Relationships Over Opinions

 There's so much on social media that is beautiful and inspiring and helps me to be a little better.  And there's also so much vitriol and anger and unkindness.  And I have been pondering unity lately a lot.  

I read the following words from a page I follow called A Worldwide Sisterhood and loved them.  I shared them on Facebook and Instagram:

Sisters, we need each other. “Oh, how we need each other.” (Marjorie Pay Hinckley)

And our Savior, Jesus Christ, needs us too.

He needs us to be and act as one in building His kingdom on the earth.

He needs us to be and act as one in lifting souls unto Him.

He needs us to be and act as one to gather scattered Israel.

He needs us to be and act as one when He returns.

Individually, we can do much, but collectively we are an unstoppable force for good on the earth today. And oh, how much we need the good in this world.

“As A Worldwide Sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Exemplar.” (Relief Society Declaration)

He needs our every effort, and He knows that when we are united with Him, we will accomplish His will on the earth today for His purpose.

Sisters, together as one united whole, we need to have one purpose, one cause, and one hope.

And we do.

We do have One purpose, One cause, One hope.

And that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Along with the words from A Worldwide Sisterhood, I shared these thoughts on Facebook and Instagram today:

"Friends, I can just about guarantee that we don’t agree on everything. We likely have some differing religious beliefs, political opinions, parenting styles, interests and hobbies, lifestyle choices, and language, racial and/or cultural backgrounds. Sometimes I won’t fully understand why you make the choices you make or why you see things the way you do (and I fully expect that you’ll feel the same about me!). But after the past year and a half I recognize so clearly that the thing I value most is relationships and we don’t have to agree on everything to have a positive relationship! I think far too often we get locked into a divide and our opinion becomes so important that we forget to care about the PERSON on the other side. I have opinions about politics, education, the virus, and many other topics…but I hope I am humble enough to recognize that I don’t know everything and that I have not walked in your shoes AND wise enough to value our relationship over my opinion. We need more unity and less polarity. And I know I can, DO and MUST care about people who see the world differently than me. When I take time to listen I can usually find common ground and so much goodness in those who are very different from me.

I will sometimes share my opinion and I hope you will share yours. But I will genuinely TRY to share my opinion in a way that is respectful and that honors that others will see things differently. I will try to put people before politics or points of view and try to increase unity and good feelings rather than anger, division and pain. And—especially if we are close friends or family—if I do say or write something that is hurtful or disrespectful, I genuinely hope you will let me know so I can repair the damage I caused and do better! I hope we can all try a little harder to be a little kinder and to extend grace and to listen and to see people as so much more than their view on an issue!

We need one another!! We are better together!"