...feeling the pure love of Christ.

It’s really an indescribable feeling. Sometimes for me it feels like a “burning in the bosom” or a “fire in my chest” other times I simply find my eyes filled with tears. When I’m really feeling it the most, feeling like my entire chest is about to explode from the swellings of my heart, I find I just want to put my arms around everyone I see, hug them, and never let go. I want them to really feel how much I love them—I’ve even done it to perfect strangers.
In the April ’09 General Conference Elder Todd Christofferson spoke of this love in his talk The Power of Covenants. “It is by the Holy Ghost in you that others may feel the pure love of Christ and receive strength to press forward.” (emphasis added)
The past few weeks, with our ward putting Elder Ballard’s 21 day promise to the test, this quote and its implications have once again come to the forefront of my mind. As I’ve prayed each day for my friends and loved ones, I’ve prayed they would feel of our Savior’s love, that they’d have a desire to come closer to him, to repent, and to experience the true joy of the gospel of Christ.
I’ve felt so strongly that this phrase from Elder Christofferson is a reminder of how I must be more valiant, more conscious of working to have the Savior in my life. How can I help others to feel of God’s love if I am not living worthy to have the Holy Ghost and therefore help others to feel the love of Christ? How can else can I help them to have the desire to have the light and love of Christ in their life--light and love that I need… that I must have so that they can see it… then want it... then work to have it.
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
It is the Holy Ghost that lies within each of us that allows others to feel of the pure love of Christ. It is this love that gives confidence and instills faith and hope. These are the tools available to all of us as we enlist in the fight to press forward, to engage that perfect brightness of hope, and to come unto Christ once again.
There’s just something about feeling the pure love of Christ.

...someone who would desert a dessert in the desert.

It came to my attention today that the English language is once again just plain weird. Did you know that desert, desert, and dessert are all the same word yet totally different?

desert - a landscape or region that receives very little precipitation

desert - abandon: leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch; "The mother deserted her children"

dessert - a course that typically comes at the end of a meal

I knew the difference between spelling the place desert and wanting some dessert (cause who doesn’t want seconds (you know, two “s’s”) but deserting dessert? And I’m not talking about a sand cheesecake…

Huh.

There’s just something about someone who would desert a dessert in the desert.