Hello my stupendous family,
I love you all. I have been able to learn a great deal from the past weeks about the Atonement and I enjoy the process of receiving revelation. It is a difficult one at times since it requires great effort and yet it is one of the most rewarding. I have learned that this is true of all things that require work. They require great effort and yet they are the most rewarding. I
think of the scriptures and how they teach us of the importance to have Charity. What makes Charity so great? What makes Charity so important? Charity is more a state of being. For us to be full of charity there are certain traits that we need to have, certain laws that we need to live up to. God is described as being love. God is love. Thus, love is a state of being that has been attained by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. If we want to be like Them then we need to be Charitable.
"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." (Moroni 7:45)
The more that I think of the attributes of Christ, the more I realize that they cannot be a part of anyones to do list, they should be a part of our to be list. Jesus Christ did not simply act humble, He was humble. Jesus Christ did not act virtuous, He was virtuous. The attributes found in chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel are all who Jesus Christ was. He was not just playing a part. Just like Him we must be sincere and make each principle a part of us. Since these principles are not a part of our natural character we must change or repent. Through the process of repentance our natures are changed and we become more and more like our Heavenly Father. Yet only through the Atonement of Christ are we able to repent and come unto Christ and be sanctified by His spirit.
Why is Charity so important? Because it involves the greatest change. Charity requires the greatest effort and yet it is the most rewarding attribute we can attain to in this life. We must choose to fill our lives with Charity so that we will be able to be as our Father in Heaven is. God is love. I would invite you to ponder more upon this subject. I testify that through the Atonement of Christ we are able to change our lives for the better, so long as we trust wholly "upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save." (2Nephi 31:19) Through coming to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we are given a desire to become more like Him. I have found this working in my life. I know that charity never faileth and that Heavenly Father will help us to receive this gift as we change our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sincerely,
Elder Christensen
