“Throughout my service as a member of the First Presidency, I have recognized and spoken a number of times on the diversity we see in our society. It is all about us, and we must make an effort to accommodate that diversity.”
“We call upon all people everywhere to recommit themselves to the time-honored ideals of tolerance and mutual respect. We sincerely believe that as we acknowledge one another with consideration and compassion we will discover that we can all peacefully coexist despite our deepest differences.”
“I personally feel the pain of those who lack a sense of belonging. As I watch news from around the world, I see many who seem to be experiencing this loneliness. I think that, for many, it is because they may not know that they are loved by Heavenly Father and that we all belong to His eternal family. Believing that God loves us and that we are His children is comforting and assuring. Because we are the spirit children of God, everyone has a divine origin, nature, and potential. Each of us “is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents.” This is our identity! This is who we really are! Our spiritual identity is enhanced as we understand our many mortal identities, including ethnic, cultural, or national…
“This nation’s history of racism is not a happy one, and we must do better. The United States was founded by immigrants of different nationalities and different ethnicities.”
Section 38.6.14 states, “All people are children of God. All are brothers and sisters who are part of His divine family (see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”). God “hath made of one blood all nations” (Acts 17:26). “All are alike” unto Him (2 Nephi 26:33). Each person is “as precious in his sight as the other” (Jacob 2:20-21). Prejudice is not consistent with the revealed word of God. Favor or disfavor with God depends on devotion to Him and His commandments, not on the color of a person’s skin or other attributes. The Church calls on all people to abandon attitudes and actions of prejudice toward any group or individual. Members of the Church should lead out in promoting respect for all of God’s children. Members follow the…
"And again [Jesus] entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” … the four emphasize the spiritual importance of…
“On another occasion we were eating in Brazil with some friends, and they served us avocado. Just as we were about to sprinkle salt on it, our friends said to us, “What are you doing? We already put sugar on the avocado!” Avocado with sugar! That seemed so odd to us. But then we learned that the odd ones were my wife and I, who did not eat avocado with sugar. In Brazil, avocado sprinkled with sugar is normal. What is normal for some may be odd for others, depending on their customs and traditions. …No country contains the totality of what is good or admirable. Therefore, as Paul and the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after…
“The second relevant principle is the Golden Rule, taught by the Savior in the Sermon on the Mount: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” This principle indicates an attitude of mutuality, reciprocity, unity, and interdependence and is based on the second great commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” It merges with other Christian attributes such as long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, and kindness. …I promise you, in the name of Christ, that hearts will be “knit together in unity and in love one towards another,” we will find more joy in our journey to eternal life, and our capacity to serve one another and with one another will multiply significantly.”
"There is no reason to put anybody down, there’s no reason to reject anyone. We can come together as one people, as one Zion. Because we live in the world in this pre-millennial stage, we have to grapple with complex issues that others may raise, but let’s use our influence for good. Let’s use the influence we have to teach others that it is wrong to put down our brothers and sisters, that no matter what one looks like, what nationality, what language we speak, no matter how much money we make, no matter what walk of life we belong to, we are all children of the same God, that the difference that exist among us here in income and in material comfort, those are man-made differences, those are not…
“Eventually, as we encourage, support, and love each other, we combine to form a mighty force for good in the world. ...The Lord has inspired His prophets to teach us how we can support and love each other so we can become united in faith and purpose in following Jesus Christ. Paul, the New Testament Apostle, taught that those who “have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ … : for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” ...As we open our hearts to our new friends in some of these ways, we are acting in the spirit of ministering. When we minister to them like the Savior did, they won’t feel like “strangers within our gates.” They will feel like they can fit in and make new friends,…
