By Adam Wade, Council of Twelve Apostles
Heed the urgent call to become a global family united in the name of the Christ, committed in love to one another, seeking the kingdom for which you yearn and to which you have always been summoned. That kingdom shall be a peaceable one and it shall be known as Zion.
After our four-hour drive through the rural countryside of India, our feet still damp from being washed, I sat down next to my colleague on the cool concrete steps of a humble home. Together we looked out over the simple village of Intamanguda.
The scene before us was starkly different from what I am used to. In front of us stood one-room homes made from mud-covered bamboo; a manual-bore pump where half a dozen chickens gathered for water; a few women in distant rice fields, slowly searching for seeds to make dahl; and a small herd of goats wandering along the red dirt road, unhurried and undisturbed.
We sat quietly for a while, taking it in—the stillness, the rhythm, the unfamiliar familiarity of it all.
Then my traveling companion turned to me and shared what had been forming in his mind. “I can’t help but wonder, as I look out at life here, and how discipleship is lived out, what is it about our mission and the message of Community of Christ, that resonates with the people here? How does our message speak to people in this tiny village, and also to those living in busy city centres?”
The first words that came to me arrived almost unannounced, as though they had been waiting. “Wherever we are,” I said, “perhaps it is our Enduring Principle of the Worth of All Persons. That our message upholds each person as someone who matters—and that, somehow, brings people hope.”
We sat with that for a moment, letting the thought settle.
Because whether in a quiet village like this, or in the noise and urgency of a crowded city, the longing to be seen, to be valued, to know that one’s life holds meaning—perhaps that is something we all share.
Prayer Phrase
“a new community…is being born” (Doctrine and Covenants 164:5).
Spiritual Community
Meditate on a time when you experienced true belonging—a moment when someone welcomed you, listened to you, encouraged you, or reminded you that you were not walking the journey of faith alone. Prayerfully consider the qualities that help build a Christ-centered community: hospitality, compassion, forgiveness, patience, courage, joy, and a willingness to walk alongside one another. Offer a prayer of gratitude for the communities that have shaped you and a prayer of commitment to help create spaces where all people can experience the love, peace, and presence of Christ.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.