Happy Valentine's Day!

Here is an invitation to not get caught up in the commercialization of the day or to not go completely anti-Valentines day. Instead, cleave unto your other half and celebrate your love. Yes, you should do that every day, but more often than not the world takes away the focus on your sacred relationship with your eternal partner. Whether it is work, kids, or other obligations we often find ourselves void of the special efforts (see video) that help build our relationship. So celebrate today as a day to put responsibilities aside and focus on that special someone.

Love seems to be the central theme to Valentine’s Day. Love is a powerful emotion and evokes powerful desires/feelings that can either bring you closer to our Heavenly Father or burden you with guilt. One of the best lessons on this was given in a 1988 devotional by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments . Elder Holland starts out his talk by discussing the neglect of sexual purity and the consequences that are wide-spread in our great nation (remember this talk was in 1988). How much better or worse is it today? Elder Holland then goes on to state that he doesn’t want to focus on the social issues, but rather a gospel-based view.
With that theme in mind he discussed human intimacy as related to: 1. The Doctrine of the Soul 2. A Symbol of Total Union 3. A Holy Sacrament.  It would be hard to replicate or deliver a more powerful message than Elder Holland; so please do read his talk. Click here to read it!