The famed Sydney Opera House is located on a small piece of land that sticks out into a harbor on Australia’s east coast on the South Pacific. The harbor winds inland and has a total of more than 150 miles of shoreline.
Located just to the west of the opera house is a bridge that connects two of the closest points in the harbor. The Sydney Harbour Bridge covers a gap of about 1,500 feet and is traversed daily by more than 160,000 automobiles, according to the region’s transportation department. Hundreds of trains and cyclists also use it each day.
While in Australia for work last year, I found myself under a portion of the bridge and marveled at its size and complexity.
The bridge had required eight years to build by the time it was completed in 1932. More than a thousand workers put 53,000 tons of metal in place to complete the bridge.
The engineering involved was considerable. Taking the task from blueprints to completion was truly marvelous for its time. As millions of people use the bridge each year, surely few will give those architects, engineers and builders a second thought. But it was those relatively few, hardworking individuals who made life easier for the many who benefit from the bridge today.
I first heard President Russell M. Nelson talk about building bridges almost seven years ago during the “Be One” 40th anniversary celebration of the 1978 revelation on the priesthood.
“Only the comprehension of the true Fatherhood of God can bring full appreciation of the true brotherhood of men and the true sisterhood of women,” he said at that event.
Understanding each other requires understanding of our Heavenly Father.
“That understanding inspires us with passionate desire to build bridges of cooperation instead of walls of segregation,” he continued.
Physical bridges close a gap between two land masses and bring people closer together in a way that makes their lives easier.
How much easier? For the people who use the bridge in Sydney — or those who use similar bridges in New York City; San Francisco, California; London, England; Kobe, Japan; Lagos, Nigeria; and Maputo, Mozambique — a bridge can be indispensable. Families, recreation and commerce all depend on bridges.
The bridges President Nelson invited individuals to build do not cover the same physical distances as those in the cities listed. But they have the potential to make life better for more people than will ever cross any of those bridges.
In the April 2023 general conference, President Nelson again talked about building bridges.
“If a friend on social media has strong political or social views that violate everything you believe in, an angry, cutting retort by you will not help,” he said. “Building bridges of understanding will require much more of you, but that is exactly what your friend needs.”
Differing viewpoints are held by family members, classmates, mission companions, neighbors, co-workers and ward members.
Standing across the harbor — real or perceived — from one another and yelling across the chasm will not change opinions or allow for God’s love to be felt.
“Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation,” President Nelson continued.
Reconciliation doesn’t mean compromising standards or doctrine. President Nelson taught contention will never permit the Holy Ghost to help resolve an argument.
“Contention drives away the Spirit — every time,” he said.
So, while building bridges of understanding may be as hard as or harder than riveting together thousands of tons of metal, it is also what the Lord’s Prophet has invited us to do. And he shared the way he has seen contention dissipate in his own experience.
“Charity is the antidote to contention,” he said.
President Nelson also outlined how to have that needed charity.
“When we humble ourselves before God and pray with all the energy of our hearts, God will grant us charity.”
Christlike attributes — including charity — can help strengthen the bridge we seek to build. And the work we put in to obtain those attributes will help dispel the hatred or anger we feel. President Nelson blessed us that we will become disciples of Christ as we make efforts to build these bridges:
“I bless you to make any adjustments that may be needed so that your behavior is ennobling, respectful and representative of a true follower of Jesus Christ.”
— Jon Ryan Jensen is editor of the Church News.
