We had New Beginnings on February 5. It was a wonderful evening. Each YW took part in some way...whether it was playing the piano or leading the music or sharing the class mottos or introducing the new Beehives and the new members of our YW presidency to leading us in the theme. Michelle played "Teach Me to Walk in the Light" on the violin. We watched the theme video produced by the Church. This year's theme is "If ye love me, keep my commandments." And my counselors and I each spoke as did Brother King from our Bishopric. My counselors each spoke about ways they have been blessed by keeping the commandments. I spoke about the "If ye love me" part of John 14:15. Here's what I said:
As you know the theme for this year is from John Chapter 14 verse 15 which says, "If you love me, keep my commandments."
I want to talk about primarily the first half of this verse..."if ye love me." In 1st John chapter 4 verse 9 and 10 it says "In this was manifested the love of God toward us because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Our Heavenly Father and our Savior love us so very much. So very much! They sent us here to be tested, to gain a body, and to find joy. I asked you young women and your parents to share with me what makes you happy... what brings you joy and up here I have recorded some of the things you said such as the scriptures, going to the temple, your family, the beach, travel, reading,camping, ice cream and a multitude of other things. A few for me include books, waterfalls, sunsets, and the temple and my family. Each of these things was created for us because our Heavenly Father and our Savior love us. These are just a few of the evidences we have that they love us. And as we come to feel their love and their concern for us hopefully that causes our love for them to deepen and to grow. When I look over this list or I contemplate the blessings I receive, my heart is filled with love for my Savior and my Heavenly Father. '
So how do we show love for them? The answer is simple and it's found in this verse...we keep their commandments. And the two greatest commandments according to the Savior are to love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength and to love our fellowman.
I have been studying the book of Philippians in depth with a couple of friends and with an Interfaith group on Instagram. Each day we've read just a few verses and pondered them and written about them and the Interfaith group has posted little devotionals. In one of these devotionals we read Philippians chapter 2 verse 2 which says, "fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one Accord, of one mind." We are to show the same love to others that Jesus Christ shows to us. In one of the devotionals a woman who I admire named Emily Freeman told of an experience that she had several years ago. Her husband called her one day and said that a young man that they had tutored was standing on a street corner with all his belongings...he had no place to go. He made some poor choices and had been in jail and had nowhere to go and her husband asked what should we do. She immediately knelt down and prayed and the prompting came that they should bring him home. So they brought him into their home, set down rules and and helped him to get back up on his feet and to begin making better choices. At one point she was very concerned about him and wondering what they should help him do next. She was praying and praying... should they encourage him to go to college or help him join the Army... what should they do about Garrett? And the prompting came just love him. And she said but we do we love him but what are we going to do about him? Again the prompting came to just love him. And so that's what they did and over the next couple of years she said they were able to watch what God was able to do in his life. He went to college, he's married, he has two children and miracles have occurred. Sometimes she said we are the means of loving someone as the Lord would so that He can do His work in their life so He can work in us and through us.
It's not always easy to love others. In fact Sister Neill Marriott said that sometimes it is soul stretching to do so. Sometimes when it's hard for me to love someone...I like to imagine my soul actually stretching and growing. But even though it's hard, as disciples of Christ that is what we are called to do. A young man while in college was preparing to take a test and he looked down at the bracelet he was wearing that said wwjd standing for what would Jesus do and he began to think what would Jesus do? After pondering he decided that what Jesus would do is love first. So he created a new bracelet that says HWLF...He would love first. As a reminder that that is what each of us should do. When we're in a situation with someone who is difficult or unkind or we see someone who is lonely or we see someone who is different from us what should we do? We should love first. When the Savior came to the woman at the well,a Samaritan, an enemy to the Jews and a sinner... she was living with a man who was not her husband, what did Jesus do? He taught her, he talked with her and he demonstrated love for her. When the blind or the deaf or the lame came to him what did Jesus do? He loved them first and he healed them. When Peter denied him three times, when people mocked him and spit upon him and even crucified Him, what did he do? He forgave them because He loved them first.
And that is our responsibility as members of the church as well...that is how we show love to our Heavenly Father and to our Savior. We show it by loving our brothers and sisters it's not always easy but They will help us. When Jackie (a wonderful woman from our ward) heard the story of these bracelets she immediately texted me and asked me how many young women there were. I wasn't sure why she was asking but she told me later that she had ordered bracelets for each of the YW and hoped that I would share the story with you and then give you each the bracelet so when you leave tonight I have a bracelet for each of you from Sister Simper that says HWLF. So that's my challenge to each of us this week, this month and this year. Show love to your friends. Love your family. Show love to those kids at school who are annoying, to those who seem to have it all together and are practically perfect, and to those who seem really weird. Show love to the lonely kids, the popular kids, the nerds, the jocks and the band geeks. Show love to them because beyond those labels we sometimes assign people, they are children of God, our brothers and sisters with unique talents, characteristics and gifts. And because that is what Jesus would do.
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Yesterday in YW, two different YW talked about how wearing the bracelet HWLF has helped them try a little harder to be kind and loving and also how it's given them opportunities to tell others a little about the church when people have asked about the bracelet! I am so thankful that Jackie was prompted to buy those bracelets and acted on that prompting! I love mine!!
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