Elder Marvin J. Ashton on serving one another

Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915-1994) served as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1971 until his death in 1994 at age 78.

"Be one who nurtures and who builds. Be one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart, who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.... Lend a hand to those who are frightened, lonely, or burdened.

"If we could look into each other's hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care....

"When we truly become converted to Jesus Christ, committed to Him, an interesting thing happens: our attention turns to the welfare of our fellowman, and the way we treat others becomes increasingly filled with patience, kindness, a gentle acceptance, and a desire to play a positive role in their lives. This is the beginning of true conversion.

"Let us open our arms to each other, accept each other for who we are, assume everyone is doing the best he or she can, and look for ways to help leave quiet messages of love and encouragement instead of being destructive with bashing."

- Marvin J. Ashton, "The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword", Ensign, May 1992, p. 18-20
Click here to read the full talk

In this excerpt, Elder Ashton describes the kind of person we all wish we could be... we all should be. The image below shows an incident when Joseph Smith found two children stuck in a muddy street, and not only helped them get clear of the bog, but consoled them and wiped away tears.

I love this insight: "If we could look into each other's hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care." I have come to believe that; everyone carries burdens at times that are often hidden from others, and can influence behavior and relationships in so many ways. True disciples learn to care for one another, to "open our arms to each other" and express true love and understanding. What a wonderful goal to aspire to, as we work diligently to become more Christlike.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
August 27, 2015