Enduring Through the End Through Charity

 

All Who Have Endured Valiantly

(Doctrine and Covenants 121:29)

By Elder David A. Bednar

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Savior’s restored gospel invites us to be spiritually transformed—not merely to improve our behavior. As we align our character, desires, actions, and what we truly love more closely with God’s will, the Savior can bring about a comprehensive and complete change in us....

The very name “spiritual gifts” teaches a vital lesson. All such gifts are given by God according to His will and timing; they are not results we earn solely through focused effort and personal discipline....

Mormon testified that “charity is the pure love of Christ” and “the greatest of all” spiritual gifts. Significantly, the word endure is used in the scriptures to define and describe charity.

For example, “charity … endureth forever,” “suffereth long, … seeketh not her own, … beareth all things, … endureth all things.” And, as you sisters know well, “charity never faileth.”

Mormon also taught that “whoso is found possessed of [the spiritual gift of charity] at the last day, it shall be well with him.” Note the double meaning of the word of in this verse. We can possess charity, but ultimately charity should possess us....

For disciples of the Savior, charity encompasses both what we do and what we can become as this spiritual gift ultimately possesses us. At a fundamental level, charity certainly includes acts of compassion, kindness, and generosity directed toward others. But at a higher and even holier level, charity is the very essence of the “end” toward which we are enduring—becoming new creatures in Christ....

As we live as He invites us to live and with His help, our nature and character over time increasingly become more like His.

As we follow, love, and serve the Savior, we gradually focus less on our own desires and interests and more on understanding and addressing the needs of others. We do not merely perform benevolent deeds; rather, our state of being is changed and becomes increasingly Christlike. Charity, then, ultimately possesses us....

I am now going to read three scriptures that contain the phrase “endure to the end.” I will insert the phrase “is possessed of the pure love of Christ” in each verse so we can learn a vital and eternal lesson.

1. The Savior taught His ancient Apostles: “He that endureth to the end [or is possessed of the pure love of Christ] shall be saved.”

2. Nephi testified: “I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end [or is possessed of the pure love of Christ], the same shall be saved.”

3. Alma declared: “He that findeth mercy and endureth to the end [or is possessed of the pure love of Christ] the same shall be saved.”

Enduring to the end is linked inextricably to the spiritual gift of charity. Enduring to the end is not merely a relentless determination to grit our teeth, hold on to the limits of our physical strength and mental capacity, and push through the challenges and adversities of mortal life; it is so much more than that.