2026-02-22 Priest James Andrews – The Love of God In Our Hearts

“The Love of God In Our Hearts"
with Priest James Andrews
Adult Study Class
February 22nd, 2026
11:15 AM

Class Video Under The Study Notes

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Summary

In this adult study class led by Priest James Andrews, the central theme is “The Love of God in Our Hearts,” emphasizing charity as the highest form of love and the foundation for spiritual health. The discussion begins with the metaphor of a spiritual cardiology home test to highlight the importance of recognizing the state of our hearts. Drawing from scriptures such as 4th Nephi 11:17, 1 Corinthians 13, and the Sermon on the Mount, the class explores how living with God’s love transforms individuals and communities, creating peace, unity, and ultimately Zion—a society united in heart and mind with no poor among them.

Comments from Elder Ed Mason and Seventy Richard Neill share personal testimonies demonstrating how embodying God’s love visibly changes lives and environments, even in challenging, worldly settings like a paper mill or public schools. The class stresses that true righteousness and perfection come not from self-effort or the law but through faith in Jesus Christ and His grace, which remits sin and renews the heart.

The Sermon on the Mount is used as a “heart inspection” tool, guiding believers to humility, mercy, purity, and peacemaking. The fruits of the Spirit are highlighted as evidence of a heart aligned with God. Good works are clarified as acts to glorify God, not to earn salvation. The class concludes by urging participants to daily surrender their lives to Christ, allowing His love to manifest through them, thus building Zion on earth. This transformation invites believers to live with charity, forgiveness, and unity—reflecting God’s heart in a broken yet hopeful world.

Highlights

1. The love of God in our hearts brings peace and unity, eliminating contention as described in 4th Nephi 11:17.
2. Charity is the greatest spiritual gift and essential for a meaningful faith experience (1 Corinthians 13).
3. Personal testimonies reveal that God’s love changes not only individuals but also their communities and workplaces.
4. True righteousness and perfection come only through faith in Jesus Christ, not by self-effort or law adherence (Galatians 2:16-21).
5. The Sermon on the Mount provides a practical framework for spiritual self-examination and growth.
6. Good works are done to glorify God, reflecting a heart aligned with His will rather than earning salvation.
7. Building Zion on earth begins with individuals embodying God’s love and extending that love to others daily.

Key Insights

1. Spiritual Health Depends on Charity, Not Just Knowledge: James compares spiritual health to a heart rhythm, emphasizing that even if outward appearances seem normal, internal dysfunction (like AFib) can be deadly. Similarly, intellectual knowledge and spiritual gifts are meaningless without charity—the love of God that dwells in our hearts. This insight challenges believers to prioritize love above all else in their spiritual walk.
2. Transformation is Visible and Influential: Elder Ed Mason’s testimony illustrates how genuine conversion and living God’s love can influence even a rough workplace environment, changing interactions and inspiring respect. This demonstrates that embodying God’s love is not passive but actively transforms social dynamics, encouraging others to seek God.
3. Long-Term Commitment to God’s Heart Builds Community: Seventy Richard Neill’s story about mentoring a teacher over two years showcases how consistent, loving outreach rooted in God’s heart can heal brokenness, provide stability, and empower others toward success. This reflects the incremental, patient process of building Zion through relationships marked by mercy, humility, and support.
4. The Sermon on the Mount as a Spiritual Diagnostic Tool: Using Jesus’s teachings as a “heart inspection” reveals how humility, mourning, hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity, and peacemaking are markers of a heart aligned with God. This framework encourages believers to self-assess and grow continually, recognizing that spiritual maturity is a process, not an immediate achievement.
5. Faith and Works in Proper Balance: The class clarifies a common misunderstanding by emphasizing that faith is primary, and works are the evidence of that faith. This counters legalistic or self-righteous tendencies and encourages believers to live authentically, letting their actions naturally flow from a transformed heart.
6. Perfection Through Christ’s Grace, Not Human Effort: The discussion around the commandment to be perfect like the Father highlights that perfection is not humanly attainable but is realized through faith in Christ’s sacrifice, which justifies and renews believers. This insight offers hope and humility, freeing believers from the burden of self-justification.
7. Daily Surrender and Alignment With God: Muriel Luedeman’s comments underscore that giving all to God is a daily, moment-by-moment process. God gently leads believers layer by layer, requiring only willingness to move in His direction. This ongoing surrender is the pathway to embodying God’s heart and building Zion in imperfect circumstances.