- I love the words of President Joseph F. Smith as he spoke of temple service and of the spirit world beyond mortality. Said he, "Through our efforts in their behalf their chains of bondage will fall from them, and the darkness surrounding them will clear away, that light may shine upon them and they shall hear in the spirit world of the work that has been done for them by their [people] here, and will rejoice with you in your performance of these duties."
Richard G. Scott -To Acquire Spiritual Guidance
- Spirituality yields two fruits. The first is inspiration to know what to do. The second is power, or the capacity to do it.
- I believe that you can leave the most precious, personal direction of the Spirit unheard because you do not respond to, record, and apply the first promptings that come to you.
- Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals the truth to you when you are not actively seeking it, such as when you are in danger and do not know it. However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when the guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily.
- I share a warning. Satan is extremely good at blocking spiritual communication by inducing individuals, through temptation, to violate the laws upon which spiritual communication is founded. With some, he is able to convince them that they are not able to receive such guidance from the Lord.
- Well did inspired Nephi declare, "And [the devil] will ... pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, ... and thus [he] cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell."
- Find a quiet place; pray urgently for help and support. Be patient and obedient. Don't give up.
- An individual with foundation standards and an enduring commitment to obey them is not easily led astray. Someone who is increasingly repulsed by grievous sin and who exercises self-restraint outside human influence has character. repentance will be more efficacious for such an individual. A feeling of remorse after a mistake is a fertile soil wherein repentance can flower.
Vicki F. Matsumori -Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit
- When you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas.
- There are places where it is easier to feel the Spirit.
- The challenge for each of us is in providing an environment where the Spirit can be felt daily.
L. Whitney Clayton -That Your Burdens May Be Light
- Life presses all kinds of burdens on each of us, some light but others relentless and heavy. People struggle every day under burdens that tax their souls. Many of us struggle under such burdens. They can be emotionally or physically ponderous. They can be worrisome, oppressive, and exhausting. And they can continue for years.
- Some burdens are the natural product of the conditions of the world in which we live.
- Other burdens are imposed on us by the misconduct of others.
- Our own mistakes and shortcomings produce many of our problems and can place heavy burdens on our own shoulders.
- Burdens become blessings, though often such blessings are well disguised and may require time, effort, and faith to accept and understand.
Russell T. Osguthorpe -Teaching Helps Save Lives
- "When [we receive] the truth [we] will be saved by it. [We] will not be saved merely because someone taught it to [is], but because [we] received and acted upon it."
- The goal of gospel teaching ... is not to 'pour information' into the minds of class members. ... The aim is to inspire the individual to think about, feel about, and then do something about living gospel principles."
- When a call comes, you accept it, no matter how inadequate you might feel.
- Teaching helps save lives.
David A. Bednar -More Diligent and Concerned at Home
- We can begin to become more diligent and concerned at home by telling the people we love that we love them.
- Such expressions do not need to be flowery or lengthy. We simply should sincerely and frequently express love.
- As disciples of the Savior, we are not merely striving to know more; rather, we need to consistently do more of what we know is right and become better.
- "Often we assume that [the people around us] must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. ... We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us."
- We also can become more diligent and concerned at home by bearing testimony to those whom we love about the things we know to be true by the witness of the Holy Ghost.
- In my office is a beautiful painting of a wheat field. The painting is a vast collection of individual brushstrokes--none of which in isolation is very interesting or impressive. In fact, if you stand close to the canvas, all you can see is a mass of seemingly unrelated and unattractive streaks of yellow and gold and brown paint. However, as you gradually move away from the canvas, all of the individual brushstrokes combine together and produce a magnificent landscape of a wheat field. Many ordinary, individual brushstrokes work together to create a captivating and beautiful picture.
- Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results.
- A public statement of love when the private actions of love are absent at home is hypocrisy--and weakens the foundations of a great work. Publicly declaring testimony when faithfulness and obedience are missing within our own homes is hypocrisy--and undermines the foundation of a great work.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf -The Love of God
- Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.
- God the Eternal Father did not give the first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. His power and glory are not diminished should we disregard, deny, or even defile His name. His influence and dominion extend through time and space independent of our acceptance, approval, or admiration.
- No, God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!
- For what we love determines what we seek.
- What we seek determines what we think and do.
- What we think and do determines who we are--and who we will become.
- Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.
- Since the beginning of time, love has been the source of both the highest bliss and the heaviest burdens. At the heart and misery from the days of Adam until today, you will find the love of wrong things. And at the heart of joy, you will find the love of good things.
- He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our resume but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.
- My dear brothers and sisters, don't get discouraged if you stumble at times. Don't feel downcast or despair if you don't feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible--and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.
- Listen for the voice of the Father in the bounties and beauties of nature, in the gentle whisperings of the Spirit.
- In your daily interactions with others, in the words of a hymn, in the laughter of a child, listen for His voice.
- Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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