United We Stand

I've been told that I am in charge of this "post" now that Marilee is moving on to a new adventure in Arizona.

Sunday's lesson was on unity. In case the object of my object lesson wasn't understood, I started out imagining Lynn Rothey was dangling from a cliff. I came to rescue her with one strand of yarn. As Lynn feared, my one strand of yarn wasn't strong enough to do the job and it broke easily. I handed out more strands of yarn to the sisters behind her with the hope they would work together and essentially weave a rope. The more strands, the stronger the rope, the more likely it would save Lynn from her precarious situation.

"A long pull, a strong pull, and a pull all together" was a quote from Joseph Smith during the time the Saints were commanded to build the first temple. The early Saints' enthusiasm for the project and determination to obey, helped them unify in ways they never had before. Learning from this account, we understand that "unity is strength", "unity is power" and amazing things can be accomplished when "we all pull together".

We also discussed what thwarts unity. Elder Eyring said that "pride is the great enemy of unity". Along with pride is selfishness and Joseph Smith said that selfishness was to not just be buried "but annihilated". Joseph Smith reminded those early Saints that "great things depend on their individual exertion" and to "let love to God and man predominate and reign triumphant in every mind" so that hearts can be knit together.

Bringing this concept home, we reflected on the events of the past three years that brought about unity. In the Fall of 2006, our Stake came together to work on Stake President Haynie's inspired "Nauvoo Project". We witnessed first hand the miracle of accomplishing what seemed like an impossible task. The burden becomes light when many hands join the effort. In the Fall of 2007, we came together once again as a Stake but this time to reach out to our community as we helped provide food, shelter and clean up aid during and after the devastating wild fires. The Fall of 2008 will forever be in our minds as the time we had an unprecedented unity with members of other faiths, especially those that haven't been particularly friendly to us in the past. We knit our hearts together, setting aside doctrinal differences, and presented a united front against the assault on the traditional family.

Yes, there is great power in unity. Truly miraculous things come to pass when we are united in a good cause. May we all work to overcome our individual weaknesses that inhibit us from becoming a united people.