May 2023 RS Newsletter

As we have studied the life of the Savior this year, I have noticed and underlined where so often it says He “was moved with compassion”.  It happened over and over that right before Jesus interacted with someone, His motivation came from compassion.  I find comfort and encouragement imagining that He feels that way about me, even when I am not at my best.


On Sunset Highway, I appreciate the church that has landscaped with bushes to say “Love like Jesus”.  Honestly, I don’t know anything about the other tenets of their faith, but they proudly proclaim this one.


What does that look like?  I imagine it’s where we each can find someone who offers us understanding and grace for our individual “back story”.  It is where there is forgiveness and second, third, and fourth chances.  It’s where we are truly treated in a way consistent with the limitless potential we have as literal children of Heavenly Father.  Where others see in us what we CAN be someday and even help US have hope for that reality.


Love is really the motivation as we invite our friends to learn more about the truths we hold dear.  We deeply love them and wish them to also be blessed with the joy and peace we find in Heavenly Father’s plan.  Love is the reason we research our ancestors and make covenants for them in God’s temples.  We want them to be bound to our family for eternity and to have all of His blessings.  It should be the motivation behind our ministering efforts.  And love should be behind all of our interactions with our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and society as a whole.  


Jesus sent here to become like He is and that is to have His motives.  To think like He does.  To love like He does.  To be “moved with compassion” for those around us.


We practice that each day.  Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we get it wrong.  We may even meet people that are hard to love sometimes.  But as disciples of Jesus, if we sincerely want to become like the Master, we keep practicing.  Over time and with practice, a strong desire, repeated prayers and study of Jesus, and the enabling power of Jesus’ Atonement, we can learn to “love like Jesus”.  


Elder Quentin L. Cook said, “I promise that as we focus on our love for the Savior and His Atonement, make Him the centerpiece of our efforts to gather Israel on both sides of the veil, minister to others, and individually prepare to meet God, the influence of the adversary will be diminished and the joy, delight, and peace of the gospel will magnify our homes with Christlike love.” (April 2019 Conference, “Great Love for Our Father’s Children“)


I know that loving like Jesus is a quality each of us can grow in ourselves.  As we strive for it, we will feel closer to the One who exemplified it in each interaction of His life.  Best of all, we will be ever more prepared to live with Him again because we will be like Him.

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