Being Perfect and Charity, the pure love of Christ...

We are commanded to be perfect. In the scriptures we read, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven:Matt. 5:48 

Charity is the pure love of Christ. It is the love that Christ has for the children of men and that the children of men should have for one another. It is the highest, noblest, and strongest kind of love and the most joyous to the soul (see 1 Nephi 11:23).

Charity is “the pure love of Christ,” or “everlasting love” (Moroni 7:47; 8:17). The prophet Mormon taught: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (Moroni 7:45; see also 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

In tying this all together, having the pure love of Christ, means forgiving, it means loving the person even more. It means stretching out our arms and embracing other's weaknesses and loving them because of their weaknesses, not despite them. It doesn't point the finger, it doesn't hold on to hurts, it doesn't shame and blame. It looks our friends and family in the eye and tells them they are divine in nature and have infinite worth. It does not call each other names, ignore others, and gossip about others. It builds, it brings towards Christ, it is sometimes not easy.

Doing the right thing is more important that doing the easy thing. Even if you have to stand up to your friends or family in the embracing of charity. Not all will agree with your choices but being able to have the integrity at the end of the day and look your loved ones in the eye and say you have done all you can do to love them, that is the pure love of Christ.

I have not done this, and I will continue to work on myself and improve and extend the arm of friendship, love, and forgiveness.