Favorite LDS Thinkers and Thoughts

“When I quote others, I do so in order to express my own ideas more clearly.”

Michel de Montaigne

“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing …; the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
The Prophet Joseph Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 142.

“Make your focus on daily repentance so integral to your life that you can exercise the priesthood with greater power than ever before. This is the only way you will keep yourself and your family spiritually safe in the challenging days ahead.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“The Lord has told us that ‘if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.’ Of course, we can store our own reserves of food, water, and savings.  But equally crucial is our need to fill our personal spiritual storehouses with faith, truth, and testimony.  Our ultimate quest in life is to prepare to meet our Maker.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, … Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“Our Heavenly Father and His beloved, Jesus Christ have made two overarching and imperative promises that have yet to be fulfilled… Scattered Israel is to be gathered in the latter days …and, the Lord Jesus Christ will come to earth again. It is our glorious privilege and sacred responsibility… to assist in preparing the world for these two, yet-to-be-fulfilled promises.”
President Russell M. Nelson (2018 Mission Leadership Seminar)

“My dear young brothers and sisters, these surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel.  That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it.  You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!”
President Russell M. Nelson (“Hope of Israel”)

When we speak of the gathering, we are simply saying this fundamental truth: every one of our Heavenly Father’s children, on both sides of the veil, deserves to hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.”
President Russell M. Nelson (“Hope of Israel”)

“You and I know that you are to be a light to the world. Therefore, the Lord needs you to look like, sound like, act like, and dress like a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Yes, you are living in the world, but you have very different standards from the world to help you avoid the stain of the world.”
President Russell M. Nelson (“Hope of Israel”)

“…one of the most important things we need to learn in life is to know who we really are.
“We have been created for a purpose. Learn of your divine purpose and then live up to it. This will come to you as you seek for it. Ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, how He feels about you and your mission here on earth. If you ask with real intent, over time the Spirit will whisper this life-changing truth to you. Record those impressions, review them often, and follow through with exactness.
“I promise you that when you begin to catch even a glimpse of how your Heavenly Father sees you and what He is counting on you to do for Him, your life will never be the same!”
President Russell M. Nelson

“…in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation. Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“Jesus Christ invites us to take the covenant path back home to our Heavenly Parents and be with those we love.  He invites us to ‘come, follow me.’  As President of His Church, I plead with you who have distanced yourselves from the Church and with you who have not yet really sought to know that the Savior’s Church has been restored.  Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now.  Time is running out.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“…everybody has challenges and if you want to feel better, forget about yourself and serve somebody else.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“Under the Father’s great eternal plan, it is the Savior who suffered. It is the Savior who broke the bands of death. It is the Savior who paid the price for our sins and transgressions and blots them out on condition of our repentance. It is the Savior who delivers us from physical and spiritual death.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“Why would any man waste his days and settle for Esau’s mess of pottage (Gen 25:29-34) when he has been entrusted with the possibility of receiving all of the blessings of Abraham? (1 Nephi 15:14-18; Abraham 2:9-11) I urgently plead with each one of us to live up to our privileges as bearers of the priesthood. In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“I invite you to inspire members to keep their covenants, fast and pray, study the scriptures, worship in the temple, and serve with faith as men and women of God. We can help all to see with the eye of faith that obedience and righteousness will draw them closer to Jesus Christ, allow them to enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and experience joy in life!”
President Russell M. Nelson

“In the scriptures, there are very few sacred instances in which the voice of God the Father has been heard.  So, when He says something, we really need to listen. Repeatedly, He has personally introduced His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, with a specific charge to “Hear Him!”  Have you ever stopped to ask, “Why?” Why is our Heavenly Father so insistent—and consistent—in His plea that we should hear His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ?  Jesus answered this question Himself.  He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  Our Father loves us and yearns for each one of us to choose to return to His holy presence. He pleads with us to listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, whom the Father anointed and appointed as our Mediator, Savior, and Redeemer.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“How can we help those struggling with ______ (fill in the blank)?”   Elder (President) Russell M. Nelson … replied, “Teach them their identity and their purpose.”  This applies to most of the challenges we face in life?
(Elder Russell M. Nelson, in Tad R. Callister, “Our Identity and Our Destiny” (Brigham Young University devotional, Aug. 14, 2012), 1, speeches.byu.edu.)

President Nelson invites us all to listen for and learn three things:
1. “Pure truth: Contrary to the doubts of some, there really is such a thing as right and wrong.  There really is absolute truth—eternal truth. One of the plagues of our day is that too few people know where to turn for truth (see D&C 123:12)
2. “The pure doctrine of Christ: The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life. The doctrine of Christ helps us find and stay on the covenant path. Staying on that narrow but well-defined path will ultimately qualify us to receive all that God has (see Ether 4:14; D&C 78:17-18; and 84:38).  Nothing could be worth more than all our Father has!
3. “Pure Revelation: If you have not yet sought for the ministering of the Holy Ghost to help you hear what the Lord would have you hear, I invite you to do so now.“
This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are His covenant people. The Lord declared that He would hasten His work in its time (see D&C 88:73), and He is doing so at an ever-increasing pace. We are privileged to participate in His holy work.”
President Russell M. Nelson, October 2-3, 2021.

“I invite you to make room in your heart for those around you who may be struggling to see the light of the Savior and to feel his love. No gifts will mean as much as acts of pure love you offer to the lonely, the worn down and the weary.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“When you begin to catch even a glimpse of how your Heavenly Father sees you and what He is counting on you to do for Him, your life will never be the same.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“You are living in the ‘eleventh hour.’  The Lord has declared that this is the last time He will call laborers into His vineyard to gather the elect from the four quarters of the earth (See D&C 33:3–6).  And you were sent to participate in this gathering.  Again and again I have seen firsthand the powerful influence of true millennials as they bring others to a knowledge of the truth.  This is part of your identity and your purpose as the seed of Abraham (see Galatians 3:26–29)!”
President Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming True Millennials”

“Mortality is a master class in learning to choose the things of greatest eternal import.  Far too many people live as though this life is all there is.  However, your choices today will determine three things: where you will live throughout all eternity, the kind of body with which you will be resurrected, and those with whom you will live forever.  So, think celestial.”
President Russell M. Nelson (“Think Celestial!,” October 2023 General Conference).

“Please do not fear or delay repenting.  Satan delights in your misery.  Cut it short.  Cast his influence out of your life!  Start today to experience the joy of putting off the natural man.  The Savior loves us always but especially when we repent.”
President Russell M. Nelson (“The Power of Spiritual Momentum,” Liahona, May 2022, 98).

“So many wonderful things are ahead. In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory,” (Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:36), He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.”
President Russell M. Nelson

Who are You!  To help live your best lives, our Prophet encourages us with THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS: You are a “Child of God” …this is the most important label that a human being has.  For Latter-day Saints, the next most important are: “Child of the Covenant” and “Disciple of Jesus Christ.”  “…I plead with you not to replace these three paramount and unchanging identifiers with any others, because doing so could stymie your progress or pigeonhole you in a stereotype that could potentially thwart your eternal progression.”
President Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity”

“Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now.  Time is running out.”
President Russell M. Nelson

Concerning the events surrounding the glorious “First Vision,” the Prophet Joseph Smith made these remarks:   “Truly this is a day long to be remembered by the Saints of the last days,—a day in which the God of heaven has begun to restore the ancient order of His kingdom unto His servants and His people,—a day in which all things are concurring to bring about the completion of the fullness of the Gospel, a fullness of the dispensation of dispensations, even the fullness of times; a day . . .  which Jehovah has promised should be made known in His own due time unto His servants, to prepare the earth for the return of His glory.”
The Prophet Joseph Smith (History of the Church, 4:492–93).

“Faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth.
“… It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in Him. So with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lions’ mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith which was in him”
The Prophet Joseph Smith (Lectures on Faith [1985], 1:13, 22).

“…it was by reason of the knowledge of His existence (God’s) that there was a foundation laid for the exercise of faith in him, as the only Being in whom faith could center for life and salvation; for faith could not center in a Being of whose existence we have no idea, because the idea of his existence in the first instance is essential to the exercise of faith in him.  “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (or one sent to tell them!) (Romans 10:14)  So, then, faith comes by hearing the word of God.”
“Let us here observe, that three things are neces­sary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.
“First, the idea that he actually exists.
“Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes.
“Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will.”
For without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Prophet Joseph Smith (Lectures on Faith [1985], 3:1-5.)

“Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.”
“But those who have not made this sacrifice to God do not know that the course which they pursue is well pleasing in his sight; for whatever may be their belief or their opinion, it is a matter of doubt and uncertainty in their mind; and where doubt and uncertainty are there faith is not, nor can it be.”
The Prophet Joseph Smith (Lectures on Faith [1985], 6:7, 12.)

“It is the duty of a husband to love, cherish, and nourish his wife, and cleave unto her and none else; he ought to honor her as himself, and he ought to regard her feelings with tenderness, for she is his flesh, and his bone, designed to be an help unto him, both in temporal, and spiritual things; one into whose bosom he can pour all his complaints without reserve, who is willing (being designed) to take part of his burden, to soothe and encourage his feelings by her gentle voice. It is the place of the man, to stand at the head of his family, and be lord of his own house, not to rule over his wife as a tyrant, neither as one who is fearful or jealous that his wife will get out of her place, and prevent him from exercising his authority. It is his duty to be a man of God (for a man of God is a man of wisdom), ready at all times to obtain from the scriptures, the revelations, and from on high, such instructions as are necessary for the edification, and salvation of his household.”
The Prophet Joseph Smith (Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, edited by Larry E. Dahl and Donald Q. Cannon [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997].)

“The great Jehovah contemplated the whole of the events connected with the earth, pertaining to the plan of salvation, before it rolled into existence, or ever ‘the morning stars sang together’ for joy; the past, the present, and the future were and are, with Him, one eternal ‘now.’ . . . He comprehended the fall of man, and his redemption; He knew the plan of salvation and pointed it out. . . . He knows the situation of both the living and the dead, and has made ample provision for their redemption, according to their several circumstances, and the laws of the kingdom of God, whether in this world, or in the world to come.” The Prophet Joseph Smith (History of the Church, 4:597).

Quotes from the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning the Character of the Godhead:

• • • “That which is without body or parts is nothing. There is no other God in heaven but that God who has flesh and bones.”
      Prophet Joseph Smith (5 Jan 1841). Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse.
    • “The Godhead is not as many would imagine, three heads and but one body.  The three are separate bodies.”
      Prophet Joseph Smith (16 Feb 1841).
    • “The Son had a tabernacle, and so had the Father.”
      Prophet Joseph Smith (9 Mar 1841).
    • “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”
      Prophet Joseph Smith (2 Apr 1843).  See Doctrine and Covenants 130:22.
    • “I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”
      The Prophet Joseph Smith (June 16, 1844), History of the Church, 6:474

Joseph Smith taught that God “looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard” and that “if men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.”
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 39, 40).

“We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him.”
The Prophet Joseph Smith (History of the Church, 2:8).

“Joseph Smith himself, only fourteen years after the Church was organized, was martyred. He had his blood shed, as a testimony of the truth of his mission. I have traveled with Joseph Smith many hundred miles. I have also traveled with Brigham Young and the Apostles, and I have never had any doubts with regard to the truth and final triumph of this work. I have none today.”
President Wilford Woodruff (Deseret News, Aug. 17, 1889, 225).

“I do not believe that any man lives up to his ideals, but if we are striving, if we are working, if we are trying, to the best of our ability, to improve day by day, then we are in the line of our duty. If we are seeking to remedy our own defects, if we are so living that we can ask God for light, for knowledge, for intelligence, and above all, for His Spirit, that we may overcome our weaknesses, then, I can tell you, we are in the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal. Then we need have no fear.”
President Heber J. Grant (Gospel Standards, 184–185).

“We are not here to while away the hours of this life and then pass to a sphere of exaltation, but we are here to qualify ourselves day by day for the positions that our Father expects us to fill hereafter.”
President George Albert Smith

“None of us are secure except we keep the commandments of our Heavenly Father. The pathway of righteousness is the highway of happiness. There is no other way to happiness.”
President George Albert Smith

“Sometimes during solitude, I hear truth spoken with clarity and freshness; uncolored and untranslated it speaks from within myself in a language original but inarticulate, heard only with the soul, and I realize I brought it with me, was never taught it nor can I efficiently teach it to another.”
President Hugh B. Brown

“Love people, not things; use things, not people.”
President Spencer W. Kimball

“The time is long past for quibbling about words or for hurling unsavory epithets against the Latter-day Saints. These are deep and solemn and ponderous matters. We need not think we can trifle with sacred things and escape the wrath of a just God.  Either the Book of Mormon is true, or it is false; either it came from God, or it was spawned in the infernal realms. It declares plainly that all men must accept it as pure scripture or they will lose their souls. It is not and cannot be simply another treatise on religion; it either came from heaven or from hell.  And it is time for all those who seek salvation to find out for themselves whether it is of the Lord or of Lucifer.”
Elder Bruce R. McConkie, October 1983

“. . .men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life.”
President Ezra Taft Benson

“We should know the Book of Mormon better than any other book.  Not only should we know what history and faith promoting stories are contained, but we should understand it’s teachings.  If we really do our homework and approach the Book of Mormon doctrinally, we can expose the errors and find the truths to combat many of the current false theories of men.  I have noticed within the church a difference in discernment, insight, conviction, and spirit between those who know and love the Book of Mormon, and those who do not.  That book is a great sifter.”
President Ezra Taft Benson

“Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ.  No one adequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind.  And no other book in the world explains this vital doctrine nearly as well as the Book of Mormon.”
President Ezra Taft Benson

“Without the Resurrection, the gospel of Jesus Christ becomes a litany of wise sayings and seemingly unexplainable miracles—but sayings and miracles with no ultimate triumph. No, the ultimate triumph is in the ultimate miracle: for the first time in the history of mankind, one who was dead raised himself into living immortality.  He was the Son of God, the Son of our immortal Father in Heaven, and his triumph over physical and spiritual death is the good news every Christian tongue should speak.  The eternal truth is that Jesus Christ arose from the grave and was the firstfruits of the Resurrection.” (See 1 Cor. 15:23.)
President Howard W. Hunter

“God is at the helm (of this church) never doubt it. When we are confronted with opposition, He will open the way when there appears to be no way. Let no any voices of discontent disturb you. Let not the critics worry you. As Alma declared long ago. ‘…trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister except he be a man of God walking in His way and keeping His commandments. The truth is in this church. As the psalmist declared “…behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. He who is our Savior, slumbers not nor sleeps as He watches over His kingdom.”
President Gordan B. Hinckley

“Through tears and trials, through fears and sorrows, through the heartache and loneliness of losing loved ones, there is assurance that life is everlasting. Our Lord and Savior is the living witness that such is so.”
President Thomas S. Monson (“I Know That My Redeemer Lives!” Ensign, May 2007, 25).

“One of God‘s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.”
President Thomas S. Monson

“Things that don’t change remain the same. And when we are through changing—we’re through.”
President Boyd K. Packer

“As we really begin to keep the first commandment—loving God with “all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength” (D&C 59:5; see also Matt. 22:37)—giving time, talent, and treasure is then accompanied by fully giving of ourselves.  Sometimes, our holding back occurs because we lack faith or we are too entangled with the cares of the world. Other times, there is in us an understandable tremulousness which slows our yielding, because we sense what further yielding might bring.  Yet we need to break free of our old selves—the provincial, constraining, and complaining selves—and become susceptible to the shaping of the Lord. But the old self goes neither gladly nor quickly. Even so, this subjection to God is really emancipation.  How can we truly acknowledge the Fatherhood of God and refuse His tutorials?”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell

“…the ‘cares of the world’ can overcome us (see D&C 39:9).  Humdrum routineness and repetition can cause us to look indifferently downward instead of reverently upward and outward.  We can become estranged from the Creator, who then seems like a far, distant star: “For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?” (Mosiah 5:13).  We know the Creator of the universe is also the Author of the plan of happiness. We can trust Him. He knows perfectly what brings happiness to His children (see Mosiah 2:41; Alma 41:10). Meanwhile, as some experience daily life situations in which they are or feel unloved and unappreciated, they can nevertheless know that God loves them! His creations so witness. Therefore, we can confess His hand in our individual lives just as we can confess His hand in the astonishing universe (see D&C 59:21).  If we will so confess His hand now, one day we who are “cradled” amidst His creations can even know what it is like to be “clasped in the arms of Jesus” (Mormon 5:11).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell

“When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God’s timing, we really are suggesting that we know what is best. Strange, isn’t it—we who wear wristwatches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars.
“Because God wants us to come home after having become more like Him and His Son, part of this developmental process, of necessity, consists of showing unto us our weaknesses. Hence, if we have ultimate hope we will be submissive because, with His help, those weaknesses can even become strengths (see Ether 12:27).
“It is not an easy thing, however, to be shown one’s weaknesses, as these are regularly demonstrated by life’s circumstances. Nevertheless, this is part of coming unto Christ, and it is a vital, if painful, part of God’s plan of happiness”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell

“Astonishingly, to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe! If only you and I can avoid being offended by their generosity.”
Neal A. Maxwell, “Meek and Lowly” (Brigham Young University devotional, Oct. 21, 1986)

“I testify that the astonishing work of God is greater than the known universe.”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell

“If India is the world’s most religious nation and Sweden is the world’s least religious nation, then America can adequately be described as a nation of Indians governed by Swedes.”
Elder Neil A. Maxwell

“Truly understood and properly practiced, faith is one of the grand and glorious powers of eternity. It is a force powerful beyond our comprehension. ‘Through faith, … the worlds were framed by the word of God’ (Hebrews 11:3).  Through faith, waters are parted, the sick healed, the wicked silenced, and salvation made possible.  Our faith is the foundation upon which all our spiritual lives rest.  It should be the most important resource of our lives.  Faith is not so much something we believe; faith is something we live.”
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008), “Shall He Find Faith on the Earth?”

“Religious teachings and religious organizations are vital to our free society and therefore deserving of its special [concern, of constant protection, and of interfaith action.]  Religion must [retain] its preferred status in our pluralistic society in order to make its unique contribution—its recognition and commitment to values that transcend the secular world. This preferred status must include more than a believer’s right of conscience.  The Second Vatican Council’s ‘Declaration on Religious Freedom’ (1965) persuasively declares that ‘individuals do not practice their religion as a solitary act, but together with one another.’  Our right to the free exercise of religion must apply when we act as a community.  As elaborated by Matthew J. Franck of the Witherspoon Institute: ‘The vitality of faith comes in its communal character, in the individual’s fellowship with others whose views support, inform, and refine his own,’ including the right to undertake ‘educational, cultural, charitable and social’ efforts as they see fit.”
President Dallin H. Oaks

“For what if some do not believe?  What if they don’t?  Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” Now the answer to that question is NO.  No, not in my life, not in my lifetime. Not for me and my house. No one’s belief, no one’s unbelief, can ever make my faith in God, my love of Christ, my devotion to this church, and this latter-day work, without effect. The truthfulness of this latter-day gospel is in effect and it will stay in effect as long as the sun shines and rivers run to the Sea and forever after that. Don’t miss those blessings.
Elder Jeffery R. Holland

“The gospel and Atonement of Jesus Christ are for everyone—that is, every one.” The only way we experience the full blessings of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice is by individually accepting His invitation: “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28).  All Are Welcome. Jesus Christ has made it clear that all Heavenly Father’s children have equal claim on the blessings of His gospel and Atonement. He reminds us that all “are privileged, the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden” (2 Nephi 26:28). “He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female” (2 Nephi 26:33). “He inviteth them all”—that means all of us! We should not place superficial labels and artificial distinctions on ourselves or others.”
President Jeffrey R. Holland

“… we should be declaring boldly that inherent in the very act of creation is, for both parents, a life-long commitment to and responsibility for the child they created.  No one can with impunity terminate that life, neglect that care, nor shirk that responsibility.  Paul wrote to Timothy, ‘But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than in infidel.’ (1 Timothy 5:8)  …parents must nourish a child’s mind and heart and spirit as well as it’s body.  Generally speaking, no community of whatever size or definition has enough resources in time, money or will to make up for what does not happen at home in a family circle.”
President Jeffrey R. Holland

“…every citizen should insist on his or her constitutional right to exercise one’s belief and to voice one’s conscience on issues not only in the privacy of the home or the sanctity of the pulpit but also in the public square and in the halls of justice.  These are the rights of all citizens, including people, leaders, and organizations who have religious beliefs.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

“We are made of the stuff of eternity. With that as your history and your future, how could you not feel the deepest gratitude to the God of the universe, whose spiritual child you are? Remember, these feelings are deeply ingrained in your divine DNA. To be satisfied with less than your eternal potential is to pretend that you are a different person than you really are.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“Even during the most difficult times of life, we can find ways to be happy. We can find ways to lift up others. We can always find joy and happiness in the grace of God and in the love of Jesus Christ. If we do our best with what we have been given, look for happiness and joy around us, keep the commandments, and trust God, all will eventually work out.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“You nor I, cannot hide from what we really are like if we ask the Holy Ghost to help us see our self as we really are.  The natural man and the natural woman, in my opinion, are extraordinarily adept at rationalizing and hiding from what we are really like.  So, if truth is knowledge of things as they were, as they will be, and as they really are, and if the Holy Ghost is a revealer of truth, and he is, then you cannot hide behind the typical rationalizations and constructions that we have of our self when the Holy Ghost shows you things as they really are.  Humility is an openness to information, some of which we may not want to receive, that helps us take steps to rely upon the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and thereby become increasingly like Him and His character.”
Elder David A. Bednar

“If all you or I know about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel is what other people teach or tell us, then the foundation of our testimony of Him and His glorious latter-day work is built upon sand.  We cannot rely exclusively upon or borrow gospel light and knowledge from other people—even those whom we love and trust.  Significantly, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that each Latter-day Saint needs to understand for himself or herself ‘the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world.’ … Knowledge of these things can only be obtained by experience through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose.  Enabling the accomplishment of this grand spiritual objective for individuals and families is one of the fundamental reasons the programs and activities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are becoming more home centered and Church supported in this specific season of the dispensation of the fulness of times.”
Elder David A. Bednar

“Making our homes sanctuaries wherein we can ‘stand in holy places’ is essential in these latter days. And as important as home-centered and Church-supported learning is for our spiritual strength and protection today, it will be even more vital in the future.”
Elder David A. Bednar

“The Book of Mormon is not a book of history. The Book of Mormon is a book about the future. It describes episodes in the lives of people thousands of years ago, but the writers of the record and especially the compilers of the record were inspired by the Lord to include the things that we would need for the world in which we live today.”
Elder David A. Bednar

“We are imperfect human beings striving to live in mortality according to Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of eternal progression. The requirements of His plan are glorious, merciful, and rigorous. We may at times be filled with determination and at other times feel totally inadequate. We may wonder if we spiritually can ever fulfill the commandment to stand spotless before Him at the last day.  With the help of the Lord and through the power of His Spirit to ‘teach [us] all things,’ indeed we can be blessed to realize our spiritual possibilities. Ordinances invite spiritual purpose and power into our lives as we strive to be born again and become men and women of Christ. Our weaknesses can be strengthened, and our limitations can be overcome.  Although none of us can achieve perfection in this life, we can become increasingly worthy and spotless as we are ‘cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.’ I promise and testify we will be blessed with increased faith in the Savior and greater spiritual assurance as we seek to always retain a remission of our sins and, ultimately, to stand spotless before the Lord at the last day. I so witness in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Elder David A. Bednar

“In every season of our lives, in all of the circumstances we may encounter, and in each challenge we may face, Jesus Christ is the light that dispels fear, provides assurance and direction, and engenders enduring peace and joy.”
Elder David A. Bednar

“Let me suggest that holding fast to the word of God entails (1) remembering, honoring, and strengthening the personal connection we have with the Savior and His Father through the covenants and ordinances of the restored gospel and (2) prayerfully, earnestly, and consistently using the holy scriptures and the teachings of living prophets and apostles as sure sources of revealed truth. As we are bound and “hold fast” to the Lord and are transformed by living His doctrine, I promise that individually and collectively we will be blessed to ‘stand in holy places, and shall not be moved.’ If we abide in Christ, then He will abide in and walk with us. Surely, ‘in the days of trial his Saints he will cheer, and prosper the cause of truth.’”
Elder David A. Bednar

“God does not have a list of favorites to which we must hope our names will someday be added.  He does not limit ‘the chosen’ to a restricted few.  Instead, our hearts, our desires, our honoring of sacred gospel covenants and ordinances, our obedience to the commandments, and, most importantly, the Savior’s redeeming grace and mercy determine whether we are counted as one of God’s chosen.”
Elder David A. Bednar, October 2022 General Conference

“I affirm the eternal human dignity of each person as a beloved child of God. I affirm that each one of us has a divine nature and destiny. We are not merely cosmic accidents in a cold and uncaring universe. We are known and loved by an all-knowing and all-loving God.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“Seek through prayer and study of the scriptures” a divine witness of Christ’s “divine character, the Atonement, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Accept His doctrine by repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and then throughout your life following the laws and covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson (Ensign Magazine, May 2012.)

The Firefly Effect. “The wonder of the firefly is seen only at nighttime. This enchanting little marvel of nature is unseen in the daytime. It takes a dark backdrop for the firefly’s light to become visible.  It is the contrast that reveals its light.  The firefly and stars are examples in nature of how darkness is needed to reveal light that is otherwise hidden in plain view.  Because the Light of Christ is ever present, many …don’t recognize the daily manifestations that inspire them to practice virtue.”
Elder Lynn G. Robbins

“Whatever level of spirituality we now enjoy in our lives; whatever degree of faith in Jesus Christ we now have; whatever strength of commitment and consecration, whatever degree of obedience or hope or charity is ours; whatever level of professional skill and ability we may have obtained, it will not be sufficient for the work that lies ahead.  …you and I need to be much better than we are now. The scriptures teach us that the world is now and will be in commotion. Wickedness and darkness will increase. Yet in that darkening world, there will be increased divine light. The Lord Jesus Christ has a great work for us to do with the rising generation. It is a greater work than we have ever done before. The Lord is working in power to strengthen teaching and learning in His true and living Church. He is hastening His work, and He is preparing the earth and His kingdom and us for His return.”
Elder Kim B. Clark

Daily Self-Assessment:
“Ask yourself these two questions each day!
1.  What am I doing that I should STOP doing?
(Pause …and Think about it!  Then ask…)
2.  What am I not doing that I should START doing?”
Elder Kim B. Clark

“…what the Eternal Father wants for you and with you is the fullness of your possibilities.  And those possibilities are infinite.  And he did not simply make you from nothing into a worm; he adopted and begat you into his likeness in order to share his nature.  And he sent his Firstborn Son to exemplify just how glorious that nature can be—even in mortality.  That is our witness.”
Professor Truman G. Madsen “The Highest in Us,” BYU Speeches, 3 Mar 1974

“There are consequences attached to our decisions.  We can’t change those consequences.  We can only change our choices.”
Tyler Griffin

“I’m Trying to Be like Jesus;” I’m following in his way.  I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.  At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice, but I try to listen as the still small voice whispers, “Love one another as Jesus loves you.  Try to show kindness in all that you do.  Be gentle and loving indeed and in thought, for these are the things Jesus taught.”  I’m trying to love my neighbor; I’m learning to serve my friends.  I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.  I try to remember the lessons he taught, then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying: “Love one another as Jesus loves you.  Try to show kindness in all that you do.  Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought, for these are the things Jesus taught.”  Scriptural Reference:  John 13:15, 34.
(Please Note: The above paragraph is an abbreviation of the song “I’m Trying to be Like Jesus.“  Please click on and view the full video and music below.)

© 1980 Music & Lyrics by Janice Kapp Perry.  Music performed by: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.

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