“If Ye Keep My Commandments, Ye Shall Abide in My Love”
John 15:10
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Sister Carole M. Stephens said:
“[T]rust God. Trust in His eternal plan for you. Each of us is ‘a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents.’ Their love for us is apparent in commandments. Commandments are vital instructions to teach, guide, and protect us as we ‘gain earthly experience’ [“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129].
“In the ‘premortal realm’ we used our agency to accept God’s plan [see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”], and we learned that obedience to God’s eternal law was vital to our success in His plan. Scriptures teach, ‘There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated’ [D&C 130:20]. If we obey the law, we receive the blessings.
“Even with all of the mistakes, opposition, and learning that accompany our mortal experience, God never loses sight of our eternal potential, even when we do. We can trust Him ‘because God wants His children back’ [Russell M. Nelson, in R. Scott Lloyd, “God Wants His Children to Return to Him, Elder Nelson Teaches,” Church News section of LDS.org, Jan. 28, 2014]. And He has provided a way through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Atonement ‘is the core of the plan of salvation’ [Russell M. Nelson, “Prepare for the Blessings of the Temple,” Ensign or Liahona, Oct. 2010, 49].
“. . . [T]rust Jesus. The ultimate expression of obedience and love is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Submitting Himself to the Father’s will, He gave His life for us. He said, ‘If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love’ [John 15:10].
“Jesus also taught:
“‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
“‘This is the first and great commandment.
“‘And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself’ [Matthew 22:37–39].
“Each Sunday we have the opportunity to ponder and remember our Savior’s pure love as we partake of the emblems of His infinite Atonement. During the sacrament, I watch as hands and arms extend to pass the bread and the water. As I extend my arm and partake, I covenant that I am willing to take His name upon me, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. And He promises ‘that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]’ [see D&C 20:77, 79].”
(“If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 119.)
