All You Need is Love

While refrencing a piece pusblished by Jonathan Sacks in his latest General Conference address, President Monson quoted the famous Beatle refrain "All you need is love." President Monson stood in agreement with Rabbi Sacks that this cultural ideology eventually led to the near-destruction of the public's morality. I however have recently thought about this idea in fairly different terms, and I feel that the concept of "all you need is love" is an essential gospel truth and an eternal commandment of utmost importance.

For a brief portion of the Savior's earthly ministry, the holy and learned of the ancient  Jewish church often sought to trap the Savior in His words by asking tricky questions that would require potentially condemnable answers. Jesus was never fooled, and being the master teacher confounded these men by teaching powerful and undeniable gospel truths. Here is the text of one such encounter from Matthew 22:

34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I testify that all we truly need is love. As the Savior taught, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15). In this sense we're abandoning the world's (and John Lennon's) meaning of the word love. Love to God means obedience. If we love Heavenly Father we will do as He has commanded. If we love Jesus Christ, we will utitilze and apply His sacrifice in our life. And if we love not only Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ but also our fellow man, then we will treat everyone in a Christlike manner showing love to all by being kind and compassionate, charitable and helpful. Everything the Father and Son have ever asked of us hinges upon our love for God and man.



As the great prophet Moroni taught, charity is the "pure love of Christ." We know that the Savior has a perfect love for every man, woman and child. His love is absolute, unconditional and entirely unadulterated. We are commanded to have this same love for everyone as well. In his discourse on this love, Moroni continues:

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all...

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God...

We should all follow Moroni's counsel and pray to Heavenly Father to be filled with this love so that we are fully committed to keeping all of His commandments. It is apparent that to gain favor in God's eyes and to keep us on the gospel path, truly, "all you need is love."