"...Charity Never Faileth..." Moroni 10:46; (see also 1 Corinthians 13)

I have been pondering what I would want for a motto in 2019. I have decided that the Relief Society motto is exactly what I want to focus on and use to help me succeed in all areas of my life, especially relationships, in the coming year. The motto is "...Charity never faileth..." (Moroni 7:46). As I have thought charity and its power to bring about success, I have also been led to think about failure. Here are some of my musings.

Holding a grudge is an incredibly heavy weight to carry around. Grudges lead to failure in that they can and never will lift my spirits or make burdens lighter. Charity never faileth because "...it suffereth long" or in other words, is "long-suffering" (Moroni 7:45). When I have or show patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people (see long-suffering) I will experience success, even relationships that are long lasting and enduring, in spite of challenges that will come.

Being mean will never help me feel better about any situation I may be in, whether or not it is justified. Charity never faileth because it "is kind"- whether or not it is warranted (Moroni 7:45).

How about the failure of envy? It undermines me by making me want more than I have and  ungrateful for the things I do have. Envy drives a wedge between me and the Spirit. Charity never faileth because it "envieth not", which helps me to rejoice in the blessings I receive from Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father (Moroni 7:45) every single day, no matter how insignificant they may appear to the natural eye.

Pride- now that one is a real trickster because it makes me think I can "win" by comparing myself with other people's strengths or their weaknesses. Pride causes all of my previous failures to become even more acute because I will never be good enough or better than I really am. Pride can also make me think I don't need to participate or learn something new because I have already learned it. In contrast, charity never faileth as it "...is not puffed up" (Moroni 7:45), even humble and meek. Elder Bednar taught: "Humility generally denotes dependence upon God and the constant need for His guidance and support" (Meek and Lowly of Heart). With God, I know I can do all things because He gives me the strength to do so (see Philippians 4:13).

How about the failure of selfishness? This is definitely hard on relationships as it keeps me focused on myself and what I want, what I need, and what I think is important. When in reality, charity never faileth because it "seeketh not her own"- being completely selfless and not self serving as I am generous with my time, talents, and all that God has given me to bless the lives of others.

Anger always fails me. It has yet to solve a problem for me, or strengthen a relationship. Charity never faileth because "...it is not easily provoked" (Moroni 7:45). I have yet to regret being slow to anger.

How about lies? or not telling the truth? Have you ever had a relationship get deeper and more meaningful by basing it on false ideas or lies which try to cover up sin or transgressions? These are definitely failures waiting to happen. Charity never faileth because it "...rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth" (Moroni 7:45). The definition of truth is: "...knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come" (D&C 93:24).

What about the failures that come when I give up and quit trying? or when I start thinking there is no hope? When I don't endure, let alone endure well? Or how about doubting- rather than believing and exercising faith? Each of these can lead to their own failures and loss of peace, joy, or happiness. Charity never faileth because it "...beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things". There is always success when I bear, believe, hope, and endure.

I end my musings with the words from President Thomas S. Monson, he said: " 'Charity never faileth.' May this long-enduring Relief Society motto, this timeless truth, guide you in everything you do. May it permeate your very souls and find expression in all your thoughts and actions" (Charity Never Faileth). I know that as we "pray...with all the energy of heart" for this gift of the spirit, we shall never fail, rather we will succeed, being changed by the power of "the pure love of Christ" (Moroni 7:47). This I testify.

This is a short video about a painting by Julie Rogers titled, "Charity Never Faileth". I thought it fitting for my thoughts on this post. Enjoy!

"[Charity] beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth" (1 Cor.13:7-8)

I have been asking a lot lately:

"Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed" (Jeremiah 15:18)?!

I'm not sure I like the answer, but sometimes we are just given hard things to bear...so that we can learn to "bear all things" (see Moroni 7:45; 1 Cor. 13:7). Bear means to hold up or carry. And for some, they get to "carry" their pain their whole life. But is that who they are, their pain? I don't want to be known for my pain.

As the pain has continued I have stopped asking the "why me" questions. I am learning that pain is not about pain, which is so easy to focus on when it is unrelenting. When the pain first started I would pray and beg Heavenly Father to take the pain away. When the pain didn't go away, my prayers changed and I would beg Him to let me die. When I didn't die, my prayers changed again, and I prayed for help to endure the pain. With doctors and medicine I am learning how to endure it, but it comes again, bringing me and my life to a screeching halt. And so my prayers are changing yet again. I am now praying "unto the Father with all the energy of [my] heart, that [I] may be filled with [charity], which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ (Moroni 7:48).

Why pray for charity to help me deal with pain? Because "[charity] beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth" (1 Cor.13:7-8). With charity, I can "carry" all things because charity will not fail me or you (1 Cor. 13:8; see also Moroni 7:46-47). Charity isn't going to quit when the pain gets unbearable because it bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things (see Moroni 7:45; 1 Cor. 13:7).

I always believed charity was only about loving others. I am learning charity is also about pain. The reason charity is given to those "who are true followers of ...Jesus Christ"; it is also given so those true followers "may become the sons [and daughters] of God; that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as He is pure" (Moroni 7:48). As I pray with all my heart for charity when I am in pain, then I am able to be changed, even as He is.

I am not my pain, but because of it, I am changed.

With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) my foot will change color from the nerves always firing. 

These are scars from the surgery that went really well and I have  recovered from it. But, I developed CRPS about 2 weeks after, and that is a whole different level and issue of pain. 

Everyone tells me it's a "cool scar"...I guess that's something good from it (haha)

Just an FYI: Riding my trike helps with the pain...I just really hope I will be able to ride it more than 15-20 minutes on the trainer again some day....This is where "charity...hopeth all thing". Another reason to pray for charity.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth you, give I unto you." (John 14:27)

The other night as we were reading scriptures as a family one of our children was very frustrated and stated bluntly that it was boring and besides he "didn't understand a darn thing" we were reading. I don't blame him. We had been reading 2 Nephi, the Isaiah chapters as we call them, in The Book of Mormon (get your free copy here), the past several nights which can be very challenging for even the most proficient adult reader. As I have pondered his frustration I realized that reading the scriptures is really like reading a different language. It is learning the language of the Spirit and how God speaks, communicates, and ultimately behaves. I feel that it continues to be a life time of learning to understand this language and I am never left unsatisfied in my efforts as I continue to learn this powerful language that is more than just words on a page.

President Monson has said there is "one language...that is common to each missionary- the language of the Spirit. It is not learned from textbooks written by men of letters, nor is it acquired through reading and memorization. The language of the Spirit comes to him [or her] who seeks with all his [or her] heart to know God and keep His divine commandments. Proficiency in this language permits one to breach barriers, overcome obstacles, and touch the human heart" (The Spirit Giveth Life). As we learn the language of the Spirit we are able to understand how God communicates, and how He behaves. There are many references in the scriptures about how we can learn and understand this language.

One important thing to remember is that the Spirit is a "still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things" (D&C 85:6; see also Helaman 5:30-31; 1 Kings 19:12). In order to understand a language we must first be able to hear it, which takes practice. The language of the Spirit is still- meaning quite, peaceful or calm. Think in contrast to the constant noise which is around us today with music or news playing in our ears wherever we go, with little chance of peace and quiet. We must make time to know how it feels to be "still", so that when the language is spoken or we hear it, we will recognize it in our minds and in our hearts (see D&C 8:2). President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said of the Spirit: "The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear. It is described as a "still small voice". And while we speak of "listening" to the whisperings of the Spirit, most often one describes a spiritual prompting by saying, "I had a feeling..." (Personal Revelation: The Gift, The Test, and The Promise).

Nephi taught:

 "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold , the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. Wherefore, now after I have spoken these works, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark. For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all thing what ye should do" 

(2 Nephi 32:3-5).

There is much to learn about the language of the Spirit in these three verses. I testify that scripture study is a conduit to heaven. It opens the windows of communication and allows the Spirit to "tell" and "show" you "all things what ye should do". Things that seemed to make no sense have become clear as I have studied the scriptures and asked, just as Nephi taught. I know that as you take the time to learn this language, your communication skills will improve and the Lord's promise, "prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10) will be strengthened and given to you in all areas of your life.

The language of the Spirit is also the same as the fruit of the Spirit and will be manifest in your life as you come to understand and apply this heavenly and divine way of communicating. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). This language is a way of living, not just nice words or phrases in a book. I have noticed these "fruits" are listed in several places in the scriptures (see D&C 4:6;  D&C 121:41-42; 2 Peter 1:4-8; Moroni 7:45). It is because they are the way Christ acts, it is His Divine nature. Christ promised that "...the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26). Even when we struggle with this beautiful and powerful language, which we will, He will send the Comforter, which is the Spirit to teach us how to learn it. It is our guide (see D&C 45:57) to bring us back to Him. He wants us to learn this language so that not only will our language of words be changed, but that our very natures are changed.

My son was right. Learning to read the scriptures and understand them is hard. Learning a new language is difficult and takes time and effort. But the most powerful and life changing language is the language of the Spirit and the Savior has promised us, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth you, give I unto you." (John 14:27). When we talk about the voice of the Spirit being a "still small voice" it truly is a voice of peace, we just need to learn how to understand, "hear and know the voice by which [we] shall be called" (Mosiah 5:12), and that is the voice of our Savior.



A few extra links for learning more about the language of the Spirit: (I would love to hear what links you have found that have helped you in your personal study. Please feel free to share them with me.)
How Do I Know What I Am Feeling Is the Spirit and Not Just My Own Emotions?
Hymn # 143 Let the Holy Spirit Guide
Prayer and Promptings
Reverence Invites Revelation