Expanding Our Circle of Love...

"We must strive to manifest the love of Christ, who always sought to
please His Father by doing His will. . . . We must make every effort to
follow His supreme example--to demonstrate such love through our
thoughts, our speech, our actions--in all the things we do and
are. We must not allow pride or vanity, selfishness or personal agendas to
displace our reaching out to others in love. Quite simply and profoundly,
we must first allow ourselves to be encircled by God's love. We do this
best by embracing the Savior's eternal Atonement. Then we can expand
that circle to include our family and all others. Such a circle is indeed
heaven."

Topics: Jesus Christ, love, sharing, example

(Bonnie D. Parkin, "Eternally Encircled in His Love," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 110)

Mormon charity quotes.........

These Charity Quotes are about the Pure Love Of Christ

In the Book of Mormon we learn that "charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever," (Moroni 7:47). This list of 10 Charity Quotes are from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1. Joseph B. Wirthlin: The Great Commandment

"Nothing you do makes much of a difference if you do not have charity. You can speak with tongues, have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, and possess all knowledge; even if you have the faith to move mountains, without charity it won't profit you at all....

"Without charity—or the pure love of Christ—whatever else we accomplish matters little. With it, all else becomes vibrant and alive.

"When we inspire and teach others to fill their hearts with love, obedience flows from the inside out in voluntary acts of self-sacrifice and service" (Ensign, Nov 2007, 28–31).

2. Dallin H. Oaks: The Challenge to Become

"We are challenged to move through a process of conversion toward that status and condition called eternal life. This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the right reason—for the pure love of Christ. The Apostle Paul illustrated this in his famous teaching about the importance of charity (see 1 Cor. 13). The reason charity never fails and the reason charity is greater than even the most significant acts of goodness he cited is that charity, 'the pure love of Christ' (Moro. 7:47), is not an act but a condition or state of being. Charity is attained through a succession of acts that result in a conversion. Charity is something one becomes" (Ensign, Nov 2000, 32–34).

3. Don R. Clarke: Becoming Instruments in the Hands of God

"We must have love for God's children...

"Joseph F. Smith said: 'Charity, or love, is the greatest principle in existence. If we can lend a helping hand to the oppressed, if we can aid those who are despondent and in sorrow, if we can uplift and ameliorate the condition of mankind, it is our mission to do it, it is an essential part of our religion to do it' (in Conference Report, Apr. 1917, 4). When we feel love for God's children, we are given opportunities to help them in their journey back to His presence" (Ensign, Nov 2006, 97–99).

4. Bonnie D. Parkin: Choosing Charity: That Good Part

"The pure love of Christ.... What does this phrase mean? We find part of the answer in Joshua: 'Take diligent heed... to love the Lord your God... and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.' Charity is our love for the Lord, shown through our acts of service, patience, compassion, and understanding for one another....

"Charity is also the Lord's love for us, shown through His acts of service, patience, compassion, and understanding.

"The 'pure love of Christ' refers not only to our love for the Savior but to His love for each of us....

"Do we judge one another? Do we criticize each other for individual choices, thinking we know better?" (Ensign, Nov 2003, 104).

5. Howard W. Hunter: A More Excellent Way

"We need to be kinder with one another, more gentle and forgiving. We need to be slower to anger and more prompt to help. We need to extend the hand of friendship and resist the hand of retribution. In short, we need to love one another with the pure love of Christ, with genuine charity and compassion and, if necessary, shared suffering, for that is the way God loves us....

"We need to walk more resolutely and more charitably the path that Jesus has shown. We need to 'pause to help and lift another' and surely we will find 'strength beyond [our] own.' If we would do more to learn 'the healer's art,' there would be untold chances to use it, to touch the 'wounded and the weary' and show to all 'a gentle[r] heart'" (Ensign, May 1992, 61).

6. Marvin J. Ashton: The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword

"Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself....

"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other" (Ensign, May 1992, 18).

7. Robert C. Oaks: The Power of Patience

"The Book of Mormon provides insight into the relationship between patience and charity. Mormon... name[s] the 13 elements of charity, or the pure love of Christ. I find it most interesting that 4 of the 13 elements of this must-have virtue relate to patience (see Moroni 7:44–45).

"First, 'charity suffereth long.' That is what patience is all about. Charity 'is not easily provoked' is another aspect of this quality, as is charity 'beareth all things.' And finally, charity 'endureth all things' is certainly an expression of patience (Moroni 7:45). From these defining elements it is evident that without patience gracing our soul, we would be seriously lacking with respect to a Christlike character" (Ensign, Nov 2006, 15–17).

8. M. Russell Ballard: The Joy of Hope Fulfilled

"The Apostle Paul taught that three divine principles form a foundation upon which we can build the structure of our lives....

"The principles of faith and hope working together must be accompanied by charity, which is the greatest of all.... It is the perfect manifestation of our faith and hope.

"Working together, these three eternal principles will help give us the broad eternal perspective we need to face life's toughest challenges, including the prophesied ordeals of the last days. Real faith fosters hope for the future; it allows us to look beyond ourselves and our present cares. Fortified by hope, we are moved to demonstrate the pure love of Christ through daily acts of obedience and Christian service" (Ensign, Nov 1992, 31).

9. Robert D. Hales: Gifts of the Spirit

"There is one gift I would like to focus on—the gift of charity. Use charity, 'the pure love of Christ' (Moro. 7:47), and give service for the right reasons. Charity is the ability to make life more meaningful for others....

"There are times when we need to be lifted. There are times when we need to be strengthened. Be that kind of friend and that kind of person who lifts and strengthens others. Never make someone have to choose between your ways and the Lord's ways. And always make sure that you're making it easier to live God's commandments for those who are by your side and who are your friends. Then you will understand whether you have charity" (Ensign, Feb 2002, 12).

10. Gene R. Cook: Charity: Perfect and Everlasting Love

"Ponder with me a moment the following majestic gifts: the glories of all creation, the earth, the heavens; your feelings of love and joy; His responses of mercy, forgiveness, and innumerable answers to prayer; the gift of loved ones; and finally the greatest gift of all—the Father's gift of His atoning Son, the perfect one in charity, even the God of love....

"Righteous feelings generated by a man seem to precede the increase of those feelings from the Spirit. Unless you are feeling love, you cannot convey true love to others. The Lord has told us to love one another as He loves us, so remember: to be loved, truly love" (Ensign, May 2002, 82).

Tributes to a great leader and a good man...........

SALT LAKE CITY 31 January 2008 Media organizations from China to Britain and Australia to Turkey have covered the news of the death of President Gordon B. Hinckley, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The following are excerpts from some of the media reports that have been published or broadcast this week, along with links to the full stories.

New York Times (New York, USA)
“With his buoyant personality and affinity for public relations, Mr. Hinckley made Mormonism more familiar to the public and more accepted in the Christian fold. He gave news conferences and was the first church president to sit for interviews on ‘60 Minutes’ and ‘Larry King Live.’ When the Winter Olympics went to Salt Lake City in 2002, the church’s home base, he guided the church outreach campaign.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/us/28hinckley.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Los Angeles Times (California, USA)
“Though he became the Mormons' 15th president and prophet at age 84, Hinckley's energy, style and longevity, which drew comparisons to Pope John Paul II, allowed him to engage millions throughout the world and provided the church a media-friendly face.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-hinckley28jan28,0,1888134.story

Houston Chronicle (Texas, USA)
“As a leader of the fastest-growing faith founded in the United States, Hinckley guided the church as it more than doubled its number of temples and expanded membership well beyond the boundaries of its center in Salt Lake City.”

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/religion/5490149.html

The Estado of Sao Paulo (Brazil)
“During his 13 years as the head of the Mormon Church, he made countless trips to meet with members of the Mormon Church which now has 13 million members in 171 countries.”

http://www.estadao.com.br/vidae/not_vid116153,0.htm

Chicago Tribune (Illinois, USA)
“The church presidency is a lifetime position. Before Hinckley, the oldest church president was David O. McKay who was 96 when he died in 1970.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-080228-hinckley,1,2722823.story

National Public Radio (Washington, D.C., USA)
“Most Americans know it as ‘The Mormon Church.’ Hinckley launched an effort to stamp out that phrase. He asked news media to use the formal name, ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.’ And, in case anyone missed the point, he changed the official Mormon logo so that the name ‘Jesus Christ’ appeared in oversized letters.”

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7017514

USA Today (Virginia, USA)
“As a top church leader for nearly 50 years, Hinckley met with many U.S. presidents and foreign dignitaries.”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-01-27-obit-hinckley_N.htm

Reuters (Great Britain)
“In the year 2000, in spite of his advanced age, Mr. Hinckley completed an 11-day tour of the Pacific Rim where he traveled more than 35,400km and spoke to more than 26,000 people.”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1423a42c-cd60-11dc-a3da-000077b07658.html

China View (China)
“His grandfather knew church founder Joseph Smith and followed Brigham Young west to the Great Salt Lake Basin.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/28/content_7511648.htm

Baltimore Sun (Maryland, USA)
“In a statement, President Bush praised Hinckley as a ‘deeply patriotic man. While serving for over seven decades in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon demonstrated the heart of a servant and the wisdom of a leader. He was a tireless worker and a talented communicator who was respected in his community and beloved by his congregation.’”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-hinckley0128,0,2527193.story

Herald Sun (Australia)
“He was the first church president to travel to Spain, where in 1996 he broke ground for a temple in Madrid, and to Africa, where he met thousands of Mormons in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.”

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23123145-663,00.html

Argus Observer (Ontario, Canada)
“In 2004 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civil award, by President George W. Bush. He also received the Silver Buffalo Award of the Boy Scouts of America and has been honored by the National Conference (formerly the National Conference of Christians and Jews) for his contributions to tolerance and understanding in the world.”

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23123145-663,00.html

BBC (Great Britain)
“The post is held for life, and Hinckley lived to become the oldest ever president, seeing church membership expand to 13 million people.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7212488.stm

Diario Buenos Aires(Argentina)
“President Gordon B. Hinckley was known as a tireless leader, even at the age of 97, who always dedicated his life to a full-day’s work at the office and traveled the world extensively.”

http://www.diariobuenosaires.com.ar/nota2.asp?IDNoticia=22585

Turkish Press (Turkey)
“As a member of the First Presidency, the highest governing body of the church, he has had a major role in administering both the ecclesiastical and temporal affairs of the Church, whose members are spread over some 171 nations and territories.”

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=212693

Austria National Radio (Austria)
http://mbl.is/mm/frettir/erlent/2008/01/28/forseti_mormonasafnadarins_latinn/

The passing of President Hinckley was discussed extensively on the “blogosphere.” The day following his death, a new blog post was published about him every couple of minutes. According to Blogpulse, a service that tracks trends in blogs, President Gordon B. Hinckley was the third most mentioned person in the blogosphere on Monday, 28 January.

Radio coverage of the funeral on Saturday, 2 February, starting at 11 a.m. MST, will be available on WFED 1050 AM in Washington, D.C., on KTTH 770 AM in Seattle and on KTAR 92.3 FM in Phoenix.

A Mormon definition of Charity.....

Charity is a subject that we, as Christians, don't ponder nearly enough.When one looks at the definition of charity, either from the Bible or the Book of Mormon, we see that charity is greater than faith or hope. We can give all of our money to the poor, but if we don't have charity, we are nothing. And we can have the gift of prophecy; understand all mysteries; have all knowledge; have all faith; and we can literally move mountains, but if we don't have charity, we are nothing, according to the Bible.

Some of the characteristics of charity that we need to be aware of daily in our own lives are:

1. it suffers long
2. is kind
3. does not envy
4. is not puffed up
5. is not easily provoked
6. thinks no evil
7. rejoices in the truth
8. beareth all things
9. endureth all things
10. believes and hopes in all things.

The bottom line definition of Charity is that it is the Pure Love of Christ. Ponder this definition, pray about it, and you will come to a better understanding of the pure love of Christ and charity. IMHO


One of American Heritage dictionary's definition of Charity:

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This char·i·ty (chār'ĭ-tē) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. char·i·ties

1. often Charity Christianity The theological virtue defined as love directed first toward God but also toward oneself and one's neighbors as objects of God's love.

The Bible's definition of Charity:

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1 Corinthians 13:8
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1 Corinthians 13:4
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1 Corinthians 13:3
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.

1 Corinthians 13:2
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.

The Book of Mormon's definition of Charity:

Moroni 7

[45] 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.
[46] Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail --
[47] But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

The Resurrection Is Not a Fable

Each of us will have our own Fridays--those days when the

universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered
about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems
we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.


"But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered
death--Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday
will come.

"No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday
will come. In this life or in the next, Sunday will come.

"I testify to you that the Resurrection is not a fable. We have the personal
testimonies of those who saw Him. Thousands in the Old and New Worlds
witnessed the risen Savior. They felt the wounds in His hands, feet, and
side. They shed tears of unrestrained joy as they embraced Him."


(Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Sunday Will Come," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 30)

Witnesses of the Resurrection Boldly Proclaimed It

"After the Resurrection, the disciples became renewed. They traveled
throughout the world proclaiming the glorious news of the gospel.

"Had they chosen, they could have disappeared and returned to
their former lives and occupations. In time, their association with Him
would have been forgotten.

"They could have denied the divinity of Christ. Yet they did not. In the face of danger, ridicule, and threat of death, they entered palaces, temples, and synagogues boldly proclaiming
Jesus the Christ, the resurrected Son of the living God.

"Many of them offered as a final testimony their own precious lives. They died as
martyrs, the testimony of the risen Christ on their lips as they perished.

"The Resurrection transformed the lives of those who witnessed it.
Should it not transform ours? We will all rise from the grave. . . .

"Because of the life and eternal sacrifice of the Savior of the
world, we will be reunited with those we have cherished.

"On that day we will know the love of our Heavenly Father. On that day we will
rejoice that the Messiah overcame all that we could live forever."


(Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Sunday Will Come," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 30)

Mockers...

Job 21:3
Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

Jude 1:18
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jude 1:17-19 (in Context) Jude 1 (Whole Chapter)

Mat 20:19
And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify [him]: and the third day he shall rise again. ( Even Christ was mocked)

Job 11:3
Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
Job 11:2-4 (in Context) Job 11 (Whole Chapter)

2 Chronicles 36:16
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
2 Chronicles 36:15-17 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 36 (Whole Chapter)

Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians 6:6-8 (in Context) Galatians 6 (Whole Chapter)