Making the Most of This Issue

February 2003

Divine Love

“While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional,” writes Elder Russell M. Nelson. Yet “Jesus asked us to love one another as He has loved us. Is that possible? Can our love for others really approach divine love? Yes it can!” See “Divine Love,” page 20.

Teachings of Jesus

• “The blessings that flow from the gift of forgiveness are many,” says Elder Cecil O. Samuelson Jr. of the Seventy. “Chief among them is peace. It is the Savior’s desire that we each feel His peace.” See “Words of Jesus: Forgiveness” on page 48.

• “To understand what the Savior taught about riches as He walked the earth among men, we must realize that He paid no heed to the traditions of men,” writes Elder William R. Bradford of the Seventy. “His teachings guide us on the acquiring, amassing, and spending of wealth and are as applicable today as they were when He first uttered them.” See “Words of Jesus: Riches” on page 52.

• “If a person’s testimony is to grow until it bears mature fruit, or conversion, God must be the primary force behind our harvest,” teaches Elder Wilfredo R. López of the Seventy. See “The Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly,” page 56.

More to Strengthen a Family

• Have you ever wavered in your commitment to the gospel or wondered if the Lord knows your needs and concerns? Read about a family whose lives were changed because the Lord inspired their home teacher to visit at just the right moment. See page 69.

• Stories from Latter-day Saint Voices can teach your family important principles, such as not making hasty judgments about others. See how a disruptive child taught the teacher a valuable lesson about jumping to premature conclusions, page 70.

• Four hundred people at a family reunion? Read about one family’s simple four-point model for family organizations that has withstood the test of time and blessed several generations. See “Planning for Family Unity,” page 72.

Three Parables

Elder James E. Talmage turned three personal experiences into parables that teach gospel principles. Each would make an excellent home evening message. Perhaps Elder Talmage’s stories of the unwise bee, the two lamps, and the Owl Express will help you see how you can use experiences from your own life to teach the gospel. See page 8.

Harmony at Home

It was only a small misfortune, but it helped one family see beyond selfish individual concerns and discover common interests and lasting harmony. See “The Day the Dishwasher Broke,” page 18.

Home Teachers, Visiting Teachers

Find the monthly messages on page 2 and page 74.

Did You Know?

The Friend and the New Era are available in Braille for visually impaired children and youth and visually impaired parents or other adults who work with children and youth. These magazines are available at no charge, although donations are appreciated. An $8.00 donation each year has been suggested for either the Friend or the New Era. These items can be ordered from Special Curriculum, Floor 24, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3200. Make checks payable to “Corporation of the President.” You can call Special Curriculum at 801-240-2477.