How the Scriptures Are Teaching Me to Love Others

By Irvin Reinel

Studying the scriptures helps us to experience greater feelings of charity for those around us.

Growing up, I knew the gospel was true from attending seminary, watching the example of my oldest brother, and reading the scriptures. But I faced a lot of opposition when I turned 19 and began preparing to serve a mission. I had to wait much longer than I wanted to, but eventually I was able to serve. It was the most memorable time of my life!

And even though I faced a lot of opposition on my mission, it was there that I grew significantly closer to Jesus Christ and learned about His perfect love from the scriptures and my own experiences. I was able to learn to love the people I served the way the Savior loved them.

Developing charity helped me serve the best two years of my life, and as I reflect back on that time, I recognize even more fully how the scriptures led me to develop Christ’s pure love.

Scriptures Help Us Love

Do you consider yourself to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

In the Book of Mormon, Moroni taught that Christ’s disciples possessed certain virtues. These virtues include charity or, as he puts it, “the pure love of Christ” (Moroni 7:47). But for me and for many of us, it can sometimes be difficult to show charity toward everyone, especially in the darkening world we live in.

I have often asked myself—and Heavenly Father:

“How can I follow the counsel to develop that pure love of Christ when I am so imperfect?”

Through a lot of personal reflection and searching, I have come to learn one helpful practice that is available right at our fingertips.

When we want answers and guidance, we don’t need to look much farther than the scriptures! We know that “the words of Christ will tell [us] all things what [we] should do” (2 Nephi 32:3), but do you truly “believe the holy scriptures” (Helaman 15:7) and their power to help you develop charity?

Through my own scripture study, I found the help I needed to develop more charity. I feel my heart change as I read the truths of the Savior. President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) said, “If I immerse myself in the scriptures, ... I find myself loving more intensely those whom I must love with all my heart and mind and strength.”¹

I’ve realized that scripture study is one of the most powerful tools that can help us become like Jesus Christ. When we set aside a time and a place to ponder the scriptures, we can learn more about His truth, His love, and His will—especially in how to love others as He does.

Practicing the Savior’s Pure Love

Sister J. Annette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief General Society Presidency, recently taught: “The Savior … is the embodiment of charity, of pure love. As we incrementally learn to do what He asks of us … His love will flow through us and make all that He asks not only possible but eventually much easier and lighter [see Mosiah 24:15] and more joyful than we could ever imagine. It will take practice; it could take years, as it has for me, but as we even desire to have love be our motivating force, He can take that desire [see Alma 32:27], that seed, and eventually turn it into a beautiful tree, full of the sweetest fruit [see Alma 32:41].”²

Developing charity does take practice, but if we are willing to learn from and act on the scriptures, we can become better at showing Christlike love. We will find that the truths in the scriptures and the words of the prophets truly do build within us a more Christlike character. We will find that it is possible to develop the pure love of Christ. And with His pure love now part of our own character, we will be able to better love others the way He does and feel more of His pure love in our own lives.