In a joint op-ed published Monday in Medium, President Russell M. Nelson and heads of NAACP joined together to say that the solutions “to racism, prejudice, discrimination and hate will not come from government or law enforcement alone. Solutions will come as we open our hearts to those whose lives are different than our own, as we work to build bonds of genuine friendship, and as we see each other as the brothers and sister we are—for we are all children of a loving God.”

They acknowledged that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the NAACP may be seen as “unlikely collaborators, but our respective organizations have connected in a significant way. Not as black or white, not as Baptists or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but as children of God who are working to bring hope, happiness, and love to all of God’s children.”

The two groups met together for the first time two years ago and though the occasion was a simple conversation between leaders, “it sparked insights about ways to work together to improve self-reliance and upward mobility for inner-city and minority families.” So much respect and love leaped so quickly between them that they called themselves “brothers from another mother.”

They note that “Jesus of Nazareth came that we might have life, and have it ‘more abundantly.’ We should follow his example and seek for an abundant life for all of God’s children”

They wrote, “We agree with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s statement, that ‘hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.’ It is this kind of love that inspires us to do the rigorous work of building bridges of cooperation rather than walls of segregation and alienation.”

The op-ed was signed by President Russell M. Nelson, Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, Leon Russell, NAACP, Chairman of the Board, and The Reverend Amos C. Brown, Chairman Emeritus of Religious Affairs, NAACP..