Increasing Love
Posted by Ashley | | Posted On Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 10:53 PM
Again I find myself using my blog for a purpose I didn't originally intend to use it for.
But I feel like I learned a lot today and that I should share it.
All week while trying to prepare for the Gospel Doctrine lesson (I am the Gospel Doctrine teacher in the ward), I couldn't seem to get the lesson to really come together. I was feeling like that wasn't the particular lesson the Lord wanted me to focus on. I wasn't really sure why...
Letter in the week I got a letter from one of my missionary buddies who is going through a really rough time with a companion he is positive hates him. I wrote him a long-winded letter about the importance of learning to love that companion anyway. As I was writing him this letter it dawned on me that this is what I should teach about this week. It has absolutely nothing to do with the topic originally assigned but it felt right.
So I pursued it.
And this is what I came up with (although I didn't get a chance to teach it...long story there...hopefully I will share it next week though):
But I feel like I learned a lot today and that I should share it.
All week while trying to prepare for the Gospel Doctrine lesson (I am the Gospel Doctrine teacher in the ward), I couldn't seem to get the lesson to really come together. I was feeling like that wasn't the particular lesson the Lord wanted me to focus on. I wasn't really sure why...
Letter in the week I got a letter from one of my missionary buddies who is going through a really rough time with a companion he is positive hates him. I wrote him a long-winded letter about the importance of learning to love that companion anyway. As I was writing him this letter it dawned on me that this is what I should teach about this week. It has absolutely nothing to do with the topic originally assigned but it felt right.
So I pursued it.
And this is what I came up with (although I didn't get a chance to teach it...long story there...hopefully I will share it next week though):
Increasing Our Ability to Love Others
What is love?
1. "Love is a feeling of deep devotion, concern, and affection. Love for God and fellow men is a characteristic of disciples of Jesus Christ" (True to the Faith)
2. It is a commandment from the Lord (see John 13:34-35, Matthew 22:37-39)
What is the difference between love and charity?
"Charity is "the pure love of Christ," or "everlasting love"" (True to the Faith)
In my understanding that means that charity is the higher/highest form of love. Love is wonderful, necessary and a powerful thing, but it is true charity that we are striving for.
Much like how the Law of Moses with good, necessary and important but there is a higher law that we are now being asked to live.
"Charity is the pure love which our Savior Jesus Christ has. He has commanded us to love one another as He loves us" (Gospel Principles)
If He has asked us to love like Him, that means we are to have the higher love, the purest love, which is charity.
How do we increase our love?
*remember that we should be working towards having charity. This means moving from loving people because we feel obligated (under the commandments) to loving people because we have the natural desire/tendency to love all people.
1. By Being Obedient
1 John 2:5 ("But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected...")
By keeping the commandments of the Lord we show him that we love him and he is able to bless us with similar feelings of love and compassion towards those around us.
2. By Showing Gratitude
Mosiah 2:4 ("And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God...that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men")
Being grateful makes us more receptive to the Spirit of the Lord which can fill us with the love we desire to feel.
3. By Exercising Control and Discipline
Alma 38:12 ("...bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love...")
Most people assume that "passions" refers strictly to sexual desires however I would like to point out that there could be multiple interpretations to this word. Remember in this verse Alma is actually speaking to his son, Shiblon, who served a righteous mission and (in this case) not Corianton, who was known for his sexual transgression. While this may still be a warning to control your desires, I would like to think of it in a different light considering who Alma is speaking to. Passions could be interpreted to mean "emotions." I would suggest that anger would be an especially good example. If we control our anger, it is easier to love others.
*There are many other emotions or feelings that could be used in this example as well
4. By Praying for Love
Moroni 7:48 ("...pray unto the Father...that ye may be filled with this love...")
Ask and it shall be given you.
5. By Feasting on God's Love
Jacob 3:2 ("...feast upon his love...")
Experience God's love for yourself (first-hand) and you will have a stronger desire to feel that way towards others as well.
"As you continue to receive the Savior's perfect love and as you demonstrate Christlike love for others, you will find that your love increases" (True to the Faith)
6. By Remembering that We Are All God's Children
"Our love for those around us increases when we remember that we are all children of God..." (True to the Faith)
7. By Not Making Others Earn Our Love
Hosea 14:4 ("...I will love them freely...")
The Lord does not make us earn His love. Why should we make others earn ours? We should not put a price on our love ("If he respects me, then I will love him..." or "If she would praise me more, then I will love her..." etc.). In fact...if an all-powerful, all-knowing God doesn't make people earn His love...why would anyone feel the need to earn the love of a mere mortal like us?
Our love should come without a price, just like the Savior's.
Why Should We Increase Our Ability to Love?
1. So we may "assist" in the work (see D&C 12:8)
2. So that we may be "qualified" for the work (see D&C 4:5)
Remember: EVERY member a missionary.
In order to be effective missionaries we must have a Christlike love for all mankind.
Also, by increasing our love for others, our lives become more joyful and meaningful.
It will also help us avoid the hasty, unrighteous judgement that I was talking about in my last post.
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Ashley.
You are amazing.
I wish I was in your Gospel Doctrines class.
I bet is wonderful.
Your ward is lucky.
Wow. Wish you were my Gospel Doctrine teacher, too. Well,actually I have an amazing Gospel Doctrine teacher,Gary Meyers, but since I am the primary president I never get to hear him either. Boo hoo for me. (But yea for your lucky students!) Great insight.