"There is no greater expression of love than the heroic Atonement performed by the Son of God. Were it not for the plan of our Heavenly Father, established before the world began, in a very real sense, all mankind—past, present, and future—would have been left without the hope of eternal progression. "
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Atonement and the Value of One Soul"
April 2004 General Conference
"When we make mistakes—as we transgress and sin—we are able to overcome such weakness through the redeeming and cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."
Elder David A. Bednar
"In the Strength of the Lord"
October 23, 2001 BYU Devotioal
"If we truly understood the Atonement and the eternal value of each soul, we would seek out the wayward boy and girl and every other wayward child of God. We would help them to know of the love Christ has for them. We would do all that we can to help prepare them to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Atonement and the Value of One Soul"
April 2004 General Conference
"Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can understand more fully the breadth and depth of healing provided by His Atonement because we have the fulness of His doctrine. We realize that what He has willingly done with immense suffering and sacrifice will affect us not only in this life but throughout all eternity."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"He Lives! All Glory to His Name!"
April 2010 General Conference
"The Lord has invited us to symbolize our covenant with Him by a sign that is inward as well as outward. When the sacred emblems of His flesh and blood are administered to us, we are invited to take them into our bodies. As we do, His atoning sacrifice literally becomes a part of our own identity."
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Identity, Priority, and Blessings"
September 10, 2000 CES Fireside
"Because Jesus Christ broke the bands of death, all of the children of Heavenly Father born into the world will be resurrected in a body that will never die. "
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"He Is Risen"
April 2013 Liahona first Presidency Message
"Sinners who are repenting will experience some suffering, but, because of their repentance and the Atonement, they will not experience the full "exquisite" extent of eternal torment the Savior suffered."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"Sin and Suffering"
August 5, 1990 BYU Fireside
"My reverence and inexpressible gratitude for the Atonement of the Holy One of Israel, the Prince of Peace, and our Redeemer continually expands as I strive to understand more about it. I realize that no mortal mind can adequately conceive, nor can human tongue appropriately express, the full significance of all that Jesus Christ has done for our Heavenly Father’s children through His Atonement. Yet it is vital that we each learn what we can about it. The Atonement is that essential ingredient of our Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness without which that plan would have no significant meaning."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"To Establish a Secure Foundation for Life"
March 18, 2008 BYU Devotional
"The path to receiving the Holy Ghost is to exercise faith in Christ unto repentance. We can become clean through qualifying for the effects of the Savior’s Atonement. The covenants offered in baptism by authorized servants of God bring that cleansing. We renew our pledge to keep those covenants each time we partake of the sacrament. And the peace we all seek is the assurance that we have received forgiveness for our sins of omission or commission."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times"
September 10, 2010 CES Fireside
" We know where we came from, why we are here, and where we will go when we leave this life. We know that we are children of our Heavenly Father and that He loves us. We know we want to return to Him after we leave this earthly existence. We know that what we do—and don’t do—here in mortality is of utmost importance. We also know that, should we fall short, our Savior has provided us with the precious gift of the Atonement and that, if we change our lives and our hearts and take advantage of the power of the Atonement, our sins and shortcomings will be forgiven and forgotten."
President Thomas S. Monson
"Be a Light to the World"
November 1, 2011 BYU Devotional
"Even with the trials of life, because of the Savior’s Atonement and His grace, righteous living will be rewarded with personal peace."
Elder Quentin L. Cook
"Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness"
April 2013 General Conference
What it Means To Me:
I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Atonement is not only for our sins, it is for taking our sufferings, pains, and trials upon Him. He has felt my loss of a pregnancy, and is the only person who knows how I was feeling. He has grieved with me. He has supported me. I know that without Him, I would not have been able to bear the sadness that I was feeling. Because of the Atonement, I am whole. I am able to repent when I make mistakes. We are so loved by our Savior and He wants us to return to live with Him again. The Atonement is there to help us along the way, all we have to do is use it.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Agency
"Agency used righteously allows light to dispel the darkness and enables us to live with joy and happiness."
Elder Robert D. Hales
"To Act For Ourselves"
April 2006 General Conference
"To all who desire to enjoy the supernal blessings of agency, I testify that agency is strengthened by our faith and obedience. Agency leads us to act: to seek that we may find, to ask that we may receive guidance from the Spirit, to knock on that door that leads to spiritual light and ultimately salvation."
Elder Robert D. Hales
"To Act For Ourselves"
April 2006 General Conference
"1. Before the world was created, we existed in the presence of God.
2. Free agency is a gift of God.
3. We had free agency in the premortal existence.
4. There Satan presented a plan that would have taken away our free agency.
5. When God rejected Satan's plan, Satan and those who followed him rebelled and were cast out of heaven.
6. Pursuant to God's plan, Adam and Eve made the choice that caused the Fall, making mankind subject to mortality and sin in the world.
7. We are here to be tested, and this cannot occur without opposition in all things.
8. To provide that opposition, Satan is permitted to try to persuade us to use our free agency to choose evil.
9. If we choose evil and do not repent, we can ultimately become captives of Satan."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"Free Agency and Freedom"
October 11, 1987 BYU Devotional
"We know that we are spirit children of heavenly parents, here on earth to receive our mortal bodies and to be tested. We who have mortal bodies have the power over the beings who do not.4 We are free to choose what we will and to pick and choose our acts, but we are not free to choose the consequences. They come as they will come."
Elder Boyd K. Packer
"Men and women receive their agency as a gift from God, but their liberty and, in turn, their eternal happiness come from obedience to His laws."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Obedience to Law is Liberty"
April 2013 General Conference
"We have our agency, and we can choose any characteristic to define us. But we need to know that when we choose to define ourselves or to present ourselves by some characteristic that is temporary or trivial ineternal terms, we de-emphasize what is most important about us and we overemphasize what is relatively unimportant. This can lead us down the wrong path and hinder our eternal progress."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"How to Define Yourself"
June 2013 New Era
"When you encourage students to raise their hand to respond to a question, while they may not realize it, they signify to the Holy Ghost their willingness to learn. That use of moral agency will allow that Spirit to motivate them and give them more powerful guidance during your time together. "
Elder Richard G. Scott
"To Learn and to Teach More Effectively"
August 1, 2007 Education Week Devotional
"With His gift of moral agency, our Heavenly Father has graciously provided us help to exercise that agency in a way that will yield precious, positive fruit in our life here and hereafter."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"Moral Agency"
June 2009 Ensign
"The beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it pours knowledge into our souls and shows things in their true light. With that enhanced perspective, we can discern more clearly the choices before us and their consequences. We can, therefore, make more intelligent use of our agency."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"Moral Agency"
June 2009 Ensign
"The cost of the Atonement was borne by the Lord without compulsion, for agency is a sovereign principle. According to the plan, agency must be honored. It was so from the beginning, from Eden."
Elder Boyd K. Packer
"Atonement, Agency, Accountability"
May 1998 Ensign
"Heavenly Father wants you to succeed. Where there is purity of heart and real intent, it is known by Him. Your obedience to truth and proper use of agency open the door to His divine help. If you have chosen the wrong path, the only way out is through repentance."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Agency and Choosing the Right"
January 1997 Ensign
Elder Robert D. Hales
"To Act For Ourselves"
April 2006 General Conference
"To all who desire to enjoy the supernal blessings of agency, I testify that agency is strengthened by our faith and obedience. Agency leads us to act: to seek that we may find, to ask that we may receive guidance from the Spirit, to knock on that door that leads to spiritual light and ultimately salvation."
Elder Robert D. Hales
"To Act For Ourselves"
April 2006 General Conference
"1. Before the world was created, we existed in the presence of God.
2. Free agency is a gift of God.
3. We had free agency in the premortal existence.
4. There Satan presented a plan that would have taken away our free agency.
5. When God rejected Satan's plan, Satan and those who followed him rebelled and were cast out of heaven.
6. Pursuant to God's plan, Adam and Eve made the choice that caused the Fall, making mankind subject to mortality and sin in the world.
7. We are here to be tested, and this cannot occur without opposition in all things.
8. To provide that opposition, Satan is permitted to try to persuade us to use our free agency to choose evil.
9. If we choose evil and do not repent, we can ultimately become captives of Satan."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"Free Agency and Freedom"
October 11, 1987 BYU Devotional
"We know that we are spirit children of heavenly parents, here on earth to receive our mortal bodies and to be tested. We who have mortal bodies have the power over the beings who do not.4 We are free to choose what we will and to pick and choose our acts, but we are not free to choose the consequences. They come as they will come."
Elder Boyd K. Packer
"These Things I Know"
April 2013 General Conference
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Obedience to Law is Liberty"
April 2013 General Conference
"We have our agency, and we can choose any characteristic to define us. But we need to know that when we choose to define ourselves or to present ourselves by some characteristic that is temporary or trivial ineternal terms, we de-emphasize what is most important about us and we overemphasize what is relatively unimportant. This can lead us down the wrong path and hinder our eternal progress."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"How to Define Yourself"
June 2013 New Era
"When you encourage students to raise their hand to respond to a question, while they may not realize it, they signify to the Holy Ghost their willingness to learn. That use of moral agency will allow that Spirit to motivate them and give them more powerful guidance during your time together. "
Elder Richard G. Scott
"To Learn and to Teach More Effectively"
August 1, 2007 Education Week Devotional
"With His gift of moral agency, our Heavenly Father has graciously provided us help to exercise that agency in a way that will yield precious, positive fruit in our life here and hereafter."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"Moral Agency"
June 2009 Ensign
"The beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it pours knowledge into our souls and shows things in their true light. With that enhanced perspective, we can discern more clearly the choices before us and their consequences. We can, therefore, make more intelligent use of our agency."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"Moral Agency"
June 2009 Ensign
"The cost of the Atonement was borne by the Lord without compulsion, for agency is a sovereign principle. According to the plan, agency must be honored. It was so from the beginning, from Eden."
Elder Boyd K. Packer
"Atonement, Agency, Accountability"
May 1998 Ensign
"Heavenly Father wants you to succeed. Where there is purity of heart and real intent, it is known by Him. Your obedience to truth and proper use of agency open the door to His divine help. If you have chosen the wrong path, the only way out is through repentance."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Agency and Choosing the Right"
January 1997 Ensign
Self-Reliance
"This Church relies on individual testimony. Each must earn his own testimony. It is then that you can stand and say, as I can say, that I know that God lives, the He is our Father, that we have a child-parent relationship with Him. I know that He is close, that we can go to Him and appeal, and then, if we will be obedient and listen and use every resource, we will have an answer to our prayers."
Elder Boyd K. Packer
"Self-Reliance"
March 2, 1975 BYU Fireside
"Truth and its application bring peace and satisfaction and stimulate self-reliance."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Truth"
June 13, 1978 BYU Devotional
"Independence and self-reliance are critical to our spiritual and temporal growth. Whenever we get into situations which threaten our self-reliance, we will find our freedoms threatened as well. If we increase our dependence on anything or anyone except the Lord, we will find an immediate decrease in our freedom to act."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Becoming Self-Reliant"
October 1991 General Conference
"The principle of self-reliance is spiritual as well as temporal. It is not a doomsday program; it is something to be practiced each and every day of our lives."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Becoming Self-Reliant"
October 1991 General Conference
"First prescription: Practice thrift and frugality. There is a wise old saying: “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Thrift is a practice of not wasting anything. Some people are able to get by because of the absence of expense. They have their shoes resoled, they patch, they mend, they sew, and they save money. They avoid installment buying, and make purchases only after saving enough to pay cash, thus avoiding interest charges. Frugality means to practice careful economy.
President James E. Faust
"The Responsibility for Welfare rest with Me and My Family"
April 1986 General Conference
"Members of the Church are also counseled to be independent. Independence means many things. It means being free of drugs that addict, habits that bind, and diseases that curse. It also means being free of personal debt and of the interest and carrying charges required by debt the world over."
President James E. Faust
"The Responsibility for Welfare rest with Me and My Family"
April 1986 General Conference
"Remember this: debt is a form of bondage. It is a financial termite. When we make purchases on credit, they give us only an illusion of prosperity. We think we own things, but the reality is, our things own us.
Elder Boyd K. Packer
"Self-Reliance"
March 2, 1975 BYU Fireside
"Truth and its application bring peace and satisfaction and stimulate self-reliance."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Truth"
June 13, 1978 BYU Devotional
"Independence and self-reliance are critical to our spiritual and temporal growth. Whenever we get into situations which threaten our self-reliance, we will find our freedoms threatened as well. If we increase our dependence on anything or anyone except the Lord, we will find an immediate decrease in our freedom to act."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Becoming Self-Reliant"
October 1991 General Conference
"The principle of self-reliance is spiritual as well as temporal. It is not a doomsday program; it is something to be practiced each and every day of our lives."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Becoming Self-Reliant"
October 1991 General Conference
"First prescription: Practice thrift and frugality. There is a wise old saying: “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Thrift is a practice of not wasting anything. Some people are able to get by because of the absence of expense. They have their shoes resoled, they patch, they mend, they sew, and they save money. They avoid installment buying, and make purchases only after saving enough to pay cash, thus avoiding interest charges. Frugality means to practice careful economy.
President James E. Faust
"The Responsibility for Welfare rest with Me and My Family"
April 1986 General Conference
"Members of the Church are also counseled to be independent. Independence means many things. It means being free of drugs that addict, habits that bind, and diseases that curse. It also means being free of personal debt and of the interest and carrying charges required by debt the world over."
President James E. Faust
"The Responsibility for Welfare rest with Me and My Family"
April 1986 General Conference
"Remember this: debt is a form of bondage. It is a financial termite. When we make purchases on credit, they give us only an illusion of prosperity. We think we own things, but the reality is, our things own us.
Some debt—such as for a modest home, expenses for education, perhaps for a needed first car—may be necessary. But never should we enter into financial bondage through consumer debt without carefully weighing the costs."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts"
April 2004 General Conference
"Too often, people assume that they probably never will be injured, get sick, lose their jobs, or see their investments evaporate. To make matters worse, often people make purchases today based upon optimistic predictions of what they hope will happen tomorrow.
The wise understand the importance of saving today for a rainy day tomorrow. They have adequate insurance that will provide for them in case of illness or death. Where possible, they store a year’s supply of food, water, and other basic necessities of life. They set aside money in savings and investment accounts. They work diligently to reduce the debt they owe to others and strive to become debt free."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts"
April 2004 General Conference
"More than ever before, we need to learn and apply the principles of economic self-reliance. We do not know when the crisis involving sickness or unemployment may affect our own circumstances. We do know that the Lord has decreed global calamities for the future and has warned and forewarned us to be prepared. For this reason the Brethren have repeatedly stressed a “back to basics” program for temporal and spiritual welfare."
President Ezra Taft Benson
"Prepare for the Days of Tribulation"
October 1980 General Conference
"An almost forgotten means of economic self-reliance is the home production of food. We are too accustomed to going to stores and purchasing what we need. By producing some of our food we reduce, to a great extent, the impact of inflation on our money. More importantly, we learn how to produce our own food and involve all family members in a beneficial project. No more timely counsel, I feel, has been given by President Kimball than his repeated emphasis to grow our own gardens. Here is one sample of his emphasis over the past seven years:
"Prepare for the Days of Tribulation"
October 1980 General Conference
"The home must be the heart of the welfare program. We must focus our training of personal and family preparedness to reach the family organization. We must teach that every family should be headed by an executive committee comprised of a husband and wife who will set aside sufficient time to plan for their family needs. If it is a single-parent family or an individual living alone, there is still need to organize time and thought to establish goals for meeting needs."
Elder L.Tom Perry
"The Need to Teach Personal and Family Preparedness"
April 1981 General Conference
"Personal and family preparedness planning must begin with the family executive committee. Planning must be tailored to fit the circumstances of each family. Consideration must be given to their unique requirements in career development, financial and resource management, education, physical health, home production and storage, and social, emotional, and spiritual strength."
"More than ever before, we need to learn and apply the principles of economic self-reliance. We do not know when the crisis involving sickness or unemployment may affect our own circumstances. We do know that the Lord has decreed global calamities for the future and has warned and forewarned us to be prepared. For this reason the Brethren have repeatedly stressed a “back to basics” program for temporal and spiritual welfare."
President Ezra Taft Benson
"Prepare for the Days of Tribulation"
October 1980 General Conference
"An almost forgotten means of economic self-reliance is the home production of food. We are too accustomed to going to stores and purchasing what we need. By producing some of our food we reduce, to a great extent, the impact of inflation on our money. More importantly, we learn how to produce our own food and involve all family members in a beneficial project. No more timely counsel, I feel, has been given by President Kimball than his repeated emphasis to grow our own gardens. Here is one sample of his emphasis over the past seven years:
“We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard.”
President Ezra Taft Benson"Prepare for the Days of Tribulation"
October 1980 General Conference
"The home must be the heart of the welfare program. We must focus our training of personal and family preparedness to reach the family organization. We must teach that every family should be headed by an executive committee comprised of a husband and wife who will set aside sufficient time to plan for their family needs. If it is a single-parent family or an individual living alone, there is still need to organize time and thought to establish goals for meeting needs."
Elder L.Tom Perry
"The Need to Teach Personal and Family Preparedness"
April 1981 General Conference
"Personal and family preparedness planning must begin with the family executive committee. Planning must be tailored to fit the circumstances of each family. Consideration must be given to their unique requirements in career development, financial and resource management, education, physical health, home production and storage, and social, emotional, and spiritual strength."
Elder L.Tom Perry
"The Need to Teach Personal and Family Preparedness"
April 1981 General Conference
"The Need to Teach Personal and Family Preparedness"
April 1981 General Conference
Prayer
"The special language of prayer follows different forms in different languages, but the principle is always the same. We should address prayers to our Heavenly Father in words which speakers of that language associate with love and respect and reverence and closeness."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"The Language of Prayer"
April 1993 General Conference
I chose this quote from the talk "The Language of Prayer". This talk means a lot to me, because I feel the importance of praying with respect to our Heavenly Father. i love praying in the special language of prayer, and have never felt that it was strange or weird. It has always felt natural, and I think it's because that is how Heavenly Father wants us to pray. When we choose to pray in a more formal voice, our prayers have more meaning. We are not wording things in a way that we would with just anyone. When we address our Heavenly Father with love and respect it brings us closer to Him, because we form a higher level of communication.
"The first step in gaining any kind of knowledge is to really desire to know. In the case of spiritual knowledge, the next step is to ask God in sincere prayer. "
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"The Language of Prayer"
April 2008 General Conference
"As a young person, I had the opportunity to be in Palmyra, New York, one summer evening. I found myself in the Sacred Grove, alone. I knelt down to pray, asking Heavenly Father to provide me some manifestation or indication about what I truly already knew had occurred in that sacred place. I prayed with great sincerity, for a long time, in an attitude of reverence. And I did not receive any answer or any prompting from theHoly Ghost. Nothing came. Finally, I gave up and left disappointed, wondering, “What didn’t I do right? Why? What more was needed?” It seemed to me that with the surroundings, there could not be any better place to receive an answer to such a prayer.
"Strong Impressions of the Spirit"
June 2013 New Era/ From an address given to youth in Salta, Argentina in November 2011
“Our Heavenly Father has placed an upward reach in every one of us. The words of scripture speak loud and clear: ‘Look to God and live’ (Alma 37:47). No problem is too small for His attention nor so large that He cannot answer the prayer of faith. Prayer surely is the passport to spiritual power. You can pray with purpose when you realize who you are and what Heavenly Father wants you to become. You will not find it difficult to approach Him with your sincere prayer as you remember the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’ (1 Cor. 3:16).”
President Thomas S. Monson
"Your Celestial Journey"
Ensign, May 1999
"Men and women of integrity, character, and purpose have ever recognized a power higher than themselves and have sought through prayer to be guided by such power. Such has it ever been. So shall it ever be."
President Thomas S. Monson
"The Prayer of Faith"
August 1995 Ensign
"Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer"
April 2007 General Conference
"We pray to our Heavenly Father in the sacred name of His Beloved Son,Jesus Christ. Prayer is most effective when we strive to be clean and obedient, with worthy motives, and are willing to do what He asks. Humble, trusting prayer brings direction and peace."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer"
April 2007 General Conference
"Everything we do ought to be done with an eye toward our Heavenly Father’s blessing and consecrating to our good all of our activities in a given day. So if we sense our need and think about it, prayer becomes more meaningful."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"How Can I Make Daily Prayer More Meaningful?"
October 2010 New Era
"Prayer is one of the things that will give us the strength and the power to be examples of the believers. The influence of the Lord, the meaningfulness of our prayers, His guidance in our life day to day, the strength that comes with all of that really does make it possible for us to consistently be examples of the believers in everything we do."
Elder D.Todd Christofferson
"How Can I Make Daily Prayer More Meaningful?"
October 2010 New Era
"It is a mistake to assume that every prayer we offer will be answered immediately. Some prayers require considerable effort on our part. True, sometimes impressions come when we have not specifically sought them. They generally concern something we need to know and are not otherwise able to find out."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Recognizing Answers to Prayers"
August 2003 New Era
"Just as prayer is a simple choice, there is a simple choice you can make to bring the powers of heaven to you that you might live clean in a wicked world."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"Waiting Upon the Lord"
September 30, 1990 BYU Fireside
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"The Language of Prayer"
April 1993 General Conference
I chose this quote from the talk "The Language of Prayer". This talk means a lot to me, because I feel the importance of praying with respect to our Heavenly Father. i love praying in the special language of prayer, and have never felt that it was strange or weird. It has always felt natural, and I think it's because that is how Heavenly Father wants us to pray. When we choose to pray in a more formal voice, our prayers have more meaning. We are not wording things in a way that we would with just anyone. When we address our Heavenly Father with love and respect it brings us closer to Him, because we form a higher level of communication.
"The first step in gaining any kind of knowledge is to really desire to know. In the case of spiritual knowledge, the next step is to ask God in sincere prayer. "
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"The Language of Prayer"
April 2008 General Conference
"As a young person, I had the opportunity to be in Palmyra, New York, one summer evening. I found myself in the Sacred Grove, alone. I knelt down to pray, asking Heavenly Father to provide me some manifestation or indication about what I truly already knew had occurred in that sacred place. I prayed with great sincerity, for a long time, in an attitude of reverence. And I did not receive any answer or any prompting from theHoly Ghost. Nothing came. Finally, I gave up and left disappointed, wondering, “What didn’t I do right? Why? What more was needed?” It seemed to me that with the surroundings, there could not be any better place to receive an answer to such a prayer.
I learned from that experience that we cannot demand things from God. We cannot say, “You have to answer me in this way, right this moment.” It is up to Him to decide how and when and what He will communicate to us. Our responsibility is to always be in the right condition to receive the promptings or whisperings, the revelation, the inspiration of the Spirit. But He makes the decision of how and when."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson"Strong Impressions of the Spirit"
June 2013 New Era/ From an address given to youth in Salta, Argentina in November 2011
“Our Heavenly Father has placed an upward reach in every one of us. The words of scripture speak loud and clear: ‘Look to God and live’ (Alma 37:47). No problem is too small for His attention nor so large that He cannot answer the prayer of faith. Prayer surely is the passport to spiritual power. You can pray with purpose when you realize who you are and what Heavenly Father wants you to become. You will not find it difficult to approach Him with your sincere prayer as you remember the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’ (1 Cor. 3:16).”
President Thomas S. Monson
"Your Celestial Journey"
Ensign, May 1999
"Men and women of integrity, character, and purpose have ever recognized a power higher than themselves and have sought through prayer to be guided by such power. Such has it ever been. So shall it ever be."
President Thomas S. Monson
"The Prayer of Faith"
August 1995 Ensign
"Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer"
April 2007 General Conference
"We pray to our Heavenly Father in the sacred name of His Beloved Son,Jesus Christ. Prayer is most effective when we strive to be clean and obedient, with worthy motives, and are willing to do what He asks. Humble, trusting prayer brings direction and peace."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer"
April 2007 General Conference
"Everything we do ought to be done with an eye toward our Heavenly Father’s blessing and consecrating to our good all of our activities in a given day. So if we sense our need and think about it, prayer becomes more meaningful."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"How Can I Make Daily Prayer More Meaningful?"
October 2010 New Era
"Prayer is one of the things that will give us the strength and the power to be examples of the believers. The influence of the Lord, the meaningfulness of our prayers, His guidance in our life day to day, the strength that comes with all of that really does make it possible for us to consistently be examples of the believers in everything we do."
Elder D.Todd Christofferson
"How Can I Make Daily Prayer More Meaningful?"
October 2010 New Era
"It is a mistake to assume that every prayer we offer will be answered immediately. Some prayers require considerable effort on our part. True, sometimes impressions come when we have not specifically sought them. They generally concern something we need to know and are not otherwise able to find out."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Recognizing Answers to Prayers"
August 2003 New Era
"Just as prayer is a simple choice, there is a simple choice you can make to bring the powers of heaven to you that you might live clean in a wicked world."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"Waiting Upon the Lord"
September 30, 1990 BYU Fireside
Patience
"If you pray, if you talk to God, and if you plead for the help you need, and if you thank him not only for help but for the patience and gentleness that come from not receiving all you desire right away or perhaps ever, then I promise you that you will draw closer to him. And then you will become diligent and longsuffering."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"Waiting Upon the Lord"
September 30, 1990 BYU Fireside
" I suppose no one is as handsome or as beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can't always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command—such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word, and true delight in the accomplishment of another. These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them."
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"How Do I Love Thee?"
February 15, 2000 BYU Devotional
"The lessons we learn from patience will cultivate our character, lift our lives, and heighten our happiness."
Elder Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"Continue in Patience"
April 2010 General Conference
"There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"
Elder Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"Continue in Patience"
April 2010 General Conference
"Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."
President Thomas S. Monson
"Patience, a Heavenly Virtue"
September 2002 Liahona
"The more we are filled with the Spirit of God, the more we extend ourselves to others. We become peacemakers in our homes and families, we help our fellowmen everywhere, and we reach out in merciful acts of kindness, forgiveness, grace, and long-suffering patience."
President Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"The Way of the Disciple"
April 2009 General Conference
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"Waiting Upon the Lord"
September 30, 1990 BYU Fireside
" I suppose no one is as handsome or as beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can't always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command—such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word, and true delight in the accomplishment of another. These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them."
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"How Do I Love Thee?"
February 15, 2000 BYU Devotional
"The lessons we learn from patience will cultivate our character, lift our lives, and heighten our happiness."
Elder Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"Continue in Patience"
April 2010 General Conference
"There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"
Elder Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"Continue in Patience"
April 2010 General Conference
"Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."
President Thomas S. Monson
"Patience, a Heavenly Virtue"
September 2002 Liahona
"The more we are filled with the Spirit of God, the more we extend ourselves to others. We become peacemakers in our homes and families, we help our fellowmen everywhere, and we reach out in merciful acts of kindness, forgiveness, grace, and long-suffering patience."
President Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"The Way of the Disciple"
April 2009 General Conference
"Submitting “cheerfully and with patience” to all His will lets you learn precious if difficult lessons and eternal truths that will yield blessings."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"To Be Healed"
April 1994 General Conference
"You are here on earth for a divine purpose. It is not to be endlessly entertained or to be constantly in full pursuit of pleasure. You are here to be tried, to prove yourself so that you can receive the additional blessings God has for you. 2 The tempering effect of patience is required.3 Some blessings will be delivered here in this life; others will come beyond the veil. "
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Finding Joy in Life"
April 1996 General Conference
"When the Lord advises us to “continue in patience until [we] are perfected,”6 He is acknowledging that it takes time and perseverance. Understanding the why of the gospel and the why of the priesthood will help us to see the divine purpose of all of this. It will give us motivation and strength to do the right things, even when they are hard. Staying focused on the basic principles of gospel living will bless us with clarity, wisdom, and direction."
President Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"The Why of Priesthood Service"
April 2002 General Conference
"I suppose no one is as handsome or as beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can’t always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command—such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word, and true delight in the accomplishment of another. These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them."
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"How Do I Love Thee?"
February 15, 2000 BYU Devotional
Nurture
"A mother’s nurturing love arouses in children, from their earliest days on earth, an awakening of the memories of love and goodness they experienced in their premortal existence. Because our mothers love us, we learn, or, more accurately, remember, that God also loves us."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilites of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional
"You build up the kingdom of God as you place your family first. A husband's highest priesthood duty is to love and care for his wife, to bless her and their children. A wife's highest calling is to love her husband and nurture their children. As you serve the Lord, know that your "duty is unto the church forever, and this because of [your] family" (D&C 23:3)."
Russell M. Nelson
"Identity, Priority, and Blessings"
September 10, 2000 CES Fireside
"Thoughtful planning and preparation are key to a rewarding future, but we do not live in the future—we live in the present. It is day by day that we work out our plans for the future; it is day by day that we achieve our goals. It is one day at a time that we raise and nurture our families. It is one day at a time that we overcome imperfections. We endure in faith to the end one day at a time."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
January 9, 2009 CES Fireside
"As a mother you have been given divine instincts to help you sense your child’s special talents and unique capacities. With your husband you can nurture, strengthen, and cause those traits to flower."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"The Eternal Blessings of Marriage"
April 2011 General Conference
"Now, finally, I turn again to you dear sisters, you who have such a profound, innate spiritual ability to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. You need never wonder again if you have worth in the sight of the Lord and to the Brethren in the presiding councils of the Church. We love you. We cherish you. We respect you. Never doubt that your influence is absolutely vital to preserving the family and to assisting with the growth and spiritual vitality of the Church. This Church will not reach its foreordained destiny without you. We men simply cannot nurture like you nurture. Most of us don’t have the sensitivity—spiritual and otherwise—that by your eternal nature you inherently have. Your influence on families and with children, with youth, and with men is singular. You are natural-born nurturers. Because of these unusual gifts and talents, you are vital to taking the gospel to all the world, to demonstrating that there is joy in living the way the prophets have counseled us to live."
Elder M.Russell Ballard
"Here I Am, Send Me"
March 13, 2001 BYU Devotional
" Marriages would be happier if nurtured more carefully."
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Nurturing Marriage"
April 2006 General Conference
"Couples need private time to observe, to talk, and really listen to each other. They need to cooperate—helping each other as equal partners. They need to nurture their spiritual as well as physical intimacy. They should strive to elevate and motivate each other. Marital unity is sustained when goals are mutually understood. Good communication is also enhanced by prayer. To pray with specific mention of a spouse’s good deed (or need) nurtures a marriage."
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Nurturing Marriage"
April 2006 General Conference
"I bear my witness this Easter weekend that “great things [will] be required at the hand[s] of [the] fathers,” as the Lord declared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. 20 Surely the greatest of those things will be to have done all they could for the happiness and spiritual safety of the children they are to nurture."
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"The Hands of the Fathers"
April 1999 General Conference
"As parents and leaders, how are you cultivating that potential? As a young man or woman of this generation, what are you doing to realize your extraordinary potential? Will you nurture it and rise to exceptional heights of accomplishment and happiness? How will you avoid Satan’s efforts to undermine your potential through transgression? Only you can answer these critical questions."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Realize Your Potential"
October 2003 General Conference
"Have you ever pondered the sorrow of losing one and what sadness there must be when many are lost? That is what the Lord feels. It is what our prophet feels. And that is what I hope that you and I can feel, that we can show a determination to nurture those who have experienced the joys of feeling the Spirit, being baptized, and gaining a testimony and who are in the process of overcoming trials and tribulations and achieving an enduring conversion that will last eternally."
Elder Robert D. Hales
"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
April 1997 General Conference
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilites of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional
"You build up the kingdom of God as you place your family first. A husband's highest priesthood duty is to love and care for his wife, to bless her and their children. A wife's highest calling is to love her husband and nurture their children. As you serve the Lord, know that your "duty is unto the church forever, and this because of [your] family" (D&C 23:3)."
Russell M. Nelson
"Identity, Priority, and Blessings"
September 10, 2000 CES Fireside
"Thoughtful planning and preparation are key to a rewarding future, but we do not live in the future—we live in the present. It is day by day that we work out our plans for the future; it is day by day that we achieve our goals. It is one day at a time that we raise and nurture our families. It is one day at a time that we overcome imperfections. We endure in faith to the end one day at a time."
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
January 9, 2009 CES Fireside
"As a mother you have been given divine instincts to help you sense your child’s special talents and unique capacities. With your husband you can nurture, strengthen, and cause those traits to flower."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"The Eternal Blessings of Marriage"
April 2011 General Conference
"Now, finally, I turn again to you dear sisters, you who have such a profound, innate spiritual ability to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. You need never wonder again if you have worth in the sight of the Lord and to the Brethren in the presiding councils of the Church. We love you. We cherish you. We respect you. Never doubt that your influence is absolutely vital to preserving the family and to assisting with the growth and spiritual vitality of the Church. This Church will not reach its foreordained destiny without you. We men simply cannot nurture like you nurture. Most of us don’t have the sensitivity—spiritual and otherwise—that by your eternal nature you inherently have. Your influence on families and with children, with youth, and with men is singular. You are natural-born nurturers. Because of these unusual gifts and talents, you are vital to taking the gospel to all the world, to demonstrating that there is joy in living the way the prophets have counseled us to live."
Elder M.Russell Ballard
"Here I Am, Send Me"
March 13, 2001 BYU Devotional
" Marriages would be happier if nurtured more carefully."
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Nurturing Marriage"
April 2006 General Conference
"Couples need private time to observe, to talk, and really listen to each other. They need to cooperate—helping each other as equal partners. They need to nurture their spiritual as well as physical intimacy. They should strive to elevate and motivate each other. Marital unity is sustained when goals are mutually understood. Good communication is also enhanced by prayer. To pray with specific mention of a spouse’s good deed (or need) nurtures a marriage."
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Nurturing Marriage"
April 2006 General Conference
"I bear my witness this Easter weekend that “great things [will] be required at the hand[s] of [the] fathers,” as the Lord declared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. 20 Surely the greatest of those things will be to have done all they could for the happiness and spiritual safety of the children they are to nurture."
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"The Hands of the Fathers"
April 1999 General Conference
"As parents and leaders, how are you cultivating that potential? As a young man or woman of this generation, what are you doing to realize your extraordinary potential? Will you nurture it and rise to exceptional heights of accomplishment and happiness? How will you avoid Satan’s efforts to undermine your potential through transgression? Only you can answer these critical questions."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"Realize Your Potential"
October 2003 General Conference
"Have you ever pondered the sorrow of losing one and what sadness there must be when many are lost? That is what the Lord feels. It is what our prophet feels. And that is what I hope that you and I can feel, that we can show a determination to nurture those who have experienced the joys of feeling the Spirit, being baptized, and gaining a testimony and who are in the process of overcoming trials and tribulations and achieving an enduring conversion that will last eternally."
Elder Robert D. Hales
"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"
April 1997 General Conference
Family
"Let people repent. Let people grow. Believe that people can change and improve. Is that faith? Yes! Is that hope? Yes! Is it charity? Yes! Above all, it is charity, the pure love of Christ. If something is buried in the past, leave it buried. Don’t keep going back with your little sand pail and beach shovel to dig it up, wave it around, and then throw it at someone, saying, “Hey! Do you remember this?” Splat!"
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"Remember Lot's Wife"
January 19, 2009 BYU Devotional
"For some of us, the test in the schoolroom of mortality will be to want marriage and children in this life with all our hearts, but to have it delayed or denied. Even such a sorrow can be turned to a blessing by a just and loving Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. No one who strives with full faith and heart for the blessings of eternal life will be denied. And how great will be the joy and how much deeper the appreciation then after enduring in patience and faith now."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"The Family"
November 5, 1995 BYU Devotional
"The family is not just the basic unit of society; it is the basic unit of eternity."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilities of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional
"Fathers should seek constantly for guidance from the Holy Ghost so they will know what to do, what to say, and also know what not to do and what not to say. They serve the family and the Church in the spirit of love and enthusiasm, by example preparing family members to serve—especially preparing sons to serve as worthy missionaries."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilities of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional
"We have tasted of life’s successes and sorrows. We have dealt with disappointment, disease, and death among our children. But death cannot divide families sealed in the temple. That period of separation is only temporary. Thanks to the Lord’s great plan of happiness, we can all face the future with great faith and optimism."
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Faith and Families"
February 6, 2007 CES Fireside
“Today is always a better day to repent than any tomorrow. … Even should we be forgiven at some later time, the Lord cannot restore the good effects our repentance today might have had on those we love and are to serve. That is particularly poignant for the parents of young children. In those tender years there are chances for shaping and lifting spirits which may never come again. But even the grandfather who may have missed chances with his own children might, by choosing to repent today, do for grandchildren what he once could have done for their parents.”
April 2011 General Conference
"Pure love is an incomparable, potent power for good. Righteous love is the foundation of a successful marriage. It is the primary cause of contented, well-developed children. Who can justly measure the righteous influence of a mother’s love? What enduring fruits result from the seeds of truth that a mother carefully plants and lovingly cultivates in the fertile soil of a child’s trusting mind and heart? As a mother you have been given divine instincts to help you sense your child’s special talents and unique capacities. With your husband you can nurture, strengthen, and cause those traits to flower."
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"Remember Lot's Wife"
January 19, 2009 BYU Devotional
"For some of us, the test in the schoolroom of mortality will be to want marriage and children in this life with all our hearts, but to have it delayed or denied. Even such a sorrow can be turned to a blessing by a just and loving Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. No one who strives with full faith and heart for the blessings of eternal life will be denied. And how great will be the joy and how much deeper the appreciation then after enduring in patience and faith now."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"The Family"
November 5, 1995 BYU Devotional
"The family is not just the basic unit of society; it is the basic unit of eternity."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilities of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional
"Fathers should seek constantly for guidance from the Holy Ghost so they will know what to do, what to say, and also know what not to do and what not to say. They serve the family and the Church in the spirit of love and enthusiasm, by example preparing family members to serve—especially preparing sons to serve as worthy missionaries."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilities of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional
"We have tasted of life’s successes and sorrows. We have dealt with disappointment, disease, and death among our children. But death cannot divide families sealed in the temple. That period of separation is only temporary. Thanks to the Lord’s great plan of happiness, we can all face the future with great faith and optimism."
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Faith and Families"
February 6, 2007 CES Fireside
"The main effects of these depreciating attitudes about the sanctity of marriage are the consequences to families—the strength of families is deteriorating at an alarming rate. This deterioration is causing widespread damage to society. I see direct cause and effect. As we give up commitment and fidelity to our marriage partners, we remove the glue that holds our society together."
Elder L. Tom Perry
"Obedience to Law is Liberty"
April 2013 General Conference
"Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should give us enormous respect for our children, who truly are our spiritual siblings, and it should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families. Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another within the family."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest"
October 2005 General Conference
"A husband's highest priesthood duty is to love and care for his wife, to bless her and their children. A wife's highest calling is to love her husband and nurture their children. As you serve the Lord, know that your "duty is unto the church forever, and this because of [your] family"
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Identity, Priority, and Blessings"
September 10, 2000 CES Fireside
"In terms of giving fathers love and understanding, it should be remembered that fathers also have times of insecurity and doubt. Everyone knows fathers make mistakes—especially they themselves. Fathers need all the help they can get; mostly they need love, support, and understanding from their own."
President Faust
"The Father Who Cares"
September 2006 Ensign
First Presidency Message
"Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should give us enormous respect for our children, who truly are our spiritual siblings, and it should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families. Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another within the family."
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest"
October 2005 General Conference
"A husband's highest priesthood duty is to love and care for his wife, to bless her and their children. A wife's highest calling is to love her husband and nurture their children. As you serve the Lord, know that your "duty is unto the church forever, and this because of [your] family"
Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Identity, Priority, and Blessings"
September 10, 2000 CES Fireside
"In terms of giving fathers love and understanding, it should be remembered that fathers also have times of insecurity and doubt. Everyone knows fathers make mistakes—especially they themselves. Fathers need all the help they can get; mostly they need love, support, and understanding from their own."
President Faust
"The Father Who Cares"
September 2006 Ensign
First Presidency Message
“Today is always a better day to repent than any tomorrow. … Even should we be forgiven at some later time, the Lord cannot restore the good effects our repentance today might have had on those we love and are to serve. That is particularly poignant for the parents of young children. In those tender years there are chances for shaping and lifting spirits which may never come again. But even the grandfather who may have missed chances with his own children might, by choosing to repent today, do for grandchildren what he once could have done for their parents.”
President Henry B. Eyring
"Do Not Delay"
November 1999 Ensign
"Brethren, do you lead out in family activities such as scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening, or does your wife fill in the gap your lack of attention leaves in the home? Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her? It will bring her great happiness. I’ve heard men tell me when I say that, “Oh, she knows.” You need to tell her. A woman grows and is greatly blessed by that reassurance. Express gratitude for what your spouse does for you. Express that love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"The Eternal Blessings of Marriage"April 2011 General Conference
"Pure love is an incomparable, potent power for good. Righteous love is the foundation of a successful marriage. It is the primary cause of contented, well-developed children. Who can justly measure the righteous influence of a mother’s love? What enduring fruits result from the seeds of truth that a mother carefully plants and lovingly cultivates in the fertile soil of a child’s trusting mind and heart? As a mother you have been given divine instincts to help you sense your child’s special talents and unique capacities. With your husband you can nurture, strengthen, and cause those traits to flower."
Elder Richard G. Scott
"The Eternal Blessings of Marriage"
April 2011 General Conference
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