Christ’s love for
us is so strong, pure, and selfless. This type of love is referred to as
Charity. We are commanded to follow the example of Jesus Christ; therefore, we
are commanded to be charitable. Charity is not an attribute of the natural man,
and it is something that must be learned. We must serve others so that we can
learn to love them. We must also diligently pray to God for charity—charity is
a gift of God. I know that it seems impossible to gain such a pure, selfless
love for others, but I testify that through God all things are possible. I have
faith in Him. I know that He would never command me to do something I am incapable
of. Through a conscious effort, serving others, and prayer I know that we can
all learn to have charity towards the children of God.
“As
you keep the faith, you will find yourself invited by the Lord often to serve
someone in need when it will not seem convenient. It may appear to be an
unpleasant and perhaps even impossible task. When the call comes, it may seem
you are not needed or that someone else could easily give the succor.”
–President
Eyring, The Caregiver, October 2012 General Conference
“The
more we allow the love of God to govern our minds and emotions—the more we
allow our love for our Heavenly Father to swell within our hearts—the easier it
is to love others with the pure love of Christ. As we open our hearts to the
glowing dawn of the love of God, the darkness and cold of animosity and envy
will eventually fade.”
–President
Uchtdorf, The Merciful Obtain Mercy, April 2012 General Conference
“The
pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our
eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed
and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to
imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each
other.”
–President Uchtdorf, The Merciful Obtain Mercy, April 2012 General Conference
“There
is power in our love for God and for His children, and when that love is
tangibly manifest in millions of acts of Christian kindness, it will sweeten
and nourish the world with the life-sustaining nectar of faith, hope, and charity.”
–Elder Ballard, Be Anxiously Engaged, October 2012 General Conference
"I have in mind the
charity that impels us
to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of
sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or
error on the part of others."
–President Monson, Charity Never Faileth, October 2010 General Conference
“When
hard trials come, the faith to endure them well will be there, built as you may
now notice but may have not at the time that you acted on the pure love of
Christ, serving and forgiving others as the Savior would have done. You built a
foundation of faith from loving as the Savior loved and serving for Him. Your
faith in Him led to acts of charity that will
bring you hope.”
–President
Eyring, Mountains to Climb, April 2012 General Conference
“The
love the Savior described is an active love. It is not manifested through large
and heroic deeds but rather through simple acts of kindness and service.”
–Elder
Ballard, Finding Joy Through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference