"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).
Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read “The Essence of Discipleship,” by Silvia H.
Allred, Ensign, May 2011, 84.
Thought:
The pure love of Christ is expressed as we give selfless service. Helping one another is a
sanctifying experience which exalts the receiver and humbles the giver. It helps us become
true disciples of Christ.
(Silvia H. Allred, “The Essence of Discipleship,” Ensign, May 2011, 84.)
Song:
“Love One Another,” Children’s Songbook, p. 136.
Scripture:
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
(John 13:35)
Lesson:
As a family, sing or read the words to “Love One Another.” (Hymns, no. 308.) Ask your
family where these words came from. Read John 3:31–35 and have your family watch for
the words they have just sung. Ask:
• How did Jesus exemplify these words?
• How will people know if we are disciples of
Jesus Christ?
• What can we do to love each other in our home?
• If we show love to one another, what are we becoming? (Verse 35.)
Set a goal to have each family member memorize John 13:34–35. When all have
accomplished that goal, plan a special activity the family will enjoy and that will allow all
family members to feel each other’s, and the Savior’s, love.
(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The New
Testament, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2006], p. 131.)
Story:
It is easy to treat certain people kindly because we like them, for they are part of our
group. But as true disciples of the Lord, we will endeavor to treat everyone kindly. As we
do, we will find more and more people we like, including those whom we thought we might
never like in the beginning. We will not experience in this mortal sphere the capacity to
love as Christ loved, but in our feeble effort to make daily progress, the Lord will hear our
earnest prayers, our desire to be a true disciple, and with his help we can participate in life-changing experiences for ourselves and for others.
One time when I was speaking to an adult fireside, I felt impressed to share something
concerning my love and appreciation for an individual struggling to overcome the
devastating problem of alcoholism. Upon my return home, I received a letter from someone
in that audience, a stranger until that night, and now a friend. A woman suffering from the effects of
alcoholism in her own life wrote, “Since that Saturday night that I met you, I’ve been so filled with the
Spirit, I have walked around for days now with a lump in my throat. For the first time in years I have
prayed to my Father in Heaven, and I feel hope. I’m longing to come ‘home.’ I feel such an urgency to
change. I’ve always felt like the last leaf on the tree, clinging for all it’s worth, not courageous enough
to let go and fall, afraid the fall will hurt. I hang on all alone. It’s as though you reached out your hand
and said, ‘It’s okay, let go. I’ll be here. You’re not alone.’ This fall as I watch the golden leaves break
loose and drift from their branches, I will think of you. Maybe someone else will regain their testimony
because of your love and concern. Maybe they, like me, have found the courage to let go because a
hand was there to hold.”
If love can be expressed and felt between two people in an entire congregation, think what can
happen when you express love to one another in small groups or just one to another. We need each
other.
What will you do this year about love? Will this year be a retread, same old habits, liking some
people, disliking others, ignoring or rejecting others? It is said that to ignore or to reject is even more
devastating to people than to dislike them. Could you raise your voice to express a friendly hello to a
fellow traveler who might be carrying a load on his back?
(Ardeth Greene Kapp, Joy of the Journey, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1992].)
Activity:
Play Ringleader.
1. Send one person out of the room.
2. Select one person in the room to be the ringleader. Everyone else will mimic his movements and
gestures as he make some kind of motion every few seconds. For example, he may scratch his nose,
pat his head, or rub his leg.
3. Call the other person back into the room to see whether he can guess who the ringleader is while
everyone else mimics the ringleader. If the person who went out can guess within three guesses who
the ringleader is, then the ringleader becomes the guesser for the next round. If he cannot guess the
ringleader, then he continues as the guesser for the next round.
Explain that just as they followed the ringleader, it is more important to follow Jesus Christ.
(George and Jeane Chipman, Games! Games! Games!, [Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 1983], p. 144.)
Refreshment
Coconut Macaroons
2 cups coconut
2 1⁄4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
1 1⁄2 tablespoons corn syrup
3⁄4 cup hot water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
Mix coconut, sugar, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, add corn syrup to
water and dissolve. Add eggs and vanilla. With a mixer on low speed, add liquid ingredients to dry
ingredients and mix until evenly blended. Allow mixture to rest and absorb moisture for 30 minutes.
Scoop onto cookie sheet with an ice cream scoop. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 18–20 minutes.
For added flair, dip half of the cookie in melted chocolate chips and place on wax paper to set up.
