Suffering

Christ communicates His love to humankind by showing how much He suffered to help humankind.

The three Nephites were promised a fulness of joy for being willing to suffer sorrow for the sins of the world, to bring the souls of men unto Christ while the world shall stand.

Likewise, I look back with peculiar delight upon the scenes that early Latter-day Saints passed through, the privations they endured, the untiring zeal that they manifested, the all but insurmountable difficulties that they overcame in laying the foundation of a work that brought about the glory and blessing which I realize.

Am I willing to show evidence of my love by suffering?

Gifts

What doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?
It's not about how the Lord feels: He makes it about us.

Gifts are not designed to transfer earthly possessions: 

they are supposed to bind giver and receiver together in love.

The benefit of the gift is not contained in the gift: 
there is so much more in building the relationship.


No giving as a "social obligation". 
No more "gracious" receiving and then focusing on the gift.


It is about the relationship.

Courage

I am preparing to teach about "Living Righteously in an Unrighteous World" and "Moral Courage".
While I love the story of courage displayed by Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, I worry that when I tried to use that courage, I pre-judged others as "fiends of the infernal pit". I am more inclined to teach from more recent counsel: "[Have] the courage to refrain from judging others" and "Never is the soul nobler and more courageous than when we forgive."

Gratitude

The most recent Deacon's quorum lesson: View Download