- "Sometimes in the peace of lovely temples, the serious problems of life find their solutions. [At times] pure knowledge flows to us there under the influence of the Spirit."
- "May we remember always, as we [visit and work in these glorious temples], that the veil may become very thin between this world and the spirit world. I know this is true." he declared, "It is well also that we keep in mind that it is all one great program on both sides of the veil and it is not too important whether we serve here or over there, as long as we serve with all our heart, might, mind, and strength."
- President Benson, your words are welcomed. We have heard them. We shall follow them. They, like the temples you so much love, are as a refuge from life's storms--even a never-failing beacon guiding us to safety.
- When you accept the basic principles of the gospel and commit to live them, you will have the spiritual insight that will help you to be young men and women of purity, integrity, and faith.
- With challenges like these, you need to remember that you do not face them alone.
- Your Father in Heaven loves you and wants you to have joy and happiness.
- We are pleased to know that many of you are true and faithful in every way to your priesthood covenants and are preparing yourselves to receive the Lord's promised blessings.
- Spiritual power over the influence of Satan comes to us by keeping the commandments of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
- Satan will seek to tempt us at times and in ways that exploit our greatest weaknesses or destroy our strengths.
- Now, my dear young friends, I understand the struggles you face every day in keeping the commandments of the Lord. The battle for your souls is increasingly fierce. The adversary is strong and cunning. However, you have within your physical body the powerful spirit of a son or daughter of God. Because He loves you and wants you to come home to Him, our Father in Heaven has given you a conscience that tells your spirit when you are keeping the Lord's commandments and when you are not. If you will pay more attention to your spiritual self, which is eternal, than to your mortal self, which is temporary, you can always resist the temptations of Satan and conquer his efforts to take you into his power.
- The idea of sinning a little is self-deception. Sin is sin! Sin weakens you spiritually, and it always places the sinner at eternal risk. Choosing to sin, even with the intent to repent, is simply turning away from God and violating covenants.
- "We want you to know that we love you. We have great confidence in you. Because of that, we talk to you frankly and honestly."
- "We counsel you to choose to live a morally clean life."
- It is better to not commit the sin.
- Missionaries must be morally clean and spiritually prepared by you to serve the Lord in today's world. I urge you to follow the instructions precisely and to do all in your power to help young people avoid any sin that could disqualify them for service in the kingdom of God.
- If you have a problem, talk it over with the Lord in earnest and humble prayer. Counsel with your parents; they will help you.
- Their countenances reflected the resplendent beauty of the emancipation of the soul.
- "I always believed I had a relationship with the Lord."
- "Keep the faith."
- Today, perhaps more than ever before, our faith is challenged on all fronts. this should not surprise us as it is part of God's plan.
- The faithful do not pray to be spared the trials of life but pray that they may have the strength to rise above them.
- For Latter-day Saints, often the greater testing of faith--the subtle but more serious testing--comes not from the normal obstacles of mortality but from the successes of mortality. There is a strong relationship, even a cause-effect relationship, between faith and the required virtues of humility and a submissive heart, which have always been key ingredients of faith.
- Whatever our station in life, whatever our achievements, no matter how great a submissive heart and a humble spirit are still fundamental to our faith. We must guard against letting our worldly successes or earthly learning become a substitution for spiritual wisdom and divine direction given through the prophets.
- Our Heavenly Father continues to communicate with us through revelation.
- Just as a road map not read, the scriptures not searched are of little value to us in providing directions.
- Some have suffered death to make it possible for us to have the scriptures today.
- What a marvelous blessing we have to not only possess the most complete collection of scriptures in history but also to have the freedom to search and to use them!
- The scriptures should be of the greatest importance in our lives. our spiritual survival during the stresses of our society and the temptations of our time is greatly dependent upon the strength that we will receive from searching the scriptures and listening to the words of the prophets, seers, and revelators.
- Without searching the scriptures, they cease to know the Savior.
- It is not enough to read the scriptures. Random reading results in reduced retention. We must search for specifics. We must seek for truth and increased understanding of its application in our lives.
- The use of titles signifies respect for office and authority.
- The words we use in speaking to someone can identify the nature of our relationship to that person. They can also remind speaker and listener of the responsibilities they owe one another in that relationship. The form of address can also serve as a mark of respect or affection.
- We should address prayers to our Heavenly Father in words which speakers of that language associate with love and respect and reverence and closeness.
- Literary excellence is not our desire. We do not advocate flowery and wordy prayers. We do not wish to be among those who "pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom."
- Our prayer should be simple, direct, and sincere.
- I am sure that our Heavenly Father, who loves all of his children, hears and answers all prayers, however phrased. If he is offend in connection with prayers, it is likely to be by their absence, not their phraseology.
- Our earliest efforts will be heard with joy by our Heavenly Father, however they are phrased. They will be heard in the same way by loving members of our church. But as we gain experience as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we need to become more mature in all of our efforts, including our prayers.
- Men and women who wish to show respect will take the time to learn the special language of prayer.
- The language of prayer is easier and sweeter to learn than any other tongue.
- "We feel now that ... before entering into the Temple to present ourselves before the Lord ... , we shall divest ourselves of every harsh and unkind feeling. ..."
- "Thus shall our supplications, undisturbed by a thought of discord, unitedly mount into the ears of Jehovah and draw down the choice blessings of the God of Heaven!"
- "We believe that a man must be called of god, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." The priesthood is conferred through ordination, not simply through making a covenant or receiving a blessing. It has been so since the beginning. Regardless of what they may assume or imply or infer from anything which has been said or written, past or present, specific ordination to an office in the priesthood is the way, and the only way, it has been or is now conferred. "
- Say the word temple. Say it quietly and reverently. Say it over and over again. Temple. Temple. Temple. Add the word holy. Holy Temple. Say it as though it were capitalized, no matter where it appears in the sentence.
- Temple. One other word is equal in importance to a Latter-day Saint. Home. Put the words holy temple and home together, and you have described the house of the Lord!
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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