Doctrine and Covenants Essay

For my Doctrine and Covenants class, I had to do a project and make a "Book of Remembrance" that contains a few personal experiences when I have felt the spirit with a principle from the Doctrine and Covenants.  Here is a part from that essay:
Charity was a Christ-like attribute that I felt I had always struggled with.  As a full-time missionary learning Spanish in a foreign country, I felt that I did love these people, but maybe not so much as I wanted to.  Moroni the prophet tells us to pray to God with all of our hearts that we might possess it in the last day.  I knew that this was something I needed to possess to be a better representative of Jesus Christ.   I began to pray that I could develop this Christ-like attribute, and began to fast so that I too, could love those people as the Savior did.  One day in particular, we found one of our investigators in her house.  On the previous visit, she had told us of some of the difficulties she was having with her family.  She was going through a divorce, and her children were struggling a lot.   I felt on this particular occasion the need to help her with something as simple as her house.  We offered to help her clean.  She let us clean her dirty old kitchen with the stacked dishes, and then we mopped the floor.  While we were doing it, I remember feeling lots of peace as I helped her.   There was no rush.  This was what I was supposed to be doing in this moment, and this was what God wanted me to be doing-helping this woman clean her house and showing love.  We sat down afterwards to teach her a lesson.  She immediately pulled out a cigarette and asked us if we would mind it if she smoked because she felt so stressed.  It was kind of an uncomfortable situation, obviously no, she shouldn't smoke, but it was her house after all.  We felt that it would be appropriate to teach the Word of Wisdom, which is basically the Lord's law of health.  I'm not a person who gets very emotional, but I remember this time, I could feel a strong desire for this woman's happiness.  I could hear my voice starting to crack, and I was somewhat surprised with myself.  It could have been just an emotional day, but I remember that being a time when I felt a great amount of love for someone.  As we learn in Doctrine and Covenants 46, charity is a gift of the spirit.  Nobody can beat the Savior's example of charity.  He was beaten, mocked, persecuted, and everything other cruel thing, and yet, He continued to love the people with all His heart and soul, even those who hated Him.  I think of all the times I probably let the Savior down with my imperfections and it helps me be more patient and loving to others.  Christ has never given up on me, nor has He given up on anyone else.  That is a quality I want to try harder to live.
I think of charity in my life as a normal person, without the missionary name-badge.  Oftentimes, its easy to get caught up in my own life.  My life is busy, my schedule is demanding, and time is little.  I truly believe that is part of the test.  After all, I'm pretty sure God didn't say," serve others, give to the poor, be charitable...but only if you have the time!"  That would be all too easy and we wouldn't grow as much from that.  I think that the test of life is putting others needs before ours.  In the end, we will feel better about ourselves, and everything will work out in the end.  There really is not bad side to having charity because the promises of the Lord are great.  "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."  (Moroni 7:47).