Most everyone can recount that morning in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith when some domestic frustration caused a marital tiff with his wife Emma. Records don't detail the aggravation, but it was probably something very natural to most newly wedded couples. They were under immense pressure. Persecution abounded. Joseph's father-in-law detested him. There were the crops in the field and the record needed translation.

We don't know the details, but we all know what happened when Joseph sat at the table to translate with these agitated feelings. The gift of the spirit of translation ceased. The flow of inspiration dried up. The work was momentarily derailed.

The young prophet quickly recognized the loss of spiritual guidance. After seeking forgiveness in prayer, he patched things up with Emma, apologized for whatever offense had been committed, and the Spirit returned. With it, the power and privilege of translation resumed.

So it is. The work of the Lord cannot progress in an atmosphere of contention, wounded feelings or division of purpose. Peace and harmony — a spirit of unity — must prevail before the kingdom and each of us individually can progress.

"Whether we are children playing in the sandbox, teammates in an athletic contest, members of a symphony orchestra, missionary companions, or husband and wife in a marriage, we all have seen some form of this principle at work," said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland during the 2009 New Mission Presidents Seminar. "The Lord said, 'I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one, ye are not mine' (Doctrine and Covenants 38:27)."

Peace is a tough product to peddle in the marketplace. Newsrooms and television programs focus on the controversial story line. Contention is somehow more attractive to ratings than the kind, gentle word. The way of the world is to highlight contention and glamorize the divisive.

Yet, in the Lord's kingdom unity, or oneness, is the prized quality. The Lord yearned for His disciples to know such unity when He prayed in the Intercessory Prayer the night of the Last Supper, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:20-21).

Jesus began his ministry among the Nephites with the command, "There shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been.

"For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another" (3 Nephi 11:28-29).

The Lord expects us to strive to create that same unity today. The way to unity is for us to learn the will of the Lord and then to do it, "to seek the Lord and his righteousness" (3 Nephi 13:33).

"We of this Church can come to a unity and a oneness which will give us strength beyond anything we have yet enjoyed if we will obtain a sounder understanding of the principles of the gospel and come to a unity in our interpretations of present world conditions and trends," said President Marion G. Romney in an April 1983 general conference address.

"The miracle of unity is being granted to us as we pray and work for it in the Lord's way," said President Henry B. Eyring in the October 2008 general conference. "Our hearts will be knit together in unity. God has promised that blessing to His faithful Saints whatever their differences in background and whatever conflict rages around them.

"The reason that we pray and ask for that blessing is the same reason the Father is granting it. We know from experience that joy comes when we are blessed with unity. We yearn, as spirit children of our Heavenly Father, for that joy which we once had with Him in the life before this one. His desire is to grant us that sacred wish for unity out of His love for us.

"He cannot grant it to us as individuals. The joy of unity He wants so much to give us is not solitary. We must seek it and qualify for it with others. It is not surprising then that God urges us to gather so that He can bless us. He wants us to gather into families. He has established classes, wards and branches and commanded us to meet together often. In those gatherings, which God has designed for us, lies our great opportunity. We can pray and work for the unity that will bring us joy and multiply our power to serve."

Taking a closer look at the experience of the Prophet Joseph Smith shows us that unity is not merely the absence of conflict or a lack of difference in opinions. In that case, a cold shoulder or the silent treatment might be confused as unity.

Differences will arise in the normal conducting of human affairs. Life by its very nature is a steady stream of struggles and differences. There is often some jarring as personalities and hearts come together. Like so many of us might do, Joseph could have chosen to sulk, to mope, to feel the victim. He could have justified his behavior given the tremendous pressures put upon him.

Instead, he chose humility. He chose to be the peacemaker.

"To be that peacemaker," continued President Eyring, "you need to have the simple faith that as children of God, with all our differences, it is likely that in a strong position we take, there will be elements of truth. The great peacemaker, the restorer of unity, is the one who finds a way to help people see the truth they share. That truth they share is always greater and more important to them than their differences. You can help yourself and others to see that common ground if you ask for help from God and then act. He will answer your prayer to help restore peace."

Any study of the unified heart must include the work of President Thomas S. Monson, whose lifelong service revolves around blessing the one.

He said, "Truly peace will reign triumphant when we improve ourselves after the pattern taught by the Lord. Then we will appreciate the deep spirituality hidden behind the simple words of a familiar hymn: 'There is beauty all around when there's love at home.' "