To be loved and to give love is a wonderful gift from God. At some level or another we all search and long for that feeling called love. No matter what walk of life we come from, we all seek to fill that feeling for love.

Why is this? It is because we had that feeling in the premortal world. That renewing feeling is truly a natural inheritance of every person born on earth. Because, of this we all are searching and longing for that which embraced us before we came here to earth. This feeling isn’t new to any of us. I myself have experienced the feeling of longing for home. My spirit often misses the tender care and unconditional love of our Heavenly home.

Just as we long for this loving feeling Heavenly Father longs for us to have those loving feelings for Him. We must get to know God with our minds and feel Him in our hearts. I’m sure He must miss having our presence in heaven as much as we miss being there. Heavenly Father loves all of His children,regardless of the way we act or the attitude we have about things. But, when we obey, we are favored of Him. Obeying the Lord tells Him how much we love Him. When it comes to our relationship with the Lord, we all can be His favorite. Isn’t it great to know the Lord can have favor in us?

A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.(Proverbs 12:2)

When I sit and think about what a friend is. It is someone you have a strong connection with. You think of each other and their well being. You look out for each other more. You rejoice upon meeting one another after a brief separation. To share these qualities with the Lord is truly the greatest gift for which we could ask. Our confidence will increase and our love for Him flourishes when we work to feel His love. It simply makes our journey here on earth more enduring; the loneliness we may feel disappears.

Joseph Smith said, ”Nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of heaven, and of their having embraced that order of things which God has established for the redemption of man, will enable [the saints] to exercise that confidence in him, necessary for them to overcome the world, and obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear God. (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith 6:4)

Our purpose in life should be to find God and establish a lasting connection with Him. Love is the most powerful feeling that will connect us with Him. We can have that sweet relationship with Heavenly Father even though we haven’t seen Him. Let your desire be,to be favored by the Lord.

Suffering is one of the most difficult things to make sense of in this life. God knew when he sent us to live on the earth that there would be great hardship. Some of it would result from the evil actions of others. Some of it, however, would simply be natural adversity common to all mankind, like natural disasters, accidents, and disease. If this life was all there is, God would indeed seem uncaring, even cruel. But this is not the case.

Peace comes from knowing God’s plan of happiness (see We Once Were In Heaven). While God knew life on earth would be necessarily difficult, He sent His son Jesus Christ to help us overcome life’s obstacles and give us hope.

Part of our hope comes from knowing life does not end with death. Christ overcame the obstacle of death with His resurrection, thereby making it possible for all mankind to be resurrected. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the scriptures assure us that those who keep the commandments shall be “heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ” (see Romans 8:16-17). He further taught that with this resurrection would come an end to suffering:

“How consoling to the mourners when they are called to part with a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or dear relative, to know that, although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.” (“Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, [2007], 52-53.)

In addition to knowing that we may be reunited with departed loved ones, Christ promised he would not leave us comfortless. He sent us the Holy Ghost to give us peace in times of difficulty and sadness. (see John 14:26-27) The Holy Ghost will often testify to us that the things we believe are true. This is comforting when facing the death of a loved one since most of us have never seen the Savior or a resurrected being. Also, we sometimes feel critical of God when overcome with grief. The Holy Ghost reassures us that all of God's promises will be realized and there will be an end to our present distress.

During his ministry, Christ taught that we should respond to the suffering of others by showing compassion (see for example, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37). In his own life Christ demonstrated the kind of selfless concern of which He spoke. While hanging on the cross in great agony, Christ's final instructions to the disciple John were to look after His (Christ's) mother after He died. Anyone who has been through a difficult time can attest what a difference the presence or absence of seemingly simple acts of kindness made. As we respond to the suffering of others, we assist Christ in His mission of lifting and saving souls.

God knew this life would be hard, but He did not leave us alone. Christ made it possible for us to look forward to a better life beyond this one. The Holy Ghost reassures us when we feel uncertain or need solace. We aid each other by following Christ’s example, knowing that we can look forward to a time when we no longer feel the pain common to our present life.

The moment I met Congressman Tom Lantos I immediately adored him. It was my first day as an intern in his Washington DC office and the entire staff was whirling around the reception desk in an effort to get a bunch of letters signed, stamped and delivered in less than an hour. Everyone dropped what they were doing to pitch in, including the boss. My first impression was that this great man was a real team player who was willing to do whatever it took to get the task done, even if it meant kneeling on the floor with the lowly intern to lick envelopes and stamps.

Tom Lantos died Monday morning after a six week struggle with cancer, surrounded by his beautiful wife and family. If you were one of the lucky ones to receive his annual family letter and photo then you know how crowded that room was! He was a true family man. His wife, Annette, graciously took me under her wing while I was in Washington DC and kept me supplied with invitations to all kinds of banquets, receptions and events where I could eat for free and stretch my poor student budget while hob nobbing with the politically powerful.

While Tom was Jewish, Annette had been baptized by none other than Elder Jeffrey Holland! Elder Holland was the president of BYU at the time and since I was an intern from BYU she thought I was the greatest thing since sliced Hungarian bread. Elder Holland had done the missionary work, but I got to bask in the benefits of it. Tom's right hand man in charge of his Washington DC office was LDS and I felt an instant sense of home there with them.

Annette loved telling the story of the Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, who literally saved Tom Lantos' life. Tom was only sixteen years old when the Nazis occupied his homeland of Hungary and sent him to a labor camp. He escaped twice and eventually made it to Wallenburg's safe house. Tom was the only survivor of the Holocaust to become a United States Congressman.

Upon retiring from Congress earlier this year, Mr. Lantos said "It is only in the United States that a penniless survivor of the Holocaust and a fighter in the anti-Nazi underground could have received an education, raised a family, and had the privilege of serving the last three decades of his life as a Member of Congress. I will never be able to express fully my profoundly felt gratitude to this great country." I think he showed that gratitude every day of his life by the way he chose to live it.

Among many accomplishments, Tom Lantos championed the cause for civil liberties and human rights all over the world. While he worked to make the world a better place he seemed to start with one person at a time. He made everyone feel important. On my last day in his office I had arranged to bring all of my BYU intern buddies with me so that he could speak to us and provide a question and answer session. Once we were settled in our seats I was told that an important vote was requiring his attention and that he wouldn't be able to keep his appointment with us after all. I knew he would never want to disappoint us or BYU, and sure enough, after waiting a few moments he emerged into the room with that charming smile on his face. Annette said that he really admired the church and its members. His visit with us that day was brief, but I'll never forget his kindness to a young intern and how he showed me that he was a man of his word and that people mattered.

I was the only Republican on Tom Lantos' staff. Either he never knew or else it simply didn’t matter. He was a gentleman and a statesman who knew how to reach across the aisle and make a difference. I may not have agreed with all of his politics, but I think everyone can agree that he was a great man who made a wonderful contribution to the world. Here's to you, Mr. Lantos. My non-alcoholic wine glass is raised to you to thank you for all that you did for me and many others. Oh forget the wine glass…I’d rather give you a big hug! Would that all of our politicians could reach across the aisle for a little hug every now and then. From the looks of Congress today, you can tell some of them really need it! Whether Jewish or Christian, let's all reach across the aisle that separates us and share the gospel message of love.

If you would like to visit the Guest Book for Tom Lantos and leave a memorial note for his family go to:

http://www.legacy.com/Link.asp?I=GB000103197514

Jesus Christ, during his ministry on the earth, "went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." (Matthew 9:35) The authority to heal the sick, and other priesthood powers, was given to His disciples as well. One example of this is found in the New Testament, where James states, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." (James 5:14-15)

Our Father in Heaven loves all of His children. These children include those who lived in the Holy Land at the time of Christ's mortal ministry, as well as all of us on the earth today. The priesthood, or the power to act in Christ's name, has been restored to the earth. In 1829, Joseph Smith received the priesthood, conferred through the laying on of hands by angelic messengers: John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John of Christ's original Twelve Apostles.

Joseph Smith, with his ordination to the priesthood, also received the authority to organize and preside over Christ's church on the earth. This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or "the Mormons." Priesthood holders today must be worthy members of the Church and ordained through the laying on of hands by one who already holds the priesthood. Thus, any line of priesthood can ultimately be traced back to those heavenly beings who ordained Joseph Smith, and then on to Christ Himself.

This priesthood also carries with it the power to bless and heal the sick and afflicted. According to a page on "Administering to the Sick" www.lds.org, "Worthy priesthood holders have the power to heal those who have the faith to be healed. The person who is sick must exercise faith in the power of Jesus Christ ... People are not always healed after a priesthood administration, but Heavenly Father will answer our prayers in the way that is best for us. He knows that some people can become stronger by learning to live with their disability or sickness. Others may not be healed because it is not Heavenly Father's will."

Priesthood blessings can be a source of comfort for those who are ill. Through our faith, and according to the will of the Lord, people can be healed from their afflictions. This is yet another wonderful blessing from our Father in Heaven who is ever mindful of our needs.

For many new converts, the promise of an eternal family is one of the greatest blessings the gospel has to offer. In the year or so a new member has to wait for that privilege, he should not just wait, but prepare. There are many things you can do to prepare to go to the temple, but there are also things you can do to bring your marriage to a level compatible with eternity. The temple ceremony is only one step in the process of eternal marriage, and in some ways, the easiest. The hardest part is treating your spouse as someone you love so much you can’t bear the thought of eternity without him, and doing it even on the days you want to throw something at him.

Valentine’s Day is a once-a-year opportunity to tell your spouse you love him. Flowers, chocolates, mushy cards…,but when the day ends, how do you show it all the other days? Do your actions the other 364 days of the year match those of Valentine’s Day? No, you don’t have to send flowers every day, but every day there should be little ways of building for eternity.

James E. Faust, a former member of the First Presidency, said,

We build our marriages with endless friendship, confidence, and integrity and also by ministering to and sustaining each other in our difficulties….

First, am I able to think of the interest of my marriage and spouse first before I think of my own desires?
Second, how deep is my commitment to my companion, aside from any other interests?
Third, is he or she my best friend?
Fourth, do I have respect for the dignity of my spouse as a person of worth and value?
Fifth, do we quarrel over money? Money itself seems neither to make a couple happy, nor the lack of it, necessarily, to make them unhappy. A quarrel over money is often a symbol of selfishness.
Sixth, is there a spiritually sanctifying bond between us?
James E. Faust, “Enriching Your Marriage,” Ensign, Apr 2007, 4–8

The gospel has every tool we need to improve our marriages so we will want them to last forever. By living the gospel, and becoming the kind of person Heavenly Father has asked us to become, we can also become the kind of person our family will want with us forever. The teachings of the gospel show us how to become compassionate and unselfish. They teach us how to structure our family to minimize contention by assigning complimentary, but defined roles. They teach us to see the value in others.

You will find this waiting time the best of your life so far as you work to turn a temporal marriage into an eternal one.

Quality time can be one of the hardest languages of love to speak, especially for someone who doesn’t personally care about quality time. My oldest feels the most love through quality time. She’s constantly asking to do things together either with me, or her dad. Finding that time with three other kids in the house is terribly difficult right now while she is still a child. I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it’s going to be as she enters the bustling teenage world.

Susan W. Tanner, General Young Women’s President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed “Mormon Church”) once said:

"We demonstrate our love for family members not only in teaching them affirmatively but also in giving them of our time" (Susan W. Tanner, “Did I Tell You…?,” Ensign, May, 2003).

Gary Chapman, family and marriage counselor, tells us that giving our teens quality time is to give them a portion of ours lives, our undivided attention. In other words, we must be willing to show them that nothing else in the world matters to us in that moment than what they have to say. If quality time is your teenager’s primary way of feeling loved, it’s vitally important for you as parents to make an effort to spend time together.

Quality time is not merely being in the same room together. I cringe every time I think of the times my husband and I let our daughter stay up to watch a movie with us. Every time she’d ask a question or try to make a comment we’d shush her. We may have been sitting on the same couch, but she wasn’t feeling loved. She came away from the experience thinking we loved the movie more than we loved her.

Spending quality time together doesn’t require a great, in-depth conversation where intense feelings are expressed or big problems are resolved. The conversations can be lighthearted. It's still important to make eye contact and use words to show we’re really listening. We must purposely make time out of our schedules, even if it means putting something aside in a moment’s notice, to give to our teens. Be interested in the things they choose to talk to you about, even if those things seem trivial to you.

“Some time ago I read an article called “Putting Children Last,” which told about parents who talk about their children in “appointment book” terms: 15 minutes at night when possible, regularly scheduled play time once a week, and so on (see Mary Eberstadt, Wall Street Journal, 2 May 1995). Contrast that with the mother who vowed to give her children not just quality time but quantity time. She recognized that a loving relationship requires constant and ongoing talking, playing, laughing, and working moments.

I, too, believe that parents and children need to participate in each other’s everyday, ordinary experiences. So I know about your upcoming test; you know about my lesson preparation. I attend your games; you join me in the kitchen for dinner preparation. We are major players in each other’s lives, absorbing love through daily experiences” (Susan W. Tanner, “Did I Tell You … ?,” Ensign, May 2003).

Teens will especially need to feel as though you are listening when they talk. Ask questions to show you’re aware of what they’re saying. Don’t be quick to jump in with solutions. It could be they just want someone to listen as they sort things out.

Dr. Chapman gives eight steps to help us as parents learn to help us learn to listen better.

First, eye contact is vital. It keeps your mind from wandering, and shows your teen he/she has your full attention.

Second, don’t do something else at the same time. If you can’t stop what you’re doing (like making dinner), let your teen know you want to give them your full attention and set aside time later on to talk. Keep in mind spending quality activity time together (working on a car, shopping, etc.) can often lead to quality conversations.

Third, be sure to ask yourself what you think your teen might be feeling during your conversation. Try confirming it by saying something like, “It sounds like you’re frustrated with your friend for…” Not only does this give your teen a chance to clearly state what he/she is feeling, but it communicates you’re really listening.

Fourth, watch their body language. Sometimes body language can speak much more clearly what your teen is really feeling. Tears, a half-grin, clenched fists, or fidgety hands can give you clues.

Fifth, don’t interrupt! This can be extremely difficult for some people, but try to refrain. You could end up stopping the conversation before it really gets started. This time is supposed to be all about your teen, not about you.

Sixth, ask reflective questions. When the conversation lulls a bit and you find a pause where you can speak up, ask questions that reflect what you’ve heard. You can’t express your own ideas unless you truly understand what your teen in saying.

Seventh, show you understand. If your reflective questions show you’re on the same wavelength with your teen, express something to illustrate. “I can see why you’d feel that way.”

Last, ask permission to share your impressions. If your teen is just looking for a listening ear, she’s not going to want your input and will push away. Ask something like, “Would you like to hear what I think?” If your teen says yes, he’s looking for help. If your teen says no, don’t be offended. He may have already figured out what he wants to do by simply talking it out.

On the flip side when talking to your teens be sure to give reasons why you feel a certain way. Don’t give them the excuse, “Because I said so!” This closes the door to any and all communication. Tell them why you won’t let them drive with friends until after they’ve had their license for six months. As adults we often require explanations of ‘why,’ and our teens are the same way.

For those teens that enjoy doing things together, look for activities they like to do. Take the time to watch them play a sport, act in a play, or other activities that they put so much effort into. If your teen likes to read, plan to read the same book together and discuss it.

Quality time can be a hard language of love for some parents to give, but it’s so important to make it a priority if you want your teen to feel he/she is truly loved.

Having a testimony doesn’t guarantee a conversion. I have known people who prayed to know if the church was true, received an affirmative answer, and then walked away from it out of fear or unwillingness to change or commit. In my own conversion process, I was initially afraid to make a final choice about which church to join, after many years of searching. It’s a scary thing to find the one true church, even when you’ve longed to find it, because it then requires much of you. Only later do you understand that what you receive is so much more than what you give.

“President Marion G. Romney (1897–1988), then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught that a person who has a testimony may not also be converted. The two are not necessarily the same. He said that a testimony is a witness of the Spirit given when a person is taught the gospel. And then if the person responds to that experience, it causes the person to repent and obey the commandments and thus be baptized. Conversion, on the other hand, means knowing your sins have been forgiven and having your spirit healed. He said that a person will know he is converted by how he feels (see Conference Report, Oct. 1963, 24).”

While it is the Savior’s sacrifice that gave us life after death, and made it possible for us to return to our Heavenly Father, we must do our part as well if we want the complete blessings promised us. Everyone gets the gift of the Savior’s atonement. What do we give in return? Can one be truly converted and then casually live a life entirely removed from what the Savior has asked him to live?

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

A small child will touch a hot stove a time or two, because he doesn’t yet really believe it can hurt him. However, eventually he gains a “testimony” that touching a hot stove is very painful. Once that happens, he really believes he will be happier if he doesn’t touch it, so he never again does so intentionally. A child who suddenly discovers the joy of reading will read often. Before she finds reading a joy, she doesn’t bother unless someone makes her read.

In the same way, when we know—really know—that God loves us and we have a testimony of that love, we want to do the right thing. We may slip here and there—even as adults we sometimes touch hot stoves or forget to read for a while—but overall, we make the right choices because we don’t just have a testimony of the gospel; we are converted. President Harold B. Lee said,

“As you can see, one is converted when he sees with his eyes what he ought to see; when he hears with his ears what he ought to hear; and when he understands with his heart what he ought to understand. And what he ought to see, hear, and understand is truth—eternal truth—and then practice it. That is conversion.” (Stand Ye in Holy Places, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p. 92.)

Big beautiful bouquet of roses. Check. Hearts pasted on the fridge courtesy of our 8 year old. Check. A box of chocolates that I shouldn't sample but will partake of nevertheless. Check, check. And, my absolute favorite, an extra "I love you" in the morning! Oh yes, "Love" is definitely in the air. Love is apparent in our home and I pray that it is in yours too. Hopefully, love is apparent each day of the year in all of our lives. Perhaps, not in so grandiose a fashion as on Valentine's Day but apparent nonetheless.

Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love. True and enduring love should be celebrated. It should be honored. Such a love should be immortalized in poetry and song. This well-known poem by Elizabeth Barret Browning comes to mind when we contemplate this thing called Love:

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

As we reflect on the blessings of love in our lives today, let us also take a minute to remember the love of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as Mormons)refer to this love as Charity or the pure love of Christ. "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." (Moroni 7:47)

Charity is the highest, strongest, and the most noblest form of love. It is the love that our Redeemer has for each of us. This pure love of Christ is the love that he wants us to have for one another. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34).

Those of us who call ourselves disciples of Christ, whether we are of the Mormon faith, or of another, have promised to be more Christlike in our actions and thoughts. In short, we've promised to live a life of Charity towards all mankind. What are the characteristics of Charity? The Apostle Paul describes several elements of charity;

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)

How do we practice charity in our everyday lives? The following thoughts by a couple of our leaders speak to this question;

We need to be kinder with one another, more gentle and forgiving. We need to be slower to anger and more prompt to help. We need to extend the hand of friendship and resist the hand of retribution. In short, we need to love one another with the pure love of Christ, with genuine charity and compassion and, if necessary, shared suffering, for that is the way God loves us....
We need to walk more resolutely and more charitably the path that Jesus has shown. We need to 'pause to help and lift another' and surely we will find 'strength beyond [our] own.' If we would do more to learn 'the healer's art,' there would be untold chances to use it, to touch the 'wounded and the weary' and show to all 'a gentle[r] heart'" (President Howard W. Hunter, 14th President of the Church).

Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself....
Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other" (Elder Marvin J. Ashton, member of the Quorum of the Twelve until his death in 1994).

Charity, the pure love of Christ is a great gift and a blessing in our lives. Such a gift is available to all. We have been extended an invitation and given a commandment to love one another as Christ loves us. As we exchange gifts this day, let us also remember the gift of Charity. There is no doubt in my mind that this troubled world would be a much better place if each of us had a little more Charity in our hearts.

In this spirit, I would like to invite you to take a moment today to send an email, a text message, a phone call, and express your love for someone in your life. Take a moment and think about someone else that can use a hug, a friend to lean on, a helping hand, a parent that listens and loves unconditionally. Happy Valentine's Day everyone. May our hearts be filled with Charity this day and every day of our lives!