Let Love Replace All Our Hate

These past few weeks have been wonderful! We have been seeing so much success as we have been working here in Bishop. We are gaining the trust of the ward members, and many of our investigators have progressing towards baptism slowly but surely. I have been thinking a lot about the scripture in John 13:34-35 lately, which reads:

"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you. That ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

I think it is so important that Christ tells His twelve apostles that the primary way that people will know if we are followers of Him, is if we love others. Unfortunately, I have met many people on my mission that have claimed to be Christian, but then have treated us with absolute cruelty in the name of Christianity. Christ never teaches us to persecute or judge other people. He always teaches tolerance and love, even for those who are persecuting us.

This is easier said than done obviously, but when we can learn to love one another, the way Christ really wants us to, that is what will change the world. The scriptures often refer to a place called "Zion." I think that Zion isn't as much a specific place on earth as it is a place where everyone loves each other. In Zion, everyone has charity for everyone else. Can you imagine a place like that? I think the only thing better than that would be heaven itself. Although, I think you could even take that a step further, and say that the biggest difference between earth and heaven is the love that exists in heaven. A verse from one of my favorite songs says:

"Although I would like our world to change,
It helps me to appreciate those night and those dreams.
But my friend, I'd sacrifice all those nights
if I could make the earth and my dreams the same.
The only difference is
to let love replace all our hate."

I pray that we can learn to love one another as the Savior has asked us to. He set the perfect example for us. Even though the very people that He came here to save nailed Him to a cross and killed Him, He never once stopped loving them. I know that once the world learns to love like Christ does, that is what will truly change the world.