Speeches by Topic | Love

Love is a fundamental principle taught in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Both romantic love and charity, or the pure love of Christ, are important aspects of this topic. Throughout the scriptures, Jesus Christ teaches much about how to love as He did. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that showing love to everyone they meet is what God wants them to do. In the gospel of Luke, the Lord teaches His followers to “love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36). Regarding romantic love, the prophet Gordon B Hinckley offered advice in his BYU devotional address. “I could wish nothing better for each of you, my dear young friends, than love—the companionship of one dearer than any friend; someone to be deliriously excited over and to be happy with; someone to stir within you the very best that is there; someone to grow more appreciative of, more tender toward, more grateful for, more a part of as one year becomes another and life moves toward eternity. May the Lord answer your prayers with love, the kind that will always express itself in concern not for self but for your beloved companion” (“And the Greatest of These Is Love,” February 1978). Modern-day prophets have encouraged everyone to develop charity. President Thomas S. Monson reminded church members that “nowhere should the world find a better example of that foundation than in the homes of Latter-day Saints who have made love the heart of their family life” (“As I Have Loved You,” February 2017). Through showing Christlike love, all people will be able to feel God’s presence more fully in their lives.

Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ

Dale G. Renlund | December 3, 2019

Addressing our dysfunctional receptors for God’s love restores power, stability, and direction in our lives.

Russell M. Nelson - President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Russell M. Nelson | September 17, 2019

Because the Father and the Son love us with infinite, perfect love, and because They know we cannot see everything They see, They have given us laws that will guide and protect us.

J.B. Haws | May 7, 2019

We can notice how false these comparisons most often are...That is worth noting, worth confronting, and worth constantly reminding ourselves.

Arthur C. Brooks | April 25, 2019

If we are going to beat the problem of contempt, we’re going to need something more radical than civility—something that speaks to our hearts’ desire. We need love.

Jason S. Carroll | April 2, 2019

Improper understandings of love–which unfortunately are common in our culture today–are responsible for many of the struggles some individuals and couples have in dating, courtship, and marriage.

Kirt R. Saville | August 1, 2017

We can plan to give service—and I think that is excellent—but I believe the Savior taught and exemplified a better way. Christ most often blessed others when He was on His way to do something else.

Brent D. Slife | May 16, 2017

As I interface the sacred and the secular, I am struck by how little my experience of this love is explainable in conventional psychological terms, or, indeed, in any secular terms.

Russell M. Nelson | August 14, 2014

There is great power in a strong partnership. True partners can achieve more than the sum of each acting alone. With true partners, one plus one is much more than two.

William B. Lund | August 5, 2014

Our Father in Heaven’s work is individual salvation and individual happiness for eternity. We aren’t specks in the universal expanse of God’s creations but individuals loved and cherished by God.

Brent E. Nelson | June 10, 2014

The Lord has provided me some specific tender mercies over the years to give me comfort and at least partial answers to these questions. These tender mercies did not come at once, but in hindsight I can see they came when I needed them. Importantly, they came at times and in ways that have helped to build my testimony that God knows me and is personally mindful of me.

Peggy S. Worthen | May 2, 2013

Being a parent can bring joy and sorrow. Sister Worthen discusses how to bring a family together and encourage happiness within a family unit.

Mark DeMoss | January 24, 2012

I will not attempt to speak for your church, but I will speak for and to mine: It is never an option to claim Jesus Christ as Savior and behave in an uncivil manner with anyone, under any circumstance. Never.

Cecilia M. Peek | November 9, 2011

The creator actively remembers His creation. Closely linked to His remembrance of us is the loving attention associated with it. He not only remembers you; He cares deeply about where you are, what you are doing, who you are becoming, and what you are feeling.

Russell T. Osguthorpe | March 8, 2011

It’s important to remember that we should not try to judge another’s motives. But we can judge our own motives. We need to look inside and take stock. Are we doing what we do out of love? Or has some other motive taken over?

Richard G. Scott | September 12, 2010

I have found that the best way to live life is to seek to know the will of the Lord as guided by the Holy Spirit. He knows what is best for you.

Richard B. Miller | January 19, 2010

Besides a sincere apology, repentance includes striving to forsake our shortcomings and weaknesses. We strive to keep our promises to do the dishes. We focus on not being grumpy and not snapping at our spouse. We endeavor to become better listeners and less judgmental. As we continually repent, we constantly try to improve ourselves.

Rollin H. Hotchkiss | December 8, 2009

And on that October Sunday morning at Upper Falls, I actually asked Heavenly Father a question—something I was not taught to do growing up. Like most, I was taught that you can ask for blessings. It had never really occurred to me to ask Heavenly Father a question, because that implied you expected an answer—that you expected God to actually hear your prayer and acknowledge it with some sort of communication.

Timothy B. Smith | February 12, 2008

In heartache I have cried out for Him. And I have felt the love of the Savior. I know of His grace. He is love. “The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting." Through His Atonement, we are healed. And when we are healed, He turns our hearts to others.

Cheryl C. Lant | February 14, 2006

If we can understand the law of love—for God, for others, and for ourselves—we will be able to follow all of the rest of the commandments and teachings in the scriptures and from latter-day prophets.

Marleen Williams | May 4, 2004

When we learn to love each other and have respect for our different abilities, we prepare ourselves to live in a celestial order. Each person edifies the other, and then the whole can become a Zion society.

Joseph B. Wirthlin | February 1, 2004

I offer these two words of counsel, two sources of light that will provide light for you throughout your life’s journey: Love the Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Keith B. McMullin | October 21, 2003

Change yourself. Decide today “I am going to make the Church and kingdom of God the center of my life!” Position yourself firmly inside God’s kingdom; allow it to encompass you.

John W. Welch | September 30, 2003

Today I would ask: What does it mean to you to love God with all your mind? We feel what it means to love Him with our heart, but what does it mean to love Him with our mind?

Elaine Walton | July 30, 2002

Empathy is an essential ingredient for all positive interpersonal relationships. If we couldn’t at least imagine what it feels like to be in someone else’s shoes or skin, we wouldn’t be able to connect; we would live our lives in isolation.

Jeffrey R. Holland | February 15, 2000

Christlike staying power in romance and marriage requires more than any of us really have. It requires something more, an endowment from heaven. Remember Mormon’s promise: that such love—the love we each yearn for and cling to—is “bestowed” upon “true followers of Christ.” You want capability, safety, and security in dating and romance, in married life and eternity? Be a true disciple of Jesus.

Earlene Durrant | February 8, 2000

Love is truly is the most gentle and powerful force in the world. We have been given the key to loving and respecting differences.

Marilyn S. Bateman | January 11, 2000

Charity is a gift of God that requires a pure heart and a clean conscience. This love of Christ is deep and constant. It changes everything.

Eugene H. Bramhall | March 16, 1999

As I have thought about this welcome opportunity, I have concluded that although aging brings some all too obvious changes, there are certain values that are constant, and gratefully so. It was 10 years ago, almost to the day, that I occupied this space as a newly called stake president. Elder Maxwell and Elder Holland, just called to the First Quorum of the Seventy, were on the stand. Although I…

Merrill J. Bateman | April 6, 1998

Nothing can be more important to teach our children than love. We must exemplify love in our family relationships and teach them about the love of God.

H. Reese Hansen | April 8, 1997

I appreciated the opening prayer offered by Matt Jensen. I’m going to let you in on a little secret—Matt had a special reason this morning to pray for the Spirit to be here today. You see, Matt did much of the research for my remarks. And so he is really hoping that this will go well. A couple of days ago, I asked Vice President Jim Gordon for some advice…

C. Terry Warner | January 16, 1996

What else than love such as this could lift life to another level, change not just a few details but its very quality and character? Hearkening to the call of Christ from His Spirit, or through another’s countenance, or both, we become genuinely honest, simple, solid, true—often together with someone we may not have trusted before.

Vaughn J. Featherstone | September 12, 1995

Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone shares touching examples of the love and compassion we need to develop in order to have a heart like God's.

Russell M. Nelson | January 8, 1995

We yearn for hope not just for moments in this life, but for eternity. Our hope is bolstered by understanding faith and charity, the pure love of Christ.

Marlin K. Jensen | March 28, 1993

With a testimony of the eternal potential of our marriages, we are capable of loving with the spirit as well as a firm understanding of that love's purpose.

Marion D. Hanks | August 7, 1988

To serve and "love thy neighbor" is the essence of joy and will prepare us to meet God. All of us can do something, and most of us more than we are doing.

Jeffrey R. Holland | January 12, 1988

May I suggest that human intimacy, that sacred, physical union ordained of God for a married couple, deals with a symbol that demands special sanctity.

Theodore M. Burton | June 3, 1986

You must realize it is better to solve serious problems before marriage than to try to resolve such problems after marriage. If you start out right with mature preparation for the marriage venture, it can be a glorious, wonderful experience. If you start out wrong because of lack of proper preparation and mature experience, marriage can be a disaster.

Robert B. Harbertson | June 2, 1985

May I introduce my remarks today with two questions: (1) what is your relationship with your parents, and (2), for those of you who are married, what is your relationship with your companion and your children? Now, think seriously about these questions for a moment. Are you comfortable with your thoughts and feelings? Does pride and joy start to swell within your heart? Or is there a tinge of resentment…

F. Enzio Busche | May 28, 1985

As we choose to follow the Savior, and have no confidence in the contrary messages of the world, we will understand our great potential in His eternal plan.

Jeffrey R. Holland - Mormon Apostle - and Patricia T. Holland

Jeffrey R. and Patricia T. Holland | January 15, 1985

Quite apart from the matter of school or missions or marriage or whatever, life ought to be enjoyed at every stage of our experience and should not be hurried and wrenched and truncated and torn to fit an unnatural schedule which you have predetermined but which may not be the Lord’s personal plan for you at all.

Barbara B. Smith | February 14, 1984

Love of all kinds is life and is meant to be immortal and eternal. As we seek to create loving relationships we will change the world into the eternities.

Ruth E. Brasher | July 12, 1983

As we work toward our eternal goal, which is that we may become like our Heavenly Father, the key in our quest for perfection is Christlike love.

Hartman Rector Jr. | May 3, 1983

In order to serve effectively in God's kingdom, we need to learn to love others selflessly and unconditionally, as He loves us.

Patricia T. Holland | February 19, 1983

In her BYU Women's Conference address, Patricia T. Holland teaches that peace comes as we love each other without judgment, comparison, or pettiness.

Bruce C. Hafen | August 28, 1982

Romantic love is pure, sacred, and central to the gospel. It is because of, not in spite of, that fact that we must treat it carefully.

H. Hal Visick | July 13, 1982

It’s wonderful that no one ever recites your faults and failures when making an introduction. If they did, we might be here for some time. The music provided us this morning certainly would repay you all for coming here, whatever I may say. It was a marvelous performance. I compliment Sister Gneiting and Brother Staheli. It’s quite a feeling to stand at the devotional pulpit at BYU. I have sat…

Marion D. Hanks | March 29, 1981

With Southeast Asian refugees as beautiful examples, Elder Hanks shares what it means to truly love our neighbor by feeding the body, mind, and soul.

Henry B. Eyring | December 16, 1980

This Christmas, remember that the best gifts are given when the giver feels for the receiver, gives freely, and counts the sacrifice as a bargain.

David B. Haight | December 7, 1980

The fruits of a Christlike life are loving, serving, and giving. May we all strive to better emulate Him this Christmas season.

Bernard Brockbank | June 3, 1979

The way to the kingdom of God is to love God first. We must love and serve Him above money, appetites, and other temporary priorities.

Gordon B. Hinckley - Mormon Prophet and Apostle

Gordon B. Hinckley | February 14, 1978

I could wish nothing better for each of you, my dear young friends, than love—the companionship of one dearer than any friend; someone to be deliriously excited over and to be happy with; someone to stir within you the very best that is there; someone to grow more appreciative of, more tender toward, more grateful for, more a part of as one year becomes another and life moves toward eternity.

Robert D. Hales | November 9, 1976

Celestial marriage is one of God's greatest blessings; however, it requires humility and diligence to prepare for and create a happy, eternal family.

Russell M. Nelson | May 14, 1974

Russel M. Nelson shares some of his greatest life lessons about the body, the spirit, the power of love, and the dependability of divine law.

Vaughn J. Featherstone | February 3, 1974

You have immense worth, and the Lord is laying up a marvelous treasure for you. Have patience, and you may find acres of diamonds right in your front yard.

Boyd K. Packer | November 3, 1963

In your search for love, do not be distracted by temptation or the fleeting need to be admired. Seek the pure, eternal love God has in store for you.

John Longden | March 6, 1963

Paul teaches us that the ingredients of charity, or Christlike love, are such qualities as patience, meekness, gratitude, and humility.

Hugh B. Brown | December 9, 1959

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Take the time to get to know the Savior, your Redeemer and Friend, and to emulate his love and example.

David O. McKay - Mormon Prophet and Apostle

David O. McKay | October 11, 1955

President David O. McKay provides five ideals for a happy and enduring marriage during a Brigham Young University devotional address.

Elray L. Christiansen | February 4, 1953

Indescribable blessings come from eternal marriage. This speaker reminds young adults that temple marriage is an essential part of their journey to God.

Spencer W. Kimball | March 4, 1952

Why is it important to marry in the faith, and in the temple? Because blessings await our families that can be found only through eternal covenants.

Franklin S. Harris | November 29, 1949

A former BYU president shares 5 helpful habits that will carry us through the journey of life: learning, loving, thinking, appreciation, and worship.