Missionary Language

“There is one language…that is common to each missionary-the language of the Spirit. It is not learned from textbooks, nor is it acquired through reading and memorization. The language of the Spirit comes to him who seeks with all his heart to know God and keep His divine commandments. Proficiency in this language permits one to breach barriers, overcome obstacles, and tough the human heart.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, June 1997, 2)

Sister Missionaries

“There has been some misunderstanding of earlier counsel regarding single sisters serving as missionaries. We need some young women. They perform a remarkable work. They can get in homes where the elders cannot. But it should be kept in mind that young sisters are not under obligation to go on missions. They should not feel that they have a duty comparable to that of young men, but some will wish to go.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (“To the Bishops of the Church,” 27)

Sister Missionaries

“Worthy single women ages twenty-one and older … may be recommended to serve full-time missions. … These sisters can make a valuable contribution … , but they should not be pressured to serve. Bishops should not recommend them for missionary service if it will interfere with imminent marriage prospects.”

–The First Presidency (qtd. Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 2006, 88)

Missionary Work

“It is not necessary for you to be called to go into the mission field in order to proclaim the truth. Begin on the man who lives next door by inspiring confidence in him, by inspiring love in him for you because of your righteousness, and your missionary work has already begun.”

-George Albert Smith (Conference Report, Oct. 1916, pp. 50–51.)

Missionary Work

“My understanding is that the most important mission that I have in this life is: first, to keep the commandments of God, as they have been taught to me; and next, to teach them to my Father’s children who do not understand them. . . .”

–George Albert Smith (Conference Report, Oct. 1916, pp. 50-51)

Missionary Work

“Missionary service is not easy, but it is infinitely worth it.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2005, 70)

Missionary Work

“We need more missionaries. The message to raise the bar on missionary qualifications was not a signal to send fewer missionaries but … a call for parents and leaders to work with young men earlier to better prepare them for missionary service and to keep them worthy of such service. All young men who are worthy and who are physically and emotionally able should prepare to serve in this most important work”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (“To the Bishops of the Church,” Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, June 19, 2004, 27).

Missionary Work

“This work is rigorous. It demands strength and vitality. It demands mental sharpness and capacity. It demands faith, desire, and consecration. It demands clean hands and a pure heart.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (qtd by M. Russell Ballard, Ensign May 2005, 69)

Missionary Work

“In this work there must be commitment. There must be devotion. We are engaged in a great eternal struggle that concerns the very souls of the sons and daughters of God. We are not losing. We are winning. We will continue to win if we will be faithful and true. We can do it. We must do it. We will do it. There is nothing that Lord asked of us that in faith we cannot accomplish.”

-Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 1986, 44)

Missionary Work

“The Lord has not chosen the great and learned of the world to perform His work on the earth…but the humble men [and women] devoted to His cause…who are willing to be led and guided by the Holy Spirit, and who will of necessity give the glory unto Him knowing that of themselves they can do nothing.”

–Lorenzo Snow (Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, 77)

Second Coming

"God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the second coming of the Lord...God has saved for the [final days] some of His strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly.  That is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God...
"In all ages prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to our day.  Billions of the deceased and those yet to be born have their eyes upon us.  Make no mistake about it--you are a marked generation.  There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time than there is of us."

-Ezra Taft Benson (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 104-5)

Missionary Work

“I testify that devoted full-time missionary service is a source of great happiness and rich blessings, not only for those who hear the message but also for those who, under the guidance of the Spirit, deliver it.”

 –Richard G. Scott (Ensign, May 2006, 90)

Missionary Work

“I have observed how some of the strongest, most capable elders and sisters are called to the United States and Canada to keep the roots of the Church strong there.”

–Richard G. Scott (Ensign, May 2006, 89)

Missionary Work

“I urge you not to pray to know whether you should go; rather, ask the Lord to guide you in whatever may be necessary to become a worthy, empowered full-time missionary. You will never regret serving a mission…”

–Richard G. Scott (Ensign, May 2006, 90)

Missionary Work

“I am confident that I would not have had the exceptional professional opportunities that stretched my every capacity. I am certain that I would not have received the sacred callings with opportunities to serve for which I will be eternally grateful. My life has been richly blessed beyond measure because I served a mission.”

–Richard G. Scott (Ensign, May 2006, 89-90)

Missionary Work

“…how challenging missionary opportunities had enriched our lives.”

–Richard G. Scott (Ensign May 2006, 88)

Missionary Work

“Mary Lee served a most effective mission in Spain that unveiled hidden capacities, matured her spiritual development, and caused to flower capabilities that have blessed her as a wife and mother.”

–Richard G. Scott (Ensign, May 2006, 89)

Missionary Work

“The message of the restored gospel we share is absolutely vital. It is from God our Eternal Father for every one of His children on earth and is centered in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. When that message is understood and lived, it can replace turmoil with peace, sorrow with happiness and provide solutions to life’s persistent challenges.”

–Richard G. Scott (Ensign, May 2006, 87)

Missionary Work

“I will be forever grateful for the wise counsel my mission president gave me as I arrived in England to serve as a missionary. He said, “Elder Ashton, these people in this land have been at it a long time. If you will keep your eyes, ears, and mind open, you can learn much while you are here. Look for the good and overlook that which is different from your ways.” The longer I stayed in England, the more I appreciated his advice. Day by day I grew to love and appreciate that great country and its people. For example, instead of freezing in the raw winter weather, I did as the English did—I put on another sweater rather than wasting time murmuring and complaining”

–Marvin J. Ashton (Ensign, Nov 1982)

Missionary Work

"Missionary work is difficult. It will tax your energies. It will strain your capacity. It will demand your best effort—frequently, a second effort. Remember, the race goeth ‘not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong’ (Eccl. 9:11)—but to him who endures to the end. Determine to—
'Stick to your task till it sticks to you.
Beginners are many, but enders are few.
Honor, power, place and praise
Will always come to the one who stays.
Stick to your task till it sticks to you;
Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too—
For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile
Will come life’s victories after awhile.'"

-Thomas S. Monson (Ensign May 1979, 35)

Missionary Work

"The single most important thing you can do to prepare for a call to serve is to become a missionary long before you go on a mission."

-David A. Bednar (Ensign, Nov 2005, 44)

Missionary Work

“The Holy Ghost has as a major purpose witnessing that Jesus is the Christ. As we plead for help in His service, the Holy Ghost will come and confirm our faith in Him. Our faith in the Savior will increase. And, as we continue to serve Him, we will come to love Him. To be called to serve is a call to come to love the Master we serve. It is a call to have our natures changed.”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 17)

Missionary Work

“Alma went on to become one of the greatest missionaries in the Book of Mormon. Yet in all his many years of missionary service, he never spoke of the angel’s visit. Instead, he chose to testify that the truth had been made known to him by the Holy Spirit of God. To be instructed by an angel would be a great blessing. However, as Alma taught us, his final and lasting conversion came only after he had ‘fasted and prayed many days.’ His complete conversion came from the Holy Ghost, which is available to all of us if we are worthy.”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, May 2006, 51-52)

Missionary Work

“I bear testimony that if we will just do some of these simple things, the Lord will lead us to find tens of thousands of Heavenly Father’s children who are ready to be taught the gospel.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 87)

Missionary Work

“From every indicator we have, there is nothing more effective that any of us can do for our friends than to say ‘come and see’ by joining with us in sacrament meeting. Far too many do not know they are welcome to worship with us.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 87)

Missionary Work

“A sister in France was asked about the secret of her success. She said, ‘I simply share my joy. I treat everyone as if they were already a member of the Church. If I’m standing by someone in line and strike up a conversation, I share with them how much I enjoyed my Church meetings on Sunday. When co-workers ask, ‘What did you do this weekend?’ I do not skip from Saturday night to Monday morning. I share with them that I went to church, what was said, and my experiences with the Saints. I talk about how I live, think, and feel.’”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 86)

Missionary Work

“In a gospel-sharing home we do not just pray for the health, safety, and success of our missionaries throughout the world. We also pray for our own missionary experiences and opportunities and to be prepared to act on those impressions as they come our way. And I promise you, they will come.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 86)

Missionary Work

“…friends will come naturally into our lives, and if we are open about our membership in the Church from the very beginning, we can easily bring gospel discussions into the relationship with very little risk of being misunderstood. Friends and acquaintances will accept that this is part of who we are, and they will feel free to ask questions.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 86)

Missionary Work

“If you are truly motivated by love and testimony and gratitude, you will quite naturally do all that you can to assist the Lord in ‘[bringing] to pass the immortality and eternal life’ of our Father’s children. In fact, it would be impossible to keep you from doing it.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 85)

Missionary Work

“Our love for the Lord and appreciation for the Restoration of the gospel are all the motivation we need to share what gives us much joy and happiness. It is the most natural thing in the world for us to do, and yet far too many of us are hesitant to share our testimonies with others.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 84)

Love

“The discerning realize that it is not realistic to expect perfection in others when none of us is perfect.”

–Marvin J. Ashton (Ensign, Nov 1982, 63)

Love

“Love is the essence of the gospel and the greatest of all the commandments.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 100)

The Lord's Will

“Our true claim as disciples comes when we can say with certainty that His ways have become our ways.”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2006, 21)

The Lord's Will

“If you trust the Lord and obey Him, His hand shall be over you, He will help you achieve the great potential He sees in you, and he will help you see the end from the beginning.”

–Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Ensign, May 2006, 42)

The Lord's Will

“Instead of saying ‘I do what I want,’ our motto should be, ‘I do what the Father wants me to do.’”

–Wolfgang H. Paul (Ensign, May 2006, 35)

The Lord's Will

“Everything good that has happened, including my marriage, I owe to my activity in the Church.”

-Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, May 2006, 83)

The Lord's Will

“I apologize again for speaking in a personal vein. However, I do so only as an expression of appreciation and gratitude for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all of this coming to pass because of the place in which the Lord has put me.”

-Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, May 2006, 83)

The Lord's Will

“…in this ongoing process of growing up unto the Lord, we will be asked to do all we can, in some cases, even more than we know how to do. The challenges may be formidable and the route sometimes unknown.”

 –Anne C. Pingree (Ensign, May 2006, 76)

The Lord's Will

“Choose to put everything—literally everything—on the altar before Him. Believing that you are His child, decide that your life belongs to Him and that you will use your agency to do His will. You may do this multiple times in your life, but never, never give up.”

–Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 7)

The Lord's Will

"If we pray to know His will and submit ourselves to it with patience and courage, heavenly healing can take place in His own way and time."

-Russell M. Nelson (Ensign, Nov 2005, 85)

The Lord's Will

“No matter our age, circumstances, or abilities, each one of us can create something remarkable of his life. David saw himself as a shepherd, but the Lord saw him as a king of Israel. Joseph of Egypt served as a slave, but the Lord saw him as a seer. Mormon wore the armor of a soldier, but the Lord saw him as a prophet.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 101)

The Lord's Will

“Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until long after the events transpire.”

–Joseph Smith Jr. (Teaching of Spencer W. Kimball, 59)

Light of Christ

“The Light of Christ is as universal as sunlight itself. Wherever there is human life, there is the Spirit of Christ. Every living soul is possessed of it. … It is the inspirer of everything that will bless and benefit mankind. It nourishes goodness itself”

–Boyd K. Packer (“The Light of Christ,” Liahona and Ensign, Apr. 2005, 13).

Light of Christ

“Every moment of [our lives] must be holiness to the Lord, … which is the only course by which [we] can preserve the Spirit of the Almighty to [ourselves].”

–Brigham Young (qtd by James E. Faust, Ensign, May 2005, 68)

Light of Christ

“When you know who you are and what you should be doing with your life, you don’t want to hide your light.”

–Julie B. Beck (Ensign, May 2006, 107)

Light of Christ

"What are we doing to keep the light shining in our own eyes and countenances? Much of that light comes from our discipline, dedication, and consecration some important absolutes. The foremost of these absolutes is that there is a God who is the Father of our souls to whom we account for our actions. Second, that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Third, that the great plan of happiness requires obedience to God’s commandments. Fourth, that the greatest gift of God is eternal life."

-James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2005, 20)

Kindness

“Catch others doing something right.”

-M. Russell Ballard (quoted in Ensign, Nov 2006, 19)

Kindness/Charity

“Meaningful progress can be made only when all of us can cast the motes out of our own eyes, leave judgment to our Father in Heaven, and lose ourselves in righteous living.”

–Marvin J. Ashton (Ensign, Nov 1982, 63)

Kindness

"The Savior taught, 'Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.' He also taught that 'with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.' 'But,' you ask, 'what if people are rude?' Love them. 'If they are obnoxious?' Love them. 'But what if they offend? Surely I must do something then?' Love them. 'Wayward?' The answer is the same. Be kind. Love them. Why? In the scriptures Jude taught, 'And of some have compassion, making a difference.' Who can tell what far-reaching impact we can have if we are only kind?”

 –Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 28)

Kindness

“When we are filled with kindness, we are not judgmental.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 28)

Kindness

“If you are criticizing others, you are weakening the Church. If you are building others, you are building the kingdom of God.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 28)

Kindness

“Never look down on those who are less perfect than you.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 28)

Kindness

“Even when we think we are doing no harm by our critical remarks, consequences often follow.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 27)

Kindness

“Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 26)

Kindness

“There is no substitute for kindness in the home. This lesson I learned from my father. He always listened to my mother’s advice. As a result, he was a better, wiser, and kinder man.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 27)

Kindness/Joseph Smith

“The Prophet Joseph Smith exemplified kindness in his life to everyone, old and young.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 27)

Kindness

“Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 26)

Kindness

“There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, May 2006, 61)

Kindness

“Whenever your politics cause you to speak unkindly of your brethren, know this, that you are on dangerous ground.”

 –George Albert Smith (qtd by Robert S. Wood, Ensign, May 2006, 95)

Kindness

“There is nothing in the world more deleterious or harmful to the human family than hatred, prejudice suspicion, and the attitude that some people have toward their fellows, of unkindness.”

–George Albert Smith (qtd by Robert S. Wood, Ensign, May 2006, 95)

Kindness

“Now, there is much that we can and must do in these perilous times. We can give our options on the merit of the situation as we see it, but never let us become a party to words or works of evil concerning our brothers and sisters in various nations on one side or the other. Political differences never justify hatred or ill will. I hope that the Lord’s people may be at peace one with another during times of trouble, regardless of what loyalties they may have to different governments or parties.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (qtd. Robert S. Wood, Ensign, May 2006, 95)

Kindness

“The poet Robert Frost once defined education as “the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.” Probably we will never be free of those who are openly anti-Mormon. Therefore, we encourage all our members to refuse to become anti-anti-Mormon. In the wise words of old, can we “live and let live”? (Johann Schiller, in The Home Book of Quotations, New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1935, p. 1119.)”

–Marvin J. Ashton (Ensign, Nov 1982, 63)

Kindness

“We cannot afford to be caught up in a world prone to give and take offense.”

–Robert S. Wood (Ensign, May 2006, 95)

Kindness

“General Andrew Jackson, as he walked along the line at the Battle of New Orleans, said to his men, ‘Gentlemen, elevate your guns a little lower!’”

–Robert S. Wood (Ensign, May 2006, 94)

Kindness

‘Those who reach out to life and serve others “will come to know a happiness….never known before…Heaven knows there are so very, very, very, very many people in this world who need help. Oh, so very…many. Let’s get the cankering, selfish attitude out of our lives, my brothers and sisters, and stand a little taller and reach a little higher in the service of others.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (qtd by Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, May 2006, 101)

Kindness (see Service)

“Why do any of us have to be so mean and unkind to others? Why can’t all of us reach out in friendship to everyone about us? Why is there so much bitterness and animosity? It is not a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, May 2006, 60)

Judgement

“For me, the power of that warning is the picture it forms in my mind of that time when we will each stand before the Savior after this life to be judged. When King Benjamin speaks to me of shrinking from the presence of the Lord, it puts fear into my heart. I can see myself standing in that day of judgment before the glorified and resurrected Savior. I want with all my heart not to shrink, but rather to look up at Him and see Him smile and say, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter in.’”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 15)

Honesty

“No false words besmirch his or her reputation. No act of duplicity colors his or her conscience. He or she can walk with head high, standing above the crowd of lesser folk who constantly indulge in lying, cheating, and who excuse themselves with statements that a little lying hurts no one. It does hurt, because small lying leads to large lying, and the prisons of the nation are the best proof of that fact.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2000, 50)

Home

“In the home the whole armor of truth is tailor fit to the individual characteristics of each child.”

–Richard G. Scott (Ensign, May 2006, 88)

Home

“A gospel-sharing home is not a program. It is a way of life.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 86)

Home (see Family)

“Gospel-sharing homes are very ordinary. They may not always be spotlessly clean nor the children perfectly behaved. But they are a place in which family members clearly love each other, and the Spirit of the Lord is felt by those who visit.”

–M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, May 2006, 86)

Promptings from the Holy Ghost

“But if we ignore those promptings, the light of the Spirit will fade. Our agency will be limited or lost, and we will lose the confidence and ability to act. We will be ‘walking in [spiritual] darkness at noon-day.’(D&C 95:6)”

–Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 7)

Promptings from the Holy Ghost

“The promptings that come to us to flee evil reflect our Heavenly Father’s understanding of our particular strengths and weaknesses and His awareness of the unforeseen circumstances of our lives.”

–Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 7)

Promptings from the Holy Ghost

“Do not postpone a prompting; rather act on it, and the Lord will open the way.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2005, 55)

Holy Ghost

“The gift of the Holy Spirit…quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use…It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health vigor, animation, and social feeling. It develops and invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.”

–Parley P. Pratt (Key to the Science Theology, 100-102)

Holy Ghost

“The Holy Ghost has as a major purpose witnessing that Jesus is the Christ.”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 17)

Holy Ghost

“...the description of the Holy Ghost as a still, small voice is real. It is poetic, but it is not poetry. Only when my heart has been still and quiet, in submission like a little child, has the Spirit been clearly audible to my heart and mind.”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 16)

Healing

“The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ…is available for every affliction in mortality.”

–Dallin H. Oaks (Ensign, Nov 2006, 8)

Healing

“Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a ‘healing’ cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are ‘healed’ by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.”

–Dallin H. Oaks (Ensign, Nov 2006, 7-8)

Healing

"Willingness to serve and strengthen others stands as a symbol of one’s readiness to be healed."

-Russell M. Nelson (Ensign, Nov 2005, 85)

Happiness

“The abundant life isn’t something we arrive at. Rather, it is a magnificent journey that began long, long ages ago and will never, never end.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 102)

Happiness

“Create of your life a masterpiece. Brothers and sisters, the abundant life does not come to us packaged and ready-made. It’s not something we can order and expect to find delivered with the afternoon mail. It does not come without hardship or sorrow. It comes through faith, hope, and charity. And it comes to those who, in spite of hardship and sorrow, understand the words of one writer who said, “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 101-102)

Happiness

“The Lord has not given us the gospel that we may go around mourning all the days of our lives. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a religion of mourning and gloom. The faith of out fathers is one of hope and joy. It is not a gospel of chains but a gospel of wings.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 100)

Happiness

“Fully understood and embraced, the gospel of Jesus Christ heals broken hearts, infuses meaning into lives, binds loved ones together with ties that transcend mortality, and brings to life a sublime joy.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 100)

Happiness

“In terms of your happiness, in terms of the matters that make you proud or sad, nothing—I repeat, nothing—will have so profound an effect on you as the way your children turn out.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2000, 50)

Happiness

“Happiness is bound up with helpfulness.” –Marvin J. Ashton (Ensign, Nov 1982, 63)

Happiness

“Believing, desiring, deciding, and choosing correctly are the simple actions that define an increase in happiness and an increase in the inner assurance that transcends this life.""

-Benjamín De Hoyes (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31)

Happiness

"Life is good if we live in such a way to make it so."

-Benjamín De Hoyes (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31)

Happiness

“Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.”

-Joseph Smith Jr. (History of the Church, 5:134–35; quoted by Benjamín De Hoyes, Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31)

Happiness

"Happiness is a condition of the soul. This joyous state comes as a result of righteous living."

 -Benjamín De Hoyes (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31)

Happiness

"Yes, we find happiness in the midst of the trial of our faith. The Lord manifests Himself to us through His tender mercies, which we find along the road of happiness."

-Benjamín De Hoyes (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31)

Happiness

"Happiness comes as a result of our obedience and our courage in always doing the will of God, even in the most difficult circumstances."

-Benjamín De Hoyes (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31)

Happiness

"Perseverance in making correct decisions is what leads us to happiness."

-Benjamín De Hoyes (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31)

Happiness

"…we need to recognize that ‘wanting to’ is the determining factor which leads us to lay hold upon the word of God and be happy."

-Benjamín De Hoyes (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 31) (see Hel 3:27-30)"

Gifts

“President Wilford Woodruff said that ‘it is the privilege of every man and woman in this kingdom to enjoy the spirit of prophecy, which is the Spirit of God; and to the faithful it reveals such things as are necessary for their comfort and consolation, and to guide them in their daily duties.’”

-Julie B. Beck (Ensign, May 2006, 13)

Gifts

“Through sin the gift can be lost.”  –Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 17)

Gambling

“From the beginning we have been advised against gambling of every sort. The deterioration and damage comes to the person, whether he wins or loses, to get something for nothing, something without effort, something without paying the full price (In Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 6; or Ensign, May 1975, 6).”

–Spencer W. Kimball (qtd by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2005, 61)

Gambling

“The Church has been and now is unalterably opposed to gambling in any form whatever. It is opposed to any game of chance, occupation, or so-called business, which takes money from the person who may be possessed of it without giving value received in return. It is opposed to all practices the tendency of which is to … degrade or weaken the high moral standard which the members of the Church, and our community at large, have always maintained (In Messages of the First Presidency, 5:245).”

–Heber J. Grant (qtd by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2005, 60)

Gambling

“The Church does not approve of gambling but strongly condemns it as morally wrong, and classes also with this gambling, games of chance and lottery, of all kinds, and earnestly disapproves of any of its members engaging therein.”

–Joseph F. Smith (“Editor’s Table,” Improvement Era, Aug. 1908, 807).

Gambling

“There are many evils in the world which young folks need to be guarded against. One of these is gambling. There are various forms of this evil but they are all bad and should not be indulged in.”

–George Q. Cannon (qtd by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2005, 60)

Gambling

“We wish to suppress all grogshops, gambling houses, and all other disorderly houses or proceedings in our city, and to tolerate no intemperance or vice in our midst” (In Messages of the First Presidency, 1:242).”

-Brigham Young (qtd by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2005, 60)

Gambling

“Gambling is simply a process that takes money and does not offer a fair return in goods or services.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, May 2005, 59)

Gambling

“They get the taste of getting something for nothing.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, May 2005, 59)

Forgiveness

“Come on, dear brother, since the war is past, For friends at first, are friends again at last.”

–Joseph Smith to W.W. Phelps when accepted back into fellowship after his betrayal in 1838 (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 165–66)

Forgiveness

"Somehow forgiveness, with love and tolerance, accomplishes miracles that can happen in no other way."

-Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2005, 81)

Forgiveness

"I think it may be the greatest virtue on earth, and certainly the most needed. There is so much of meanness and abuse, of intolerance and hatred. There is so great a need for repentance and forgiveness. It is the great principle emphasized in all of scripture, both ancient and modern."

-Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2005, 81)

Family

“In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.”

–Joseph F. Smith (qtd by James E. Faust, Ensign, May 2006, 51)

Family

“…if they would look for the virtues in their wives instead of looking for their failings, love would bloom and the home would be secure.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2000, 50)

Family

“Brigham Young once said: “When people are married, instead of trying to get rid of each other, reflect that you have made your choice, and strive to honor and keep it, do not manifest that you have acted unwisely and say that you have made a bad choice, nor let any body know that you think you have. You made your choice, stick to it, and strive to comfort and assist each other” (Deseret News, 29 May 1861, 98).”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2000, 50)

Family

“In terms of your happiness, in terms of the matters that make you proud or sad, nothing—I repeat, nothing—will have so profound an effect on you as the way your children turn out.”
–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2000, 50)

Family

"What matters most is what lasts longest, and our families are for eternity."

-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

"We should not need a hurricane or other crisis to remind us of what matters most. The gospel and the Lord’s plan of happiness and salvation should remind us."

-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

"No matter who or what we are, we help ourselves when we help families."

-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

"Remember that the expression of love and encouragement from an extended family member will often provide the right influence and help a child at a critical time."
-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

"There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and preserves family life.”

-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

"If we live and act upon this knowledge, we will attract the world to us."

-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

"In India a concerned Hindu mother said, “All I want is to be a bigger influence on my children than the media and the peer group.” And a Buddhist mother in Malaysia said, “I’d like my boys to be able to operate in the world, but I don’t want them to be of the world.” Parents from all different cultures and faiths are saying and feeling the same things we are as parents in the Church."

-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

“I believe in the family where there is a husband who regards his companion as his greatest asset and treats her accordingly; where there is a wife who looks upon her husband as her anchor and strength, her comfort and security; where there are children who look to mother and father with respect and gratitude; where there are parents who look upon there children as blessings and find a great and serious and wonderful challenge in their nurture and rearing.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Teaching of Gordon B. Hinckley 1997, 205)

Family

"In the routine of life, we often take our families—our parents and children and siblings—for granted. But in times of danger and need and change, there is no question that what we care about most is our families! It will be even more so when we leave this life and enter into the spirit world. Surely the first people we will seek to find there will be father, mother, spouse, children, and siblings."
-M. Russell Ballard (Ensign, Nov. 2005, 41)

Family

“The family is divine. It was instituted by our Heavenly Father. It encompasses the most sacred if all relationships. Only through its organization can the purposes of the Lord be fulfilled.”
–Gordon B. Hinckley (Teaching of Gordon B. Hinckley 1997, 206)

Family

“There is no substitute for kindness in the home. This lesson I learned from my father. He always listened to my mother’s advice. As a result, he was a better, wiser, and kinder man.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 27)

Family

“There is no substitute for kindness in the home. This lesson I learned from my father. He always listened to my mother’s advice. As a result, he was a better, wiser, and kinder man.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 27)

Family

"The theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints centers on the family. Our relationship to God and the purpose of earth life are explained in terms of the family. We are the spirit children of heavenly parents. The gospel plan is implemented through earthly families, and our highest aspiration is to perpetuate those family relationships throughout eternity. The ultimate mission of our Savior’s Church is to help us achieve exaltation in the celestial kingdom, and that can only be accomplished in a family relationship."

-Elder Dallin H. Oaks (Ensign, Nov 2005, 24)

Faith

“Faith is the product of righteous desire, belief, and obedience.”

–David S. Baxter (Ensign, Nov 2006, 13-14)

Faith & Hope

“Faith fuels hope.” –David S. Baxter (Ensign, Nov 2006, 13)

Faith

“You will gather the fruits of faith as you follow the principles God has established for its use.”

–Richard G. Scott (qtd by H. Bruce Stucki, Ensign, May 2006, 98)

Faith

"Having faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement means relying completely on Him."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Ensign, Nov 2005, 100)

Faith

"God works by power, but this power is usually exercised in response to our faith."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Ensign, Nov 2005, 100)

Faith

"It will take unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to choose the way to eternal life. It is by using that faith we can know the will of God. It is by acting on that faith we build the strength to do the will of God. And it is by exercising that faith in Jesus Christ that we can resist temptation and gain forgiveness through the Atonement."

-Elder Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, Nov 2005, 37)

Example

“It has been said, ‘teaching by example.’ I would say, ‘teaching by example is the best way to teach.’”

–Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Ensign, May 2006, 45)

Perseverance

“The truth is that our only safety, our only security, our only hope is to hold fast to that which is good. As the mists of darkness gather around us, we are only lost if we choose to let go of the iron rod, which is the word of God.”

–David S. Baxter (Ensign, Nov 2006, 14)

Perseverance

“Stand steady and see it through. Stay steadfast, constant, and true. The real tragedy in the whirlwinds of life comes only when we allow them to blow us off our true course.”

–David S. Baxter (Ensign, Nov 2006, 14)

Perseverance

“Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2005, 56)

Perseverance

“Brothers and sisters, it is in the quest of the abundant life that we find our destiny.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 102)

Perseverance

“Besides steadfast, determined service, another way we choose to grow up unto the Lord is through our willingness to “press forward” in faith—even when we don’t quite know what to do.”

–Anne C. Pingree (Ensign, May 2006, 75)

Perseverance

“‘Be not afraid, only believe.’ I think also of that night when Christ rushed to the aid of His frightened disciples, walking as He did on the water to get to them, calling out, ‘It is I; be not afraid.’ Peter exclaimed, ‘Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.’ Christ’s answer to him was as it always is every time: ‘Come,’ He said. Instantly, as was his nature, Peter sprang over the vessel’s side and into the troubled waters. While his eyes were fixed upon the Lord, the wind could toss his hair and the spray could drench his robes, but all was well—he was coming to Christ. It was only when his faith wavered and fear took control, only when he removed his glance from the Master to look at the furious waves and the ominous black gulf beneath, only then did he begin to sink into the sea. In newer terror he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Undoubtedly with some sadness, the Master over every problem and fear, He who is the solution to every discouragement and disappointment, stretched out His hand and grasped the drowning disciple with the gentle rebuke, ‘O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’”

-Jeffrey R. Holland (Ensign, May 2006, 70)

Perseverance

“Courage is the basis and foundation for all of our other virtues; the lack of courage diminishes every other virtue that we have”

–David R. Stone (Ensign, May 2006, 92)

Perseverance

“Above all else, loving with ‘the pure love of Christ,’ that gift that ‘never faileth,’ that gift that ‘beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, [and] endureth all things.’ Soon, with that kind of love, we realize our days hold scores of thoroughfares leading to the Master and that every time we reach out, however feebly, for Him, we discover He has been anxiously trying to reach us. So we step, we strive, we seek, and we never yield.”

–Jeffrey R. Holland (Ensign, May 2006, 70)

Perseverance

“I have seen Oliver Cowdery when it seemed as though the earth trembled under his feet. I never heard a man bear a stronger testimony than he did when under the influence of the Spirit. But the moment he left the kingdom of God, that moment his power fell. … He was shorn of his strength, like Samson in the lap of Delilah. He lost the power and testimony which he had enjoyed, and he never recovered it again in its fulness while in the flesh, although he died [a member of] the Church.”

–Wilford Woodruff (qtd by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2006, 59)

Education

“I read from a clipping I made the other day: ‘The latest Census information … indicated the annual wage for someone without a degree and no high school diploma stood at little more than $16,000 nationally [in 1997]. The jump wasn’t much higher for a high school diploma—$22,895 annual average income. As the level of education increases, however, so does the span. The holder of a bachelor’s degree earned, on average, $40,478 that year. Finally, the holder of an advanced degree typically bumped up their annual earnings by more than $20,000 to a nationwide average of $63,229, according to [these] Census figures’ (Nicole A. Bonham, “Does an Advanced Degree Pay Off?” Utah Business, Sept. 2000, 37).”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2000, 50)

Perseverance

“Perseverance is demonstrated by those who keep going when the going gets tough, who don’t give up even when others say, ‘It can’t be done.’”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, May 2005, 51)

Drugs

“Curiosity and peer pressure are selfish reasons to dabble with addictive substances.”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, May 2006, 53)

Drugs

“I urge you to live within your means. One cannot spend more than one earns and remain solvent. I promise you that you will then be happier than you would be if you were constantly worrying about how to make the next payment on nonessential debt.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2006, 19)

Drugs

“Drugs and alcohol cloud thinking, remove inhibitions, fracture families, shatter dreams, and shorten life.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2006, 19)

Discipleship

“Discipleship brings us comfort in times of sorrow, peace of conscience, and joy in service—all of which help us to be more like Jesus.”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2006, 21)

Discipleship

“Discipleship does not come from positions of prominence, wealth, or advanced learning. The disciples of Jesus came from all walks of life. However, discipleship does require us to forsake evil transgression and enjoy what President Spencer W. Kimball has called ‘the miracle of forgiveness.’”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2006, 21)

Discipleship

“For most of us, however, what is required is not to die for the Church but to live for it.”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2006, 21)

Discipleship

“True followers of the Savior should be prepared to lay down their lives.”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2006, 20)

Discipleship

“What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior. Discipleship includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is family home evening. It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking anything that is not good for us. Everything in life has a price.”

–James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2006, 20)

Discipleship

“Discipleship does not guarantee freedom from the storms of life.”

–David S. Baxter (Ensign, Nov 2006, 14)

Debt

“…void the philosophy that yesterday’s luxuries have become today’s necessities. They aren’t necessities unless we make them so.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2006, 19)

Debt

“What we may not realize is that a home equity loan is equivalent to a second mortgage. The day of reckoning will come if we have continually lived beyond our means.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2006, 19)

Debt

“The final maka-feke I wish to mention today is one which can crush our self-esteem, ruin relationships, and leave us in desperate circumstances. It is the maka-feke of excessive debt.”

–Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2006, 19)

The Church

“The Church is not a place where perfect people gather to say perfect things, or have perfect thoughts, or have perfect feelings. The Church is a place where imperfect people gather to provide encouragement, support, and service to each other as we press on in our journey to return to our Heavenly Father.”

-Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2005, 28)

The Church

“In the formal Church setting, gospel truths are shared, new concepts are internalized, and new experiences are offered—all of which can result in enriched feelings about oneself and in learning better methods of helping others”

–Marvin J. Ashton (Ensign, Nov 1982, 63)

The Church

"Over the years their subjects have been repeated many times. I expect that some of them will be repeated yet again in this conference. They are essential for our salvation, and we need the repetition."

-James E. Faust (Ensign, Nov 2005, 53)

Covenants

“The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a covenant between God and his people. … When baptized by an authorized servant of God, we covenant to do God’s will and to obey his commandments. … By partaking of the Sacrament we renew all covenants entered into with the Lord and pledge ourselves to take upon us the name of his Son, to always remember him and keep his commandments”

–Delbert L. Stapley (Conference Report, Oct 1965, 14).

Covenants

"Covenants are agreements we make with our Heavenly Father in which we commit our hearts, minds, and behavior to keeping the commandments defined by the Lord."

-Paul E. Koelliker (Ensign, Nov 2005, 94)

Covenants

"By keeping the covenants of the gospel, all of the momentary trials of life can be transcended."

-Paul E. Koelliker (Ensign, Nov 2005, 94)

Converted

“He said that to retain a remission of our sins from day to day we must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally (Mosiah 4:26).”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 17)

Converted

“People have to believe that the danger is real to want to find safety. They have to fear the consequences of ignoring the peril.”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 14)

Converted

"Conversion means “to turn with.” Conversion is a turning from the ways of the world to, and staying with, the ways of the Lord. Conversion includes repentance and obedience. Conversion brings a mighty change of heart. Thus, a true convert is “born again,” walking with a newness of life."

-Russell M. Nelson (Ensign, Nov 2005, 85)

Converted

"It can appear that these programs and activities are closer to the center of our heart and soul than the core doctrines and principles of the gospel. Procedures, programs, policies, and patterns of organization are helpful for our spiritual progress here on earth, but let’s not forget that they are subject to change."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Ensign, Nov 2005, 100)

Converted

"How do we know if we are truly converted? Self-examination tests are available in the scriptures. One measures the degree of conversion prerequisite to baptism. Another measures our willingness to serve others. To His disciple Peter, the Lord said, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Willingness to serve and strengthen others stands as a symbol of one’s readiness to be healed."
-Russell M. Nelson (Ensign, Nov 2005, 85)

Comfort

“The world sees peace as the absence of conflict or pain, but Jesus offers us solace despite our suffering. His life was not free of conflict or pain, but it was free of fear and full of meaning.”

–David E. Sorensen (Ensign, May 2005, 73)

Self-Worth

“When we know who we are and what we are supposed to do, it is easier to make important decisions about education, careers, and marriage.”

–Julie B. Beck (Ensign, May 2006, 107)

Self-Worth

“We are created as much from the dust of eternity as we are from the dust of the earth. Every one of us has the potential we can scarcely imagine.”

–Joseph B. Wirthlin (Ensign, May 2006, 101)

Christlike

"Christlike attributes are the basics. They are the fundamental principles that will create 'the wind beneath our wings.' As we develop Christlike attributes in our own lives, step-by-step, they will 'bear [us] up as on eagles’ wings' (D&C 124:18)"

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Ensign, Nov 2005, 100)

Christlike

"By becoming more like the Savior, we will grow in our ability to 'abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost' (Rom. 15:13). We will 'lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better' (D&C 25:10)."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Ensign, Nov 2005, 100)

Charity

“We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much much more. Real charity is not something you give away; it is something tat you aquire and make a part if yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again… “Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended…Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.”

–Marvin J. Ashton (qtd Visiting Teaching Message, Ensign, June 2006, 61)

Converted

“We thank our Father in Heaven we are allowed to change, we thank Jesus we can change, and ultimately we do so only with Their divine assistance. Certainly not everything we struggle with is a result of our actions. Often it is the result of the actions of others or just the mortal events of life. But anything we can change we should change, and we must forgive the rest. In this way our access to the Savior’s Atonement becomes as unimpeded as we, with our imperfections, can make it. He will take it from there.”

–Jeffery R. Holland (Ensign, May 2006, 70)

Converted

“To keep the blessing of that change in our hearts will require determination, effort, and faith.”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 17)

The Book of Mormon

“The Book of Mormon is a great witness that the Lord loves all people everywhere.”

–Dallin H. Oaks (Ensign, May 2006, 79)

The Book of Mormon

"Among the lessons we learn from the Book of Mormon are the cause and effect of war and under what conditions it is justified. It tells of evils and dangers of secret combinations, which are built up to get power and gain over the people. It tells of the reality of Satan and gives an indication of some of the methods he uses. It advises us on the proper use of wealth. It tells us of the plain and precious truths of the gospel and the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for all mankind. It informs us of the gathering of the house of Israel in the last days. It tells us of the purpose and principles of missionary work. It warns us against pride, indifference, procrastination, the dangers of false traditions, hypocrisy, and unchastity."

-L. Tom Perry (Ensign, Nov 2005, 6)

The Book of Mormon

“The Book of Mormon was written for us today. God is the author of the book. It is a record of a fallen people, compiled by inspired men for our blessing today. Those people never had the book—it was meant for us. Mormon, the ancient prophet after whom the book is named, abridged centuries of records. God, who knows the end from the beginning, told him what to include in his abridgment that we would need for our day.”

-Ezra Taft Benson, (Ensign, Nov 2005, 6)

The Book of Mormon

“The Book of Mormon is an endless treasure of wisdom and inspiration, of counsel and correction, “adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest [among us]” (D&C 89:3). At once, it is rich in nourishment for the most learned, if they will humble themselves (see 2 Ne. 9:28–29).”

–Boyd K. Packer (Ensign, May 2005, 9)

The Book of Mormon

“We do not have to defend the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ will defend him for us. Those who reject Joseph Smith as a prophet and revelator are left to find some other explanation for the Book of Mormon.”

–Boyd K. Packer (Ensign, May 2005, 9)

The Book of Mormon

“Life moves all too fast. When you feel weak, discouraged, depressed, or afraid, open the Book of Mormon and read. Do not let too much time pass before reading a verse, a thought, or a chapter.

–Boyd K. Packer (Ensign, May 2005, 8)

The Book of Mormon

“If I had expected in my little-boy innocence some special spiritual experience, it had not happened. Over the years as I listened to sermons and lessons and read in the Book of Mormon, I began to understand.”

–Boyd K. Packer (Ensign, May 2005, 7)

The Book of Mormon

“I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man might get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book.”

–Joseph Smith (Book of Mormon Introduction; History of the Church 4:46)

Our Body

Concerning body piercing: “…Can they possibly think that is beautiful? It is a passing fancy, but its effects can be permanent.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov. 2000, 50)

Our Body

“Fathers, caution your sons against having their bodies tattooed. They may resist your talk now, but the time will come when they will thank you. A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body.”

–Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov. 2000, 50)

Atonement

“If your faith and prayers and the power of the priesthood do not heal you from an affliction, the power of the Atonement will surely give you the strength to bear the burden.”

–Dallin H. Oaks (Ensign, Nov 2006, 9)

Atonement

“Considering the incomprehensible cost of the Crucifixion and Atonement, I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now. When He says to the poor in spirit, “Come unto me,” He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows it because He has walked it. He knows the way because He is the way.”

–Jeffrey R. Holland (Ensign, May 2006, 71)

Atonement

“I testify that the Savior’s Atonement lifts from us not only the burden of our sins but also the burden of our disappointments and sorrows, our heartaches and our despair.”

–Jeffrey R. Holland (Ensign, May 2006, 70-71)

Atonement

“An English theologian, writing in the nineteenth century, said of this event: ‘All that the human frame can tolerate of suffering was to be heaped upon His shrinking body. … Pain in its acutest sting, shame in its most overwhelming brutality, all the burden of … sin … —this was what He must now face.’”

-Earl C. Tingey (Ensign, May 2006, 74)

Atonement

“It was further necessary that He should descend below all things, in order that He might raise others above all things; for if He could not raise Himself and be exalted through those principles brought about by the atonement, He could not raise others; He could not do for others what He could not do for Himself.”

–John Taylor (qtd by Earl C. Tingey, Ensign, May 2006, 73)

Atonement

“Christ is the Creator, the Healer. What He made, He can fix.”

–Boyd K. Packer (Ensign, May 2005, 28)

Atonement

"The great Atonement was the supreme act of forgiveness. The magnitude of that Atonement is beyond our ability to completely understand. I know only that it happened, and that it was for me and for you. The suffering was so great, the agony so intense, that none of us can comprehend it when the Savior offered Himself as a ransom for the sins of all mankind"

-Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov 2005, 81)

Apostasy

"Our Holy Father, who knows each of His children perfectly, realized that over time many would be tempted, become worldly, and reject the testimony and teachings of His prophets. Spiritual darkness would replace the light of truth in a condition called an apostasy. The period from the introduction of truth to its general loss through sin would be called a dispensation. Prophet after prophet would be chosen in a series of dispensations to keep truth on earth for the faithful despite its distortion or rejection by many."

-Elder Richard G. Scott (Ensign Nov 2005, 78)

Answers

“To do well does not mean everything will always turn out well. The key is to remember that faith and obedience are still the answers—even when things go wrong, perhaps especially when things go wrong.”

–David E. Sorensen (Ensign, May 2005, 73)

Answers

“Once, for instance, I prayed through the night to know what I was to choose to do in the morning. I knew that no other choice could have had a greater effect on the lives of others and on my own. I knew what choice looked most comfortable to me. I knew what outcome I wanted. But I could not see the future. I could not see which choice would lead to which outcome. So the risk of being wrong seemed too great to me. I prayed, but for hours there seemed to be no answer. Just before dawn, a feeling came over me. More than at any time since I had been a child, I felt like one. My heart and my mind seemed to grow very quiet. There was a peace in that inner stillness. Somewhat to my surprise, I found myself praying, ‘Heavenly Father, it doesn’t matter what I want. I don’t care anymore what I want. I only want that Thy will be done. That is all that I want. Please tell me what to do.’ In that moment I felt as quiet inside as I had ever felt. And the message came, and I was sure who it was from. It was clear what I was to do. I received no promise of the outcome. There was only the assurance that I was a child who had been told what path led to whatever He wanted for me.”

–Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2006, 16)

Agency

"The battle for self-discipline may leave you a bit bruised and battered but always a better person."

-Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, May 2002, 100)

Agency

“Certainly one of our God-given privileges is the right to choose what our attitude will be in any given set of circumstances. We can let the events that surround us determine our actions—or we can personally take charge and rule our lives, using as guidelines the principles of pure religion. Pure religion is learning the gospel of Jesus Christ and then putting it into action. Nothing will ever be of real benefit to us until it is incorporated into our own lives.”

–Marvin J. Ashton (Ensign, Nov 1982, 63)

Agency

“This idea of growing up unto the Lord is a compelling one. Unlike the process of growing up physically, we will not mature spiritually until we choose…”

 –Anne C. Pingree (Ensign, May 2006, 74)

Agency

“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.”

 –Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 8)

Agency

“Agency used righteously allows light to dispel the darkness and enables us to live with joy and happiness in the present, look with faith to the future, even into the eternities, and not dwell on the things of the past. Our use of agency determines who we are and what we will be.”
–Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 8)

Agency

“Agency is the catalyst that leads us to express our inward spiritual desires in outward Christ-like behaviors.”
–Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 7)

Agency

“If you have fallen into destructive, addictive behaviors, you may feel that you are spiritually in a black hole. As with the real black holes in space, it may seem all but impossible for light to penetrate to where you are. How do you escape? I testify the only way is through the very agency you exercised so valiantly in your pre-mortal life, the agency that the adversary cannot take away without your yielding it to him.”
–Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 7)

Agency

“Now, none of us are on the narrow path all of the time. All of us make mistakes…That is the key—to act for themselves and not to be acted upon.”
–Robert D. Hales (Ensign, May 2006, 6)

The Book of Mormon

"The Book of Mormon is its own witness."
-C. Scott Grow (Ensign, Nov 2005, 33)