People will always have opposing views and there will always be conflict and even misunderstanding, said Elder Loren C. Dunn of the Seventy during the Sunday afternoon session. However, he explained, the principles of mutual respect, mixed with forgiveness and charity, lay the foundation for resolving differences and problems.

"Today we live in times of conflict and dissent, differences of opinion, charges and countercharges and disagreements," he declared."There is a need for us, perhaps more than ever before, to reach within ourselves and allow the qualities of mutual respect, mingled with charity and forgiveness, to influence our actions with one another; to be able to disagree without becoming disagreeable; to lower our voices and build on common ground with the realization that once the storm has passed, we will still have to live with one another."

Elder Dunn pointed out that the realization that God stands at the helm and all are His children results in certain obligations to one another. The qualities of charity and forgiveness, he explained, can be a part of a person's life without compromising principle or commitment to truth.

This quality of respect for others, notwithstanding their belief or religious affiliation, seemed to be a part of the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith, he related. "He stood for truth and the restored gospel to his dying day, and he had no patience with those who were deliberately wicked or who tried to exercise unrighteous dominion over the Latter-day Saints or for that matter anyone else," Elder Dunn added.

"Still, he showed a respect and brotherly concern for others, no matter what their beliefs or their backgrounds . . . ," he continued.

Elder Dunn also quoted the 1985 letter from the First Presidency entitled "The invitation to come back": " `We are aware of some who are inactive, of others who have become critical and are prone to find fault, and of those who have been disfellowshipped or excommunicated because of serious transgressions. To all such we reach out in love. We are anxious to forgive in the spirit of Him who said: `I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.' " (D&C 64:10.)

"Was it not the Savior, speaking of the first and great commandment, who said that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength and that the second is like unto it, that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves," Elder Dunn said.

"The quality of mutual respect is a great quality," he concluded. "It can be found in the hearts of great people, and in this sense, we all should be great people. It does not have to compromise truth or principle, but it can create brotherhood and sisterhood and the resolution of many problems."