Build bridges of cooperation and understanding, not walls of prejudice or segregation. Gary E. Stevenson
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we follow the Master Bridge-Builder, who “is our peace” and “hath broken down the middle wall of partition” (Ephesians 2:14). The gospel calls us to see every soul as a child of God, to reject partiality, and to reach across differences with Christlike love (2 Nephi 26:33; Acts 10:34–35; James 2:1). Zion flourishes when there are “no manner of -ites,” when hearts are knit together in one (4 Nephi 1:15–17; Mosiah 18:21; Doctrine and Covenants 38:27).
Building bridges looks like:
- Listening before speaking—seeking to understand lived experiences.
- Ministering to those who feel unseen or excluded.
- Courageously stopping prejudice in jokes, comments, and online posts.
- Expanding our circles—inviting, including, and partnering in service.
- Repenting quickly when the Spirit reveals bias in our own hearts.
The Savior blesses peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) and warns that contention is not of Him (3 Nephi 11:29). President Russell M. Nelson has pled with us to be peacemakers in a polarized world. Every small, sincere effort—an invitation, a kind word, a shared meal, a joint service project—lays another plank in the bridge toward Zion.
This week, consider: Whose story can I hear? What wall have I built that the Lord invites me to dismantle? Then act. In our homes, wards, neighborhoods, and online spaces, let us covenant to build bridges—until all feel they belong at the table of the Lord.
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