Love in Closer

MWEG devotional building on our summer "Move in Closer" theme

Today, I want to share some stories that have prompted me to reflect on what it looks like to love and move in closer—inspired by the (much-needed) opportunities God keeps giving me to practice loving my neighbor.

The first story: my neighbor spends a lot of time cussing people out in his driveway. I’ve kept my distance. But recently, we had to exchange some mixed-up Amazon deliveries on our porches—in that moment, we had a normal conversation. The next month, we stopped to chat while we were both taking out our garbage cans, and I learned the name of his new granddaughter. Now we smile and wave as we get the mail. It’s progress.

My second story is similarly ordinary. An older woman started attending my summer water aerobics class. She has very little spatial awareness. I like to stay in the shady corner of the pool, and she often crowds me out. It’s silly, but I’ve felt some resentment towards her. Last time she did that, though, I imagined that behind those sunglasses was a person I loved: my aunt, or sister. That helped me give her grace. Then, as we exited the pool, I introduced myself and learned her name. Now we’re pool buddies who greet each other. She still makes it tricky to swim near her, but I either smile or choose to be in another place.

As minor as these examples might feel, this process of peacebuilding through “loving in closer” matters on community and global scales. The following stories come from the Church’s history in Europe.

After World War II, “Saints in the Netherlands faced the difficult challenge of rebuilding their lives. German occupation had damaged infrastructure, and food was scarce in some regions. Many branches of the Church were deeply divided, as some members had cooperated with German occupiers and others had resisted. In 1947 local Church leaders organized a welfare project to address food shortages and to restore goodwill among Church members.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/.../nl-04-the-dutch...)

Can you imagine being asked to share your meager, hard-earned rations with a former enemy? “Initially, members were shocked…President Zappey visited the branches and urged them to remember that the German Saints were their brothers and sisters. Though many were reluctant at first, the Dutch Saints prepared the harvested potatoes for shipment to Germany…In 1948, as reconstruction continued in both countries, the Dutch Saints offered a second potato harvest to their German brothers and sisters and added a large shipment of pickled herring, a Dutch staple. These acts of kindness helped Saints in both the Netherlands and Germany to recover from the effects of war and to restore unity and trust among European Saints.” This effort required humility and sacrifice. It continues to move me today.

A final example is that of the 2006 dedication of the Helsinki, Finland temple that Elder Renlund spoke about in his 2021 talk, “The Peace of Christ Abolishes Enmity” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/.../2021/10/43renlund...). He explained how “even former enemies can become united in their discipleship of the Savior… At the time, the [Helsinki] temple district would encompass Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia. At the dedication, I learned something surprising. The first day of general operation had been set aside for Russian members to perform temple ordinances. It is difficult to explain just how astonishing this was. Russia and Finland had fought many wars over the centuries…

“A year before the dedication of the Helsinki Temple, the temple committee, consisting exclusively of Finnish members, met to discuss plans for the dedication. During the meeting, someone observed that Russian Saints would be traveling several days to attend the dedication and might hope to receive their temple blessings before returning home. The committee chairman suggested that the Finns could wait a little longer, that Russians could be the first members to perform temple ordinances in the temple. All committee members agreed. Faithful Latter-day Saint Finns delayed their temple blessings to accommodate Russian Saints. The Area President …wrote: ‘I have never been prouder of the Finns than I was at this moment. Finland’s difficult history with its eastern neighbor … and their excitement of finally having [a temple] constructed on their own soil were put aside. Permitting the Russians to enter the temple first [was] a statement of love and sacrifice.'"

Elder Renlund’s stoic Finnish father was so moved by this experience, that “from that time until his death three years later, he never expressed another negative sentiment about Russia. Inspired by the example of his fellow Finns, my father chose to place his discipleship of Jesus Christ above all other considerations. The Finns were no less Finnish; the Russians were no less Russian; neither group abandoned their culture, history, or experiences to banish enmity. They did not need to. Instead, they chose to make their discipleship of Jesus Christ their primary consideration. If they can do it, so can we.”

As I’ve reflected on what these stories have in common, I’ve been struck by three themes.

First, moving in closer can take many different forms. While we can certainly love by bringing people into our lives and homes, becoming closer can be as basic as saying hi. The Finns loved the Russian Saints by simply making space.

Second, love is a gift. It can be hard to extend grace that we doubt will be reciprocated, but gifts are given freely. With this, I want to acknowledge that moving in closer is an act of strength that starts with having something to give. The Dutch had their potato harvest; the Finns had a nearby temple. While peacemaking often requires us to be uncomfortable, we do not have to move closer when that becomes unsafe. I can still choose to avoid my neighbor or swim in a different part of the pool as my floundering friend when necessary.

Finally, in order to love people—or perhaps as a result of loving them—we see them as people. My neighbor has a family; the woman in the pool is not that different from other women I love, who have their own weaknesses. In giving food, the Dutch transformed the Germans from enemies into human beings with bodies just like theirs that experienced hunger. The Finns were reminded that the Russians were also children of God, making enormous effort to experience temple blessings.

This, of course, is the great lesson that Christ offers through his example. Jesus regularly moved closer to others of different political, social, and economic demographics. He reminded those inclined to withhold their love that each person is our neighbor.

I want to close with a story from his ministry: traveling from Galilee to Judea, Jesus took an unusual route and stopped in Samaria at Jacob’s well. He broke societal and religious norms to talk to the woman there, and she recognized that, saying: “How is that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9). He crossed both a physical and a social divide to have this conversation, which would be important not just to her personally, but to every believer since who has been inspired by their visit and the living water Jesus shared with her.

With this divine example, and the smaller mortal ones, I echo Elder Renlund’s encouragement–if they can do it, so can we. Let’s move in a little closer, and love a little harder this week.

image credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/.../jesus-talking-with...