"Charity never faileth" (Moroni 7:46)

Yesterday (Valentines Day no less), I polished off six sugar cookies and an Italian ice with custard. After feeling very gluttonous for eating so much junk food in a day I ponder what it is that really matters, because in my family growing up, weight mattered. With the pressure of looking a certain way and dealing with the baggage that comes with such pressure, I tell myself that what I look like doesn't really matter. Also, it doesn't matter if I write the most killer blog. It doesn't matter if I have tons of money or if I am brilliant (or not) beyond anyone else. None of this stuff matters, not even how much faith I have, if I don't have one thing that is all the difference.

The difference is charity. "...If ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth" (Moroni 7:46). "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 profitteth me nothing" (1 Cor. 13:3; see also 1 Cor 13:1-2). There is no gain if I don't have charity. What exactly is charity- because I most definitely have no problem giving money to people in need. But that isn't what charity really is. "Charity is the pure love of Christ. It is the love that Christ has for the children of men and that the children of men should have for one another. It is the highest, noblest, and strongest kind of love and the most joyous to the soul" (Charity). Another way to put it: "Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others."(Charity Never Faileth).

I pray for this gift of charity, real love, that it may fill my heart. I always feel so good when I succeed in doing so. As I type, I realize that I must also have charity for myself. It is so easy to notice all my weaknesses and shortcomings, and thus do the same to others. When I offer charity, this pure love that lifts, encourages, and ennobles, I will succeed. If I offer anything else, it will fail (see Moroni 7:46). Money will fail. Food fails- it spoils, is eaten and gone. Fashion changes and will fail me. Memory fails. All things shall fail... but "charity never faileth" (Moroni 7:46). My hope is to focus on reaching out to others and loving others with this pure love. As Pres. Monson said, "May [charity] permeate your very souls and find expression in all your thoughts and actions".

Even though I may eat kind of cruddy every once in a while, I hope my focus will not be on the physical, nor the intellectual, nor the financial or anything else that can categorize and separate us. My hope is that I can focus on what matters most- even charity, which never fails.

"...lift up thy head and rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God..." (Alma 8:15)

The other day when I was a bit blue I decided to read my scriptures to see if that would help. I opened my scriptures to where our family had been reading and this is what I read: "Blessed art thou...therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God..." (Alma 8:15). All too often I get all concerned about being "perfect" and I focus on my mistakes rather than on my honest efforts of keeping the commandments. As we lift up our heads we get a very different view than when looking at our feet. Often times, the view is inspiring, guiding, and lifting. Unfortunately, I sometimes find it way too easy to just keep my head down. So, lift up your head- get a new view. Life may be difficult, but there is so much more than stones and pebbles to see.

Another thing I like about this scripture is "rejoice". Rejoicing means "to feel joy; be delighted" (The Free Dictionary). There is a wonderful Hymn that is about rejoicing. The chorus says: "Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say rejoice!" (Rejoice, the Lord is King!). When we lift up our heads and rejoice we are looking to God, for truly He is King.  As Paul taught the Philippians I add my voice and say: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). We have great reason to rejoice in the fact that we have a Savior who loves us, cares for us, and wants all that is best for our good. He shows us the way to live by giving us guidance and laws of how to follow Him. These are called commandments.

I love the fact that the scripture also said, "rejoice, for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God" (Alma 8:15). Keeping the commandments doesn't mean we need to be perfect right now. It means we show our love for God though our obedience. Christ said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments" ( John 14:15).  There is much to rejoice about when we keep the commandments. It brings freedom and peace. Elder L. Tom Perry taught: "A useful way to think about the commandments is they are loving counsel from a wise, all-knowing Heavenly Father. His goal is our eternal happiness, and His commandments are the road map he has given us to return to Him, which is the only way we will be eternally happy" (Obedience to Law is Liberty).

I will keep practicing obedience because I know that when I am obedient I find great reason to rejoice...even when I am a bit blue. This I testify.