Cultivating Christ-like Attributes by Merrit Denison

While Christ was on the earth, he set us the ultimate example so that we might know how to act to return and live with our Father in Heaven in the next life. In the Book of Mormon Alma teaches us of many qualities we ought to develop within ourselves in our effort to become like the Savior, including humility, patience, long-suffering, temperance, prayerful, and full of gratitude. To sum up his call of the disciples, Alma gives us three virtues we must cultivate in order to be found spotless before God in the last day: faith, hope, and charity.1

The development and nurturing of these attributes is paramount in order that we may be further entrusted by God to do the His work here on earth and gain eternal blessings. The Savior himself stated that “No one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity.”2 In looking at each characteristic individually we can evaluate ourselves and determine how we can improve each of these qualities in our progression to becoming more Christ-like.

Faith

“Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if [we] have faith [we] hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”3 Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for something that we cannot yet see. Our faith must be centered on a knowledge and belief that Jesus Christ lives and is our Savior and Redeemer. Faith is expressed through action as it leads us to do good works, keep the commandments, and repent of our sins.

How, then, can we increase our faith? In “True to the Faith” it gives the analogy that faith is a muscle. As it is exercised it grows stronger. If left immobile, it becomes weak. “True to the Faith” suggests three basic things we can do to increase faith in Christ: “We can nurture the gift of faith by praying to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ…keeping the commandments…[and] by studying the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets.”

In my own experience, I have seen my faith grow as I am willing to put my trust in the Lord and recognize that He knows me better than I know myself and He gives me experiences to help me become the person I’m supposed to be. Sometimes I receive an answer to my prayers that may not necessarily be what I was hoping for, but when I choose to be obedient, my faith increases tremendously.

Hope

One of my favorite talks in this past general conference was President Uchtdorf’s message entitled “The Infinite Power of Hope.” I love the way he defined hope. He said, “Hope is a gift of the Spirit. It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior.” To me this means that hope is a realization that there’s more to life that simply living. We have an eternity with our Father in Heaven to plan for and look forward to! It gives purpose and meaning to our lives.

Life has its fair share of trials and tribulations. Within the past few weeks I’ve been feeling a bit of despair as I’ve faced stresses and challenges. Sometimes it feels like it would be easier just to give up, but it is the hope and trust I have in the Lord that He will fulfill His promises and prepare a way for me to overcome the hardships I face in life.

Charity

In order to become an instrument in the hands of God we must have the pure love of Christ, or charity. It is a commandment that we have charity: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; … By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”4 Charity is the highest pinnacle the human soul can reach and the deepest expression of the human heart. Christ was the ultimate example of charity as He went about serving all those around him, regardless of race, age, gender, economic status, or religion. He had an infinite love for every single person on the earth, and ultimately manifested His love for us by atoning for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Charity is more than simply going to ward service projects; it is having a love in your heart for each of God’s children and a genuine desire to help them in any way possible. For me, praying to the Father that I might have a pure love for others has helped me have more charity. It is also important to put into action the principles of charity by doing small things every day for others because these little things eventually define our characters and give us the desire and commitment to act upon the promptings of the spirit to serve and love those around you.

I have been so blessed in my own life as I have a pure desire to serve others instead of focusing on myself. I’ve had the amazing opportunity to go on humanitarian trips the past three summers to various parts of the world. As I plan for my trip, I sometimes think about all the other things I could be using the money on instead of paying for a plane ticket to a third world country with less than desirable living conditions. However, the feeling of love and the blessings I receive in my life as I serve God’s children far outweigh any temporary happiness or satisfaction that I would have had spending money on myself.

Faith, Hope, and Charity

Faith, hope, and charity work hand in hand. As one increases, the others grow as well. President Uchtdorf said, “When disobedience, disappointment, and procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope, the purer our charity.” It is crucial that we strengthen each of these qualities. The Savior himself stated the importance of these characteristics: “...I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me the fountain of all righteousness.”5

I know that as we each strive to cultivate these three divine attributes, we will become more like our Savior and be blessed eternally. The more faithful, hopeful, and loving we are, the more God will entrust us with carrying out His work here on earth, which will prepare us to live with Him in the eternities.

1. Alma 7:22-25

2. D&C 12:8

3. Alma 32:21

4. John 13:34-35

5. Ether 12:28