Something I Finally Pieced Together

Even with all the advice, quotes, and sayings I have heard for many years of my life, it still took me a long time (years and years) until I reached a point a few days ago where I felt like I actually understood the meaning.

Whether I was just not ready to receive this new knowledge, or I was being distracted by the world's sayings, I am not sure, but I am just very grateful that God has finally given me this new understanding.

What is this epiphany you ask? I think it's a deeper understanding of what love really is...

All those romantic movies we see that portray love as something that happens when you walk down the street and run into "the one,"or as something that happens quickly and easily. Not quite an accurate depiction as I see it. Real love is something more difficult to achieve, and more wonderful to experience.

What is true love then? It is good. Everything in this world is either good or bad, and would you not agree with me that love is good? It has to be, for it is the most sought after thing in all of humanity. Don't believe me? Look at music; it's either about falling in love, breaking up, hurting from a broken heart (drugs and alcohol), or is just illogical. Look at movies; find one that doesn't have to do with falling into or out of love. Love in some form (parent-child, siblings, romantic, neighborly, friendly) always seems to be in demand, then.

If love is good, then it comes from God, who is the source of all good. Moroni 7:12 says, "Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy to God and fighteth against him continually."All good comes from God. All evil comes from the devil. Therefore love, which is good, comes from God.

If it is good and comes from God, then should we not also strive to have it? Yet, we have agency, we have a choice, which we also have in matters of love. You can choose daily whether to love or not. You can choose daily whether or not you will overlook the shortcomings of another and focus on your own. You can choose daily whether or not you will care more about those around you than yourself. You can choose daily whether or not you will forgive those you "love." You can choose whether or not you will bring God into your relationship, and therefore have Him as a source of love as opposed to your own, limited self. We can choose each day whether or not we are going to keep God's commandments with strictness, or stray a little from His way, or completely delve off His straight and narrow path. The choice is ours in matters of life, as in matters of love. You can choose to love someone and then consequently "fall in love", or you can choose not to, and then end up in the place the world calls "falling out of love." The choice is yours.

This is a new kind of love than the one the world describes which is selfish, involuntary lust rather than love. The world says that you can fall in love with someone quickly at first, and then as you get to know them, you can fall out of love.

That's not the way it should be. You know that real, lasting, true love talked about in the sweetest of stories from grandparents and country songs? That grows from a continued effort to love, truly care for, and take the time to get to know and love an individual. Yes, it does take time, and it also grows stronger with time as we choose to let it.

And that is the sweet, elderly wisdom that the most lovely couples share.

This is the love I want to create, because it's my choice. No, I'm not in love, nor am I even dating anyone yet, but when the time comes, this will be my goal.

Just one final thought: Take a look at your love for others; I know it shocked me when I looked at mine. Is your "love" uplifting or degrading. Does the way you treat those you "love" invite and entice to sin, and to do that which is evil continually invite and entice to do good continually? (Moroni 7:12-13).

"Wherefore, every thing which inviteth and ^benticeth to do ^cgood, and to love God, and to serve him, is ^dinspired of God" (Moroni 7:13). This is love.

Upcoming...

School starts on Monday, and I'm so so excited! This will likely be the hardest semester of my life and I will probably devote countless hours to studying in the library.

Bring it on!

Guess What Kids Can Do

For the past 2 1/2 weeks I have been working with a youth group at an international school. about 90 kids are American and 90 are Chinese. It has been quite the interesting experience trying to learn how to motivate the kids to do things they don't want to and to listen to instructions. Hard work and it's had me worn out on more than one occasion. However, I can say that I have learned how quickly the kids could unearth my weaknesses and show me my faults. They've taught me quite a bit about who I am and who I want to be.

(the Daily Herald article, here, tells the story a bit)

Another set of children also taught me a lot, perhaps even more, this last week. The first cousin to get married on my mom's side had her wedding and reception this past week so we had a lot of family visiting to the celebration. The whole week prior to the reception, my aunt and uncle and their four children stayed at our house. I quickly became the babysitter, cook, and housekeeper when I was not at work (since my aunt and uncle were on "vacation"). It's a lot of work too. Those four children pushed me to my limits often too, and had a knack for drawing out my faults too. I can't say that I was perfect for them, I definitely messed up a lot in only a week, but I did learn two very important things:

1. No matter how hard we try, we will always fall short of perfection, and that's where Jesus Christ comes in. Only He can strengthen us and give us the aid we need to become better, and eventually perfect.

2. God's plan is perfect and there is a great reason why He has commanded us to marry and then have children. - I think I am beginning to see the genius of His plan in putting us together as families.