“While studying scriptures in English, I noticed dozens of verses in which the words all and each (or every) appear together. For example, we learn in Mosiah: “He [speaking of the Lord] remembereth every creature of [His] creating, [and He] will make [Himself] manifest unto all.”
The word all speaks to the universal reach of God’s love. The word each (or every) testifies of His power to care for each individual soul.
This dual reality is most clearly manifested in Jesus Christ’s Atonement. All sons and daughters of God, without exception, will receive a full opportunity to access its supernal blessings. Yet it is a remarkably intimate gift, tailored to each individual’s needs and applied to one person at a time.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we bear witness of Him whenever we share His love with all around us—and help it take root in each person we meet.
To love all and to love each are not two different kinds of love but the same divine love expressed on two scales—one expansive enough to embrace the whole world and the other personal enough to notice a single individual with unique needs, circumstances, and life story.
First, loving all.
Are we selective, or exclusive, in determining who deserves our love, or do we extend Christlike love to all with whom we associate?
The Lord asked, “If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?” To Him, all people upon this earth are our neighbors—there are no strangers or outcasts, only brothers and sisters.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “a man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”
Discipleship was never meant to be a comfortable circle of familiar friends focused on their own interests. Rather, our congregations area beautiful mosaic—enriched by diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences—yet united in devotion to Christ.
Service in the Church expands our circle of love and widens our associations. We meet people from all walks of life—new friends, brothers and sisters in need, recent converts, and missionary or ministering companions. We don’t serve only those we already love; rather, we come to love people as we serve them.
Second, loving each.
Do we interact superficially with others, or do we genuinely seek to know and care for each person we meet?
Though He was often surrounded by multitudes, the Savior always gave His full attention to the one—one sheep, one leper, one Samaritan woman, one little child, one soul at a time. In His love, no one was ever lost in the crowd.
Likewise, in the Church of Jesus Christ, there should be no anonymity. As we enter the fold of Christ through sacred covenants, we are known, accounted for, and cared for—one person at a time.”