The Pure Love of Christ

Elder Norm Masters  Full Time Missionary  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Upper Country News Reporter  Cambridge, Idaho   August 2014

Many years ago, when I was in the Air Force, I was stationed at Torrejón Air Base, just outside of Madrid, Spain.  When I arrived, I spoke no Spanish at all.  My brother, who had taken Spanish in high school, told me that sombrero was the word for ‘hat’ in Spanish.  I soon learned that the Spanish people do not use the word ‘sombrero’.  That is a word used in Mexico and in South America.  The word used in Spain for hat is ‘gorro’.

Another word that I learned during my four years in Spain is the word ‘simpático’.  Simpático in general means ‘nice’, ‘caring’, and ‘understanding’, all rolled into one word.  Even those words don’t quite describe ‘simpático’.  There is a deeper meaning that can’t be fully described.

Charity is a word we hear often and is described as ‘giving’, ‘kindness’, etc.  However, charity is another word that can mean more than the common terms that we use to describe it.  Charity is described in our church as ‘the pure love of Christ’.  If we truly strive to pattern our life after Jesus Christ, charity can become a way of life for each of us.

Paul the Apostle gave us an insight into this level of love in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verses 4-7 where he states:

4    Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5    Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6    Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7    Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Paul ends Chapter 13 with verse 13:

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

In the Book of Mormon the prophet Moroni relates the words of his earthly father, Mormon, concerning charity by saying in Chapter 7 of Moroni:

44 … If a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

 45          And 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.

 46          Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

 47          But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

These two scriptures best describe the full meaning of charity.  As we can see, charity is more than simple giving to others.  It is a way of life.  If we can accomplish this, we are living a Christ-like life.

Bullrushes, Cattails,Toolies
Whatever term one may use for these aquatic plants, they are beautiful!
Even the basket that sheltered the prophet Moses may have been woven from cattails!

Being a Californian, these plants were always referred to as "toolies."  The dense Northern California fog is called tule fog.  Norm, on the other hand, calls them cattails.

Sometimes, toolies are cut and put in dried arrangements.  Mostly, they are left in the wild to add beauty to many a landscape.

A Touch Of Gold

Cattail Beauty

A Splash Of Lavender Among The Toolies

Okay, We're In Idaho.   Why Not Get Excited About A Bale Of Hay?

Super Gigantic  Bales Of Hay!

 Baled Or Rolled Hay
There are many reasons why hay may be baled or rolled.  Sometimes, it is simply the machine used.  Other times, smaller bales are easier to work with when stacking for feed.  Horses like the hay dry, but cows aren't picky.

Since hay is harvested in the hottest part of the summer, it is a grueling, sweaty task to stack it in barns.

For me, the rolled hay is the most picturesque by far.  As a Californian, I almost always saw the hay baled.  As I began to travel more, I was pleasantly surprised to see the rolled hay in many fields.  It gives me the feel of days gone by.

Does This Look Serene Or What?     A Sunday Afternoon  Cambridge, Idaho  2014

The Look Of Days Gone By

Perfect Symmetry

It's That Time Of Year Again
School days, school days
Dear old golden rule days.
Readin', ritn' and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hickory stick.

Let's take a trip on memory's ship 
Back to the bygone days.
Sail to the old village school house.
Anchor outside the school door.
Look in and see.
There's you and there's me
A couple of kids once more.