Begin With Love

Oh my goodness friends! There is so much depth to the four gospels! I’ve just spent

the last 6 weeks being immersed in it and Wow, Wow that’s all I can say! AND…

I am not even finished!

This week we learned a lot about the Last Supper and the time Jesus spent teaching

while walking to the Garden of Gethsemene. Jesus focused his attention on teaching

and preparing his disciples for his departure from them. 

He spent A LOT of time telling them how much he loved them.

This touched me so much.

He wanted them to be able to share that love.

In John 13 Christ washes his disciple’s feet, they don’t want him to because that is

something reserved for the lowest of the low servants to do but Christ teaches them

13:16 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he

that is sent greater than he that sent him.” then in the next verse we learn “If ye know

these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Verse 17 reminds me of Galatians 6:9 “And

let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” 

I imagine it is very hard to be Bishop but I also know it is hard to be a nursery leader.

It can often feel like babysitting and not someone edifying anyone’s spirit let alone your

own. But… if you are happy in your service knowing that one calling isn’t bigger or

better than another then you can “be not weary in well doing.” As we are taught

in D&C 64:33 "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation

of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great."

Think about it if someone didn’t take care of and love those babies what would the

bishop do, would he be able to do his job, would the parents be able to listen in their

Sunday school classes or teach one, would the teacher of the adults be able to be

heard if there were a bunch of babies crawling and playing with toys in the room?

Also at 18 months, children are in a stage of huge language development, and YOU

dear nursery leader get to aid in teaching that child the language of the gospel; LOVE.

In John 13:34 Jesus gives a new commandment. Not only to do unto others as you’d

have done unto you but to LOVE as he does. He said, “A new commandment I give

unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

Doesn’t it seem that these go hand in hand?

I feel like if I love my brothers and sisters, in my home, in my ward, in my neighborhood,

on the road, wherever; then I can simply serve with no pride of position just love, and

I can be happy doing it. Have you ever been served by someone happy to serve you?

Doesn’t it just feel like heaven? I have a friend who often says when she is serving

someone who is apprehensive to be served “Don’t deny me blessings, I want to serve

you!” and I actually believe she does.

Today I have a challenge for you.

Begin with love. When you come across anyone stranger of familiar think of them as

your Heavenly sibling, a child of God, then serve them. This could mean a smile, this

could mean not saying idiot in your head when they cut you off, this could mean an

extra hug or story at bedtime, or listening to a teenager rant about something they’re

figuring out.

I think you might find there are more ways to love and serve than you previously thought.

I know I have as I’ve given myself this challenge, so I say this in the name of

Jesus Christ Amen.

P.S. I realize this post has a lot of Church of Jesus Christ lingo, I'm sorry. If you would

like to know more about it here is a link to the Church's website.

And here is a link to find missionaries who can teach you more and answer

specific questions you might have.