantly adverse.” To build up Zion should be our goal, so that one day it may be said of us as it was said of Enoch’s people of old: “And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18).