charity.

So i'm winding down my last semester of my freshman year here at BYU. It's been 10 months since I came to this place. Wow. So much has happened! I've also grown so incredibly much. One thing that I am so incredibly grateful for is the chance i've had to truly study the Book of Mormon. This past week we've been learning a lot about Charity, so here's a breakdown.

Charity is the pure love of Christ.

Moroni 7:47 says just that!
"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"

Charity is a gift of the Spirit. Meaning we can't do it on our own! Sounds weird huh?
Are you asking "Isn't charity just doing nice things?"
Actually, it's not! thats called service! Charity is being able to see poeple as God sees them. Mothers have this gift. Have you maybe noticed how much mothers do for the sake of their children? they want to protect them and they give up so much. Mothers sometimes even have to watch their children hurt so they can watch them grow.

So here's what we've got: Charity is the pure love of Christ and we can't get it on our own. What do we do?? Well that's simple. YOU ASK! Pray for the gift of charity! Charity is great! ANDDDD if you recall in the reference i just gave you, those who have it at the last day will be well off. Earlier in that same chapter it states:

"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, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things."(Moroni 7:45)

Charity is GOOOD!!! and it's the pure love of Christ.
Okay so Christ loves us perfectly. Do you know that? I do. So what did he do for us that shows his love for us? The Atonement. Guess what I realized today? You can switch the word charity with atonement and it still means the same thing!

Check it out with Ether 12:34:

"And now I know that this love which thou has had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father"
Okay lets switch up the words!

"And now I know that this love which thou has had for the children of men is [the atonement]; wherefore, except men shall have [the atonement] they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father"

We can't live with our Heavenly Father unless we accept the Atonement, that great and eternal sacrifice that Christ made for us (yes you too!). It's through his pure love that he atoned for our sins and it's how we can return to God! We accept the Atonement in our lives by baptism into his church and the renewal of those covenants each week at the sacrament.

I am thankful for my Saviors sacrifice, and I am praying for the gift of charity. I invite you all to do the same. It won't let you down, He won't let you down.

All in all, I am thankful for Christs Atonement and the role He has played in my life.

Labels: church