1. What is unity?
Marion G. Romney
One of the central themes of the gospel of Jesus Christ is unity. The scriptures teach that equality and oneness should prevail among the members of the Church.
Definition
Oneness, a condition of harmony, continuity in purpose or action
Synonyms for Unity
Balance (stability produced by even distribution of weight, equality between the totals of two sides of an account, physical equilibrium), Coherence (logical connection or consistency, integration of diverse relationships or values), Orchestration (harmonious organization), Proportion (harmonious relation of parts to the whole, equal share), Symmetry (beauty of form arising from balanced proportions), Symphony (harmony of music or color), Harmony (a pleasing arrangement of parts, such as in colors or music)
from Merriam-Webster Dictionary
2. What is not unity?
Antonyms of Unity
Asymmetry (lack of form or balance), Discordance (disagreeing, quarrelsome), Disproportion (lack of symmetry, or proper relation), Disunity (dissension, conflict, division), Imbalance (the state of being out of equilibrium or proportion), Incoherence (a lack of consistency), Violence (the exertion of physical force to injure or abuse, destruction, clashing)
It's not individual, isolation, aloneness, selfish, degrading, demeaning, unrepentant, or unforgiving.
President Eyring suggests, "Pride is the great enemy of unity."
Elder John K. Carmack
In a worldwide church, becoming one does not mean becoming the same.
The gospel is marvelously sufficient to create the desired unity, but people are imperfect.
It took a graphic revelation for Peter to say, aha! "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." (Acts 10:34-35.)
Unity in diversity will not happen if we let nature take it's course. Isolation and discrimination are still capable of surfacing in every location of the church. We each need to assign ourselves as a "committee of one" to create the attitudes of inclusion, acceptance, and unity wherever we find ourselves.
3. How do we, as a ward family, increase unity?
Howard W. Hunter
Within this church there is a constant need for unity, for if we are not one, we are not his. (D&C 38:27) We are truly dependent on each other, "and the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you." (1 Cor 12:21.) Nor can the North Americans say to the Asians, nor the Europeans to the islanders of the sea, "I have no need of thee." No, in this church we have need of every member, and we pray, as did Paul when he wrote to the church in Corinth, "that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one toward another.
Keeping in a similar vein, we cannot go around thinking of ourselves or of others that we, or they, have no value in the Western Springs 2nd Ward because we are single, have no children of our own, are married or not married, divorced, not divorced, pregnant, or not pregnant, have small children, large children, medium-sized children, brown hair, green eyes, a bump on our nose, have less or more money, a nice looking or ugly yard, a car that gets us from point A to point B in style or gets us where we are going just barely, live in an small home, large home, or medium-sized home, have big testimonies, small testimonies, or medium-sized testimonies. Here is what matters: we are the literal children of a living God and all He cares about is us getting back home to live with Him. It really is as simple as that!
Following are only a few suggestions for how to go about increasing unity.
A. We serve each other.
Mary N. Cook
"We build unity and share our unique colors through benevolence: individual acts of kindness."
Mark 3:24-25
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
B. We mourn with each other and bear one another's burdens.
1 Corinthian 12:25-26
"And whether one member suffer, all members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."
C. We learn to be at peace with ourselves.
Howard W. Hunter
"Of course, the key to a unified church is a unified soul-one that is at peace with itself and not given to inner conflicts and tensions."
D. We follow the Savior and strive to become one in purpose with Him.
Part of the Savior's great intercessory prayer is as follows:
John 17:11 Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one,
John 17: 21-23
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
E. We share the gospel with each other.
In Ephesians:
Ecclesiastical leadership was established for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ...
Ephesians 4:13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
And this so that we would no longer be as fickle as children, tossed about by every wind of doctrine...14
F. We humble ourselves and get rid of contention.
Mosiah 18: 21
And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
Ephesians 2: 18-19
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Only together can we become a great harmonious symphony of Saints. We are indeed brothers and sisters, unified by a common cause; to return home to our Father.
Hymn number 296 Our Father, By Whose Name counsels:
May [His] strong Spirit bind our hearts in unity.
And help us each to find the love from self set free.
In all our hearts such love increase, That every home, by this release,
May be the dwelling place of peace.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
In addition to the above remarks I made mention that I sometimes feel like a square peg in a round hole, especially as a single individual in a Church that teaches the importance of family. But that the Master Carver, Jesus Christ will carve off the rough edges until I fit, just as He will do for all of us.
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Location:Riverton, Utah
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