Mormon churches meet in congregations organized geographically called “wards”. 8-10 wards combine to make a “stake”. Every six months the LDS, or Mormon Church organizes a meeting where the stake called “Stake Conference”. At the stake conference, leaders of the stake (the Stake Presidency, organized by a president and 2 counselors) addresses the congregation on matters they feel that are necessary for the members of the stake.
The theme chosen by our stake presidency was charity.
Typically, when we think of charity today, we think of giving money or means to people suffering. This is charity, indeed, but the scriptures show that charity is deeper than that.
In 1 Corinthians, chapter 13 (KJV), Paul states that charity is the greatest gift to have, even greater than that of knowledge, prophecy, and faith.
In the Book of Mormon, in the book of Moroni, chapter 7, the prophet Mormon shares some thoughts on charity that are similar (almost verbatim in some parts) as Paul. Some key differences are that he includes a definition of what charity is (it is the pure love of Christ see v. 48) and that we should pray daily that we can be filled with that love so that when we come before Christ we are filled with His love.
With these thoughts in mind, I’ll share some points one of the counselors of the Stake Presidency shared with us in how we can develop Charity. He told us there are 10 ways, which include:
1. Daily Prayer
2. Daily Scripture Study (preferably in the beginning of the day)
3. Attending Sacrament Meeting (Communion)
4-10. He said to fill these ones in according to what we feel moved to do.
Therefore, for a fun little activity, I thought I could enlist some help from those of you who stop by and read frequently.
What would you list on 4-10 on how we can develop christ-like love in our lives?
P.S. One thing that stood out to me from his talk was to begin within the walls of our own home. Sometimes it’s very easy to be kind to others and serve others but difficult to be nice to our own family.
Grace for Grace 
4 comments
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February 12, 2012 at 7:35 pm
Cal
This is a really good post.
That’s a good point, graceforgrace, about it sometimes being easier to be kind to strangers than to those closest to you. Those closest to you know the real you. They see you when you’re not putting on an act!
To answer the question, “How we can develop christ-like love in our lives?,” a few things pop into my mind that may be original.
One is to remind yourself every time a trial pops up that there is a purpose for it. God wants to use the difficulties in life to develop christ-likeness in us.
Another help for walking in love is the gift of tongues (supernatural languages). If I can say so, I think this is one thing Mormon wards are missing in comparison to non-Mormon charismatic churches. If I’m correct, the gift of tongues is used in the LDS for communicating to those whose language you don’t know very well or at all.
That’s great, but there’s another, more pervasive, use for it. First Corinthians 14 (right after the “love chapter” that graceforgrace referred to) says a lot about tongues. If you have the Holy Spirit in you (the gift of the Holy Ghost), and you believe you can speak in tongues, you can do it any time you want. You probably won’t know what you’re saying but it will edify you (1 Cor. 14:4), that is, it will charge you up, increase the presence of the Lord in your heart, and increase your LOVE for people!
Paul sounds like he’s sort of down on tongues in 1 Cor. 14 but that’s just because he’s referring to the setting of a public meeting. If you speak out loud in tongues during a public meeting and there’s no interpreter, that’s kind of dumb.
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I’m looking forward to comments from others.
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February 15, 2012 at 6:30 pm
graceforgrace
Hi Cal,
Now that is a comment I wasn’t expecting from writing about pure love: speaking in tongues.
My feeling, and my assumption of how most LDS people feel is how you described it at the end of your comment: it’s kind of dumb…let me explain.
Simply getting up and rambling incoherently makes absolutely no sense to me. The feeling in general in the LDS church is that the gift of tongues is something practical, as you suggested. For example, if someone needs to have a language interpreted, etc.
Where I see pure love in the gift of tongues is that God works a miracle to communicate through someone to ensure the receiver is edified.
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February 15, 2012 at 7:49 am
Cal
No comments from others? . . . Gee, where are the lovers?
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February 17, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Cal
GraceforGrace, yes, it is a miracle. God does miracles in the LDS today as well as in charismatic churches.
I’m not sure whether you caught what I was saying about speaking in tongues privately just to build yourself up in the Lord. It does sound nutty, but it can be a great help. For example, I pray in tongues under my breath while I’m milking cows—a time when praying with my mind, in English, is somewhat difficult because I have to think about what I’m doing.
When I pray in this language, with words that the Holy Spirit gives me, I’m praying a perfect prayer. Peace, patience, love and all the fruit of the Spirit increase in my life, helping me do a better job. It’s really neat.
There are other practical uses which I don’t have time to get into.
It’s nice to talk to you. I trust your new little one is doing fine!
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