Today I’d like to spend a few minutes exploring the following quote from Lucy Mack Smith:
We must cherish one another, watch over one another, and comfort one another… that we may all sit down in heaven together. (Lucy Mack Smith)
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of the f prophet, Joseph Smith. She was a great and hardworking woman. I have no doubt that she made it to her goal of sitting down in heaven. But what of those she wanted to sit with her? I love the fact that she knew there were people she wanted to have around her in the next life. I love the fact that she knew what was needed to bring them all together in the presence of God.
Her words offer a clear mission statement for the disciple of Christ. We offer our hands and hearts to the Savior and ask to live as He would, becoming a bit more like Him every day. What greater example did Jesus Christ offer to us, than to cherish, watch over and comfort one another?
This quote is actually a reflection of several verses from the Book of Mormon. In these, the prophet Alma is challenging those who have believed his words about Jesus Christ to be baptized.
8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— Mosiah 18:8-9
These verses are soon followed by the response of those who were learning about Jesus Christ. In essence, they clapped their hands for joy and exclaimed that this was the desire of their hearts. More than anything they wanted to become disciples of Christ. I’ve felt that same joy of commitment from time to time, have you? It comes when I’m working to comfort, help, and uplift others, when I’m doing my best to make my life what the Savior has asked me to make of it. It comes when I know others can see Christ through who I am.
As we learn how to accomplish these things in our lives, we learn more about our Savior, we learn more about our fellow man, we learn more about what heaven will really be like. Discipleship is a gradual process of being able to see ourselves and those around us as the Savior sees us. It’s a very different view from the one the world often shows us. It’s this process of watching out for each other, helping with each other’s needs, wanting people to show forth the best of their traits and develop their God-given traits and experience the power of their God-given nature that allows us to look at things through the Savior’s eyes. When we serve, support, and protect each other, we cherish each other. We find ourselves bursting with joy and the love of God. We look forward to an eternal existence after this life based on the same terms of service and love. We look forward to helping other be there together. We work toward a common goal of sitting down in heaven in the presence of our Savior knowing He is pleased with our efforts as a disciple.
