GOD IS LOVE

I’ve decided to write a couple posts before I leave about different gospel principles that mean a lot to me and expound on them! Lately, I have studied and read so much about the importance of having a deep love in our hearts for those around us, and especially for our Father in Heaven. I’m reading John Groberg’s book, The Other Side of Heaven, about his full-time mission to Tonga. I’m sure many of you are familiar with the movie?! If you haven’t read the book, get on it! So good. He writes, “If God is love (which He is) and if the purpose of life is to become more like Him (which it is), then the greatest blessings in life are the opportunities to develop more godlike love.” I read the other night in Matthew 11:29 “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.” In order to be more like Christ and have a love like He does, we must first learn of Him. We must study His ways, His life, and His teachings. Once we develop a personal relationship with Him, we can learn His ways, and then begin to develop a Christlike love. Elder Oaks writes, “The most effective missionaries always act out of love.” How perfect is that!! I want to be that missionary. I WILL be that missionary. That quote reminded me of the night I opened my mission call. CRAZINESS! I prayed beforehand not only that I would accept my call and be pleased with where the Lord has chosen to send me, but I also prayed that I would have an immediate love for the people who I will be teaching. Let me tell you, I did, as soon as I read, “You are assigned to labor in the México Mérida Mission.” Not only did tears well up in my eyes, but I began to think of the people there and how excited I was (and still am) to serve them and bring them the message we have about Jesus Christ. I love in Elder Groberg’s book where he writes, “We all seek happiness in this world, and I am sure that there are many thousands of volumes written upon it and many years of totaled lectures on it. But still, above all, the real elements are: to ‘love the Lord with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself.’ Nothing else can be said, no more elaboration given. That is the summation of it all. If we want to be happy, we must make up our minds to be happy, and we will if we have lots of love in our hearts.” Put simply, 1. BE HAPPY! 2. SMILE! 3. LOVE OTHERS! 4. LOVE THE LORD! If we will all strive to do these things, we will find a change in our attitudes, our perspectives, our relationship with the Lord, and our relationships with those around us.