Listening with Love

You might share that listening with love is the ability to listen to others using not only your ears but also your eyes and heart. Making a conscious effort to hear what the other person is saying and observing how they are communicating can help the individual feel loved and validated. Listening with love invites the Spirit to bless us with the gift of discernment. We can understand and feel others’ needs.

Sister Reyna I. Aburto taught:

Listening with love is one of the greatest gifts we can offer, and we may be able to help carry or lift the heavy clouds that suffocate our loved ones and friends so that, through our love, they can once again feel the Holy Ghost and perceive the light that emanates from Jesus Christ. (Reyna I. Aburto, “Thru Cloud and Sunshine, Lord, Abide with Me!,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 58)

To enhance your listening skills, you could:

• Put away distractions (like electronic devices).

• Look at the person when they are speaking and focus on their words and body language.

• Pay attention to what the other person is saying rather than planning what you’re going to say next.

• Ask follow-up questions to reduce misunderstanding.

• Show your genuine interest by restating what the person said so they know they’re understood.

• Set aside judgment and criticism.

Consider displaying the list of listening skills above and inviting students to refer to it as you demonstrate how to listen with love.

Arrange two chairs in front of the class and invite a volunteer to sit across from you. You could demonstrate how to be an active listener as the student volunteer tells you something that was meaningful in a recent lesson or their personal gospel study.

Invite students to arrange themselves into pairs or small groups and to practice their active listening skills by taking turns sharing and listening. They could practice this skill by discussing a recent lesson or their personal scripture study. Or they could instead choose to discuss one of the following scripture passages and its accompanying question.

Additional passages for practice:

• Isaiah 12:2. When have you or someone you know overcome fear and trusted the Lord in a difficult situation?

• John 16:33. What helps you when you feel anxious about the condition of the world?

• 1 Nephi 8:33. How do you or would you handle being mocked for your beliefs?

• Doctrine and Covenants 121:1. What would you say to help a friend or family member who feels like God isn’t listening?

Invite students to discuss what worked well and what was challenging when practicing this skill. Those who shared might describe how they felt as others tried to listen with love.

Invite students to practice this skill in their interactions throughout the week. They could also note what others do to listen with love. In an upcoming class, invite students to share how they have improved their listening with love.