...covenant person within reach

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you,

that ye also love one another.

John 13:34

I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people

Alma 38:3

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

1 Peter 3:8

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Galatians 5:22

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience

and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Colossians 1:11

By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

2 Corinthians 6:6

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Ephesians 4:2

A Covenant Person

By Emily Freeman

Mosiah 14:5 – Mosiah 18:15

“In times of adversity hopefully there will be a covenant person within reach.”

Mary Ellen Edmunds

What is a covenant person? The answer is found in Mosiah 18.

“And now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are wiling to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in.”  (Mosiah 18:8-9)

Alma explains that those who have this as the desire of their hearts should be baptized, as a witness that they have entered into a covenant with the Lord.

…thus becoming a covenant person.

A covenant person knows how to mourn, comfort, and help to shoulder burdens.  A covenant person recognizes a call for help and is immediately prompted to action.  A covenant person responds with love,

with caring, with charity.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained, “we are part of a covenant people, a community of Saints who encourage, sustain, and minister to one another.”

I believe that a covenant person is one who knows how to help shoulder another’s burden, to bring comfort to those who stand in need, and who is willing to mourn until the joy returns.

Consider your circle of influence.  Do you know someone who is struggling right now?  Could you be a covenant person that they could reach out to?