If Ye Have Love One To Another

Brother Steven J. Lund told a story about President Nelson in a podcast recently. He related, “When we were mission leaders in Georgia, President Nelson was then Elder Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the 12, came and visited our mission on a mission tour and stayed in our mission home. He got in late one night and the next morning Kalleen got up really early and she made this amazing breakfast. This big carafe of orange juice filled with crushed ice. We all come down to eat. He comes and sits down and we’re waiting. Our little 14-year-old Kelsey is upstairs and she’s late. She can’t find something. Finally, so we’re a little impatient. We got an apostle at the table and finally we hear her clumping down the stairs and she runs around the corner and the carpet slides under her feet and she comes around the corner, sits down. And so I’m so sorry I couldn’t find my something scrunchie or whatever. And then she reaches for the pancakes when this happens and her elbow hits that two liters of orange juice filled with crushed ice and then time slowed down as we watched this pitcher slowly turn over and empty itself, two liters right into the icy lap of Russell Marion Nelson.” Most of us would be quite annoyed and even very upset at having our suit and body made suddenly dirty by the carelessness of another like that. How uncomfortable that situation must have been for the Lunds!

Brother Lund then related what President Nelson did in that moment with orange juice all over his lap: “He jumps up and he says, well that was refreshing. I’ll be right back. And he goes in the other room to change clothes…. A few minutes later he’s changed and he comes back into the room and we’re trying to figure out a little transition speech. Kelsey in the meantime is sitting in there demolished. He walks right past us and he sits down in the chair next to Kelsey and says, as he comes in, he says, Kelsey, I am so sorry. I forgot, while I’m in there, I’m remembering tomorrow is your birthday and I knew this and I brought you a birthday present and I was going to give it to you this morning at breakfast because I’m not going to be here tomorrow morning for your birthday. So here it is. And he reached in his pocket and he pulled out a crisp $2 bill and he hands her this $2 bill.” He then expressed his love for this girl who had just spilled orange juice all over him. What an incredible story and a powerful example of how we can choose to love when we might be tempted to be angry. President Nelson accomplished incredible things in his career as it relates to the heart and open-heart surgery, but I believe he will be remembered far more for the love he had and the way he served than for his brilliant achievements. In the end it is how we treat others that matters more anything else. This is what Jesus wanted His true followers to be known for: “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). The sign of our discipleship is the love we have for one another.

            After his incredible discourse on the priesthood, the premortal existence, Melchizedek, sanctification, and the Son of God, Alma said this to the people of Ammonihah: “But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering; Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest” (Alma 13:28-29). This is the bottom line, the “so what” of priesthood and the most profound principles of the gospel: we need to be filled with love. As Mormon so powerfully put it, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him” (Moroni 7:46-47). We may not develop the heart-lung machine or lead an organization with millions of members or travel the world inspiring people with our words like President Nelson, but we can love like he did in that story. As Mother Teresa said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” Most of us will not do great things in our lives as measured by the worldly annals of history, but we can show great love to all those whom God puts in our path.