Without Love...

This morning I listened to this talk from President Uchtdorf (in the Sunday morning session of April's Conference) about Christlike love. How powerful! It's amazing how often I forget that without charity, I am nothing. I love how President Uchtdorf presents this message-- that everybody is a V.I.P. to the Lord, and so should be to us. This is something that I really struggle with-- I judge too quickly, get angry too easily, feel too entitled, and forget how small and insignificant I really am. I tend to think too highly of myself and not highly enough of others, when it should probably be the other way around.

I need to listen to this talk again, I think, and really try to focus on how to love others in a Christlike way.

I hope you'll read this talk again, too.

Give Place No More

I just wanted to post a link to Elder Holland's most recent Conference talk. This is an amazing discourse on the difference between love and lust, and the opposing fruits they produce. I especially like this portion:

Like thieves in the night, unwelcome thoughts can and do seek entrance to our minds. But we don’t have to throw open the door, serve them tea and crumpets, and then tell them where the silverware is kept! (You shouldn’t be serving tea anyway.) Throw the rascals out! Replace lewd thoughts with hopeful images and joyful memories; picture the faces of those who love you and would be shattered if you let them down. More than one man has been saved from sin or stupidity by remembering the face of his mother, his wife, or his child waiting somewhere for him at home. Whatever thoughts you have, make sure they are welcome in your heart by invitation only.

We need to be sure that we don't let the adversary take control of our lives. The truth is we are behind the wheel-- and it's only when we let him take the driver's seat that he can take us where he wants us to be (which is a little town called "Misery"). It's amazing to fathom that-- why would we ever let him drive? Why would we give place to the enemy of our souls? I guess a lot of it comes down to the way sin is presented. The world is awash with messages of how appealing it is, how fun it is, even sometimes how right it is!

But none of that is the truth. I guess the important thing is to keep the Holy Ghost with us to help us know the truth (and remember it). It's a hard thing to "always remember". But we certainly can do it, with help from the Lord.

Love and Law

Great talk by Elder Oaks in this past General Conference. He spoke on the concept--and importance-- of love and law, and how they actually go hand-in-hand (as opposed to what many think-- that love should overpower law).

A few of my favorite quotes:

There is no greater evidence of the infinite power and perfection of God’s love than is declared by the Apostle John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16)....Think how it must have grieved our Heavenly Father to send His Son to endure incomprehensible suffering for our sins. That is the greatest evidence of His love for each of us!

God’s love is so perfect that He lovingly requires us to obey His commandments because He knows that only through obedience to His laws can we become perfect, as He is. For this reason, God’s anger and His wrath are not a contradiction of His love but an evidence of His love.

The effect of God’s commandments and laws is not changed to accommodate popular behavior or desires. If anyone thinks that godly or parental love for an individual grants the loved one license to disobey the law, he or she does not understand either love or law.

God loves us so much that He gave us laws and the ability to choose to obey them or not. If we choose wisely, we can become as He is.