“Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christ-like person treats others” (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, The Virtue of Kindness, April 2005)

Though it is a talk from a while ago, it has such merit for our time. According to Merriam Webster, kindness is the state of being kind which means –

I loved this section of Elder Wirthlin’s talk –

“But,” you ask, “what if people are rude?”

Love them.

“If they are obnoxious?”

Love them.

“But what if they offend? Surely I must do something then?”

Love them.

“Wayward?”

The answer is the same. Be kind. Love them.

Why? In the scriptures, Jude taught, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.”

Who can tell what far-reaching impact we can have if we are only kind?

It’s easy to be kind to people who are kind to you. But so difficult to be kind to those who are unkind. This was the gist of the Lord’s law of love.

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22: 37-40)

I found an article about an experience that Sarah Weaver had with Elder Wirthlin. She was working with him on a project for the Church in Mongolia. He told her that “it [was] easy to notice things that make people different… “Your job is to see the best in them”.” (Sarah Jane Weaver: A lesson in love and understanding from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Church News, 8 November 2020).

Elder Wirthlin also taught, ““Love is the beginning, the middle and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures and consoles. It leads us through valleys of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life,” (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, The Great Commandment, Oct. 2007).

If we want to live like and with God in the next life, then developing kindness and love is a vital part of our learning and growth. As Moroni taught, we need to pray for this love (Moroni 7: 48) with all the energy of our hearts. And with that prayer, I think we need to practice kindness. It is, after all , “the essence of a celestial life”!

Finally, there was another quote from this talk made me think. “Our work here is but a shadow of greater and unimaginable things to come.” Love that.