Charity- the pure love of Christ.

I am so filled with love I could burst. I love my missionary work, I love the people that I work so close with and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ more then anything. This kind of love is motivating, is exciting and makes me feel extreme joy beyond measure. Being filled with this kind of love is Charity. Am I perfect? NO! I could use so much more Charity in my life. But what I have helps me do what I do. I strive everyday to have more. So what is Charity? Moroni 7:45 says:  "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." Doesnt that sound delightful? 

Elder Marvin J. Ashton beautifully observed: “Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.”

I must warn you that trying to have this love comes with concequences! All things we do have concequences. This love is motivating, is thrilling and in all you truly desire the salvation of souls. This love promts you to act, to teach to love even more and to become like Jesus Christ. This love is pure and clean and earth shaking. I have learned to let my love grow. I have seen so many people that I love choose to accept the message of the Restoration. I have seen so many of these same people that I love chose to reject what they have learned is true. But I would go through the heartbreak, the emotional rollercoasters, the tears and the sorrow everyday, to share that one tender moment where the Spirit comes to bear witness of the truth. In that moment, everyone involved can feel the power of God. In those moments the love in the room is breathtaking and overwhelming. How much better is the spirit that follows when we chose to accept and act upon what we feel. I would go through the pain and the tears everyday just to see one of my Brothers or Sisters accept and learn for themselves the joy that comes after baptism. I have never in my life felt greater love then I have on my mission. I love more than words, the peace that fills the room at the baptism of someone who has chosen to follow the example of Jesus Christ. This is His church and this is the only way back to live with Him!