Mantle of Charity

I remember the conference not long ago when with our hearts and with our hands, we formally sustained President Monson as our inspired leader for this day. The mantle of the prophets now rests upon him. He holds the authority in the holy priesthood. All the keys and powers given by the angels to the Prophet Joseph Smith have been conferred upon President Monson. He is today’s authorized and divinely chosen successor in a long line of prophets.

As the mantle of the prophet fell onto his shoulders a change came over him. He was still "Tommy Monson" but he was now holding the weight as the prophet of the world.

In the church we use and understand the word mantle in many ways:

The Mantle of a prophet:"He has summoned them to high callings in his ministry. A sacred mantle has descended upon them, the mantle of their divine commission, the mantle of prophecy!" -Mark E. Peterson

The Mantle of a bishop: "He can sit in a a sacrament meeting and look out at his flock and know who is in trouble, look at his Aaronic Priesthood and know which ones need his counsel." -Robert D. Hales

Have you ever considered the mantle that comes along with being a priesthood holder?

The Mantle of the priesthood: "There should be nothing casual, nonchalant, or indifferent about holding the  priesthood. Once accepted, it should not be ignored, neglected, or cast aside. It is a mantle of honor and power that may be ours forever." -Ray H. Wood

After being set apart as a missionary last June I became very aware of the mantle that comes upon The Lords Missionaries.

The Mantle of a missionary: "You have authority to preach the gospel... As you prayerfully and worthily exercise that authority, you will receive spiritual power, which is evidence of the reality of your call... When you were set apart by priesthood authority, you received the right and privilege to represent the Lord." -Preach My Gospel.

When we recieve The Lords Mantle, "We speak with new voices; we are guided by a heavenly light. We are ordinary no longer! We are the anointed ones—the chosen ones—chosen by Almighty God!" -Mark E. Peterson

Many callings and responsiblities in the church are cloaked with this Mantle, but we each need remember that membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints carries its own mantle and it is not "a cloak of comfort but rather a robe of responsibility."

So what exactly is our mantle as members of the church? D&C 88:125 say, "And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle."

"In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity. Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life." -Pres. Monson

It's a scary thought that in a short time I will be released from my call as a missionary and will be asked to remove my black name tag. My mantle as a missionary will be removed, but I'm comforted to know that I can still carry the Mantle of Charity! Each of us have been so freely blessed with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and through Christ-like love I can share that joy with other people for the rest of my life.