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Showing posts with label J. Devn Cornish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J. Devn Cornish. Show all posts

Thursday, April 9, 2026

Am I good enough? Will I make it?

 As with my own experience, our members often ask, “Am I good enough as a person?” or “Will I really make it to the celestial kingdom?” Of course, there is no such thing as “being good enough.” None of us could ever “earn” or “deserve” our salvation, but it is normal to wonder if we are acceptable before the Lord, which is how I understand these questions....

Let me be direct and clear. The answers to the questions “Am I good enough?” and “Will I make it?” are “Yes! You are going to be good enough” and “Yes, you are going to make it as long as you keep repenting and do not rationalize or rebel.” The God of heaven is not a heartless referee looking for any excuse to throw us out of the game. He is our perfectly loving Father, who yearns more than anything else to have all of His children come back home and live with Him as families forever. He truly gave His Only Begotten Son that we might not perish but have everlasting life! Please believe, and please take hope and comfort from, this eternal truth. Our Heavenly Father intends for us to make it! That is His work and His glory.

October 2016
2010–2019
J. Devn Cornish

Saturday, August 3, 2024

There is also great importance in testifying of the truth of the Church as an institution.

 We should testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and other fundamentals are true, but there is also great importance in testifying of the truth of the Church as an institution. In the temple we learn that that is where our consecration is focused. As we feel the truthfulness of the organization that the Lord Himself directs, then we feel responsible to be true to the doctrine and practices taught by the Church

June 2024
Liahona
J. Devn Cornish

With clear belief and conviction come clear and compelling commitments

 The truths of the gospel do not require the defense and loyalty of the Saints to maintain them. They are true in and of themselves. But belief in general can become so vague as to have neither motivating nor saving power, and near-infidels can claim adherence (see James 2:19–20). By contrast, a conviction that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true and guided by the Lord leads one to attend meetings, pay tithes and offerings, serve in callings, receive ordinances, and keep the associated covenants. With clear belief and conviction come clear and compelling commitments. In other words, once we know it is true, we become morally obligated to act like it’s true.

June 2024
Liahona
J. Devn Cornish

The truths of the gospel do not require the defense and loyalty of the Saints to maintain them. They are true in and of themselves.

 The truths of the gospel do not require the defense and loyalty of the Saints to maintain them. They are true in and of themselves.

June 2024
Liahona
J. Devn Cornish

What Do We Mean When We Say the Church Is True?

 What do we mean when we say the Church is true if we don’t mean that it’s perfect?

First and foremost, we mean that it is led by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself through living prophets and apostles.

We mean that it has all the scriptures God has revealed and every doctrine and truth of importance for our salvation.

We mean that it holds the priesthood authority to direct the Church and to administer the essential ordinances, and we mean that those ordinances will be valid both in this life and in the eternities.

We mean that those who follow its precepts will have enduring joy both in this life and forever.

We mean that those who receive the saving ordinances and keep the associated covenants, repenting sincerely as required, positively will be exalted in the celestial kingdom of God.

And especially we mean that the Holy Ghost will bear witness of these things to sincere seekers of the truth.

Following the teachings of the Church works—it makes us better people, brings us peace and joy, and prepares us to return to our Heavenly Father.

....

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its fundamental mission to build up the kingdom of God on the earth and to establish Zion, all in joyful anticipation of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In doing so, we recognize that it is only through the formal institution of the Lord’s restored Church that those precious purposes can be accomplished.

.....

Of course, we should testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and other fundamentals are true, but there is also great importance in testifying of the truth of the Church as an institution. In the temple we learn that that is where our consecration is focused. As we feel the truthfulness of the organization that the Lord Himself directs, then we feel responsible to be true to the doctrine and practices taught by the Church.


June 2024
Liahona
J. Devn Cornish

I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect children—and imperfect people make mistakes

 “To be perfectly frank, there have been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine.

“I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect children—and imperfect people make mistakes. …

“It is unfortunate that some have stumbled because of mistakes made by men. But in spite of this, the eternal truth of the restored gospel found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not tarnished, diminished, or destroyed.

“As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and as one who has seen firsthand the councils and workings of this Church, I bear solemn witness that no decision of significance affecting this Church or its members is ever made without earnestly seeking the inspiration, guidance, and approbation of our Eternal Father. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. God will not allow His Church to drift from its appointed course or fail to fulfill its divine destiny.”

Sometimes we defend a concept about the way the Lord deals with the leaders and members of His Church that does not serve us well. We might expect that the Lord should control everything that leaders and administrators in the Church do so that no mistakes of any kind can be made. It may be better to recognize that the Lord gives guidance to those servants as they prayerfully do their best in their respective charges to direct His work. That is how loving parents teach their children.

The Lord gives us guidance but does not generally exercise control, except in matters that bear directly on our salvation. Once again, it is not His purpose to perfect the Church but rather to perfect His children, including Church leaders and administrators. This pattern of inspired operations at Church headquarters is not substantially different from that used in stakes and wards and homes.

June 2024
Liahona
J. Devn Cornish

it is only through the formal institution of the Lord’s restored Church that those precious purposes can be accomplished.

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its fundamental mission to build up the kingdom of God on the earth and to establish Zion, all in joyful anticipation of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In doing so, we recognize that it is only through the formal institution of the Lord’s restored Church that those precious purposes can be accomplished.

June 2024
Liahona
J. Devn Cornish

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Heavenly Father will love and correct but never discourage us; that is Satan’s trick.

Please, my beloved brothers and sisters, we must stop comparing ourselves to others. We torture ourselves needlessly by competing and comparing. We falsely judge our self-worth by the things we do or don’t have and by the opinions of others. If we must compare, let us compare how we were in the past to how we are today—and even to how we want to be in the future. The only opinion of us that matters is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us. Please sincerely ask Him what He thinks of you. He will love and correct but never discourage us; that is Satan’s trick.

J. Devn Dornish, "Am I Good Enough? Will I Make It?", October 2016 General Conference

Thursday, May 9, 2013

It Is As Tragic To Think We Are Too Sinful To Pray As It Is For A Very Sick Person To Believe He Is Too Sick To Go To The Doctor!

There is a risk that a person may not feel good enough to pray. This idea comes from that evil spirit who is the one who teaches us not to pray (see 2 Nephi 32:8). It is as tragic to think we are too sinful to pray as it is for a very sick person to believe he is too sick to go to the doctor!

 October 2011 General Conference -  "The Privilege Of Prayer"  J. Devn Cornish