love your enemies

 It is the night before Winter Semester classes and we've decided it would be a perfect time to begin our goals for 2011. One of them being more active with scripture reading. We have been pretty good since we've been married, but there is ALWAYS room for improvement in our lives. Tonight we came across this passage that really stood out to James and has left a great impression on myself as well:

"And behold it is written also, that though shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy; But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good. " (3 Nephi 12: 43-45)

I can remember hearing this counsel/passage to 'love your enemies' since I was little, but never really paying attention to verse 45 that followed "for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil AND on the good". A great reminder that we are all children of God, even the people that can push us to our limits!!!  Such counsel went along perfectly with my personal goals I hope to carry out this year, some of which include being more patient, positive and charitable :) 

I love reading scriptures with James because he chooses passages that I know I was meant to hear and ponder about. He also does well in explaining and sharing examples. I love listening to him. He is such a wonderful husband, we ended the night perfectly with a priesthood blessing (my Dad would always give us kids a Father's blessing before the start of each school and new year). I love my husband <3

I typed "love your enemies" into Google Images, here's what popped up:

First day of classes tomorrow start at 7:30a.m.!!!!!