"Christlike attributes come into our lives as we exercise our agency righteously"
--- Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; 1940 - Present)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is first and foremost a Christian religion. Everything we do is with a focus on Christ. And above all, we believe that it is this Church that the living Jesus Christ himself leads. Everything that He commands is with the intent of helping us become more as He is. Beyond going through the motions, God desires for us to invest our hearts. He wants us to be kinder, more compassionate, more patient, more selfless, more forgiving, more humble, and above all, more holy. We don't only seek after goodness, we seek godliness. (See "More Than Good")
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LOVE LIKE CHRIST
I learned a lot about Christ-like service from Elder Rangel who was our District Leader and the one who baptized Hermana Rangel in the last two blog posts (See "Member Missionary Work" and "Who Baptizes?"). Elder Rangel was only a few months more into the mission than myself and yet his maturity was something that I admired greatly. He was a joyful person who listened with his whole soul and sympathized with you in your discouragement. He taught by example. He understood the two greatest commandments:
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets". (Matt. 22:37-40)
Every few days, Elder Rangel would ask the three of us who lived with him if we wanted our shoes shined. Without hesitation, Elder Rangel would prop our feet up on his wooden chest, grab his rag and polish, and go at it using every muscle in his body to polish the scuff marks off our shoes. I'm not gonna lie, it was a bit awkward sitting there lazily as he was on his knees, giving it his all, literally bowing before us. But it was much appreciated. By the end of polishing just one shoe, he would already be in a noticeable sweat and out of breath. But that didn’t stop Elder Rangel. He kept asking and kept serving, not because he had to, but because he chose to. He lost himself in the service of others (Matt. 16:25). I think again of the night before Christ’s death when he washed the Apostles’ feet, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done.” (John 13:13-14)
It didn’t stop there. Most days, Elder Rangel would offer to cook us eggs for breakfast. I even let him cut my hair once which required a lot of trust. He helped Elder Lopez and myself work in our area from time to time, he kept our morale high, he was a friend to all. And it's not that he was obligated to do these things. No one asked him to. But he actively sought ways to serve us and as he did he was blessed. He taught me that great leaders are also the greatest servants. Such was the kind of leader that Jesus Christ was.
Asked Jesus, "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily, I say unto you, even as I am" (3 Nephi 27:27). Jesus Christ didn't just teach us, He showed us how we should live. These attributes are found through the scriptures and speak with one voice. Just one of many examples, the prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ invites us to become "humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering" (Alma 13:28). Paul in the New Testament teaches us that the "fruits of the spirit" are "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance" (Gal. 5:22-23). One of the last things that Jesus taught His disciples, even in that same night that He was betrayed, said He, "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). The more we strive to develop these Christ-like attributes, the better we come to know and love Him, and consequentially, love one another.
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