I missed the first part of what he said about “the conflicts raging in our hearts and in our lives.”
We can become instruments of His peace in the world.
May we today, on Palm Sunday, spread out our cloaks of love and our palm leaves of charity.
As His followers, we are His peculiar people, called to proclaim His virtues, promoters of the peace so generously offered through Him and His atoning sacrifice. This peace is a gift promised to all who turn their hearts to the Savior and live righteously; such peace gives us the strength to enjoy mortal life and enables us to endure the painful trials of our journey.
As disciples of the Prince of Peace, we have been instructed to live with “hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” Our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, recently stated, “Contention violates everything the Savior stood for and taught.” Our prophet also implored that we do all we can to end personal conflicts that are currently raging in our hearts and in our lives.
I would like to celebrate Easter by finding a way to maximize peace and eliminate contention in the home from Palm Sunday until Easter. What can we do to make that happen? What could we cut out that week? What could we incorporate that week?
Another important aspect to emphasize, and one that has direct implications on our discipleship and how we promote the peace of the Savior, is the manner in which we treat each other. During His earthly ministry, the Savior’s teachings focused—not only, but particularly—on the virtues of love, charity, patience, humility, and compassion—fundamental attributes to those who want to become closer to Him and promote His peace. Such attributes are gifts from God, and as we strive to develop them, we will begin to see our neighbor’s differences and weaknesses with more empathy, sensitivity, respect, and tolerance. One of the most evident signs that we are drawing closer to the Savior and becoming more like Him is the loving, patient, and kind way with which we treat our fellow beings, whatever the circumstances.
We need more of this patience and forbearance in our home.
Nephi prophesied that in the latter days, the enemy would rage and stir up people to anger against what is good. The scriptures teach that “every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.” On the other hand, “that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.”
Last night I noticed this in 2 Nephi 28:19: “For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or … they be stirred up to anger, and perish;” when the kingdom of the devil is shaken is inhabitants will either repent or get stirred up like hornets.
If we are not careful with our thoughts, words, and actions, we may end up being entangled by the cunning tricks of the enemy, destroying our relationships with the people around us and our loved ones.
Even when we have disentangled ourselves from these tricks we may find that others have become entangled by them because of our past actions.
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