BTS (behind the shot): From the Joseph Smith Building, shooting through the window glass with my trusty 14–24mm f/2.8 at 14mm. I bracketed exposures and waited for the sun to flare behind Moroni without losing the cloud detail. Patience, angle, and a clean pane made the rays sing.
Excerpt
When words run hot, the Spirit runs quiet. President Russell M. Nelson’s call—“Peacemakers Needed”—reminds me that covenant disciples build and bless, even under fire. Today I’m choosing to cool my speech, lift my neighbors, and let charity do the heavy lifting.
Intro
The world feels loud. But on the temple roofline tonight, light broke through and stitched the sky together. President Nelson’s sermon lands the same way: direct, steady, hopeful. Peacemakers aren’t passive; they’re disciplined disciples who speak higher and holier. This post is my small practice at that.
Notes from President Nelson (Sep 2023)
- Contention is toxic and common—even at home. “Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. Regrettably, we sometimes see contentious behavior even within our own ranks… spouses and children belittled, angry outbursts used to control, ‘silent treatment,’ youth who bully, and employees who defame colleagues.”
- Contention is evil. “Make no mistake about it: contention is evil! Jesus Christ declared that those who have ‘the spirit of contention’ are not of Him but are ‘of the devil’… Those who foster contention are taking a page out of Satan’s playbook.”
- What people really need from us. “If a couple in your ward gets divorced… a missionary returns early… a teenager doubts his testimony—they do not need your judgment. They need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ in your words and actions.”
“If a friend on social media has strong views that violate everything you believe in, an angry, cutting retort will not help. Build bridges of understanding.” - Peacemaking is a covenant choice. We can choose contention or reconciliation; charity is the antidote and the temple empowers us to cast the adversary out of our relationships.
- Our standard of speech: If anything is “virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy,” say that—to faces and behind backs.
Perspective
Peacemaking isn’t “peace at any price.” It’s covenant keeping with our mouths, our posts, and our reactions. The temple in view—Salt Lake—reminds me: God gathers, builds, and refines. If I’m with Him, my words should too.
Practice (today, not someday)
- Pause before post. If it won’t lift, it won’t live on my feed.
- Bridge the gap. Ask one sincere question where I disagree.
- Name the good. Offer one specific, praiseworthy sentence to someone who needs it.
- Close the loop. Repair one relationship where my words cooled the room.
Final Reflection
Light rays don’t fight the clouds—they pass through and transform them. Peacemakers do the same with hard moments. Charity takes the sharpness out of sentences and puts strength back into souls.
Pocket I’m Keeping (one-liner)
“Charity is the antidote to contention.”
What I Hear Now (direct quotes from President Nelson)
- “Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions.”
- “Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice.”
- “Make no mistake about it: contention is evil!”
- “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy we can say about another… that should be our standard of communication.”
- “Now is the time to bury your weapons of war. The pure love of Christ is the answer to the contention that ails us today.”
Link to the talk
President Russell M. Nelson — “Peacemakers Needed.” (Official text/video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
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