Dieter Uchtdorf

Church is continually growing and becoming better known. There are still negative sterotypes, but most see honest and hardworking who don't smoke or drink. We attend church every Sunday for three hours, children sing about streams that talk and want to be sunbeams.

Of all the things we want to be known for, are there attributes above all others to set us apart as disciples?

How do we become true disciples of JC? Savior provided answer: if you love me, keep my commandments. Those who receive Christ, walk with him. There are so many commandments; keeping track of them can be a challenge. Deluding purity of divine truth; what works for one person becomes an expectation. Eternal principles can get lost within labrynth of good ideas. JC chastised for attending to minor details while neglecting weightier matters. Is there a compass for prioritizing? Yes, saviour revealed the way. Greatest commandments: love god, and love neighbor as thyself. We have a compass for direction for our lives and our church.

Love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of our family, callings, livelihood. Love is healing balm, repairs rifts, unites, power of friendship, tolerance, respect, overcomes divisiveness. Warms our lives with divine hope. Should be our walk and our talk. Love as JC loves us, our confusion clears. We walk joyfully as disciples of Christ. We have better relationships, take joy in obedience. Why should we love god? He doesn't need us to love him. He is not diminished without us. He is all powerful independant of us. We need to love god. What we love determines what we seek, determines what we think and do, determines who we are and who we will become.

We are god's spirit children, we have vast capacity to love. What and how we love defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of disciples. Love is source of highest bliss and heaviest burdens. You will find the love of wrong things and the heart of sadness. Greatest of good things is god. HF gives us much more than we can understand.

Jehovah created this world. God watches over us, gives us joy, peace, knowledge... shephards us, rejoices with us, answers our righteous prayers. Offers promises glorious and existance forever. Progress to fullness of joy. Promised us all that he has. We should love him. We love him because he first loved us.

Why does HF love us? He has an infinite amount of love for you. God does not look on outward appearance or fame or rich. We are incomplete, god loves us completely, perfectly, god's love encompasses us. He loves us because he is filled with love. We are his children. Even those who are flawed, rejected, broken. Great love to love proud selfish arrogant wicked. Regardless of current state, we have hope. Infinitely compassionate god desires that we draw near to him.

How can we increase our love for god? Approach him more closely. We must seek that which is imperceptible. Heaven seems distant; scriptures offer hope. Search for him with all your heart. Not just offering prayer; we keep his commandments! If we don't obey him, all is in vain. If you say you love god and don't follow his commandments, you are a liar. Align our thoughts and actions with gods word. Become more pure and holy, walk in righteousness. Earnest desire to become like him because we love him. We can become born again and cleansed by blood of god. Enjoy the words of eternal life.

Don't get discouraged if you stumble. Don't dispair if you don't feel worthy all the time. Try to walk in righteousness, learn, study the words of prophets, listen to the father, do what he asks. Try and keep on trying, until what is difficult becomes possible. It will become habit and a real part of you.

How can we hear fathers voice? Pray in the name of Christ. He speaks to us everywhere. The scriptures have his voice. Listen for his voice in this conference. Listen for his voice in temple and at church. Listen for his voice in nature and in the spirit, in laughter of child, in words of a hymn. God will lead you on a course to the pure love of Christ. As we draw near to him, we become more holy, filled with light. It leads us out of darkness and towards greater light of HG and the veil can be thin.

Why is love the great commandment. HF love is the core message of plan of happiness, active through atonement, greatest expression of love. Saviour was clear about everything hanging upon principle of love. If we love fellow man, all else will fall into place. Divine love transports words into scripture. Factor that turns compliance into dedication and consecration. It is the divining light, fills us with life meaning and wonder, the measure of our faith, altitude of our discipleship.

God lives, knows and loves you, hears your prayers, knows your heart, filled with love for you. What attribute should define us as members of the COJCOLDS? Let us be known as a people who love god and love our neighbor as ourselves. When we understand and practice this everywhere, we will begin to understand what it means to be a true disciple of JC.