Thursday, September 8, 2011

Loving everything about love and charity

I LOVE "The Great Commandment" talk by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin. One of my favorite missionaries did a training using this talk and it was one of the coolest experiences. There were key points in my mission where I was able to reflect on charity and my need to implement it more fully into my life, the work, and my character. What is it really? How can I get it to seep into every aspect of my life? This talk is one that I read with a constant hum of "Mmm" because it's so delicious to think about. A few favorite thoughts:

  • Now, for us, the measure of our love is the measure of the greatness of our souls
  • "A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race." Joseph Smith
  • Love is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures, and consoles.
  • Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life.
  • We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won't, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.
  • The greater the measure of our love, the greater is our joy. In the end, the development of such love is the true measure of success in life.
  • Love is the greatest of all the commandments-all others hang upon it. It is our focus as followers of the living Christ. It is the one trait that, if developed, will most improve our lives.
  • Because He loves us, He has provided prophets and apostles to guide us in our time. He has given us the Holy Ghost, who teaches, comforts, and inspires. He has given us His scriptures. And I am grateful beyond description that He has given to each of us a heart capable of experiencing the pure love of Christ.
I just love this talk. I love love. I want to be better at it--more effective. Because clearly, it's impacts are huge. It just makes me want to take the fellows advice from the Festival of Colors. "Everybody, hug 10 strangers!" haha I think a lot about this. How many people go to bed at night feeling overloved?? Feeling exhausted because everyone cares too much about them? Loving people isn't going to hurt anything...but just make everyones lives better. Random post. I was just thinking about how much I love this talk and wanted to write about it for a sec. The end.

1 comment:

  1. Mallory, you are the sweetest person I know. You are amazing! I love you! Mom

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