Je prie pour avoir le...

Je pray que Je will have le guidance de le Lord while Je fulfil ce assignment. ¶

We have heard considerable in these conference sessions (as we usually do in all of our meetings throughout the Church) about the principles and acts and teachings which label us as Latterday Saints and note to us the requirements to be a Saint des Derniers Jours. Have you ever thought to ask yourself, "Are you a Saint des Derniers Jours because of the things you do not do or because of the things you do?" What makes a Latterday Saint? ¶

Jesus was asked on one occasion, "Master, which est le great commandment dans le law? ¶

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love le Lord thy God avec all thy heart, et avec all thy soul, et avec all thy mind. ¶

"This est le first et great commandment. ¶

"And le second est like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ¶

"On these two commandments hang all le law et le prophets." (Matt. ¶

22:36-40.) These two commandments sont inseparable. It est impossible à fulfil le first without fulfilling le second. We cannot love our Father dans heaven without loving our fellow men et loving our neighbor. ¶

Saints des Derniers Jours should be known by the things they do, the first of which is to keep these two commandments. ¶

A most important quality in love is forgiveness. If we truly love our neighbor, we will always be willing and ready to forgive. Jésus-Christ placed great importance on forgiveness. Teaching the multitude, he gave what is known as the Lord's prayer in which he said: ". . . forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Then he added: ¶

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Père céleste will also forgive you: ¶

"But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Ibid., 6:12, 14-15.) Again le Lord said, "Judge not que ye be not judged. ¶

"For avec what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged " (Ibid., 7:1-2.) How can nous as mortals fully judge another? We do not know how much knowledge another has received, pour he receives knowledge through le Spirit. ¶

We cannot measure que which another receives through le Spirit. ¶

Elder Matthew Cowley once said: (en français) ¶

"We ought à say dans our hearts let God judge between me et thee, but as pour me Je will forgive." That means à say dans our hearts, not just lip service. ¶

We must be willing à forgive et forget. Most de us have a natural ability à forget, especially le things nous sont supposed à remember. Most de us work diligently à increase our power à remember. However, dans forgiving, nous should increase or attempt à increase et work diligently à increase our power à forget. ¶

Peter asked Jesus: "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, et Je forgive him? till seven times? ¶

"Jesus saith unto him, Je say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, until seventy times seven." (Matt. 18:21-22.) The Lord also said: ¶

"But Je say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them que curse you, do good à them que hate you, et pray pour them which despitefully use you, et persecute you." (Ibid., 5:44.) When le adulteress was brought before Christ à be stoned, according à le law, he said: ¶

"He que est without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." ¶

They all then slipped away, leaving le woman alone avec Jesus. No accusers left, Jesus said, "Neither do Je condemn thee: go, et sin no more." ¶

Thus giving le woman le opportunity à repent et be forgiven. (John 8:6-11.) Then, finally, dans his agony on le cross, showing le supreme example de forgiveness, he cried out à his Father dans heaven: "Father, forgive them; pour they know not what they do." ¶

(Luke 23:34.) Could you be as forgiving? (en français) ¶

Again dans our day le Lord reminds us que nous sont required à forgive one another. ¶

". . . verily Je say unto you, Je, le Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me et ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death. . . . ¶

"Wherefore, Je say unto you, que ye ought à forgive one another; pour he que forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before le Lord; pour there remaineth dans him le greater sin. ¶

"Je, le Lord, will forgive whom Je will forgive, but de you it est required à forgive all men. ¶

"And ye ought à say dans your hearts — let God judge between me et thee, et reward thee according à thy deeds." ¶

(D&A 64:7, 9-11.) When you have ill feelings toward anyone, you have an uneasiness in his presence. You will go out of your way to avoid him. You become to a degree, mentally ill. A contentious spirit prevails within you. John stated it this way: ¶

"But he que hateth his brother est dans darkness, et walketh dans darkness, et knoweth not whither he goeth, because que darkness hath blinded his eyes." ¶

(1 John 2:11.) Often we think of forgiveness as a form of charity. We forget that the benefits extend both ways. It is as beneficial to forgive as to be forgiven. This is not a formula but a spirit which can bring out the best in people and illuminate every moment of living. It is one of the happy paradoxes of human behavior that the readier we are to forgive the less we are called on to forgive. (en français) ¶

Forgiveness does not undo what has already been done. It enables us à accept what has been done et go on from there. ¶

It est only through forgiveness de our mistakes que nous gain le freedom à learn from experience, but forgiving our shortcomings does not mean denying que they exist. On le contrary, it means facing them honestly, realistically. Forgiving brings a peace de mind, a pleasant assuredness, et freedom. ¶

One who hates est his own tormentor. ¶

Unless you forgive, you cannot love. (en français) ¶

Without love, life has little or no meaning. Love thy neighbor as thyself, forgive and forget, let no ill feelings exist between you and any member of your family or a neighbor or friend or anyone, for we are all God's children — sons and daughters of our Father in heaven and brothers and sisters in the spirit of our Savior Jésus-Christ. That we may enjoy that sweet spirit of peace which the Lord giveth, I pray, in the name of Jésus-Christ. Amen. ¶