"I prayed....that they might have charity"

Tonight as I rushed to finish the Book of Mormon before the end of the year (a new favorite New Year's Eve tradition, I think), I was touched by a few verses in Ether 12, verses 36 to 38.  Moroni is speaking.  He's described much of the destruction of the Jaredite nation so far and has lived too see the destruction of the Nephites.  I can only image what horrible things he's seen and here he remains faithful and dedicated and full of love.  Here is what he says....

"I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.  

"And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.  

"And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood."

He was praying for us and for his brethren who need(ed) help.  He prays that we'll have charity - he knows how important that is and obviously lacking.  I was touched by Moroni's example of charity.  In Sunday School today we were reminded of these same verses (see D&C 135:5).  These are the verses Hyrum Smith read just before he left for Carthage, Illinois where he and Joseph were martyred.  What another beautiful example of charity and love for fellowmen! 

I'm grateful for these good leaders, who I'm sure found great comfort in the Lord's response that they didn't need to worry.  They would be fine in a place prepared for them in Father's kingdom, because they had been faithful and had seen their weaknesses and been made strong through Christ.  That they worried about the rest of us teaches me just how important charity, humility, and repentance truly are.  Truly they had become like Him (and isn't that the goal for all of us), as Mormon teaches in Moroni 7:48, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."