Charity, The Pure Love Of Christ -

 The Good Samaritan

There is a wonderful blog site that I am currently enjoying many of the posts - "My Hearts Desire"  - For the month of April there is a challenge to write thoughts that can help us become Woman of Noble Character. I  have been pondering on that title for a few days.
I have a desire within my soul to pray for and become a woman of noble character. I know that I have a long way to go in developing the qualities to become such a woman.  These characteristics lead us to the ultimate goal of all and that is to have Charity, The Pure Love of Christ.
The apostle Paul wrote the following thoughts on Charity in;
 1 Corinthians 13:
1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
4. Charity sufferth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil:
6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7. Bearth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8. Charity never faileth....
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
I hope many of you will take a moment and read 1 Corinthians 13.
In Luke 10:27-28 the Lord said; "Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." This the great commandment.
Of course there is the great parable of the Good Samaritan found in (Luke 10:30-37) and perhaps we should all read that occasionally to keep us on the path towards that goal of "Charity, Never Faileth."
I had the privilege of working as a Hospice Home Health Nurse. During those few years I learned so much about love, compassion, and the greatest of all Charity. I observed families who loved their terminally ill; parent, husband, wife, daughter, son, friend, neighbor and tenderly cared for them. For a few months I  myself suffered with some stressful symptoms. There were days when I would drag myself to work feeling like I couldn't make it through the day. Once I visited the very first patient I would feel enlivened and able to continue on with my work due to the example of those families. I knew that a kind wise Heavenly Father was watching over His precious sons and daughters that were struggling with the burden of a terminally ill loved one. I saw true compassion in action. It wasn't all perfect of course, there were those patients who had no one or a family that really didn't care about them; so I became the one to help provide care for them.
Before and since those experiences, I have had many moments of learning and growing in my love for others. There are so many different ways to develop the gift of Charity. I will always be grateful for the lessons learned. Many of those  kind and loving moments were found in the examples set by my parents, grandparents, extended family, church sisters and other friends and especially my dear husband. I have witnessed compassion in their actions.
I know that this has helped me to be a better daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, sister and friend.
Our prophet President Thomas S. Monson gave a Relief Society conference message entitled "Charity Never Faileth"; here are a few of his thoughts:
"...Charity that impels us to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or error on the part of others. 
There is a serious need for the charity that gives attention to those who are unnoticed, hope to those who are discouraged, aid to those who are afflicted, True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere. 
Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others. 
Charity is the pure love of Christ. 
In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity. Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life. 
Charity has been defined as: the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love..the pure love of Christ....; and whoso found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with her; (Moroni 7:47).
"Charity never faileth. " May it permeate your soul and find expression in all of your thoughts and actions."
I know that this is what I would like to become; a Woman of Noble Character with the pure of love of Christ, that Charity that never faileth.
Perhaps take a moment and read out of the Book of Mormon the following:
Moroni 7: 40-46
It is a commandment to love one another and have a charitable heart for all.

Many years ago my dear husband wrote two additional verses to the hymn; "Love one Another" by Luacine Clark Fox that I would like to share.

Love One Another

As I have loved you, love one another.

This new commandment love one another.

By this shall men know ye are my disciples,

If ye have love one to another.

Ye have my gospel, share with another.

Ye are my shepherds feed then a brother.

Care for the stranger love as the Messiah;

Then ye shall know joy of the Father.

Someday you'll see me if you endeavor

Then you will know me we'll walk together.

If you obey me here then is my promise,

I'll come to you you're mine forever.