Overcoming With Love

In the Olivet Discourse, the Savior said, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”  This was in reference to things that would happen in that generation. Then He repeated this prophecy when speaking of the last days, “And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax cold.”  Following both of these statements directly He gave the antidote for how to surmount this challenging environment: “But he that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved…. But he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved” (JSM 1:10-11, 30).  I don’t know that I had previously connected this idea of the love of men waxing cold and the need for us to overcome, but I believe they are related.  Perhaps what it means for us to “overcome” is that we don’t let our love wax cold.  We overcome by being filled with the love of God for others even when the world turns cynical and evil and its love waxes cold.  In other words, one of our protections against the difficult times prophesied in the last days—when there will be “wars, and rumors of wars” and “famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” and “tribulation”—is to keep our hearts full of love (JSM 1:28-29, 33). 

                This is exactly how Mormon overcame in his day of great wickedness.  His people were “without order and without mercy” and “without Christ and God in the world” and were “led about by Satan, even as chaff is driven before the wind.” He lamented that “they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually” (Mormon 5:16, 18; Moroni 9:5, 18).  Indeed, their love had waxed cold as the Savior had spoken of.  But incredibly, despite being surrounded by wickedness and a people without love, Mormon’s love had not waxed cold—he overcame with love.  He said, “Notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart” (Mormon 3:12).  He wrote to his son speaking of the love he felt: “I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear. And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love… I love little children with a perfect love” (Moroni 8:16-17).  He spoke to the few “peaceable followers of Christ” at some point before the complete destruction of the Nephites, encouraging them to love: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love” (Moroni 7:46-48).  It was love that kept him in the faith amidst the depravity of his people; it was the pure love of Christ that allowed him to overcome and triumph with faith in the Savior despite the destruction of his people.  And it that same love that will carry us through to overcome all of prophesied evil in the last days.