I had a really difficult time with this talk--typically when I get talks I'm more reluctant to give them more so because I don't like speaking in front of others. But I struggled to come up with what needed to be said but how to not make it sound like I was on a soap box the whole time. Here is what I came up with....
M. Russell Ballard gave an address in the October 2001 Ensign entitled "A Doctrine of Inclusion"
"It may very well have been a beautiful, crisp autumn day like this. The Savior was sitting, teaching some of His disciples, when a man identified only as 'a certain lawyer' stood and asked Him, 'Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?'
"Jesus knew the man's heart and understood the question was a thinly veiled attempt to get Him to say something contrary to the law of Moses.
"The Savior responded to the question with two questions of His own: 'What is written in the law? how readest thou?'
"As you might expect, the lawyer was able to recite the law: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.'
"Thou has answered right,' the Savior said. 'This do, and thou shalt live.'
"But the lawyer wasn't satisfied with that. Knowing that there were strict rules and beliefs among the Jews regarding association with those not of the faith, he pressed the Lord for more information, hoping to trap Him in controversy: 'And who is my neighbour?' he asked.
"It was time, once again, to teach. Jesus drew upon one of His favorite and most effective teaching techniques: a parable, perhaps one of the most-beloved and well-known parables in all of Christendom.
"You know the parable, how a man from Jerusalem was on his way to Jericho and fell among thieves and was left half dead. A certain priest passed by on the other side; neither did a Levite stop to help. Then Jesus taught:
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
"And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him."
"Then Jesus asked the lawyer one more question: 'Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among thieves?'
"And the lawyer replied: 'He that shewed mercy on him.'
I love the Bible dictionary, you can always find really good information in it...but unfortunately it didn't have neighbor it in. So I turned instead to dictionary.com to see the definition of neighbor. It said "a person who shows kindliness or helpfulness toward his or her fellow humans OR used as a term of address, especially as a friendly greeting to a stranger." Neighbors aren't just people that you live by, but rather they are people that you associate with such as co-workers, teammates, roommates, family members, friends, etc.
Christ used the Samaritan specifically in this parable to prove his point; relations between the Jewish community and the Samaritan community were strained at best during Christs time. It's safe to say they did not run in the same social circles. Because of this, the parable had more of an impact on the lawyer--it showed him that your neighbors are anyone and everyone you interact with. "His deliberate use of Jews and Samaritans clearly teaches that we are all neighbors and that we should love, esteem, respect, and serve one another despite our deepest differences--including religious, political, and cultural differences."
In the Hymn 223 Have I Done Any Good?
" Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying 'Sometime I'll try,'
But go and do something today,
'Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love's labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known."
I had a conversation with a friend the other day who made comment that we need to not only being doing these things on Sunday, but on every other day of the week too.
Article of Faith #11 says
"We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, we allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."
"If we are truly disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will reach out with love and understanding to all of our neighbors at all times, particularly in times of need."
It all goes back to the Good Samaritan story--don't turn your back on those that are in need.
M. Russell Ballard shared a story--
"If our friendship had been put through a computer matching service, I doubt we would have made it past the first hurdle...
"...A woman with a busy medical practice, I assumed, would have little desire to discuss the color of the hospitality napkins for PTA.
"Funny thing about assumptions--they can cut away the very roots of something that could flourish and grow if given a chance. I am forever grateful that assumptions were cast aside" (Shauna Erickson, "Unlikely Friends Sharing a Lifetime," Church News, 18 Aug. 2001,10).
"Perceptions and assumptions can be very dangerous and unfair. There are some of our members who may fail to reach out with friendly smiles, warm handshakes, and loving service to all of their neighbors. At the same time, there may be those who move into our neighborhoods who are not of our faith who come with negative preconceptions about the church and its members."
I recently went out to dinner with a really good friend of mine; we've been friends since we were in middle school/high school, however she is not a member of the church. She's never had a desire to join and I have respected that decision; she is dating a member of the church and when we were out to dinner we had a chat about the Mormon religion. She asked if we were Christians, I told her that we believe in Christ and his teachings which is the definition of a Christian. She still has no desire to join the church however she also respects the fact that I have my beliefs and she has hers. While we may never agree on somethings, that is in no way going to impede our friendship.
M. Russell Ballard went on to say,
"It has never been the policy of the Church that those who choose not to listen or to accept our message should be shunned or ignored. Indeed the opposite is true. President Gordon B. Hinckley has repeatedly reminded us of this special obligation that we have as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. I quote just one"
'Each of us is an individual. Each of us is different. There must be respect for those differences.....
'...We must work harder to build mutual respect, an attitude of forbearance, with tolerance one for another regardless of the doctrines and philosophers which we may espouse. Concerning these you and I may disagree. But we can do so with respect and civility' (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 661, 665)."
It is the differences that we should celebrate. If we were all the same people it would be boring. God gave us agency so that we could make decisions for ourselves--we have the ability to chose right from wrong, how we treat others, etc. YOU have agency to decide what YOU want to.
"As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we understand that we are perceived by some to be 'a peculiar people' (1 Peter 2:9). Our doctrine and beliefs are important to us. We embrace them and cherish them...Our peculiarity and the uniqueness of the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ are indispensable elements in offering the people of the world a clear choice. Neither am I suggesting that we should associate in any relationship that would place us or our families at spiritual risk. We must understand, however, that not everyone is going to accept our doctrine of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
We need to allow people the usage of their agency; it is their choice, we must accept that and allow them to use their agency.
"That is our doctrine--a doctrine of inclusion. That is what we believe. That is what we have been taught. Of all people on this earth, we should be the most loving, the kindest, and the most tolerant because of that doctrine."
M. Russell Ballard suggested three simple things to help others feel more included.
1. "Get to know your neighbors. Learn about their families, their work, their views. Get together with them, if they are willing, and do so without being pushy and without any ulterior motives. Friendship should never be offered as a means to an end; it can and should be an end unto itself."
2. "I believe it would be good if we eliminated a couple of phrases from our vocabulary: 'nonmember' and 'non-Mormon.' Such phrases are demeaning and even belittling...[We are] Christian. [We are members] of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That is how [we]preferred to be identified--for who and what [we are], as opposed to being identified for what [we are] not. Let us extend that same courtesy to those who live among us. If a collective description is needed, then 'neighbors' seems to work well in most cases."
3. "If neighbors become testy or frustrated because of some disagreement with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or with some law we support for moral reasons, please don't suggest to them--even in a humorous way--that they should consider moving someplace else." I think this one is directed more toward those that live in a higher concentration of Mormon's but it is still applicable to us. Do not shun others because they do not have the same beliefs as you. We teach a doctrine of inclusion--live this always.
"Just hours before He began the painful physical and spiritual processes of the Atonement, the Savior met with His Apostles to partake of the Feast of the Passover--His Last Supper--and to give them the final instructions He would give them in mortality. Among these teachings is the stirring, life-changing declaration: 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another' (John 13: 34-35)
"That is what Jesus taught His disciples--including "a certain lawyer"--through the parable of the good Samaritan. And that is what He is teaching us today through living prophets and apostles. Love one another. Be kind to one another despite our deepest differences. Treat one another with respect and civility."
I know that this is the true church of Christ; I am so very grateful for the blessings that this gospel has given me and all that it has helped me through. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of the Lord, he leads and guides this church righteously. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that he did translate the Book of Mormon through the power of God. I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of us--He knows our struggles and He wants to help us if we only ask. If you don't believe me, then ask Him yourself. I know that the power of prayer really does work, if not I would not have know what to say or do for this talk. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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