Gospel Principles
Unit 7: Perfecting Our Lives
Chapter 30: Charity
Concept 5: How Can We Become Charitable?
"One way we can become charitable is by studying the life of Jesus Christ and keeping his commandments. We can study what he did in certain situations and do the same things when we are in the same kinds of situations.
Second, when we have uncharitable feelings, we can pray to have them taken away. Moroni urges us, "Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ " (Moroni 7:48).
Third, we can learn to love ourselves. The Savior taught that we must love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39 "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."). To love ourselves, we must respect and trust ourselves. This means that we must be obedient to the principles of the gospel. We must repent of any wrong doings. We must forgive ourselves when we have repented. We will come to love ourselves only when we can feel the deep, comforting assurance that the Savior truly loves us.
Fourth, as we love ourselves, our love for others will increase. We will not think we are better than other people. We will have patience with their faults. Joseph Smith said, "The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 241).
In the Book of Mormon we read of Enos a young man who wanted to know that his sins had been forgiven. He tells us"
"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens."
"And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed." (Enos 1:4-5).
The Lord explained to Enos that because of his faith in Christ his sins had been forgiven. When Enos heard these words he no longer was concerned for himself. He knew the Lord loved him and would bless him. He begin instead to feel concern for the welfare of his friends and relatives, the Nephites. He poured out his whole soul unto God for them. The Lord answered and said they would be blessed according to their faithfulness in keeping the commandments that they had already been given. Enos's love increased even further after these words, and he prayed with many long struggles for the Lamanites, who were the enemies of the Nephites. The Lord granted his desires, and he spent the rest of his live trying to save the souls of the Nephites and the Lamanites.
Enos was so grateful for the Lord's love and forgiveness that he willingly spent the rest of his life helping others receive this same gift. (see Enos 1:7-23.) Enos had become truly charitable. We too can do so. In fact, we must do so to inherit the place that has been prepared for us in our Father's kingdom.
Discussion
Moroni 8:25-26
"25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth moro/8/25c">remission of sins;
26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God."
2 Peter 1:5-7
" 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."
What can we do to become charitable?
Additional Scriptures
Colossians 3:12-14 (Charity is the bond of perfectness)
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Alma 34:28 (prayers are not answered unless we act charitably)
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
1 Corinthians 12:29-13:3 (charity is greater than any spiritual gift)
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
D&C 121:45-46 (charity is necessary to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost)
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever."