In 1992, a Baptist pastor named Gary Chapman, wrote a book called The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. This book became very popular, and He went on to write a few other books about the Five Love Languages for Children and Teenagers.

The Five Love Languages are:

1. Words of Affirmation: communicating affection through spoken and written praise, appreciation, encouragement, and frequent “I love you’s”.

2. Quality Time: expressing love by fully focusing attention on your loved one through shared activities, conversation, and togetherness.

3. Physical Touch: showing care through affectionate physical contact like hugging, holding hands, gentle pats on the back, kisses, or even a reassuring squeeze on the arm.

4. Acts of Service: doing thoughtful deeds and gestures to help make your loved one’s life easier by relieving burdens.

5. Receiving Gifts: giving meaningful surprises and symbolic presents to celebrate affection.

I remember my parents discovering this book and telling me to take the quiz to see what my love language was. Taking the test taught me a lot about the way I needed to be loved and how I love others.

Fast forward several years later, my children are now old enough to participate in the quizzes. This last summer, I felt inspired to perform the quiz with my children and see what their love language was. I’m so glad that I did the quiz with them to see how I can love them in the way they need to be loved most.

I also decided to do the quiz again myself with them for fun. It had been several years since I had done it, and I was shocked to see that my love language had changed.

My first love language had been physical touch. When I took the quiz this time, it had changed to acts of service. It made me a little sad to see that my physical touch love language scored much lower this time. I realized that I hadn’t been touching my kids with enough affection anymore. I decided that while I love acts of service, I needed to regain my love for physical touch.

Through doing this exercise, I was able to understand the needs of my children’s love language better, but I was also able to understand that our love language can change throughout our life.

As I had been pondering on this, I realized that my favorite love language was not included in Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages.

My favorite love language is feeling the Spirit. Most especially when it is confirmed to me that I am doing something that God approves of. It brings me such joy to know that He is paying attention to my daily life and giving me confirmation of my well doing.

I am most happy when I feel that connection to my Heavenly Parents. I seek for it throughout my day, and I try really hard to surround myself with good things to feel of it. As I work hard to make good choices and have peace in my home and life, I am rewarded with that connection often.

I was reading a book or a podcast by Melanie Stroud (I don’t remember which, she has a book and a podcast). The book is called Feasting on the Words of Christ. I highly recommend this book. If you can, listen to it on Audible, she reads it aloud and it is very entertaining. You even get some extra little comments from her if you listen to it. It’s a good time. I am so glad that I read this book. It has brought joy to me and increased my excitement about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In her book (or podcast), she said that a friend told her that Jesus’s love language is obedience. As soon as she said this, I immediately felt the truth of that statement. Christ loves in so many ways but His continual statement about doing His Father’s will come to mind.

In Matthew chapter 4, verses 1-11 tell us that right after being baptized, “Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil.” When He had fast 40 days and nights in the Judaean Desert, He was hungered and then (while at His weakest) the tempter came to him.

Satan tempted Him to use His power to command that some stones be turned into bread after His impossibly long fast. He said, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” His answer came from the scriptures, stating, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread along, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Can you imagine this. I don’t know about you, but when I fast for 24 hours, I. Am. Hungry. My head hurts, I feel a little off, and a sometimes a little impatient. I would love to think that I could be so strong in my will to say no. Jesus fasted 40x longer than I have ever been able to fast. He had such great power that turning rocks into bread would be so simple. Yet, He did not give in to that temptation.

Next, Satan took Him up into Jerusalem and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple. He said, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Jesus replied, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

I am terrified by heights. Satan had the power to take Jesus from the desert and deposit Him on the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem. I have no idea how far that distance is, but Satan took Him there. That thought is very sobering to me of the power that Satan has. We must remember Satan is a very powerful spirit.

Not only would this terrify me to realize just how powerful he is, but I think I would be a little dizzy at suddenly discovering myself in a different place and high up on a pinnacle none-the-less. I don’t think I would be able to think straight if this had happened to me, let alone quote scripture to Satan. I would think that jumping and hoping for the angels to catch me would look way more appealing that continuing to stay with this powerful being of temptation. Yet, Jesus did not give in here either.

After this, Satan took Jesus into an exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. He said, “all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”

Jesus’s family lived in poverty. They were on the run for a part of His young life. They kept the secret of who Jesus was their entire life. I can’t imagine how isolating this might have been. If Jesus had accepted Satan’s offer, His family would have been royalty, and He wouldn’t have to drink from the bitter cup. Jesus responded, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.’ ” This is when Satan left, having been dismissed by the Son of God.

Jesus was obedient no matter the temptation: no matter how hungry He was, how disoriented He was, or how poor He was. I am in awe. I am pretty obedient as long as I can discern the good from the thing I am being asked to do. Then I think of all of the other things that I am not as obedient to do.

I have a friend that lives in Idaho in a small community. He prides himself on not going over the speed limit but by a few numbers. I live in a very busy area in a commuter area, and it is very rare to find people that stay around the speed limit. Out here, people usually drive 5 to 10 miles over the speed limit.

It made me stop and think about it. Why do I feel the need to drive 5 miles over the speed limit? I just learned to drive that way. “Don’t let the person drive up on your tail”, or “keep up with those around you”. But I need to stop and ask myself, why? Is it necessary to be so aggressive on the road? I don’t believe it is.

This is kind of a silly example, but I really feel like, if I want to be more like Christ, I need to quit the justifications and BE like Him.

Christ is patient. He was never in a hurry. He always stopped and help those around Him. I need to work to be better about that as well.

For those of you who haven’t seen The Chosen yet, I highly recommend it. They don’t cover everything, and some of the timeline is a little off, but don’t worry about that. Watch The Chosen to see how the disciples who become His Apostles are such imperfect people. They all had a past of sin. Pay attention to how they have so many questions. BUT THEY STILL FOLLOW HIM.

Watch how Jesus loves everyone. Through this show, you will find a connection to Jesus. This production has brought so many people to find Jesus Christ. This actor, Jonathan Roumie, is by far my favorite actor’s portrayal of Jesus Christ. Watching The Chosen makes me so much more excited to meet my Savior and Redeemer when He comes again.

After you watch The Chosen, read the New Testament like you never have before. This will change your life. You will come to know Him. He is there waiting for you with open arms. It doesn’t matter what you have done in your life.

“It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.” – President Jeffery R. Holland

I love this image. It is Jesus’s hand saying “I love you” in American Sign Language. Complete with His scars from the cross. He truly loves you.

“He is in relentless pursuit of you.” – Elder Patrick Kearon