40+ Quotes About True Love from the Prophets and Apostles

We talk a lot about love in today’s society. People use love to describe many different emotions and motives. I have found that often when the world talks about love, it is not talking about true love, but rather lesser forms of love, or even imitations like lust. As I’ve already written about the different types of love and how the Kingdoms of Glory help us categorize them (Click here for that article). Today I want to share a collection of quotes from the prophets and apostles about the nature of the highest form of love, Celestial Love, Charity, often simply referred to as “True Love.”

“True love is that love which comes into your heart and motivates your life when you arise from the altar and both of you look in the same direction, down through eternity. That is true love, where both are looking in the same direction.”
Matthew Cowley (GC: Oct. 1952)

“As we express true love for people, they will be able to feel the influence of the Spirit and may feel motivated to follow our teachings.”
Ulisses Soares (GC: Oct. 2005)

“The Savior gave of Himself, gave His very life that we might live. To sacrifice that others might be blessed was His word, His work, His life. Sacrifice is the evidence of true love. Without sacrifice love is not manifest. Without sacrifice there is no real love, or kindness.”
John A. Widtsoe (GC: Apr. 1943)

“If each will think of the other’s convenience, comfort, needs and happiness, and determine to see the best in each other, try to understand and express love for each other there will be true love and harmony in the home. Yes, the only slogan we need in order to be happy in our home is: Love Each Other — three simple words.”
N. Eldon Tanner (GC: Apr. 1967)

“The test of love is whether the person who loves gives of himself, of his powers, to the loved one. There is no true love unless that is done… There is no true love without sacrifice for the loved one.”
John A. Widtsoe (GC: Apr. 1951)

“In this time of rapid change, we can maintain an equilibrium if we preserve a belief in God and a love for him, but we can not love God unless we love his children also. These are our neighbors, and true love of them knows no class or culture, race, color, or creed. The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints open their arms to neighbors everywhere.”
Howard W. Hunter (GC: Oct. 1970)

“Love is the purification of the heart. It strengthens character and gives a higher motive and a positive aim to every action of life. The power to love truly and devotedly is the noblest gift with which a human being can be endowed. True love is eternal and infinite. It is equal and pure without violent actions and demonstrations which are so much in evidence today”
Delbert L. Stapley (GC: Oct. 1970)

“Remember that true love elevates, protects, respects, and enriches another. It motivates you to make sacrifices for the girl you love. Satan would promote counterfeit love, which is really lust. That is driven by hunger to satisfy personal appetite. Protect the one you love by controlling your emotions to the limits set by the Lord. You know how to be clean. We trust you to do it.”
Richard G. Scott (GC: Oct. 1994)

“True love sacrifices for the loved one.”
John A. Widtsoe (As quoted by David B. Haight GC: Oct. 1982)

“True love endures. But lust changes as quickly as it can turn a pornographic page or glance at yet another potential object for gratification walking by, male or female.”
Jeffrey R. Holland (GC: Apr. 2010)

“Sometimes this true love necessarily takes the tone of tough love.”
Russell M. Nelson (GC: Oct. 1989)

“The best way to show our love in caring and feeding is to take time to prove it with kindness hour by hour and day by day. True love is as eternal as life itself.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1981)

“True love can alter human lives and change human nature.”
Thomas S. Monson (GC: Apr. 2009)

“The only time we fail in welfare services activities or in the home is when we give up on each other. Patience, long-suffering, and true love can best be taught and learned as we become anxiously engaged in trying to lift all of God’s children.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1981)

“Brethren, let’s treat our wives with dignity and with respect. They’re our eternal companions. Sisters, honor your husbands. They need to hear a good word. They need a friendly smile. They need a warm expression of true love.”
Thomas S. Monson (GC: Apr. 2008)

“Faith in Jesus Christ always leads to greater hope and to feelings of charity toward others, which is the true love of Christ.”
Henry B. Eyring (GC: Apr. 2022)

“Few see beyond the outward appearance and recognize the true worth of a human soul. When they do, miracles occur. The downtrodden, the discouraged, the helpless become “no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” (Eph. 2:19.) True love can alter human lives and change human nature.”
Thomas S. Monson (GC: Oct. 1971)

“True love requires reserving until after marriage the sharing of that affection which unlocks those sacred powers in that fountain of life. It means avoiding situations where physical desire might take control. Pure love presupposes that only after a pledge of eternal fidelity, a legal and lawful ceremony, and ideally after the sealing ordinance in the temple are those procreative powers released in God’s eye for the full expression of love. It is to be shared solely and only with that one who is your companion forever.”
Boyd K. Packer (GC: Apr. 2015)

“True love continues to be an outward expression of an inward conviction.”
Thomas S. Monson (GC: Oct. 1985)

“If we would know true love and understanding one for another, we must realize that communication is more than a sharing of words. It is the wise sharing of emotions, feelings, and concerns. It is the sharing of oneself totally.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Apr. 1976)

“A segment of our society desperately yearning for an expression of true love is found among those growing older, and particularly when they suffer from pangs of loneliness. The chill wind of dying hopes and vanished dreams whistles through the ranks of the elderly and those who approach the declining side of the summit of life.”
Thomas S. Monson (GC: Apr. 1993)

“True love is a reflection of Christ’s love.”
Thomas S. Monson (GC: Oct. 1987)

“True love lasts forever. It is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes, and endures all things. That is the love our Heavenly Father bears for us.”
Joseph B. Wirthlin (GC: Oct. 2007)

“True love is as eternal as life itself. Some callings and assignments in the Church may seem insignificant and unimportant at the time, but with each willingly fulfilled assignment, love of the Lord will grow. We learn to love God as we serve and know Him.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Apr. 1981)

“Today, the challenge which we face and must meet is not that we should go forth on the battlefield of war and lay down our lives. Rather, it is that we, on the battlefield of life, so live and serve that our lives and actions reflect a true love of God, of His Son, Jesus Christ, and of our fellowmen.”
Thomas S. Monson (GC: Oct. 1985)

“Very often a helping hand with mundane things, such as doing the dishes or even taking a turn at putting the children to bed, exhibits more true love than the sweet expressions made to sound hollow because of inadequate follow-up. Those who truly understand love know it must be basically simple, continuing, and sincere.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1975)

“True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well being of one’s companion.”
Gordon B. Hinckley (GC: Apr. 1971)

“True love and happiness in courtship and marriage are based upon honesty, self-respect, sacrifice, consideration, courtesy, kindness, and placing “we” ahead of “me.” Those who would have us forfeit virtue and chastity to prove our love in sexual participation out of wedlock are neither friends nor eternally family-oriented. To classify them as selfish and unwise is not too severe.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Apr. 1981)

“el diablo, the diabolical one, the father of lies and lust, who will do anything he can to counterfeit true love, to profane and desecrate true love wherever and whenever he encounters it.”
Jeffrey R. Holland (GC: Apr. 2010)

“True love is as eternal as life itself.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1975)

“True love we are absolutely giddy about—as I am about Sister Holland”
Jeffrey R. Holland (GC: Apr. 2010)

“True love is a process. True love requires personal action. Love must be continuing to be real. Love takes time. Too often expediency, infatuation, stimulation, persuasion, or lust are mistaken for love. How hollow, how empty if our love is no deeper than the arousal of momentary feeling or the expression in words of what is no more lasting than the time it takes to speak them.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1975)

“True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but ‘sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.'”
Dieter F. Uchtdorf (GC: Apr. 2010)

“Undoubtedly our Heavenly Father tires of expressions of love in words only. He has made it clear through his prophets and his word that his ways are ways of commitment, and not conversation. He prefers performance over lip service. We show our true love for him in proportion to our keeping his words.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1975)

“Spiritually mature obedience is ‘the Savior’s obedience.’ It is motivated by true love for Heavenly Father and His Son. When we willingly obey, as our Savior did, we cherish the words of our Heavenly Father: ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And we look forward to hearing, upon entering our Heavenly Father’s presence, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant: … enter … into the joy of thy lord.'”
Robert D. Hales (GC: Apr. 2014)

“We also commend the example of fathers who daily teach their children the lesson of true love as they constantly love their mothers.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1975)

“True love blooms when we care more about another person than we care about ourselves.”
Jeffrey R. Holland (New Era Oct. 2003)

“I pray our Heavenly Father to help us to remember that true love does take time. God help us to take the time.”
Marvin J. Ashton (GC: Oct. 1975)