President Russell M. Nelson on loving as the Savior did

President Russell M. Nelson (born Sept 9, 1924) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He became president of that quorum on July 15, 2015. Following the death of President Monson, he was set apart as president of the Church on January 14, 2018.

"Jesus asked us to love one another as He has loved us. Is that possible? Can our love for others really approach divine love? Yes it can! The pure love of Christ is granted to all who seek and qualify for it. Such love includes service and requires obedience.

"Compliance with divine law requires faith—the pivotal point of mortality’s testing and trials. At the same time, faith proves our love for God. The more committed we become to patterning our lives after His, the purer and more divine our love becomes....

"Divine love is perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal. The full flower of divine love and our greatest blessings from that love are conditional—predicated upon our obedience to eternal law. I pray that we may qualify for those blessings and rejoice forever."

- Russell M. Nelson, "Divine Love," Ensign February 2003, pp. 20-25
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This is certainly one of the most profound and meaningful invitations from the Savior to us:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34-35).

In this article, President Nelson explored the concept of "Divine Love" and asked what it means for us to love as He loved.

A key insight is that the ability to love as Christ does is not something we necessarily develop; it is a divine gift, "granted to all who seek and qualify for it. Such love includes service and requires obedience." The importance of obedience and service in our preparation to receive the gift is crucial. Our faith in God and in His plan for us leads us to the disciple's life of emulation, complying with divine law, and thus being filled with His spirit.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)