A Great Day of Unity is Coming

President Henry B Eyring, General Conference, Sunday Morning Session, October 5, 2008

President Eyring opened his remarks with a smile and a positive message and I couldn't help but smile myself as he began to speak. He said "A great day of unity is coming." He said we're doing better. Families are praying together. Fathers and mothers are praying for unity in their families. We are becoming more unified as a church.

And then he gave us suggestions on how we can encourage greater unity. He said that hearts can be knit together in unity when we bear testimony of the Savior and his mission. When we bear testimony of the Savior in our Family Home Evenings, it can encourage greater family unity.

He also counseled that "pride is the great enemy of unity." How absolutely true that is and how sorely difficult it is to overcome pride (at least for me.) He said we should be peacemakers and try to resolve conflicts. One way we can do this, he said, was to try to find something we can agree on. We can also pray to restore peace and unity when it is lost. (This of course requires us to become humble...it's that darn pride again that makes it so difficult.)

The Lord can help us see that someone else's differences fill in what we lack. We have to remember that we see others through imperfect eyes. We ought to try to view people through the light of Christ. I think this is especially important to remember this in our wards because we have so many different personalities with different strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes when working with others in my church duties it gets difficult to be patient with differences so I really like this council.

And finally, we've all heard it said, but it never hurts to say it again, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

I never like to be told that I'm prideful and I never like having to be humbled but as difficult as it may be to hear that that's what is required of me to do my part towards greater unity, I still found these remarks on the whole to be very uplifting and positive. Truly, we are strongest as wards, families, stakes and as a church when we are unified.