Study Guide for "Love Is Spoken Here"

In his talk "Love Is Spoken Here", Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explores the languages of gospel love. He discusses how love is communicated in different ways, and how it is manifested through warmth and reverence, service and sacrifice, and covenant belonging. Elder Gong also highlights the importance of expressing love in our interactions within the Church and our personal lives.

Before Reading

Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:

What are the three languages of gospel love that Elder Gong speaks about?
How does Elder Gong suggest we can better express love in our interactions within the Church?
What does Elder Gong mean by "covenant belonging"?
How does Elder Gong link service and sacrifice to expressing love?
What role does language play in expressing and understanding love, according to Elder Gong?

Topics

Expressing Love through Warmth and Reverence

Elder Gong discusses the importance of expressing love through warmth and reverence, both in our personal relationships and in our worship. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus Christ at the heart of our actions and interactions, and how our words and actions can draw us closer to Christ and each other.

With warmth and reverence, our sacrament and other meetings focus on Jesus Christ. We speak reverently of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, personal and real, not only of atonement in the abstract.

We use reverent prayer language when we address Heavenly Father and warm respect when we speak with each other.

Each covenant whispers, "Love is spoken here."

What does it mean to express love through warmth and reverence?
How can our words and actions draw us closer to Christ and each other?
How can we incorporate more warmth and reverence in our personal relationships and worship?
How can you show more warmth and reverence in your interactions with others?
Can you recall a time when you felt love expressed through warmth and reverence? How did it impact you?
What steps can you take to make your worship more focused on Jesus Christ?

Demonstrating Love through Service and Sacrifice

Elder Gong highlights the importance of expressing love through service and sacrifice. He discusses how serving in the Church can increase our compassion, capacity, and humility, and how our desire to serve should never wane, even if our ability to do so changes.

As we gather again at church each week to honor and rejoice in the Sabbath day, we can express our sacramental covenant commitment to Jesus Christ and each other through our Church callings, fellowship, sociality, and service.

Calls to serve the Lord and each other in His Church give opportunity to increase in compassion, capacity, and humility.

I promise that love is spoken here, there, and everywhere as we answer yes to Church leaders to serve the Lord in His Church by His Spirit and our covenants.

What does it mean to express love through service and sacrifice?
How can serving in the Church increase our compassion, capacity, and humility?
Why is it important to maintain a desire to serve, even when our ability to do so changes?
How can you demonstrate love through service and sacrifice in your own life?
Can you recall a time when you felt love expressed through service and sacrifice? How did it impact you?
What steps can you take to serve more in your ward or community?

Covenant Belonging as a Language of Love

Elder Gong discusses how covenant belonging is a language of love. He explains that relationships founded on divine covenant can heal and sanctify our most cherished relationships, and that when we covenant all we are, we can become more than we are.

Jesus Christ offers a better way—relationships founded on divine covenant, stronger than the cords of death.

In truth, when we covenant all we are, we can become more than we are.

God’s power and wisdom can bless us with every good gift, in His time and way.

What does it mean for covenant belonging to be a language of love?
How can relationships founded on divine covenant heal and sanctify our most cherished relationships?
What does it mean to covenant all we are, and how can this help us become more than we are?
How can you cultivate a sense of covenant belonging in your own life?
Can you recall a time when you felt love expressed through covenant belonging? How did it impact you?
What steps can you take to strengthen your covenants with God and others?