I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the state of affairs in our national politics. It seems that we have lost the ability to love one another. We are all in this life together. We need to be more compassionate and more loving.

There are some who think that the only way to get ahead is to put down others. Good people don’t have to tear down others in order to build themselves up.

Here is a quote from President Russell M Nelson that should be a new mantra for our political environment for 2024.

The Savior’s Atonement made it possible for us to overcome all evil—including contention. Make no mistake about it: contention is evil! Jesus Christ declared that those who have “the spirit of contention” are not of Him but are “of the devil, who is the father of contention, and [the devil] stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.” Those who foster contention are taking a page out of Satan’s playbook, whether they realize it or not. “No man can serve two masters.” We cannot support Satan with our verbal assaults and then think that we can still serve God.

My dear brothers and sisters, how we treat each other really matters! How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work, and online really matters. Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully. “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” that we can say about another person—whether to his face or behind her back—that should be our standard of communication.

Russell M Nelson – April 2023 general conference