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Saturday, December 2, 2023

Face the future as cheerfully as possible. Someone wrote once that of all the encouragement Christ extends to us in the scriptures, of all the hope He repeatedly offers to us, that which we repeatedly fail to accept is the encouragement to “be of good cheer.” May we please take Christ at His word? Could we just try it? May we embrace that happy, hope-filled invitation tonight as we seize yet another chance to start a new year and make of our life exactly what we want it to be.

As with all of His invitations to us, Christ lived them before He taught them. In spite of the burdens that He bore, He was optimistic, positive, and He helped others to be the same, including, I might add, prophets of God. From the depths of Liberty Jail—and the depths of despair he experienced there—the Prophet Joseph Smith’s ultimate counsel to the Saints who were outside praying for his release was to “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.” And no one is more positive, more optimistic, more filled with hope than Russell Marion Nelson, our living prophet who echoed Joseph’s counsel when he said to us recently: “No spiritual blessing will be withheld from the righteous. … The Lord would have us look … to the future ‘with joyful anticipation’ [Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 513].” Prophets are of good cheer because they are true disciples of Jesus Christ, and that is the ultimate source of all optimism. Prophets are of good cheer because they know the plan; they know who wins in the end.

As Sister Holland has said so beautifully, the ability to see the world positively is yet another gift from God. “Men”—and I might add women and children—“are, that they might have joy,” the scriptures are wont to tell us. That is why it is a “plan of happiness.” As a result of that plan and Christ’s Atonement at the heart of it, we can be hopeful no matter how dark some days might be.

The grandeur of the Savior’s example in this matter deserves our reverence as we face a new year, a year that might hold some challenges for some of us. Think about it. How could Jesus speak of cheerfulness in the midst of all the anguish that He faced moving toward the Crucifixion? Even in the fateful atmosphere that must have prevailed at the Last Supper, Christ is still reminding His disciples of the reason, and their duty, to “be of good cheer.” I have wondered, with the pain that lay ahead of Him, how He could speak so positively and expect His brethren to view all of this buoyantly. Surely, this manifestation of His faith, of His hope and charity, comes because He knows the end of the story. He knows righteousness prevails when final accounts are completed. He knows that light always conquers darkness forever and forever and forever. He knows His Father in Heaven never gives a commandment without also providing the way to fulfill it. A victory makes everyone cheerful, and Christ was the victor in His great contest with death and hell. Now, that’s heavy theology tonight, but that is what they were to be happy about. Christ triumphant is the source of our hope in this new year and every year—forever.

January 2023
2023 Devotionals


see also:  https://quotestokeep.blogspot.com/2022/08/i-submit-that-to-be-of-good-cheer-john.html?m=0


Tuesday, November 28, 2023

What is Meant by "the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ"

The Savior declared that the Book of Mormon contains “the fulness of [His] everlasting gospel.” How did He define the gospel? The resurrected Lord taught, “This is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.”

Then He amplified that one-sentence definition: “My Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me.”

This unique mortal mission of the Lord—the gospel as He defined it—we know as the Atonement. The fulness of the gospel, therefore, connotes a fuller comprehension of the Atonement. This we do not obtain from the Bible alone. The word atonement, in any of its forms, is mentioned only once in the King James Version of the New Testament. In the Book of Mormon, it appears 39 times! The Book of Mormon also contains more references to the Resurrection than does the Bible.

October 1999
1990–1999
Russell M. Nelson

DC 20:9

Monday, November 20, 2023

These anonymous individuals, if presented to us honestly, would never be given a moment of our time, but because they exploit social media, hidden from scrutiny, they receive undeserved credibility.

In our lives, the extended hand of the Savior may take the form of help from a trusted friend, leader, or loving parent. While we are struggling in the darkness, there is nothing wrong with relying temporarily upon the light of those who love us and have our best interests at heart.

When we consider thoughtfully, why would we listen to the faceless, cynical voices of those in the great and spacious buildings of our time and ignore the pleas of those who genuinely love us? These ever-present naysayers prefer to tear down rather than elevate and to ridicule rather than uplift. Their mocking words can burrow into our lives, often through split-second bursts of electronic distortions carefully and deliberately composed to destroy our faith. Is it wise to place our eternal well-being in the hands of strangers? Is it wise to claim enlightenment from those who have no light to give or who may have private agendas hidden from us? These anonymous individuals, if presented to us honestly, would never be given a moment of our time, but because they exploit social media, hidden from scrutiny, they receive undeserved credibility.

Our choice to heed those who mock sacred things will distance us from the saving and life-giving light of the Savior. John recorded: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Remember, those who truly love us can help us build our faith.

Just as I was embarrassed in the tunnel, we might feel too embarrassed to ask for help when we doubt. Perhaps we are one to whom others have looked for strength, and now we need help. When we realize that the light and the comfort the Savior can extend to us are far too precious to lose to pride, then inspired Church leaders, parents, and trusted friends can help. They stand ready to assist us in gaining spiritual assurances that will fortify us against challenges of faith.

Vern P. Stanfill, Choose Light, October 2015 General Conference

Thursday, November 2, 2023

the word—even the life, mission, and doctrine of Jesus Christ

 The Savior’s promise to His followers is twofold: if we abide in Him, He will abide in us. But is it indeed possible for Christ to abide in you and me—individually and personally? The answer to this question is a resounding yes!

In the Book of Mormon, we learn about Alma’s teaching and testifying to the poor whose afflictions had compelled them to be humble. In his instruction, he compared the word to a seed that must be planted and nourished, and he described “the word” as the life, mission, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Alma said, “Begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.”

Given this description of “the word” by Alma, please consider the inspiring connection he then identifies.

“And now … I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will.”

The seed we should strive to plant in our hearts is the word—even the life, mission, and doctrine of Jesus Christ. And as the word is nourished by faith, it can become a tree springing up in us unto everlasting life.

What was the symbolism of the tree in Lehi’s vision? The tree can be considered as a representation of Jesus Christ.

My beloved brothers and sisters, is the Word in us? Are the truths of the Savior’s gospel written in the fleshy tables of our hearts? Are we coming unto and gradually becoming more like Him? Is the tree of Christ growing in us? Are we striving to become “new [creatures]” in Him?

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
David A. Bednar

Come permanently, for your sake and the sake of all the generations who must follow you

 The word abide denotes remaining fixed or stable and enduring without yielding. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained that “abiding” as an action means “‘[to] stay—but [to] stay forever.’ That is the call of the gospel message to … everyone … in the world. Come, but come to remain. Come with conviction and endurance. Come permanently, for your sake and the sake of all the generations who must follow you.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
David A. Bednar


Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Millennium and the Long View

 Many of the most important deprivations of mortality will be set right in the Millennium, which is the time for fulfilling all that is incomplete in the great plan of happiness for all of our Father’s worthy children. We know that will be true of temple ordinances. I believe it will also be true of family relationships and experiences.

I pray that we will not let the challenges and temporary diversions of mortality cause us to forget our covenants and lose sight of our eternal destiny. We who know God’s plan for his children, we who have covenanted to participate, have a clear responsibility. We must desire to do what is right, and we must do all that we can in our own circumstances in mortality.

October 1993
1990–1999
Dallin H. Oaks

please resist any type of evil speaking or activism toward the Church or its leaders. These lesser, secular approaches are beneath you and can be lethal to the long-term faithfulness of your child.

 Parents, if your child struggles with a gospel principle or prophetic teaching, please resist any type of evil speaking or activism toward the Church or its leaders. These lesser, secular approaches are beneath you and can be lethal to the long-term faithfulness of your child. It speaks so well of you that you would protect or advocate for your precious child or show signs of solidarity with him or her. But my wife, Jayne, and I know from personal experience that teaching your beloved child why we all desperately need Jesus Christ and how to apply His joyful doctrine is what will strengthen and heal him or her. Let us turn them to Jesus, who is their true advocate with the Father. The Apostle John taught, “Whosoever … abideth in the doctrine of Christ … hath both the Father and the Son.” He then warns us to beware “if there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine.”

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Ahmad S. Corbitt

My impression is that the Savior expects us to do all we can do, and He will do what only He can do

 What is the point of highlighting these aspects? Each of these three things had something in common—none required the use of Christ’s divine power. That which His disciples could do, He instructed them to do. The disciples were certainly capable of moving the stone themselves; Lazarus, after being raised, had the capacity to stand and present himself at the opening of the cave; and those who loved Lazarus could absolutely help him remove the graveclothes.

However, it was only the Christ who had the power and authority to raise Lazarus from the dead. My impression is that the Savior expects us to do all we can do, and He will do what only He can do

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
W. Mark Bassett

The Imperfect Harves

 

The Imperfect Harvest

Monday, October 30, 2023

Remember that perfectionism is not the same as being perfected in Christ

 Remember that perfectionism is not the same as being perfected in Christ. Perfectionism requires an impossible, self-inflicted standard that compares us to others. This causes guilt and anxiety and can make us want to withdraw and isolate ourselves.

Becoming perfected in Christ is another matter. It is the process—lovingly guided by the Holy Ghost—of becoming more like the Savior. The standards are set by a kind and all-knowing Heavenly Father and clearly defined in the covenants we are invited to embrace. It relieves us of the burdens of guilt and inadequacy, always emphasizing who we are in the sight of God. While this process lifts us and pushes us to become better, we are measured by our personal devotion to God that we manifest in our efforts to follow Him in faith. As we accept the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him, we soon realize that our best is good enough and that the grace of a loving Savior will make up the difference in ways we cannot imagine.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Vern P. Stanfill

Oil Come From

 We, like the ten virgins, have lamps; but do we have oil? I fear there are some who are just getting by on a thin skiff of oil, too busy with worldly pressures to properly prepare. Oil comes from believing and acting on prophecy and the words of living prophets, President Nelson in particular, his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles. Oil fills our souls when we hear and feel the Holy Ghost and act on that divine guidance. Oil pours into our hearts when our choices show we love the Lord and we love what He loves. Oil comes from repenting and seeking the healing of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Ronald A. Rasband

We Choose to Sustain One Another

 In courtship and marriage, we don’t fall in love or fall out of love as though we are objects being moved on a chessboard. We choose to love and sustain one another. We do the same in other family relationships and with friends who are like family to us.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
M. Russell Ballard

Saturday, October 28, 2023

There is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

 My beloved mission president, Elder Marion D. Hanks (who passed away in August), asked us as missionaries to memorize a statement to resist mortal challenges: “There is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”


He acknowledged that this doesn’t apply to all the challenges we encounter but is true in spiritual matters. I have appreciated his counsel in my life.


Quentin L. Cook, 



https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2011/10/the-songs-they-could-not-sing?lang=eng

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

the best is yet to come for those who spend their lives building up others.

 My dear brothers and sisters, the best is yet to come for those who spend their lives building up others. Today I invite you to examine your discipleship within the context of the way you treat others. I bless you to make any adjustments that may be needed so that your behavior is ennobling, respectful, and representative of a true follower of Jesus Christ.

I bless you to replace belligerence with beseeching, animosity with understanding, and contention with peace.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Russell M. Nelson

Being a peacemaker does not require us to agree with the ideas or beliefs of others.



Differences of opinion are part of life. I work every day with dedicated servants of the Lord who do not always see an issue the same way. They know I want to hear their ideas and honest feelings about everything we discuss—especially sensitive issues....

My two noble counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring, are exemplary in the way they express their feelings—especially when they may differ. They do so with pure love for each other. Neither suggests that he knows best and therefore must rigorously defend his position. Neither evidences the need to compete with the other. Because each is filled with charity, “the pure love of Christ,” our deliberations can be guided by the Spirit of the Lord. How I love and honor these two great men!

Charity is the antidote to contention. Charity is the spiritual gift that helps us to cast off the natural man, who is selfish, defensive, prideful, and jealous. Charity is the principal characteristic of a true follower of Jesus Christ. Charity defines a peacemaker.

When we humble ourselves before God and pray with all the energy of our hearts, God will grant us charity.

Those blessed with this supernal gift are long-suffering and kind. They do not envy others and are not caught up in their own importance. They are not easily provoked and do not think evil of others.

Brothers and sisters, the pure love of Christ is the answer to the contention that ails us today. Charity propels us “to bear one another’s burdens” rather than heap burdens upon each other. The pure love of Christ allows us “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things”—especially in tense situations. Charity allows us to demonstrate how men and women of Christ speak and act—especially when under fire.

Now, I am not talking about “peace at any price.”  (Being a peacemaker does not require us to agree with the ideas or beliefs of others.) I am talking about treating others in ways that are consistent with keeping the covenant you make when you partake of the sacrament. You covenant to always remember the Savior. In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would. As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Russell M. Nelson



Building bridges of understanding will require much more of you

 If a friend on social media has strong political or social views that violate everything you believe in, an angry, cutting retort by you will not help. Building bridges of understanding will require much more of you, but that is exactly what your friend needs.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Russell M. Nelson

Contention never leads to inspired solutions

 Vulgarity, faultfinding, and evil speaking of others are all too common. Too many pundits, politicians, entertainers, and other influencers throw insults constantly. I am greatly concerned that so many people seem to believe that it is completely acceptable to condemn, malign, and vilify anyone who does not agree with them. Many seem eager to damage another’s reputation with pathetic and pithy barbs!

Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. Regrettably, we sometimes see contentious behavior even within our own ranks. We hear of those who belittle their spouses and children, of those who use angry outbursts to control others, and of those who punish family members with the “silent treatment.” We hear of youth and children who bully and of employees who defame their colleagues.

My dear brothers and sisters, this should not be. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others—especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people....

The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire—no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Russell M. Nelson

It means that all our thoughts are circumscribed in His love, His life and teachings, and His atoning sacrifice and glorious Resurrection

Filling our mind with the power of Jesus Christ does not mean that He is the only thought we have. But it does mean that all our thoughts are circumscribed in His love, His life and teachings, and His atoning sacrifice and glorious Resurrection. Jesus is never in a forgotten corner, because our thoughts of Him are always present and “all that is in [us adores] him!” We pray and rehearse in our mind experiences that have brought us closer to Him. We welcome into our mind divine images, holy scriptures, and inspired hymns to gently cushion the countless daily thoughts rushing through our busy lives. Our love for Him does not shield us from the sadness and sorrow in this mortal life, but it allows us to walk through the challenges with a strength far beyond our own.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Neil L. Andersen


Tuesday, October 24, 2023

The meaning and significance of a patriarchal blessing will be taught line upon line in the course of time by the power of the same Spirit that inspired [it].

 A patriarchal blessing “is given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and should be read and interpreted under the influence of that same Spirit. The meaning and significance of a patriarchal blessing will be taught line upon line in the course of time by the power of the same Spirit that inspired [it].”


Dallin H. Oaks, “Patriarchal Blessings,” Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting: The Patriarch, Jan. 8, 2005, 10.

relief of all that hinders the joy and progress of woman

The Relief Society continues to provide relief: “Relief of poverty, relief of illness; relief of doubt, relief of ignorance—relief of all that hinders the joy and progress of woman” (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, arr. G. Homer Durham, 3 vols. in 1 [1960], 308).

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/42johnson?lang=eng#p

Friday, October 20, 2023

Tithing - A Benchmark Commandment

Always be active in the Church. I will give you a formula which will guarantee to a large extent your success in fulfilling that commitment. It is simple. It consists of just three words: Pay your tithing. Every bishop could tell you from his personal experience that when the members of the Church pay tithing, honestly, faithfully, they have little difficulty keeping the other commandments of God. I call it a benchmark commandment. 

Life's Greatest Decisions, Thomas S. Monson, CES Broadcast September 2003

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

It’s the great deceiver who wants me to hide from God, to turn away from Him, to go at it alone.

President Nelson has taught, “Jesus Christ … stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify us.”

So why do we insist on carrying our rocks alone?

It is intended as a personal question for each of you to consider.

For me, it is the age-old vice of pride. “I’ve got this,” I say. “No worries; I’ll get it done.” It’s the great deceiver who wants me to hide from God, to turn away from Him, to go at it alone.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Camille N. Johnson


Monday, October 16, 2023

Unity does not require sameness, but it does require harmony.

When he later met with the First Presidency, Elder Roberts said, “I went to the Lord and received light and instruction through His Spirit to submit to the authority of God.” Motivated by his love of God, B. H. Roberts remained a faithful and an able Church leader to the end of his life.

We can also see in this example that unity does not mean simply agreeing that everyone should do his or her own thing or go his or her own way. We cannot be one unless we all bend our efforts to the common cause. It means, in B. H. Roberts’s words, submitting to the authority of God. We are different members of the body of Christ, fulfilling different functions at different times—the ear, the eye, the head, the hand, the feet—yet all of one body. Therefore, our goal is “that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”

Unity does not require sameness, but it does require harmony. We can have our hearts knit together in love, be one in faith and doctrine, and still cheer for different teams, disagree on various political issues, debate about goals and the right way to achieve them, and many other such things. But we can never disagree or contend with anger or contempt for one another. Said the Savior:

“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

“Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.”

A year ago, President Russell M. Nelson pled with us in these words: “None of us can control nations or the actions of others or even members of our own families. But we can control ourselves. My call today, dear brothers and sisters, is to end conflicts that are raging in your heart, your home, and your life. Bury any and all inclinations to hurt others—whether those inclinations be a temper, a sharp tongue, or a resentment for someone who has hurt you. The Savior commanded us to turn the other cheek [see 3 Nephi 12:39], to love our enemies, and to pray for those who despitefully use us [see 3 Nephi 12:44].”

I say again that it is only in and through our individual loyalty to and love of Jesus Christ that we can hope to be one—one within, one at home, one in the Church, eventually one in Zion, and above all, one with the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.

April 2023
General Conference
D. Todd Christofferson


Be a good man in a storm.

 I know that you have faith in the Lord. With that faith be sure to have poise in every situation. Be a good man in a storm.

April 2023
General Conference
Mark A. Bragg

Life, after all, is made up of little things.

 Let us not think that, because some [things] … seem small and trivial, [that] they are unimportant. Life, after all, is made up of little things. Our life, our being, physically, is made up of little heart beats. Let that little heart stop beating, and life in this world ceases. The great sun is a mighty force in the universe, but we receive the blessings of [its] rays because they come to us as little beams, which, taken in the aggregate, fill the whole world with sunlight. The dark night is made pleasant by the glimmer of what seem to be little stars; and so the true Christian life is made up of little Christ-like acts performed this hour, this minute—in the home” 


(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay [2003], 219)

at the center of that plan is the family.

 Of course, we know that God’s will is not always accomplished “in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Mortal parenthood certainly pales in comparison to God’s ideal. He surely sees that. He must weep over all the sorrows and heartache in family relationships. And yet He has not given up on the family. And He will not, because God has a glorious plan for the eternal destiny of His children. And at the center of that plan is the family.

Jesus Christ is the Strength of Parents, Dieter F.  Uchtdorf, General Conference April 2023

Saturday, October 14, 2023

We will limit or eliminate time spent on social media; digital games; wasteful, excessive, or inappropriate entertainment; the allure of this world’s treasures and vanities

 If we trust the doctrine of Christ, we will set aside the shiny things of the world so that we can focus on the Redeemer of the world. We will limit or eliminate time spent on social media; digital games; wasteful, excessive, or inappropriate entertainment; the allure of this world’s treasures and vanities; and any other activities that give place to the false traditions and misguided philosophies of men. It is only in Christ we find truth and lasting fulfillment.

April 2023
General Conference
Evan A. Schmutz

Friday, October 13, 2023

Power of Covenants

 As you walk the covenant path, from baptism to the temple and throughout life, I promise you power to go against the natural worldly flow—power to learn, power to repent and be sanctified, and power to find hope, comfort, and even joy as you face life’s challenges. I promise you and your family protection against the influence of the adversary, especially when you make the temple a major focus in your life.

As you come to Christ and are connected to Him and our Heavenly Father by covenant, something seemingly unnatural happens. You are transformed and become perfected in Jesus Christ. You become a covenant child of God and an inheritor in His kingdom. I can imagine Him saying to you, “Thou art my dear child in whom I delight. Welcome home.”

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Dale G. Renlund

Thou art my dear child in whom I delight. Keep going.

 We become covenant children of God and inheritors of His kingdom, especially when we identify ourselves completely with the covenant.

The term covenant path refers to a series of covenants whereby we come to Christ and connect to Him. Through this covenant bond, we have access to His eternal power. The path begins with faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, followed by baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ showed us how to enter the path when He was baptized. According to the New Testament Gospel accounts in Mark and Luke, Heavenly Father spoke directly to Jesus at His baptism, saying, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” When we embark on the covenant path through baptism, I can imagine Heavenly Father saying a similar thing to each of us: “Thou art my dear child in whom I delight. Keep going.

April 2023
Relief Society and Elders Quorum
Dale G. Renlund

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought. Don’t discard the counsel, but hold it close

 Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought. Don’t discard the counsel, but hold it close. If someone you trusted handed you what appeared to be nothing more than sand with the promise that it contained gold, you might wisely hold it in your hand awhile, shaking it gently. Every time I have done that with counsel from a prophet, after a time the gold flakes have begun to appear and I have been grateful


(Henry B. Eyring, “Finding Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, May 1997, 26; see also 3 Nephi 1:13Doctrine and Covenants 1:14).


Consider this teaching as well:  https://quotestokeep.blogspot.com/2018/10/when-does-prophet-speak-as-prophet-and.html

But if a parent goes a little off course, the children are likely to exceed the parent’s example.

 Elder Richard L. Evans once observed: “Some parents mistakenly feel that they can relax a little as to conduct and conformity … that they can ease up a little on the fundamentals without affecting their family or their family’s future. But if a parent goes a little off course, the children are likely to exceed the parent’s example.”

As a generation that has the sacred charge to prepare the rising generation for its prophesied role in the latter days, which role must be fulfilled in a time when the adversary’s influence is at its peak, we cannot be a source of confusion about the importance of following prophetic counsel. It is that very counsel that will allow the rising generation to see “the enemy while he [is] yet afar off; and then [they can make] ready” to withstand the enemy’s attack. Our seemingly small deviations, quiet neglect, or whispered criticisms in response to prophetic counsel may result in our only walking dangerously near the edge of the covenant path; but when magnified by the adversary in the lives of the rising generation, such actions may influence them to leave that path altogether. Such a result is a generational price that is too high.

April 2023
Allen D. Haynie


Similar to this post teaching:

https://quotestokeep.blogspot.com/2008/12/pitiching-ones-tent-on-periphery-of.html

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Gathering of Israel is Also a Matter of Individual Commitment

President Nelson has stated that the gathering “is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. People can be ‘brought to the knowledge of the Lord’ [3 Nephi 20:13] without leaving their homelands” (“The Gathering of Scattered Israel,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 81). See also 3 Nephi 21:1–7.

April 2023
General Conference
Quentin L. Cook

Friday, October 6, 2023

During the Council in Heaven in the premortal existence, the plan of salvation was discussed and sustained.

 During the Council in Heaven in the premortal existence, the plan of salvation was discussed and sustained. It included certain laws and ordinances of the priesthood instituted before the foundation of the world and predicated upon the gathering. It also included the overriding principle of agency.

April 2023
General Conference
Quentin L. Cook

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Stand fast, ye Saints of God, hold on a little while longer, and the storm of life will be past

Stand fast, ye Saints of God, hold on a little while longer, and the storm of life will be past, and you will be rewarded by that God whose servants you are, and who will duly appreciate all your toils and afflictions for Christ’s sake and the Gospel’s. Your names will be handed down to posterity as Saints of God.

Chapter 19: Stand Fast through the Storms of Life

Joseph Smith

There is power in making these holy habits less of a checklist and more of a witness

I have attended the temple many times, but when I worship in the house of the Lord, it changes me. Sometimes while fasting, I find myself simply going hungry, but other times, I feast on the Spirit with purpose. I sometimes have mumbled prayers that are repetitive and routine, but I have also come eager to receive counsel from the Lord through prayer.

There is power in making these holy habits less of a checklist and more of a witness. The process will be gradual but will grow with daily, active participation and purposeful experiences with Christ. As we consistently act on His teaching, we gain a testimony of Him; we build a relationship with Him and our Heavenly Father. We begin to become like Them.

The adversary creates so much noise that it can be difficult to hear the Lord’s voice. Our world, our challenges, our circumstances will not get quieter, but we can and must hunger and thirst after the things of Christ to “hear Him” with clarity. We want to create muscle memory of discipleship and testimony that will bring into focus our reliance on our Savior each day.

April 2023
General Conference
Bonnie H. Cordon

Power of Paying Attention

 Livvy has watched general conference her entire life. In fact, in her home they traditionally watch all five sessions as a family. In the past, conference for Livvy had meant doodling or drifting into the occasional unintended nap. But this past October general conference was different. It became personal.

This time, Livvy decided to be an active recipient. She silenced notifications on her phone and took notes of impressions from the Spirit. She was amazed as she felt specific things God wanted her to hear and do. This decision made a difference in her life almost immediately.

Just days later her friends invited her to an inappropriate movie. She reflected, “I felt the words and spirit of conference return into my heart, and I heard myself declining their invitation.” She also had the courage to share her testimony of the Savior in her ward.

After these events she stated, “The amazing thing is, when I heard myself testify that Jesus is the Christ, I felt the Holy Ghost confirm it again for me.”

Livvy did not skip like a stone over the surface of conference weekend; she dove in, mind and spirit, and found the Savior there.

April 2023
General Conference
Bonnie H. Cordon

The Book of Mormon more than any other ever published on this earth, bears witness of the life, the ministry, the teachings, the Atonement, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

This book, more than any other ever published on this earth, bears witness of the life, the ministry, the teachings, the Atonement, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. My dear brothers and sisters, studying regularly from this book about Jesus Christ will change your life. It will open your eyes to new possibilities. It will increase your hope and fill you with charity. Most of all, it will build and strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ and bless you with a sure knowledge that He and our Father know you, love you, and want you to find your way back home, with a capital H.....No book does more to show that:

Because of Jesus Christ, everything changed.

Because of Him, everything is better.

Because of Him, life is manageable—especially the painful moments.

Because of Him, everything is possible.

His visit as a resurrected Savior, introduced by God the Father, is a most glorious and triumphant Easter message. It will help our family members gain a personal testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, who broke the bands of death.
April 2023
General Conference
Gary E. Stevenson


ake Easter away, and you don’t have a New Testament; you don’t have a Christianity.

 New Testament scholar N. T. Wright suggested: “We should be taking steps to celebrate Easter in creative new ways: in art, literature, children’s games, poetry, music, dance, festivals, bells, special concerts. … This is our greatest festival. Take Christmas away, and in biblical terms you lose two chapters at the front of Matthew and Luke, nothing else. Take Easter away, and you don’t have a New Testament; you don’t have a Christianity.

April 2023
General Conference
Gary E. Stevenson

Monday, October 2, 2023

I like to quote from them, for they give the voice of authority to that which I say

 I love our scriptures. I love these wonderful volumes, which set forth the word of the Lord—given personally or through prophets—for the guidance of our Father’s sons and daughters. I love to read the scriptures, and I try to do so consistently and repeatedly. I like to quote from them, for they give the voice of authority to that which I say. I do not claim distinction as a scholar of the scriptures. For me, the reading of the scriptures is not the pursuit of scholarship. Rather, it is a love affair with the word of the Lord and that of his prophets....

I do not concern myself much with reading long commentary volumes designed to enlarge at length upon that which is found in the scriptures. Rather, I prefer to dwell with the source, tasting of the unadulterated waters of the fountain of truth—the word of God as he gave it and as it has been recorded in the books we accept as scripture. Where there are questions, or where cross-referencing will help, the tools in the new editions will be invaluable. Through reading the scriptures, we can gain the assurance of the Spirit that that which we read has come of God for the enlightenment, blessing, and joy of his children.

December 1985
Gordon B. Hinckley

We will come to discern that, as helpful as other sources may be in our study of the Savior and the words of His prophets, they must never become a replacement for them.

 We will come to discern that, as helpful as other sources may be in our study of the Savior and the words of His prophets, they must never become a replacement for them. We must drink deeply and often directly from the source.

October 2022
General Conference
Mark D. Eddy

Virtue of the Word of God

 Perhaps you are feeling as though you were in the midst of darkness. Does your soul ache for illumination? If so, please try the virtue of the word of God....Brothers and sisters, there are so many among us who are yearning for someone we love to be brought to sing redeeming love. In all our efforts, let us remember to try the virtue of the word of God, which is in us....Are you seeking to cut through all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil so prevalent in the philosophies of our day? Do you desire to disperse the clouds of confusion caused by an overabundance of information in order to focus more singularly on the covenant path? Please try the virtue of the word of God.

October 2022
General Conference
Mark D. Eddy

Friday, September 29, 2023

Great Spiritual Strength and Steadfast and Immovable

 Although the world will experience large swings in its pendulums of popularity as people are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, consistent gospel living helps us to be steadfast and immovable during the storms of life. We can also demonstrate consistency by accepting President Nelson’s invitation to “make time for the Lord.” Great spiritual strength comes from small and simple things like developing “holy habits and righteous routines” of daily prayer, repentance, scripture study, and service to others.

October 2022
General Conference
Jonathan S. Schmitt

In our ministering, texting and technology should be used to enhance, not replace, personal contact

 As good shepherds and as local conditions permit, we should seek to spend more time ministering to people in their homes. In our ministering, texting and technology should be used to enhance, not replace, personal contact....As Elder David A. Bednar observed: “Everybody thinks a text is enough [for ministering]. There are occasions where you need to be in the home and you need to look the people in the eyes, because you’re going to receive impressions and inspiration in the home that you’ll never get any other way” (“An Evening with Elder David A. Bednar” [broadcast for religious educators], Feb. 7, 2020], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

October 2022
General Conference
Jonathan S. Schmitt

Serving is not about you; it is about the Savior.

 To those who will choose to serve, I can attest to the blessings that will come as you heed a prophet’s call. Serving is not about you; it is about the Savior. You will be called to a place, but more importantly you will be called to a people. You will have the great responsibility and blessing of helping new friends understand that the answer is Jesus.

October 2022
General Conference
Ryan K. Olsen

Thursday, September 28, 2023

I plead with you now—to take charge of your own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel

 I plead with you now—to take charge of your own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Work for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth. Don’t pollute it with false philosophies of unbelieving men and women. As you make the continual strengthening of your testimony of Jesus Christ your highest priority, watch for miracles to happen in your life.

October 2022
General Conference
Russell M. Nelson



When we choose to put God first in our lives, His blessings come in abundance.

When we choose to put God first in our lives, His blessings come in abundance.

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

Ezra Taft Benson


What Does It Mean to Overcome the World

 What does it mean to overcome the world? It means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than the things of God. It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men. It means delighting in truth, denouncing deception, and becoming “humble followers of Christ.” It means choosing to refrain from anything that drives the Spirit away. It means being willing to “give away” even our favorite sins.

October 2022
General Conference
Russell M. Nelson

Making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier!

 ear brothers and sisters, I grieve for those who leave the Church because they feel membership requires too much of them. They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier! Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder that stunning truth!....entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier. Please do not misunderstand me: I did not say that making covenants makes life easy. In fact, expect opposition, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.

October 2022
General Conference
Russell M. Nelson

In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen.

 my dear brothers and sisters, 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,” He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.

Nonetheless, we are presently living in what surely is a most complicated time in the history of the world. The complexities and challenges leave many people feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

October 2022
General Conference
Russell M. Nelson



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Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Stuff of Heroes

It is one thing to “hear Him” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17) in a quiet place of contemplation with scriptures wide open. But it is quite another thing to carry our discipleship into this mortal flurry of distractions, where we must strive to “hear Him” even through the blur of self-concern and faltering confidence. Let there be no doubt: it is the very stuff of heroes displayed by our youth when they set their hearts and minds to standing upright against the shifting moral tectonics of our time.

October 2022
General Conference
Steven J. Lund


Drenching Ourselves In Scriptures

What Kinds of Things Can We Do to Maintain the Fire of Our Convictions?

Experiences like FSY conferences, camps, sacrament meetings, and missions can help to burnish our testimonies, taking us through arcs of growth and spiritual discovery to places of relative peace. But what must we do to stay there and continue to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20) rather than slipping backward? We must continue to do those things that brought us there in the first place, like praying often, drenching ourselves in scripture, and serving sincerely.

For some of us, it may require an exercise of trusting in the Lord even to attend sacrament meeting. But once we are there, the healing influence of the Lord’s sacrament, infusions of gospel principles, and the nurture of the Church community can send us home on higher ground.

October 2022
General Conference
Steven J. Lund


When we respect and align what we do with these eternal realities, we experience internal peace and harmony

 This morning our two children and three grandchildren in North America, and about half of the world, saw the brightness of the sun rising majestically in the east. The other three children and seven grandchildren in Africa, and the other half of the world, saw darkness gradually creep upon them as the sun sank over the horizon in the west.

This timeless constancy of the onset of day and night is one daily reminder of realities that govern our lives that we cannot change. When we respect and align what we do with these eternal realities, we experience internal peace and harmony. When we don’t, we are unsettled, and things do not work as we expect.

October 2022
General Conference
Joseph W. Sitati

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

As we take up our crosses and follow Him, it would be tragic indeed if the weight of our challenges did not make us more empathetic for and more attentive to the burdens being carried by others

 As we take up our crosses and follow Him, it would be tragic indeed if the weight of our challenges did not make us more empathetic for and more attentive to the burdens being carried by others. It is one of the most powerful paradoxes of the Crucifixion that the arms of the Savior were stretched wide open and then nailed there, unwittingly but accurately portraying that every man, woman, and child in the entire human family is not only welcome but invited into His redeeming, exalting embrace.

Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2022 General Conference, Lifted Up Upon the Cross

As the glorious Resurrection followed the agonizing Crucifixion, so blessings of every kind are poured out on those who are willing...o obtain such blessings, may we follow Him—unfailingly, never faltering nor fleeing, never flinching at the task, not when our crosses may be heavy and not when, for a time, the path may grow dark.

As the glorious Resurrection followed the agonizing Crucifixion, so blessings of every kind are poured out on those who are willing, as the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob says, to “believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross.” Sometimes these blessings come soon and sometimes they come later, but the marvelous conclusion to our personal via dolorosa14 is the promise from the Master Himself that they do and will come. To obtain such blessings, may we follow Him—unfailingly, never faltering nor fleeing, never flinching at the task, not when our crosses may be heavy and not when, for a time, the path may grow dark.


A true Christian cannot follow the Master only in those matters with which he or she agrees. No. We follow Him everywhere, including, if necessary, into arenas filled with tears and trouble, where sometimes we may stand very much alone.


To be a follower of Jesus Christ, one must sometimes carry a burden—your own or someone else’s—and go where sacrifice is required and suffering is inevitable. A true Christian cannot follow the Master only in those matters with which he or she agrees. No. We follow Him everywhere, including, if necessary, into arenas filled with tears and trouble, where sometimes we may stand very much alone.

I know people, in and out of the Church, who are following Christ just that faithfully. I know children with severe physical disabilities, and I know the parents who care for them. I see all of them working sometimes to the point of total exhaustion, seeking strength, safety, and a few moments of joy that come no other way. I know many single adults who yearn for and deserve a loving companion, a wonderful marriage, and a home full of children of their own. No desire could be more righteous, but year after year such good fortune does not yet come. I know those who are fighting mental illness of many kinds, who plead for help as they pray and pine and claw for the promised land of emotional stability. I know those who live with debilitating poverty but, defying despair, ask only for the chance to make better lives for their loved ones and others in need around them. I know many who wrestle with wrenching matters of identity, gender, and sexuality. I weep for them, and I weep with them, knowing how significant the consequences of their decisions will be.

These are just a few of so many trying circumstances we may face in life, solemn reminders that there is a cost to discipleship. To Araunah, who attempted to give him free oxen and free wood for his burnt offering, King David said, “Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: … [for I] will [not] offer … unto the Lord my God … that which doth cost me nothing.”12 So too say we all.

Saturday, September 23, 2023

It is a wondrous journey to be wheat among the tares, sometimes fraught with heartache but always calmed by the maturing and assuring settling of our faith

 We are all “children of the covenant” stretching across the earth in nations and cultures on every continent, numbering in the millions, as we await the glorious return of our Lord and Savior. Shining as a light to those around us, we consciously shape our desires, thoughts, choices, and actions. Seeking with all our heart to know and love the Savior, we separate ourselves from the world through covenants with God, being distinct, uncommon, and special, as we honor Him and His teachings without isolating ourselves from others who believe differently.

It is a wondrous journey to be wheat among the tares, sometimes fraught with heartache but always calmed by the maturing and assuring settling of our faith. As you allow your love for the Savior and His love for you to sink deep into your heart, I promise you added confidence, peace, and joy in meeting the challenges of your life. And the Savior promises us: “I [will] gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory.”

October 2022
General Conference
Neil L. Andersen

Treasure, protect, defend, and safeguard the gift of the Holy Ghost...Do [you] ‘dare to be different?’ … [Especially] important … are the choices you are making in your personal life. … Are you going forward against the world’s opposition?

Treasure, protect, defend, and safeguard the gift of the Holy Ghost...President Nelson’s prophetic warning that I will repeat again: “It will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” It is a gift beyond price. We do our very best to protect our daily experiences so the influence of the Holy Ghost remains with us. We are a light to the world, and when necessary, we willingly choose to be different from others. President Dallin H. Oaks recently asked young adults: “Do [you] ‘dare to be different?’ … [Especially] important … are the choices you are making in your personal life. … Are you going forward against the world’s opposition?”

October 2022
General Conference
Neil L. Andersen

Please, young men, do not postpone your preparation to serve the Lord as missionaries

Please, young men, do not postpone your preparation to serve the Lord as missionaries. As you face situations that may make the decision to serve a mission a difficult one—such as interrupting your studies for a time, saying goodbye to your girlfriend without any guarantee that you will ever date her again, or even having to walk away from a job—remember the Savior’s example. During His ministry, He likewise faced difficulty, including criticism, persecution, and ultimately the bitter cup of His atoning sacrifice. Yet in all circumstances He sought to do the will of His Father and give glory to Him. (See John 5:30; 6:38–39; 3 Nephi 11:11; Doctrine and Covenants 19:18–19.)

October 2022
General Conference
Denelson Silva