Love

As Valentine's Day approaches, many minds, including mine, turn to love. It can be a wonderful time when we consciously think about our loved ones and things we can do to make eachother happy and to celebrate that love. There are different types of love, the most significant of which is charity, the pure love of Christ (Moroni 7:47, http://scriptures.lds.org/). This love, and those who have it are characterized by these qualities, listed in Moroni 7:45: "suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." As we cultivate these qualities, we become more like Jesus Christ and become his disciples, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:34-35).

This last weekend one family showed this kind of love to me. I knew this family from back home but they happened to move out to Utah just as I was moving out to come to school at Brigham Young University. They invited me up to spend the day with them just to have fun and give me a respite from the stressful college life. I had so much fun with them as we made our own pizzas, went swimming, bowling and watching movies during the car ride. They sacrificed their time, setting aside an entire saturday and driving more than 5 hours to convenience me! They also sent me home with a trunk full of groceries and other things that I need. This family really showed me that they cared for me through these acts of kindness; they showed me the kind of love that my mother would if she could and for that I am so grateful! The sacrifices that this family made for me demonstrated the Christlike love they have in their hearts and have been a great example that has expanded my persepctive on life. Their discipleship is not determined on convenience, nor is it out of duty or a desire for recognition and reward but it is through their charity that they have touched me. I have gained a greater understanding of the meaning service and what it means to "have love one to another" as Jesus Christ truly taught.
In this season of love, let us also remember the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ and reach out to others that they may feel this love as strongly as we do. I know that He does love us, and it pleases Him when we strive to serve others because then they may feel more deeply of his love, just as my mother appreciates the charity of the family who served me. "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my bretheren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40, http://scriptures.lds.org).