"They Were Of One Heart and One Mind"

Several years ago I was asked to give a talk in our Ward to the combined Priesthood brethren and Relief Society sisters. The topic I addressed was of being of "one heart and one mind." I want to share the content of this talk with you.

All throughout the scriptures, we are encouraged to be one in mind, body and spirit. Adam and Eve were commanded to be one. The Lord said that "I and my Father are one." Throughout the New Testament and Book of Mormon this same theme is repeated over and over again - "Stand fast in one spirit and one mind." "Gather together in one all things." "Them that believed were of one heart and one soul."

So what does it mean to be one? The dictionary says, "Being a single entity, unit, object, or living being. Characterized by unity; undivided. Of the same kind or quality. Forming a single entity of two or more components."

The Lord has counseled us to be one with him and his Father, and to be one with our spouse. Prior to our wedding, when mom and I were engaged, we were up at the north visitor's center on temple square one evening, sitting in a room called the temple room. It had plush carpeting, a temple altar and pictures of the temples on the walls.

An elderly senior missionary walked into the room and could tell that we were deeply in love, and asked if we were getting married. We said that we were. He said, "Can I give you a simple formula, that if you follow, will bring happiness and success in your marriage relationship?" And of course we said yes.

He sat down next to us and drew a triangle in the plush carpeting, and pointed to the top point of the triangle and said this is the Lord. Then pointing to the bottom right corner, he said to me, "this is you." And pointing to the bottom left corner, he said "this is your wife." Your goal is to be one with the Lord. And the only way to do that is to move up from your corners of this triangle together. To do that you have to move closer and closer together, as you progress up the sides of the triangle. When you have grown as close as you can together, you are then one with each other, and one with the Lord.

He said that the Lord helps us in this process, but we each have to do our parts. It is through the process of prayer and scripture study, of love and patience, of trust and loyalty to one another, that we draw close to one another. And as we draw close to one another, we, together draw close to the Lord.

When I went on my expedition to Nepal in 2002, I was greeted by the villagers with clasped praying hands, and the words "Namaste," which means, "the divine in me honors the divine in you, that together we may be one divine." Isn't that our purpose and journey in this life, to find the devine in each other, and become a oneness in divine purpose?

I knew of one such couple who truly exemplified the divine in each other and in their Savior. They are Javier and Walfred Rabanales. Javier and Walfred lived on the outskirts of Guatemala City, Guatemala. They had three beautiful children, ages 14, 17, and 19. Together they gave of themselves in helping the less fortunate Guatemalans living in rural villages. Javier would travel with Choice Humanitarian groups, building waters systems and schools, and teaching farming and gardening techniques to the villagers. Walfred would be at his side cooking and giving support. They loved each other very much, and they loved their fellowman. They always thought of others first and themselves last. They taught me the meaning of being one with each other and one with God. In August of 2008 they were both killed in a tragic airplane accident, leaving behind their three children.

So how are our relationships with the Lord and our spouse? Are we thinking of others first and ourself second? Are we drawing close to the Lord, at the same time drawing close to our eternal companion? If not, which way are we headed on our triangle? Who's moving away? The Lord is there. "If you knock, I will open." "I will come unto you, if you come unto me."

It is my hope that we each will move towards each other, at the same time moving towards the Lord.

"I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one, ye are not mine." (D&C 38:27)

Love, Dad