- The Lord has blessed us with lands of promise to enjoy during our mortal probation. The nations of the earth, if they would continue to follow the ways of the Lord, could be a blessing to His children here. You special young sons and daughters, He expects you to be especially mindful of the bounteous blessings you have received from Him.
- If we are prepared we should have no fear.
- It is never too early to determine the direction you want to prepare yourself for. Don't wait until you register for college to decide what you want to study. It is such a waste of time and money to attempt to pursue an education without having a definite goal.
- We have all been blessed with many talents and abilities.
- It matters not the size or the quantity but the effort we put forth to develop the talents and abilities we have received. You are not competing with anyone else. You are only competing with yourself to do the best with whatever you have received. Each talent that is developed will be greatly needed and will give you tremendous fulfillment and satisfaction during your life.
- The almost universal gift everyone can develop is the creation of a pleasant disposition, an even temperament. It will open more doors for you and give you more opportunities than any other characteristics I can think of.
- Remember, you are part of that eternal unit that requires your best effort. Be certain you bring warmth, kindness, understanding, consideration, and a strong love to your eternal family.
- "No man [or woman], however brilliant or well-informed, can ... safely ... dismiss ... the wisdom of [lessons learned] in the laboratory of history."
- Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? ... Whoso committeth adultery ... destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away."
- In the case of how life is terminated, most seem to be quite responsible. But in the significance of giving life, we sometimes find near-criminal irresponsibility.
- "the spirit and the body are the soul of man" and that when the spirit and body are separated, men and women "cannot receive a fullness of joy."
- The body is an essential part of the soul.
- Can you see the moral schizophrenia that comes from pretending you are one, pretending you have made solemn promises before God, sharing the physical symbols and the physical intimacy of your counterfeit union but then fleeing, retreating, severing all such other aspects of what was meant to be a total obligation?
- In matters of human intimacy, you must wait! You must wait until you can give everything, and you cannot give everything until you are legally and lawfully married. To give illicitly that which is not yours to give (remember, "you are not your own") and to give only part of that which cannot be followed with the gift of your whole self is emotional Russian roulette. If you persist in pursuing physical satisfaction without the sanction of heaven, you run the terrible risk of such spiritual, psychic damage that you may undermine both your longing for physical intimacy and your ability to give wholehearted devotion to a later, truer love. You may come to that truer moment of ordained love, of real union, only to discover to your horror that what you should have saved you have spent, and that only God's grace can recover the piecemeal dissipation of the virtue you so casually gave away. On your wedding day the very best gift you can give your eternal companion is your very best self--clean and pure and worthy of such purity in return.
- Of all the titles God has chosen for Himself, Father is the one He favors most, and creation is His watchword--especially human creation, creation in His image. You and I have been given something of that godliness, but under the most serious and sacred of restrictions. The only control placed on us is self-control--self-control born of respect for the divine sacramental power this gift represents.
- "The means by which mortal life is created [is] divinely appointed" and that "the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife"? Don't be deceived and don't be destroyed. Unless such powers are controlled and commandments kept, your future may be burned; your world could go up in flames. Penalty may not come on the precise day of transgression, but it comes surely and certainly enough.
- That body is therefore something to be kept pure and holy. Do not be afraid of soiling its hands in honest labor. Do not be afraid of scars that may come in defending the truth or fighting for the right, but beware scars that spiritually disfigure, that come to you in activities you should not have undertaken, that befall you in places where you should not have gone. Beware the wounds of any battle in which you have been fighting on the wrong side.
- "True joy is an intense inner peace and happiness."
- We live in a world where many hear of Christ but do not know Him. It is incumbent upon us as members of the Church to share our testimony with others. In humility, we bear witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. If they will but open their hearts to Him, they will find the reassurance, the peace and joy that His gospel brings. They will find strength to meet the challenges of life in a difficult world, and by accepting His teachings and keeping His commandments they will be heirs to His promised blessings.
- "If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them."
- The work moves well if each one has a driving conviction in his heart and mind that Jesus Christ is the head of this Church, that He truly lives and guides this work, and that all of us have an important part in bringing it to pass.
- "The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we may become." The gospel is at the heart of what we may become and how to get there. With that help we are able to live in this world while separating ourselves from that which is debasing, and we can become better people while we are here.
- As a man "thinketh in his heart, so is he."
- "There are those who would assume that with the printing and binding of these sacred records, [and he was speaking here of the four standard works] that would be the 'end of the prophets.' But again we testify to the world that revelation continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain these revelations which come month to month and day to day. We testify also that there is, since 1830 when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, and will continue to be, so long as time shall last, a prophet, recognized of God and his people, who will continue to interpret the mind and will of the Lord."
- As the policies and procedures of the Church are refined by continuing revelation and inspiration, there are those who become disturbed by any changes. Some literally hunt for situations where earlier Church leaders or members made statements which are not in complete harmony with our understanding and practices today. The mind-set of some is that anything from an earlier time must be more correct.
- I would offer the following thoughts on such matters (1) Some of the procedures of the Church were not completely developed early in this dispensation and have been amplified and clarified by subsequent prophets. (2) Our protection from erroneous doctrine lies in an overriding belief in continuing revelation to the current prophet.
- 'When the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred, there were many saints who died spiritual with Joseph.' So it was when Brigham Young died: so it was when John Taylor died. Do revelations given to President John Taylor,, for example, have any more authority than something that comes from our president and prophet today? Some Church members died spiritually with Wilford Woodruff, with Lorenzo Snow, with Joseph Albert Smith. We have some today willing to believe someone who is dead and gone and to accent his words as having more authority than the words of a living authority today."
- The expectation that more is deserved can cause our plate of plenty to appear empty. Gratitude has many faces and takes on many forms. Failure to recognize the Lord for all we have will soon result in selfish behavior.
- Gratitude begins with attitude. While to some every apple shines, to others the remaining blemishes after the polishing process are all that's visible. We must use caution not to be drawn into the growing populous of ungrateful people who have become calloused to blessings as they bicker in misery.
- Joy and happiness are born of gratitude.
- If we are feeling ungrateful, we need to pedal a little faster. The depth and the willingness with which we serve is a direct reflection of our gratitude.
- "Gratitude is twin sister to humility, pride is a foe to both."
- "A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness."
- We are dual beings. Each soul is comprised of body and spirit, both of which emanate from God. A firm understanding of body and spirit will shape our thoughts and deeds for good.
- Your body, whatever its natural gifts, is a magnificent creation of God. It is a tabernacle of flesh--a temple for your spirit.
- Other attributes of the body are equally amazing, though less evident. For example, backup is provided. Each paired organ has instant backup available from the other pair. Single organs, such as the brain, the heart, and the liver, are nourished by two routes of blood supply. This design protects the organ if harm should come to any one channel.
- To return to God through the gateway of death is a joy for those who love Him.
- Prior to our mortal existence here, each spirit son and daughter lived with God. The spirit is eternal; it existed in innocence in the premortal realm and will exist after the body dies. The spirit provides the body with animation and personality. "All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure."
- "The spirit of man [is] in the likeness of his person."
- Even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.
- Development of the spirit is of eternal consequence. The attributes by which we shall be judged one day are those of the spirit. These include the virtues of integrity, compassion, love, and more. Your spirit, by being housed in your body, is able to develop and express these attributes in ways that are vital to your eternal progression.
- Spirit and body, when joined together, become a living soul of supernal worth. Indeed, we are children of God--physically and spiritually.
- For reasons usually unknown, some people are born with physical limitations.
- Nevertheless, the gift of a physical body is priceless. Without it, we cannot attain a fullness of joy.
- A perfect body is not required to achieve a divine destiny. In fact, some of the sweetest spirits are housed in frail frames. Great spiritual strength is often developed by those with physical challenges precisely because they are challenged. Such individuals are entitled to all the blessings that God has in store for His faithful and obedient children.
- just as physical strength requires exercise, so spiritual strength requires effort.
- In time, addictions enslave both the body and the spirit.
- We shall go on building.
- We respect those of other churches. We desire their friendship and hope to render meaningful service with them. We know they all do good, but we unabashedly state--and this frequently brings criticism upon us--that this is the true and living Church of our Father in Heaven and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
- They are magnificent. They are doing a great work. They are better than they've ever been, and they must go on improving. Their best today will not be good enough tomorrow. Keep it up, dear friends.
Mary Ellen Smoot - Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord
- Invitations from the Lord are vital. They guide us back to our Heavenly Father and lead us in the way of truth and righteousness.
- "Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."
- Consider with me, for a moment, what it means to walk in the light of the Lord. First of all, we'll have light--light in our countenances, light in our outlook, light even when darkness surrounds us. And it also means we will walk with purpose and direction.
- One of the gifts God has promised to all who earnestly seek Him is faith.
- "Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God's laws the greater will be the endowment of faith."
- Faith and all spiritual gifts are available to everyone who is willing to live for them.
- I fully believe that our talents are developed as we are called upon to serve. If we will faithfully accept the call, hidden talents will be discovered, such as love; compassion; discernment; being a good friend, peacemaker, teacher, leader, homemaker, writer, researcher--these are all talents.
- Each one of you has unique gifts. Use your gifts to serve others.
- "God is looking down upon you, the angels are recording your secret acts.
- Bring up our children to be polite and refined, that they may be useful monuments to society.
- The Lord would need you to be an incredible force for good and a powerful instrument of the priesthood of God.
- "Know that you are daughters of God, children with a divine birthright. Walk in the sun with your heads high, knowing that you are loved and honored, that you are a part of his kingdom, and that there is for you a great work to be done which cannot be left to others."
- As women, we have natural tendencies to love and nourish.
- "There is no sister so isolated ... her sphere so narrow but what she can do a great deal towards establishing the Kingdom of God upon the earth."
- It is my sincere belief that the most powerful protection against the deteriorating conditions of the family is a faithful righteous mother.
- Everyone is welcome to Relief Society. There is no one kind of acceptable Latter-day Saint woman. It matters not were you come from, what your weaknesses are, what you look like--you belong here! The Lord loves you--each of you, collectively and individually. We are not ordinary women. We are women of the covenant, women who have recognized the truth, accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ, and made covenants with the Lord to follow Him and do His will. And He needs us--each one of us-- to do our part in bringing to pass His great latter-day work among the children of men. We need Relief Society , and Relief Society needs us.
- It is not good, nor is it intended, for any of us to be alone.
- The pain of loneliness seems to be part of the mortal experience. But the Lord in His mercy has made it so that we need never deal with the challenges of mortality alone.
- It's not living the gospel that's hard. It's life that's hard.
- It is the "grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint ... to have the manifestations of the spirit every day of our lives ... [so[ that we may know the light, and not be groveling continually in the dark."
- No mortal comfort can duplicate that of the Comforter.
- Are we satisfied with far less than the Lord is willing to give us, essentially opting to go it alone here rather than partner with the Divine?
- Our challenge is not one of getting the Lord to speak to us. Our problem is hearing what He has to say.
- Our ability to hear spiritually is linked to our willingness to work at it.
- It is a question worth asking, for let us be clear: The adversary delights in separating us, the sisters of this Church, from the Spirit. Because he knows how vital our influence and our presence is in the latter-day kingdom of God.
- The Spirit cannot be restrained among righteous women who are doing their best.
- We must arise as the women we were prepared to be during aeons of premortal training. We don't have the luxury of living beneath ourselves or being causal about seeking the gifts of the Spirit.
- You provide inspiration. You provide balance. You constitute a vast reservoir of faith and good works. You are an anchor of devotion and loyalty and accomplishment. No one can gainsay the great part you play in the onward rolling of this work across the earth. You teach in the organizations and do it so very well. Your preparation is an example to all of us.
- You are the keepers of the homes. You give encouragement to your husbands. You teach and nurture your children in faith. For some of you life is difficult and even bitter. But you complain so very little and do so very much. Howe deeply indebted we are to you!
- I believe our problems, almost every one, arise out of the homes of the people. If there is to be reformation, if there is to be a change, if there is to be a return to old and sacred values, it must begin in the home. It is here that truth is learned, that integrity is cultivated, that self-discipline is instilled, and that love is nurtured.
- The home is under siege. So many families are being destroyed.
- Stand above the sleaze and the filth and the temptation which is all about you.
- You know what is expected of you. Stay away from that which is tempting. Avoid evil--its very appearance.
- Nurture and cultivate your marriage. Guard it and work to keep it solid and beautiful.
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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