All You Need is Love

At the beginning of my mission, our mission president encouraged us to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover with a question in mind. I've done that several times now on my mission, and I thought I'd share what I learned from my first time around. 

In the words of Paul (Paul McCartney, that is), "all you need is love." And even though he claims "it's easy," it isn't always. How can we develop love, even when it's difficult? How can we increase our "love of God, and of all men"?

One of my favorite examples of love in The Book of Mormon is that of Nephi and his father Lehi. In 1 Nephi 1:5, Nephi describes Lehi praying "with all his heart, in behalf of his people." This is a common theme: love comes when you pray for others. When Nephi sees how hardened his brothers Laman and Lemuel are, he cries unto the Lord for them. Enos, the grandson of Lehi, "prayed unto [the Lord] with many long struggling a for [his] brethren, the Lamanites." Lehi tries to help his sons repent as he "exhorts them with all the feeling of a tender parent," showing forth his love for them, yet they still don't change. 

For me, this is one of the most frustrating parts of missionary work. Regardless of how much love you have, many are unwilling to change. My sister said about her mission, "You love big and you hurt big." The prophet Alma described that hurt as "great anxiety even unto pain" for the spiritual well-being of his brethren (Alma 13:27). It's easier as a missionary -- and in life -- to steel your emotions to prevent the ups and downs of life's emotional roller-coaster. But that's not the Lord's way. 

Nephi certainly understood this. Even after his brothers had attempted to kill him four times, he "did frankly forgive them" (1 Nephi 7:21). What's more, they tried to kill him 3 more times after that. I can say with reasonable assurance that I do not have that much love for anyone. Yet, regardless of his brothers' actions against him, he always loved them. He never gave up on them. The last chapter that Nephi writes, he says, "For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night because of them; and I cry into my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry....I have charity for my people and great faith in Christ..." (2 Nephi 33:3,7). Even until the end of his life, he was still praying for them with all of his heart, crying -- literally crying -- to God in their behalf. 

Of course, the greatest example of love is Jesus Christ. In his talk "Character of Christ," Elder Bednar talks about the love and selflessness of Christ. Even after Christ had suffered the greatest agonies known to man in the Garden of Gethsemane, he healed a man's ear. Even as he was suffering on the cross, he forgave his torturers. "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world..." (2 Nephi 26:24). Christ was the perfect example in all things, and especially in showing forth love. Christ instructs, "But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you" (3 Nephi 12:44). Loving your friends probably isn't very difficult, but loving your enemies is. That's the true measure of your love. As we develop the love of God and of all men, all other things fall into place. Love of God leads to obedience to His commandments. It leads us to strive to develop all of the attributes of Christ. Love of our fellow men leads us to serve them with sincerity. So, at least when it comes to serving and living the gospel, maybe the Beatles were right: "love is all you need."

Additional references: Jacob 2:3, Enos 1:9,11, Words of Mormon 1:8, Alma 26:30, Alma 34:27,29, Alma 38:12, Helaman 7:6, Moroni 7:45-48, Moroni 10:21.