Today’s article comes to you from the GMBA Officers. The GMBA Camp-in is right around the corner! Scroll all the way down for details!

Good morning to you! Let’s start off today with a hymn:

Once a sinner I came, Jesus found me.

He wrapped a circle of love all around me.

With this same love He taught me to serve Him.

With His saints. One church. One God.

Sister Esther Dyer was inspired to pen this blessed hymn of our day. It was the 1985 GMBA Camp theme song. 

Let’s take a dive into the blessings found in this song. And, most importantly, dig a little into the pleasing Word of God … “The Word which healeth the wounded soul,” as described by Jacob, son of Lehi. 

We pray this is the first of many blessings for you today!

Once a sinner I came, Jesus found me

Alma 26:17 speaks of how awesome it is that our God was so merciful as to have “snatched” us from our sinful state. Oh the mercies of God! They are new (every) morning.

He wrapped a circle of love all around me

Moroni 8:26 reinforces this very action! When we come to Christ at our baptism, the Priesthood lays their hands on us for the reception of The Holy Ghost. We are then truly “wrapped” in a circle of love “all around”! The verse reads, “which filleth with hope and perfect love.”

With this same love He taught me to serve Him, with His saints, one church, one God

Mosiah 18:8–17 speaks of the importance of being surrounded (and even taught) by the saints. It highlights the blessing (and, indeed, the burden) of sainthood. We learn how to love as we yield to the enticing nudges of the Holy Ghost within us, but it is so critical to our daily spiritual growth that we grow in love (with one another). 

When Alma exhorted those 204 souls at the waters of Mormon, he highlighted how the Love of God shines best in The Church. It shines best when we:

• Bear one another’s burdens (that they may be light)
• Mourn with those that mourn
• Comfort those that stand in need of comfort
• Consistently stand as a witnesses of God (at all times, in all things, and in all places)

And, the chorus … Let’s sing it again!

Love! Oh, what love!

Such perfect love.

‘Twas that first love that has found me

It’s that same love that surrounds me

Oh, love! Oh, what love! Such perfect love!

Joined together in perfect harmony.

Love! Oh, what love! 

After reading this beautiful hymn, is it any surprise we always repeat the chorus? The chorus, and quite frankly the entire song is very, very simple … just like the love of God! It’s not complicated. The Love of God is the hallmark of The Church of Jesus Christ! 

Let’s balance this blog out by going to The Holy Bible for some closing thoughts. 

In Revelation 2:4–5, John records that Christ told him to write to the church of Ephesus because, although they had done a few things well, they had (sadly) left their first love. Christ pleaded for them to repent and do the “first works” lest He remove their “candlestick.”

In 1961, the General Church Priesthood accepted a dream regarding the Love of God as revelation. In this experience, the admonition was given to, “Love one another, for this Kingdom is founded upon that rock.” Each branch of our church was shown to have a candlestick and candle upon the top of the physical structure. 

What dictated the candle’s brightness? It wasn’t that that branch had the best preachers. It wasn’t that the particular branch had the best potluck lunches. The candle’s brightness depended upon how paramount God’s Love was to everything that was done. The brighter the candle, the brighter the saints were in doing the “first works.” These are the simple works motivated by the love of God (much like those that we spoke of above in Mosiah 18.)

As this wonderful hymn says, the love of God joins us together in perfect harmony! It is the springboard to every good thing we enjoy (unity, blessed meetings, healings, and much more). We can never overstate the importance it plays in The Church and in our daily lives! May God’s LOVE “surround” you today and always! 

Love! Oh, what love! 

In the Peace of Jesus Christ,

Your GMBA Officers

Mark Your Calendars for July 24–30! GMBA Virtual Camp-in

The theme for the camp-in is “Surrounded.” What a refreshing word after a long year of isolation. Watch this video to get a flavor for what the week will bring.

And here is where you can find all of the links you need for the camp-in!

Do you want to add your voice to the camp-in? Click here to record a 30-second video, and it may be included in one of the seminars. (You’ll see the instructions after you log in!)

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.