Love of God / Contention

 I've been studying about contention a lot lately. Oct 2021 GC has some great talks about it. Elder Renlund says contention is when you have anger, resentment, and judgement toward others because of a position they hold; he says that these emotions don't mean I'm hopeless, just that it's an area that needs some attention. In 4 Nephi, where I happen to be in my scripture study, it talks about how the love of God drives away contention.

So now I'm studying the love of God. Susan Porter's talk says that the love of God, feeling the love God has for me, specifically, changes the way I treat others and how I treat myself when I make a mistake. She says that one way to foster this love is to pray for it, quoting Moroni where he says to pray for it with all energy of heart, and that it's a gift that God gives to people who follow Christ. We know of his love when the Spirit brings comfort and direction. We can pray to see his hand and his love more in our lives. 

Pondering Christ's life and sacrifice for us is another way to feel his love. And patterning our lives after his. 

10/20

I read through the entries in the TG under love of God. The scriptures tell me that it's there. That God loves me. I prayed that I would see how he loves me. One scriptures started with "because he loves you.." or something like that. I thought that woudl be a cool meditation.

Mosiah also said taht when I humble myself and call on His name daily, I'd be filled with the love of God. I can have faith in his promises. 

3 nephi 24-27

 It's interesting to me that children's "tongues" were "loosed." And they said all sorts of amazing things that were revealed to them, even stuff that was greater than what Christ had revealed! That's like crazy amazing. It's like Christ was happy to have them be messengers; their humility and love made them the perfect channels for exquisite revelation from God. 

I also liked how Jesus said to write stuff down. Why did he say that? Well, so that we would remember the things the HG teaches us, because that is how we will be judged, by those things that we know, those things that we are taught and receive witnesses of.

 

In reading the BoM this morning, I'm just reminded how much I need to rely on Jesus and His Atonement. That's the solution to all things.