We Are Nothing Without Love

This quote from Elder Osguthorpe has brought a lot to my mind.

The adversary’s goal was to take away our agency and thereby make it impossible for us to love, because it is impossible to love unless we choose to love. Love must come from within. It cannot be forced upon us. So for purposes of his own selfish aims, the adversary would have made it impossible for us to keep the first two commandments. He would have made us into nothing. ("What if Love Were Our Only Motive?", Russell T. Osguthorpe, BYU Devotional, Mar 8, 2011)

Why would we be nothing if not for the ability to love? Love is so valuable because it cannot be forced. It is the only thing that we can give that truly comes from ourselves. Everything else comes from the earth, our ancestors, in short, from God. Our ability to choose good from evil is a gift from God. Love is how we reward God for his trust in us.

What if Love Were Our Only Motive?

This is a great talk that my bishop has referred to a few times. He tells several stories of pure love.
- A home teacher that sent a card every month for over 20 years. The receiver knew who to go to when his wife of 30 years passed away.
- A student that took an assignment that would receive no credit. He told them that as missionaries, they would challenged to meet many new people every day. They were assigned to meet as many new people they could, not just say hello but have a conversation. One student talked to 72 new people in a week. When asked how he did it, he said that he had to wait in several lines that week. He asked the one next to him in line if they would hold his spot. He then would go down the line and talk to as many people as were willing. He said that he met some people he thought would become life-long friends.

As he was finishing, he described the difference between the two plans before the earth was created.  I had not thought of them in these terms before.

Every act of the Savior on earth was done out of love. Even in the great premortal council His offer to the Father was motivated by love for others, while the adversary’s was motivated by selfishness. The Savior’s mission was to give us life by allowing us to choose to love the Lord and follow Him. (See Moses 4:1–3.) The adversary’s goal was to take away our agency and thereby make it impossible for us to love, because it is impossible to love unless we choose to love. Love must come from within. It cannot be forced upon us. So for purposes of his own selfish aims, the adversary would have made it impossible for us to keep the first two commandments. He would have made us into nothing. ("What if Love Were Our Only Motive?", Russell T. Osguthorpe, BYU Devotional, Mar 8, 2011)

My life has been changed by love. It has been the only meaningful positive influence in my life. Perhaps because it is one thing that cannot be forced. Only given. My wife and many others have influenced me for good. I hope to do so for many others. I hope to retain the gifts given to me by God through the loving children I have had the privilege to have in my life.

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Here is a link to the part of the talks that goes with this quote.

What if all the words we spoke were motivated by love?
...
Every act of the Savior on earth was done out of love. Even in the great premortal council His offer to the Father was motivated by love for others, while the adversary’s was motivated by selfishness. The Savior’s mission was to give us life by allowing us to choose to love the Lord and follow Him. (See Moses 4:1–3.) The adversary’s goal was to take away our agency and thereby make it impossible for us to love, because it is impossible to love unless we choose to love. Love must come from within. It cannot be forced upon us. So for purposes of his own selfish aims, the adversary would have made it impossible for us to keep the first two commandments. He would have made us into nothing

General Conference Impressions

A favorite story of Sara from Conference. A lady had no more food to feed her family. She had two very hard biscuits. She decided to put them in a pot and cover them with water. She remembered the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. She prayed that the two biscuits would feed her family. When it was done cooking, it here was plenty to feed her family.

Josh said (with a smirk) that the biggest thing he got out of conference was that he can go on a mission at 18 years old.

I liked Russell T. Osguthorpe this afternoon when he talked about a group of people they were teaching. He asked how many of them had the Teaching No Greater Call manual. Then he jokingly asked who studied it every day. There was one person who raised their hand. They said that they read their scriptures then read out of the manual to know how to best teach their children

Don R. Clarke told a story of his childhood. He said that when he was a young man his teachers had them fill out a card asking what were they thinking about during the sacrament. I imagine that this was a card that they kept for themselves. Something as a self accountability to see where there thoughts went during the sacrament.

Quentin L. Cook: Two challenges we have are the unrighteousness in the world and apathy among the members. He then referred to Alma 5. Asking if we had felt to sing the song of redeeming love can we feel so now?

Robert D Hales repeated the same story that Elder Holland told in the morning session today. The one about Peter going back to fishing after Jesus died.

I need someone to feed my sheep. Someone who loves me. Ours is not a feeble message. It will change the world.

Phrases I loved: "healing balm".
"would you sell your soul for a nickel?"
"do not leave the storm cellar just as the tornado approaches"
"Condemn me not because of my imperfections"

Dallin H Oaks spoke boldly about the welfare of children. Those forced to fight as soldiers. Children that are denied birth. The replacement rates in Europe and Asia have fallen. Nations hollowed out and cease to exist. Marriage becoming less about the bearing and raising of children. Children becoming shadowy characters in the background of marriage. Same sex marriage is an experiment. Studies of same sex parenting is mixed and politically charged

D. Todd Christopherson Manning Up

Gary E Stevenson. Skirmishes, silent and solitary in front of a screen.