Making Changes

There is a short scripture, which can be found in the Bible (Matthew 5:48) as well as the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 12:48) which states that we should be perfect, even as Christ, or our Heavenly Father. We need not worry if this command seems impossible at present. We are children of God, and so have the potential to be like Him. This life is our time to learn and to grow, to make changes in our lives, to become who we want to be.

A few years ago I was able to attend a day course with work that was entitled ‘Best Year Yet’. It was a great course, and enabled me time to really think about the areas of my life that I needed to improve in. Looking back that probably was one of my Best Years, in terms of sticking to my goals. We looked at different areas of our lives, such as being a Mother, Sister, Daughter, YW Leader, Wife etc. and created goals that were measurable for each area. I remember that I had decided to read a certain number of books that year, to visit with my brothers and sisters a certain number of times, to write to a certain number of missionaries per month, to go to the temple every month. These goals were displayed where I could see them every day, and I recorded any progress there too.

In previous years and ones since I have made goals, but I have never devoted so much time to really thinking about the goals that I want to make. I want to make time to do this for 2008. Too often when I look over entries in my Journals of New Years Resolutions I see the same things written.

I suppose I am much like the man described by Benjamin Franklin, who, upon buying an axe from an ironsmith, “… desired to have the whole of its surface as bright as its edge. The smith consented to grind it bright for him if he would turn the wheel; he turned while the smith pressed the broad face of the axe hard and heavily on the stone, which made the turning of it very fatiguing. The man came every now and then from the wheel to see how the work went on, and at length would take his axe as it was, without further grinding. ‘No,’ said the smith, ‘turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by-and-by; as yet it is only speckled.’ ‘Yes,’ says the man, ‘but I think I like the speckled axe best.’ ” (Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, New York: Roslyn, Walter J. Black, Inc., 1969, pp. 138–39.)

At first I want to be perfect, as the scripture asks us to be, but then when I realise how much hard work is involved – even though it is possible – I decide that maybe its good enough the way it is. Especially if I see others around me who’s axes look the same, or worse, but we need to strive to be like the Saviour.

If we take time to look at our lives, we know what we could be doing better, and not only that, but we usually know how to go about changing that aspect of our lives. Elder Joe J. Christensen gave a BYU devotional where he describes a young county farm agent who wanted to put his college training to use and said to the farmer, “Sam, you know that now we use something called contour plowing.” He went on to also expound on the benefits of hybrid strains of grain and crop rotation. About the time he got to the benefits of milking the cows three times a day rather than two, the old farmer said, “Hey, sonny, just a minute. I’m not farming half as well as I know how already.”

I am often like this farmer, I know what improvements I should make, I just haven’t got around to it yet. One of President Spencer W. Kimball’s famous quotes was “Do it now”. That’s what we must do, if we are to progress towards perfection, if we are to move on with our goals, to new and more perfect ones, we need to do it now. In Alma 34:32-33 we read:

For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labours.

And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labour performed.

This is our time to make changes, to become who we want to be. In Alma 31:5 we read about the power of God’s word to change people:

And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

And again after King Benjamin speaks to his people we read in Mosiah 5:2:

And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

Our own Latter-Day prophets have pointed out that this change will happen for us also. Elder Boyd K Packer has taught that “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior," and that, "The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior."

We need to read the scriptures and understand the doctrine, so that we can have this mighty change of heart. And it is this change of heart that can motivate us to ‘do it now’. This change of heart is not a once in a lifetime occurrence, or shouldn’t be. We need to be learning continually, in order that the momentum of our changes be kept up. The Pride Cycle that we see so often in the Book of Mormon can be applied to our lives too, when things are going well, it is all too easy to sit back and not provide the same force for change as was needed to get to that position, and then it is mighty hard to get that momentum back.

I love that we get to start a new year, it reminds me of starting a new book at school. The writing always tended to be neater at the beginning of the book – but maybe this time, the end will be even neater. We are given a New Year, but also a New Week and a New Day, all great times to recommit to those things we need to change in our lives to become more like our Saviour Jesus Christ.

I am so thankful for the Gospel in my life, for the opportunity I have to learn the doctrine, to make covenants with my Heavenly Father and to be reminded of them each week. I want to keep the covenants that I have made, and not just let them fizzle out like other goals often do. It will take a lot of effort, but it really will be worth it. Let’s help each other, by showing those around us that it is possible to make our Axe’s really shiny, that Heavenly Father has prepared a way.

Building an Eternal Family – 23rd September 2007

Elder M. Russell Ballard said in a talk entitled “What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest,” I believe the mission statement for mortality might be “to build an eternal family.” That is my topic for today – Building an Eternal Family.

One of the most important truths that I know is that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me, and wants me to return to live with Him again someday. Our Heavenly Father loves us all; He does want us to return to live with Him again someday. He is our Father, and we are His children.

Being a mother to Cara has taught me a lot about the strong ties of family. I love the family I was born into; The Cottrells. My parents are amazing, and have managed to teach me and my siblings a lot about life, about the Gospel, about being a good person, and about service. But I have never known not being a part of that family. I have one younger brother, but I can’t remember before he was born. My family have always been my family, and so it seems natural that I would love them as I do.

Almost 18 months ago now, Andrew and I got married. We started our own little family. The Munzers. We decided to get married because we loved each other. We wanted to be with each other always, and have a family together. I got to choose Andrew, my best friend, to be in my family.

As soon as we found out that I was pregnant, we loved our baby. She didn’t even look human yet, but we loved her. Being pregnant wasn’t always easy, but we loved her. We thought she was a boy, but we loved her. We didn’t know her name, but we loved her. We loved our baby before we’d seen her, and when we did get to see her we loved her even more. As she is learning and growing, even though she is very heavy to carry now, we love her. We didn’t get to choose Cara, and we haven’t even known her that long, but she is our daughter and we love her. This just proves to me how strong family ties are.

Family is the most important thing that we have in this life, and it will still be the most important in the next life.

In the Proclamation on the Family it states, “…that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.”

Being part of a family is part of the plan, in fact it is central to it. Our Heavenly Father loves us, and want us to be happy, He knows how best we can achieve that. We may not all be in what we think to be the perfect family, but what we have been asked to do, is build an eternal family. Through striving to build an eternal family, I believe that our family will become closer and closer to our idea of a perfect family. When we talk about family, I don’t think this is just talking about parents and their children, but also the extended family. In my patriarchal blessing I am told to be close to my brothers and sisters so that we can go into the eternities as a close and loving family. This is surely a message for us all.

Elder L. Tom Perry said, “To build a foundation strong enough to support a family in our troubled world today requires the best effort of each of us—father, mother, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins, and so on.”

All of us, in whatever roles we have can contribute to building our families for eternity. At work a couple of years ago I attended a course entitled “Best Year Yet”. As part of this course we had to identify all of our roles in life. Some of the roles I have now are as a mother, wife, sister, aunt, young women’s leader and visiting teacher. For each of these roles we then had to think of 3 goals to achieve that year. It really opened my mind. We can help build eternal families in each of our roles in life, if we look for the opportunities. Some of those roles, may include helping to build other’s families, but really we are one big family.

Elder L. Tom Perry shares some ideas of ways in which we can build our families so that they can weather the storms of life. He says to, “Build traditions in your families that will bring you together, for they can demonstrate your devotion, love, and support for one another. For each of the members of your family, these events would include blessings of children, baptisms, other priesthood ordinances, graduations, missionary farewells, homecomings, and, of course, marriages.”

We have been able to attend quite a few of these events in my family recently. Cara has two younger cousins, and we were able to share in the celebrations of their arrivals on the days of their blessings. Andrew’s sister has just left on her mission to Dublin, Ireland, and we were able to spend time away with her and Andrew’s family before she left.

Other traditions can be made for birthdays or Christmas, as well as occasions that happen more frequently, dinnertime or Sundays.

If there are family occasions that we are unable to attend we could write a special letter to the family member who has a special day. Cara, at only eight months old has quite a few letters. Most of them from me, but also from other family members, I hope that when she is old enough to read these, she will treasure them, and know of the love that her family has always had for her. Let it be a tradition to show and talk about our love for each other.

Elder L Tom Perry says that to build lasting, loving relationships we should “Listen to one another, be united, work together, play together, pray together, study together. Live celestial principles together, serve the Lord together.” To build good relationships we need to do things together. I feel very blessed in our family that we are able to do so much together. Andrew is student, studying English at University. He has a lot of work to do, but much of that involves reading and writing essays. Sometimes I get to read some of what he is reading, and we can discuss his studies together. I enjoy reading through his essays, and being a part of his studies. The more we can do together the better.

We are given so much good counsel by our leaders in the church, all of which will help in building our eternal families. Daily Family prayer and Family Home Evenings, provide opportunities to feel the Spirit together, to learn together and to enjoy each other’s company. We can gain much by reading the scriptures together as a family, and learning and discussing Gospel principles together. These types of learning experiences and Gospel discussions obviously change a lot dependant on your family. With young children in the family basic principles will be taught simply, but as the family changes so can the FHE’s. I love to have in depth discussions on Gospel topics with my family. With the world we live in it is also possible to have these times over great distances. Only last week I received an email from my Mum that she’d sent to all of the family, just letting us know how much she enjoyed last week’s Priesthood and RS lesson on marriage. Just to know her feelings about that lesson made me enjoy reading it so much more.

Our homes are special places that we can be in with our families. Thomas S. Monson said, “A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live not only influence the success of our earthly journey, they also mark the way to our eternal goals.” I have heard it said that “the mother sets the tone in the home” – although I feel that this is not only true of the mother, I do think that our attitudes affect one another. If we are regularly irritable, angry or upset, the home feels very different to when we are happy, cheerful and optimistic.


In a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith we are counselled, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God”. This counsel can be applied to our own homes, as well as to the Temple. We should pray in our homes, fast in our homes, build up our faith and learn together. Let us make our home, as God would have it be.

President David O. McKay said, “With all my heart I believe that the best place to prepare for … eternal life is in the home”. In our homes, with our families, we can learn self-control, sacrifice, loyalty, and the value of work. We can learn to love, to share, and to serve one another. It is in our homes, living these principles that we will build our eternal families. These qualities wont just come, as we live in a house with our families, but they can come if we work together to live the Gospel.

Joseph F. Smith said: “There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the home…There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and preserves family life”. That is quite a statement. No genuine happiness separate and apart from the home. I don’t think he means we can’t be happy away from home, but that even away from home, to be truly happy we must be helping to build up eternal families. We need to be in the service of our fellow man, which is to build eternal families.

Elder L. Tom Perry simply states, “If we want an eternal family, we must work for it. It does not come by chance.” We do need to work to build our eternal family. We can’t buy one ready built, and they don’t come cheap. However, we are given everything that we need in order that we may build our eternal family.

I love my family. I want us to be together forever. I am so thankful to my Father in Heaven for providing a way for that to be.....

For the Strength of Youth

[Talk at a Youth Standards Evening - January 2007]

The standards that we are given to live by in the church, especially as youth are amazing. Most of us who have grown up in the church may take them for granted, but I hope by the end of mine and my husbands talks you may begin to understand how amazing they are not just for now, not even just until your our age - but how important they are for all of this life and the next.

It is by our standards, especially those of the Word of Wisdom and sexual purity that we stand out from those aroiund us. It is often these things that I get asked about by my non-member friends. My Dad joined the church because of the standards that the young people of the church live by. There was a girl he knew, not my Mum, who was a member of the church. He asked her on a date, and she said that would be lovely, could he pick her up from church after a meeting she was attending. That meeting happened to be a Youth Standards Night, I guess much like this one tonight. My Dad arrived a little early, crept in at the back and heard about the standards that they were expected to live by. He was amazed by these standards and wanted to know more about the Church. I'm so glad that he did.

In the 'For the Strength of Youth' pamphlet the first principle mentioned is 'Agency and Accountability'. We are free to make choices, and we need to take responsibility for thise choices. I was reading a bopok this week about time, and how well we use it. One of the things that stuck out to me was that one barristers opinion was thaht thise people who live in the now and don't think of the future are often those who commit crime. He said that many people may see something nice, and want to take it, but it's only those who don't think about the consequences who do take it. We are so lucky in the church to be told time and time again about the importance of our choices. Every decision that we make decides our future. Some decisions are important, but all of them make an impact. We are also all aware, that if we have chosen wrong, we can repent and change, but this is not the same as choosing right in the first place. For example, someone who has smoked may repent and stop, but this will not remove tar from their lungs.

I'd like to briefly talk about how living the standards from the 'For the Strength of Youth' have really helped me in my life. While at school, as I mentioned before people would notice that I was different by the standards that I lived, this would provide missionary opportunities for me, as well as moments for me to re-affirn the decision I had made for myself, but the benefits of those decisions maybe didn't seem applicable at that time. Others around me were making different choices and having fun, there didn't seem to be too many consequences right there and then.

The time when living these standards seemed to really make a difference was when I arrived at University. I lived in a house of 18, we were all new to University life and out in the world on our own. I remember the first day, everyone was so kind that first day, we all wanted to make friends. There was a lot of getting drunk for a lot of people, some had not preeviously been heavy drinkers, but wanted to fit in with those around them. It was sad to see that a couple of the people who lived in my house that first year, abused their bodies, missed lectures and weren't back for the second year. This doesn't pnly happen to people who are not members of our church. It is at this point when we leave home that we really need to be determined in our beliefs.

Having already been dteremined to live these standards before I went to University made a big difference in my life. Having the opportunity to mingle with other Young Adults with the same standards was also of great importance. I am so glad that I was able to choose to be with good friends that would enjoy good activities with me. We always had a lot of fun, but it was always very different to the kind of fun my university friends were having.

By choosing good friends, and hopefully becoming one, I found Andrew. One of the biggest blessings in my life is being sealed to Andrew. He is a wonderful person, and my best friend - because of the good friends that I'd had through my life I knew what kind of person I was looking for in a husband. I also knew that if I wanted to be that persons wife, I'd have to be that kind of person myself. Because we both lived these standards we were given the privilege to be sealed in the Temple, which is one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.

If you were able to see me fully you would probably notice that I am quite pregnant at the monment. My doctor recently asked me if I would mind coming by and meeting with some of his first year medical students. This was actually really fun. There was 4 of them, and they asked me all kinds of questions about myself and how my pregnancy was effecting my life. Among the many questions they asked were ones to do with how hard it was for me to give up alcohol or smoking and whether I had to cut back on drinking tea and coffee. It was great to be able to answer that I had never smoked and didn't drink any of those drinks. They were amazed, and so was I when I realised how important living those standards were, not only for me, but for my baby. Many people get pregnant, and then really want to give these things up, but when it's a habit, and our lives revolve around them, people find it really difficult. This is something that had never really thought about before. I am so glad that I made the decision a long time ago to live the Word of Wisdom. I have been trying to improve my living it, by eating healthier too, but at least there is not too many things I have needed to change.

Looking forward to our baby being born I've been reading books about how babies and young children learn. It is interesting to note that we learn most and easiest at a young age. Parents all over the world want their children to be happy, kind, modest - but the greatest teacher os example. The higher mine and Andrew's standards are the higher our childrens will be.

I am so thankful for the Gospel in my life. The teachings of the Church have helped me more than I can even know. I love my Saviour and all He has given us. I say these things in the name of my Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Personal Revelation

[Sacrament Talk - Southmead - 29th October 2006]

Bruce R McConkie spoke at a General Conference in 1971. He first related a story. He had climbed a mountain, and visited a television broadcasting station while there. He states that a ‘bright young man explained to us in words I had never heard, and using principles I could not and do not understand, how the sounds and scenes of television were broadcast into the valley below.’ Later that evening Elder McConkie was sat watching television with his two sons. He remarks about how, now he was seeing, hearing and experiencing what had earlier been described in words.

He uses this as an analogy to describe our need, to personally experience, personal revelation, to really understand it. Just as few understand exactly how television works - but we all, young and old are easily able to watch the television. There are few, if any on this earth, that really understand how revelation works, but we can all receive it.

My talk today is on personal revelation. I want to talk about why we need to learn by personal revelation. What revelation is, who can receive it and how we go about receiving revelation?

So, why is revelation so important? Why do we need to learn by revelation? Elder Boyd K Packer spoke in a general conference in October 1994 about revelation and he said:

“There are two parts to your nature—your temporal body born of mortal parents, and your immortal spirit within. You are a son or daughter of God.

Physically you can see with eyes and hear with ears and touch and feel and learn. Through your intellect, you learn most of what you know about the world in which we live.

But if you learn by reason only, you will never understand the Spirit and how it works—regardless of how much you learn about other things.”

It is for this reason that we need to have personal revelation. There are spiritual things that we need to learn to return to live with our Heavenly Father that we can learn no other way. No matter how many times someone else who knows them tries to explain, some things we need to experience for ourselves.

So, what is revelation exactly? What does it encompass? Is revelation when God speaks to us face to face? Well, yes! That is definitely revelation, but this is not the only form revelation comes in.

Revelation is communication from God to His children. This communication may be to confirm our belief in God, Christ or His teachings. In Moroni 10:4-5 it says:

READ SCRIPTURE

We may know the truth, through sincere pray and scripture study, by revelation.

Another form of revelation is the communication from God of comfort. When we are going through a period of stress, unhappiness or worry we can pray for comfort, and this is given through revelation.

It is also revelation that enables a priesthood holder to pronounce blessings upon another.

Yet more communications from God come to uplift or inspire us. We may get answers to our prayers, when we use the pattern described to Oliver Cowdry in D&C 9:8-9:

READ SCRIPTURE

As explained in this scripture, Heavenly Father wants us to use our intellects, he wants us to study it for ourselves, and even make the choice for ourselves. It is then that he asks us to pray to know that what we have decided is right. This is sometimes easy. If it is a choice between being kind or nasty to our brother, we can easily make the right choice and feel good about it. Just as easily, we can decide that this once, maybe he deserves it, and then feel bad that we have done so. We can see that sometimes, even without specifically asking we can get this kind of revelation in our lives. The real difficulty comes, I think, when we need to make a choice between two good things. It is then that we really need to study it out in our own minds, and it can be a difficult thing to do. I have had times in my life when I have needed to do this, and I know that my Heavenly Father trusts me to make good decisions, but I also know that if there was ever a time that I choose something good, that wasn’t best for me, my Heavenly Father would let me know. We may have questions of why that good thing should not be for me, especially when we have already made that decision for ourselves, but over time we will come to know that our Heavenly Father knows best, and will always let us know the path we should follow, if we listen.

It is important to remember who can receive revelation. Revelation is received by the Prophet for the world, by our Bishop for our Ward, by parents for their families, but most importantly we can each receive personal communications from God for our own lives. It would be no use for the Prophet to receive revelation for the world, if we could not receive personal revelation that He is a prophet, and therefore heed his counsel.

I’d like to share some ideas now of how we can enable ourselves to be in tune with the spirit.

Elder McConkie says, “The vision of the degrees of glory is being broadcast before us, but we do not hear or see or experience because we have not tuned our souls to the wave band on which the Holy Ghost is broadcasting.

How do we do that? How do we tune our souls to the wave band of the Holy Ghost, so we can see, hear and experience the vision of the degrees of glory?

When we are confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are given the right to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. This great blessing of the Holy Ghost as our companion is only received through our worthiness and faithfulness, and it is “by the power of the Holy Ghost [that you] may know the truth of all things.”

We need to be worthy and faithful. We need to keep the commandments and stay true to the covenants that we make at baptism and in the temple. We need to have Faith in our Saviour and in His teachings.

Prayer is essential! As is listening to the Spirit as we pray. I can’t believe that I am still amazed at how powerful a simple prayer can be. I’ve been praying all of my life, and I know God answers my prayers, its happened on many occasions – yet sometimes I still think that I don’t need to pray about certain things. I know what I’m doing, and I’m not doing anything wrong – but we still need to pray! Even if it seems that we have already said a million prayers that day. When I sat down one evening to start preparing this talk, I started to read talks from General Authorities on the subject. As soon as one of them mentioned prayer and how important it was for personal revelation, I realised that I hadn’t prayed at the start of my study. I stopped right then and there, and said a little prayer. It wasn’t anything spectacular, and it was only a short prayer, simply that I would find something to say in my talk that would be of help to those in my ward – but straight away I felt a peace and calm which had not been with me before. I know that the Lord helps us, and He wants to help us. If we ask, He can give us more.

Quiet spiritual promptings may not seem as spectacular as visions or angelic visitations, but they are just as powerful and lasting and life changing. The witness of the Holy Ghost makes an impression on the soul that is more significant than anything we can see or hear. Through such revelations, we will receive lasting strength to stay true to the gospel and help others do the same.

Reverence is also necessary in order to understand the message of the Spirit. Whenever I attend the Temple I feel as soon as I walk through the doors a feeling of amazing reverence, and therefore the Spirit. Wouldn’t it be wonderful we could feel that same reverence as we sit in the chapel as the sacrament is passed and as we sit studying the scriptures in our own homes.

Patience is another virtue that I feel is important to bear in mind as we hope to receive revelation. As it is communication from God it will be given on His timetable, and not our own. He knows when we need help, and when we need to try more on our own first. Have faith that Heavenly Father knows us, and keep praying.

We are told that when we act faithfully upon revelation that we receive, we will receive more and more revelation and eventually eternal life. Revelation is that important!

In the Bible Dictionary it states: “Divine revelation is one of the grandest concepts and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for without it, man could not know of the things of God and could not be saved with any degree of salvation in the eternities. Continuous revelation from God to his saints, through the Holy Ghost … makes possible daily guidance along true paths and leads the faithful soul to complete and eternal salvation in the celestial kingdom.”

I am so thankful for this knowledge in my life. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves me, and has devised a plan that I might become more like Him, and that I may be able to live again with Him one day. I am thankful for my Saviour Jesus Christ that has made that plan possible. That sacrificed His life for me, that I might learn from my mistakes and learn to become a better person through Him. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost that testifies to me of the truthfulness of these things. That I may know what I should be doing right now in my life, and that I may never worry about which path I should take but just use all I have the world around me and then ask, and know what I must do. I am so grateful for the many blessings that I have in my life and hope that we may all receive personal revelation to guide our lives.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Seminary Talk - New Testament

[Seminary Talk - 11th May 1997]

Good morning brothers and sisters for my seminary talk today I have chosen the theme of Love. This occurs many times in the New Testament, and most frequently in the Gospel of John. For those of you who have been through the seminary program John 14:15 will probably sound familiar to you, it is a scripture mastery which reads,

“If ye love me keep my commandments.”

Love for God, is a good reason for keeping his commandments and one of those is to love one another. Some people may think that this commandment is easy, but it is not only God, Christ and our friends who we have to love as you can see in Matthew 5:43-48;

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt alove thy bneighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye alove them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Although this can be very difficult to do, this is what we should all strive to do to become more christlike. As it said, it is eay to love someone who loves you, but to love those who hate and use you shows great love even the pure love of Christ.

In John 15:13 it says Christ had this great love for us, his friends, which is shown by the way he suffered and died for us. Christ is not the only one who has this great love for us all, but also God, which you can tell in John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved thecworld, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

We should never forget the great love Christ and Heavenly Father have for us and to return to that love we are only asked to keep the commandments, and if we do we will get a great gift which is revealed in John 14:21

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

I would like to end my talk by reading 1 John 4:7-8 which really sums it all up;

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.