SERVICE = TRUE LOVE

So as a missionary Valentines Day really doesn’t mean much to us, but since it is this week, I would like to talk about what we celebrate on Valentines Day (except the type Im thinking is a little different than the norm): LOVE

What is love? I was thinking about that in my personal study this morning because I happened to be studying in 1 John 4, which, not sure if you knew this, but it says "love" like a million times.
Anyways, what is love? Based on my thought process, my definition of love is "a feeling of kindness and affection." Based on the Topical Guide in my scriptures, a few other words related to love are:
affection, benevolence, brotherhood/sisterhood, charity, friendship, family, fellowshipping,
God, Grace, Kindness, marriage, and neighbor. 

Why is the word "neighbor" associated with love? Well, "the second greatest commandment" that Christ gave to us is to "love thy neighbour as thyself." The second greatest. Not the tenth, or fifth.
Loving our fellowmen is second in a list of commandments given by our Heavenly Father. Second ONLY to loving the very Author of those Commandments. That must mean its pretty important right?

So what does it mean to "love thy neighbor as thyself?"  I guess this goes back to the earplug story from last week, because I think that a huge part of loving our neighbors is found in SERVICE. 1 John 3:17-18 says: "But whoso hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue but in deed and in truth."  Key word here, "deed."

We can say "I love you" until we run out of breath, but unless we show that love, it means nothing. 

This brings me to a really cool part of my study this morning. 1 John 4:9-11:

"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."

"For God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son." (John 3:16). He loves us and it was through his Son that he has shown us. When Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross of Calvary, it was because of the love that God has for us. It was because our Heavenly Father knew that we would make mistakes in this life and we would need someone to help us mend those mistakes.
He knew we would need a Savior to lift us up when we fall. And that is what is beautiful about all of this, that because of the love of God and the love of our Savior, we can be healed when we are hurt.
We can be lifted when we fall.
The Atonement of Christ makes it possible for us to overcome the seemingly impossible. How cool is that?

Love really does make the world go round:) 

So, love more (and show it), and I promise you’ll find yourself a lot happier than before. 

That being said, I love you all. Thank you for the love you’ve given me in the past and now.

Mucho AMOR,

Hermana Jones