In response to Sister Linda K. Burton's invitation
at April's general conference, many of you
have been involved in thoughtful and generous acts of charity
focused on meeting the needs of refugees in your local area.
From simple, one-on-one efforts to community-wide programs,
those acts are the result of love.
As you have shared your time, talents, and resources,
your--and the refugees'--hearts have been lightened.
The building of hope and faith and even greater love
between receiver and giver are inevitable results
of true charity.
The prophet Moroni tells us that charity
is an essential characteristic of those
who will live with Heavenly Father
in the celestial kingdom.
He writes, "Except ye have charity ye
can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God."
Of course, Jesus Christ is the perfect embodiment of charity.
His premortal offering to be our Savior, His interactions
throughout His mortal life, His supernal gift of the Atonement,
and His continual efforts to bring us back
to our Heavenly Father are the ultimate expressions
of charity.
He operates with a singular focus: love for His Father
expressed through His love for each of us.
When asked about the greatest commandment,
Jesus answered: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself."
One of the most significant ways we can develop and demonstrate
love for our neighbor is through being generous in our thoughts
and words.
Some years ago a cherished friend noted,
"The greatest form of charity may be to withhold judgment."
That is still true today.
Recently, as three-year-old Alyssa watched a movie
with her siblings, she remarked with a puzzled expression,
"Mom, that chicken is weird!"
Her mother looked at the screen and responded with a smile,
"Honey, that is a peacock."
Like that unknowing three-year-old,
we sometimes look at others with an incomplete or inaccurate
understanding.
We may focus on the differences and perceived flaws in those
around us, where our Heavenly Father sees
His children, created in His eternal image,
with magnificent and glorious potential.
President James E. Faust is remembered
to have said, "The older I get, the less judgmental I become."
That reminds me of the Apostle Paul's observation:
"When I was a child, I spake as a child,
I understood as a child, I thought as a child:
but when I became [older], I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I
know even as also I am known."
When we see our own imperfections more clearly,
we are less inclined to view others "through a glass,
darkly."
We want to use the light of the gospel to see others
as the Savior does--with compassion, hope, and charity.
The day will come when we will have a complete understanding
of others' hearts and will be grateful to have mercy extended
to us--just as we extend charitable thoughts and words
to others during this life.
Some years ago, I went canoeing with a group of young women.
The deep blue lakes surrounded by
green, thickly forested hills and rocky cliffs
were breathtakingly beautiful.
The water sparkled on our paddles
as we dipped them into the clear water,
and the sun shone warmly while we moved smoothly
across the lake.
However, clouds soon darkened the sky,
and a stiff wind began to blow.
To make any progress at all, we had
to dig deeply into the water, paddling without pausing
between strokes.
After a few grueling hours of backbreaking work,
we finally turned the corner on the large lake
and discovered to our amazement and delight
that the wind was blowing in the direction we wanted to go.
Quickly, we took advantage of this gift.
We pulled out a small tarp, tied two of its corners
to paddle handles and the other corners to my husband's feet,
which he stretched out over the gunwales of the canoe.
The wind billowed the improvised sail, and we were off!
When the young women in the other canoes
saw how we moved along the water with ease,
they quickly improvised sails of their own.
Our hearts were light with laughter and relief,
grateful for the respite from the challenges of the day.
How like that glorious wind can be
the sincere compliment of a friend,
the cheerful greeting of a parent,
the approving nod of a sibling, or the helpful smile
of a co-worker or classmate, all supplying
fresh "wind in our sails" as we battle the challenges of life!
President Thomas S. Monson put it
this way: "We can't direct the wind,
but we can adjust the sails.
For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment,
may we choose a positive attitude."
Words have surprising power, both to build up
and to tear down.
We can all probably remember negative words that
brought us low and other words spoken with love
that made our spirits soar.
Choosing to say only that which is positive about--and
to--others lifts and strengthens those around us and helps
others follow in the Savior's way.
As a young Primary girl, I worked diligently
to cross-stitch a simple saying, which read,
"I will bring the light of the gospel into my home."
One weekday afternoon, as we girls pulled our needles
up and down through the fabric, our teacher
told us the story of a girl who lived on a hill
on one side of a valley.
Each late afternoon, she noticed on the hill
on the opposite side of the valley
a house that had shining, golden windows.
Her own home was small and somewhat shabby,
and the girl dreamed of living in that beautiful house
with windows of gold.
One day the girl was given permission
to ride her bike across the valley.
She eagerly rode until she reached the house
with the golden windows that she had admired for so long.
But when she dismounted from her bike,
she saw that the house was abandoned and dilapidated,
with tall weeds in the yard and windows
that were plain and dirty.
Sadly, the girl turned her face toward home.
To her surprise, she saw a house with shining, golden windows
on the hill across the valley and soon
realized it was her very own home!
Sometimes, like this young girl, we
look at what others might have or be and feel
we are less in comparison.
We become focused on the Pinterest or Instagram
versions of life or caught up in our school's or workplace's
preoccupation with competition.
However, when we take a moment to "count
[our] many blessings," we see with a truer perspective
and recognize the goodness of God to all of His children.
Whether we are 8 or 108, we can bring the light of the gospel
into our own environment, be it a high-rise apartment
in Manhattan, a stilt house in Malaysia,
or a yurt in Mongolia.
We can determine to look for the good in others
and in the circumstances around us.
Young and not-so-young women everywhere
can demonstrate charity as they choose
to use words that build confidence and faith in others.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland told of a young man who was the brunt
of his peers' teasing during his school years.
Some years later he moved away, joined the military,
received an education, and became active in the Church.
This period of his life was marked
with wonderfully successful experiences.
After several years, he returned to his hometown.
However, the people refused to acknowledge his growth
and improvement.
To them, he was still just old "so-and-so,"
and they treated him that way.
Eventually this good man faded away
to a shadow of his former successful self
without being able to use his marvelously developed talents
to bless those who derided and rejected him once again.
What a loss, both for him and the community!
The Apostle Peter taught, "Above all things
have fervent charity among yourselves:
for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."
Fervent charity, meaning "wholehearted,"
is demonstrated by forgetting the mistakes and stumblings
of another rather than harboring grudges or reminding ourselves
and others of imperfections in the past.
Our obligation and privilege is to embrace improvement
in everyone as we strive to become more
like our Savior, Jesus Christ.
What a thrill it is to see light in the eyes of someone who
has come to understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ
and is making real changes in his or her life!
Missionaries who have experienced the joy of seeing
a convert enter the waters of baptism and then enter
the doors of the temple are witnesses of the blessing
of allowing--and encouraging--others to change.
Members who welcome converts who might have been considered
unlikely candidates for the kingdom
find great satisfaction in helping
them feel the love of the Lord.
The great beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ
is the reality of eternal progression:
we are not only allowed to change
for the better, but encouraged, and even commanded,
to continue in the pursuit of improvement
and, ultimately, perfection.
President Thomas S. Monson counseled:
"In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity.
...
Rather than being judgmental or critical of [one another],
may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers
in this journey through life.
May we recognize that each one is doing her [or his] best
to deal with the challenges which come [their] way, and may
we strive to do our best to help out."
Charity, in positive terms, is patient, kind, and content.
Charity puts others first, is humble, exercises self-control,
looks for good in others, and rejoices
when someone does well.
As sisters and brothers in Zion, will we commit to "all work
together, ... to do whatsoever is gentle and human,
to cheer and to bless in [the Savior's] name"?
Can we, with love and high hopes, look for
and embrace the beauties in others,
allowing and encouraging progress?
Can we rejoice in the accomplishments of others
while continuing to work towards our own improvement?
Yes, we can bring the light of the gospel
into our homes, schools, and workplaces if we look for
and share positive things about others
and let the less-than-perfect fade away.
What gratitude fills my heart when I think of the repentance
that our Savior, Jesus Christ, has made possible
for all of us who have inevitably
sinned in this imperfect and sometimes difficult world!
I bear my witness that as we follow His perfect example,
we can receive the gift of charity, which will bring us
great joy in this life and the promised
blessing of eternal life with our Father in Heaven.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.