- "With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding."
- Like many of us, he concentrated so much on what people do that he overlooked what they are, a priceless resource of experience, wisdom, and inspiration.
- We must teach our youth to draw close to the elderly grandpas and grandmas.
- Young women: Do not be so very foolish as to miss this association with the older sisters. They will bring more worth into your life than much of the activity you enjoy so much.
- Do you realize that some problems you worry about so much with the youth, and with others, could be solved if they would stay close to their fathers and mothers and to their grandparents, to the older folks?
- "The way to get along in any important matter is to gather unto yourselves wise men [and women], experienced and aged men [and women], to assist in council in all times of trouble."
- Value the old folks for what they are, not just what they can do.
- Have you ever wondered why the Lord organized the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles so that the senior leadership of the Church will always be older men? This pattern of seniority values wisdom and experience over youth and physical vigor.
- An adopted grandma can be found in Relief Society. And a grandpa will be found in the quorums of the priesthood. But all of the grandpas and grandmas are not in the Church.
- We cannot do what we once did, but we have become more than ever we were before. Life's lessons, some of them very painful, qualify us to counsel, to correct, and even to warn our youth.
- In your golden years there is so much to do and so much to be. Do not withdraw into a retirement from life, into amusement. That, for some, would be useless, even selfish. You may have served a mission and been released and consider yourself as having completed your service in the Church, but you are never released from being active in the gospel. "If," the Lord said, "ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work."
- No child in this Church should be left with uncertainty about his or her parents' devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Restoration of His Church, and the reality of living prophets and apostles.
- Prophets do not apologize for requesting unity, indeed conformity.
- Parents simply cannot flirt with skepticism or cynicism, then be surprised when their children expand that flirtation into full-blown romance. If in matters of faith and belief children are at risk of being swept downstream by this intellectual current or that cultural rapid, we as their parents must be more certain than ever to hold to anchored, unmistakable moorings clearly recognizable to those of our own household. It won't help anyone if we go over the edge with them, explaining through the roar of the falls all the way down that we really did know the Church was true and that the keys of the priesthood really were lodged there but we just didn't want to stifle anyone's freedom to think otherwise. No, we can hardly expect the children to get to shore safely if the parents don't seem to know where to anchor their own boat.
- Some parents may not understand that even when they feel secure in their own minds regarding matters of personal testimony, they can nevertheless make that faith too difficult for their children to detect.
- "Sometimes some parents mistakenly feel that they can relax a little as to conduct and conformity or take perhaps a so called liberal view of basic and fundamental things--thinking that a little laxness or indulgence won't matter--or they may fail to teach or to attend Church, or may voice critical views. Some parents ... seem to feel that they can ease up a little on the fundamentals without affecting their family or their family's future. But, " he observed, "if a parent goes a little off course, the children are likely to exceed the parent's example."
- To lead a child (or anyone else!), even inadvertently, away from faithfulness, away from loyalty and bedrock belief simply because we want to be clever or independent is license no parent nor any other person has ever been given.
- Don't just assume your children will somehow get the drift of your beliefs on their own.
- "A baby is God's opinion that life should go on."
- Every decision we make, good or bad, carries an accompanying consequence.
- At times, consequences of sin may appear to be very subtle to the sinner.
- "Their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it."
- Each one of us has the Light of Christ, or a conscience. It constantly prompts us to choose good. Good choices yield good consequences. On the other hand, delaying repentance and continuing to commit sin is like continuing to kick the skunk. The stench will become stronger with each sin, alienating us further and further from God and those we love. Soon we could become like Laman and Lemuel, who, after continually making bad choices, became "past feeling" and could no longer feel the still small voice.
- If the Spirit is pricking your heart to correct something in your life, know this: your soul is precious. Heavenly Father wants you to be part of His eternal family.
- "If all else fails--Please! Follow instructions."
- Every person experiences many challenges in this mortal life. Each has personal agency to make choices that affect his or her progress. Good choices bring promised blessings, and bad choices always bring undesired consequences.
- None of us are perfect, and we all need help. But we are not left alone if we are teachable, with hearts to feel and ears to hear.
- First, we must have a sincere desire.
- Second, we must have faith.
- "Be not afraid of your enemies for I have decreed in my heart ... that I will prove you in all things.
- "Our safety lies in the virtue of our lives. Our strength lies in our righteousness. God has made it clear that if we will not forsake Him, He will not forsake us."
- The Lord admonishes us to search the scriptures and to follow the commandments.
- He has promised that all His words shall be fulfilled, "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."
- The Lord declared that "whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation."
- Far too many marriages today end in divorce. Selfishness, sin, and personal convenience often prevail over covenants and commitment.
- First, an eternal marriage is eternal.
- It means that the marriage relationship is not to be frivolously discarded at the first sign of disagreement or when times get hard. It signifies that love will grow stronger with time and that it extends beyond the grave. It means that each partner will be blessed with the company of the other partner forever and that problems and differences might as well be resolved because they are not going to go away.
- Second, an eternal marriage is ordained of God.
- Third, eternal marriage is a kind of partnership with God.
- If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently. You should shield it and protect it. You never abuse it. You don't expose it to the elements. You don't make it common or ordinary. If it ever becomes tarnished, you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new. It becomes special because you have made it so, and it grows more beautiful and precious as time goes by.
- Commandments. They are directions away from pitfalls, and they are invitations to blessings. Commandments mark the path and show us the way to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.
- As someone has said, there is a big difference between 20 years' experience and 1 year's experience repeated 20 times. If we understand the Lord's teachings and promises, we will learn and grow from our adversities.
- "We have learned many things through suffering. We call it suffering. I call it a school of experience. ... I have never looked at these things in any other light than trials for the purpose of purifying the Saints of God that they may be, as the scriptures say, as gold that has been seven times purified by the fire."
- We should thank God for our adversities and pray for guidance in meeting them. Through the attitude and through our faith and obedience, we will realize the promises God has given us.
- Let us give thanks for what we are and for the circumstances God has given us for our personal journey through mortality.
- I also know that strength is forged in adversity and that faith is developed in a setting where we cannot see ahead.
- Seek to live closer to the Lord and to commune with Him more frequently and with increased faith.
- Fathers and mothers, pray over your children. Pray that they may be shielded from the evils of the world. Pray that they may grow in faith and knowledge. Pray that they may be directed toward lives that will be profitable and good. Husbands, pray for your wives. Express unto the Lord your gratitude for them and plead with Him in their behalf. Wives, pray for your husbands. Many of them walk a very difficult road with countless problems and great perplexities. Plead with the Almighty that they may be guided, blessed, protected, inspired in their righteous endeavors.
- Pray for wisdom and understanding as you walk the difficult paths of your lives. If you are determined to do foolish and imprudent things, I think the Lord will not prevent you. But if you seek His wisdom and follow the counsel of the impressions that come to you, I am confident that you will be blessed.
General YW Meeting
Susan W. Tanner -Steadfast in Our Covenants
- "Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men."
- The Lord has promised us that He will not forget us because He has "graven [us] upon the palms of [His] hands." And our promise to Him is that we will not forget Him, for we have engraven Him in our hearts.
- You should speak a little softer, act a little kinder, serve your siblings more selflessly, and appreciate and help your parents more openly.
- Sometimes it is hardest in our own homes to be our best selves. It requires that diligent effort of "pressing forward."
- Every time you worthily partake of the sacrament, you have the opportunity to begin again and do a little better. It is like burying the old, unworthy part of yourself and starting over with a new life.
- Because of the Christ there is hope smiling brightly before you, and you need not worry too much about sickness, death, poverty, or other afflictions. The Lord will take care of you. Your responsibility is to keep the commandments, feast upon the words of Christ, and stay in the path to your heavenly home.
- "Welcome the task that makes you go beyond yourself, and you will grow."
- The Savior will help you see and understand the vision He has for you. You are His beloved daughters. He knows you personally and has a plan for your life. He has promised that as you live worthily, His Spirit will always be with you.
- "Pressing forward" implies resistance. The scripture doesn't say walk forward, or move forward, or simply proceed forward. It says to press forward!
- Your vision of your future will help you press forward.
- "Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding. ... Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ."
- "I want to marry a man like Moroni."
- There may be some steep hills ahead, but our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has promised to climb with you every step of the way. There has never been a more important time to press forward and be steadfast.
- "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ. having a perfect brightness of hope. ... Wherefore, it ye shall press forward, ... and endure to the end, ... thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."
- "Virtue is the chiefest beauty of the mind, the noblest ornament of humankind. Virtue is our safeguard and our guiding star that stirs up reason when our sense err."
- May I suggest 10 virtues that each of you can pursue in your quest for excellence and happiness.
- 1. Faith
- In exercising faith, we become cheerful and optimistic, charitable and courageous because faith is the moving cause of all of these virtues.
- 2. Honesty
- You cannot be honest with others unless you are honest with yourself.
- 3. Chastity
- "Always remember that you can go much further on respect than on popularity."
- 4. Humility
- "Learn to say, 'I don't know.' If used when appropriate, it will be often."
- 5. Self-Discipline
- Habits of self-discipline formed while you are young will become part of the makeup of your character for the rest of your lives. The character thus formed from self-discipline will rise with you in the Resurrection.
- The principle of work is part of self-discipline. Now, my dear young sisters, I have lived a good many years longer than you, but even back in Grandpa's time there was something to make you want to lie down and go to sleep--they called it work.
- 6. Fairness
- We need to be fair and compassionate in our dealings with other human beings.
- If you will be fair to other people, they will more likely be fair to you.
- 7. Moderation
- It is well to avoid extremes in dress, hairstyles, makeup, conduct, speech, and music. Extremes may attract the attention of some, but they are more likely to turn off those you really want to impress.
- 8. Cleanliness
- "Be clean in dress and manner. ... The age in which we are living now has become an age of sloppy dress and sloppy manners. But I am not so concerned about what you wear as I am that it be clean. ... Be sure of your personal cleanliness."
- 9. Courage.
- Fear not, I am thee; oh be not dismayed, For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, ... Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
- Grace
- One woman can make a great difference for a whole nation.
- It may be that your most significant everlasting achievements will be your righteous influence on others, that your divine feminine inner beauty and intuition will find expression in your quiet strength, gentleness, dignity, charm, graciousness, creativity, sensitivity, radiance, and spirituality. Enhance these sublime feminine gifts. They will make you appealing and even irresistible as you serve others as the handmaidens of God.
Special Satellite Broadcast for Children
Gayle M. Clegg -The Light of His Love
- I pray that all children may feel and cherish the love of our Heavenly Father.
- I know that I can pray to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere. I know He hears me.
- I want to talk about another way we show we know--by keeping the commandments.
- Each day we are given opportunities to show we know how to be like Jesus and follow Him in faith.
- Every time you keep the Sabbath day holy, you show you know.
- Show you know by obeying the Word of Wisdom.
- We respect our bodies by dressing modestly. We show we know how to keep the commandments and follow the Savior.
- We show we know by living the commandment to love one another.
- "There is a mighty strength that comes of the knowledge that you and I are sons and daughters of God. ... One who has this knowledge and permits it to influence his [or her] life will not stoop to do a mean or cheep ... thing."
- The Savior taught us to love and do good to one another--even those who have different standards. These differences are no excuse for avoiding others or being unkind.
- We show we know how to follow the Savior when we treat others with kindness and respect.
- I hope that every night and every morning you get on your knees and speak with your Father in Heaven.
- I hope you will remember the missionaries of the Church as you pray.
- If you really know that you are a child of God, you will also know that He expects much of you, His child. He will expect you to follow His teachings and the teachings of His dear Son, Jesus. He will expect you to be generous and kind to others. He will be offended if you swear or use foul language. He will be offended if you are dishonest in any way, if you should cheat or steal in the slightest. He will be happy if you remember the less fortunate in your prayers to Him. He will watch over you and guide you and protect you. He will bless you in your schoolwork and in your Primary. He will bless you in your home, and you will be a better boy or girl, obedient to your parents, quarreling less with your brothers and sisters, helping about the home.
- And thus you will grow to be a strong young man or woman in this Church. You will also be a better member of the community.
- Every man or woman who ever walked the earth, even the Lord Jesus, was once a boy or girl like you. They grew according to the pattern they followed. If that pattern was good, then they became good men and women.
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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