All for One, One for All

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus referred to His disciples as His friends. Even as Judas approached Him to give Jesus the kiss of betrayal, the Savior “said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?” (Matthew 26:50). The love that Christ must have had for His disciples must have been great. They were the ones who were willing to leave their professions and follow Him. They were the ones who stood by Him when His authority was questioned by the Pharisees and the Sadducees. It must have been hard to say goodbye to His closest friends with whom He spent so much time preaching the Gospel. I would venture to say that it was this unified purpose that made the Savior so close to His apostles. I have found that this unifying cause can be a great way to build friendships.

When I was on my mission, all the missionaries were united in the purpose of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Hungary. While everyone did not get along with everyone, we had a common purpose which united us all. The more we served with each other the better friends we became. When the times got tough and hard, we relied on each other to help us overcome our struggles. Some of the best friends I have today I met on my mission. As I have had the opportunity to hang out with these individuals outside of the mission I realized just how much we bonded on the mission. The experiences that we shared in Hungary have created a unique bond, that will most likely last forever. I think that is what God intended for us, just like with the original twelve apostles. I’m sure they relied on each other’s strength after the Jesus died. So it is the same with my mission friends. When the times get tough, they will be the ones that I will rely on because of the bond that was created in spreading the “Good News” of the Savior.