Monday, April 23, 2012

Eternal Life

John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Gratitude

Doctrine and Covenants 78:19
19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.


Elder Paul B Pieper, To Hold Sacred, General Conference April 2012
Daily reflecting upon and recording the impressions that come from the Spirit serve the dual purposes of helping us (1) to recognize our personal encounters with the divine and (2) to preserve them for ourselves and our posterity. Recording them is also a formal recognition and acknowledgment of our gratitude to God,”

Doctrine and Covenants 59:21
 21 And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.

Journal Keeping


Elder Paul B Pieper, To Hold Sacred, General Conference April 2012
Daily reflecting upon and recording the impressions that come from the Spirit serve the dual purposes of helping us (1) to recognize our personal encounters with the divine and (2) to preserve them for ourselves and our posterity. Recording them is also a formal recognition and acknowledgment of our gratitude to God,”

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Joy


Elder David F Evans, Was It Worth It?, General Conference April 2012
"The work of naturally and normally sharing the gospel with those we care about and love will be the work and joy of our lives"

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Comforter

John 14:15-18
 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Prophecy

Proverbs 29:18
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Working Mothers

Elder M Russell Ballard, That the Lost May Be Found, General Conference April 2012
"And to you young women, I would add that you must also not lose sight of this responsibility. No career can bring you as much fulfillment as rearing a family. And when you are my age, you will realize this even more."

Motherhood

Joseph F Smith, Gospel Doctrine [Deseret Book, 1939], p. 288
“Motherhood lies at the foundation of happiness in the home, and of prosperity in the nation. God has laid upon men and women very sacred obligations with respect to motherhood, and they are obligations that cannot be disregarded without invoking divine displeasure.”

Elder K Brett Nattress, No Greater Joy Than to Know That They Know, October 2016 General Conference
I firmly believe that all sisters—I will call them ‘angels’—are mothers in Zion, whether or not they are married or bear children during this earthly experience.”

, "What Shall We Do", April 2016 General Conference
Mothers literally make room in their bodies to nurture an unborn baby—and hopefully a place in their hearts as they raise them—but nurturing is not limited to bearing children. Eve was called a ‘mother’ before she had children.4 I believe that ‘to mother’ means ‘to give life.’ Think of the many ways you give life. It could mean giving emotional life to the hopeless or spiritual life to the doubter. With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can create an emotionally healing place for the discriminated against, the rejected, and the stranger. In these tender yet powerful ways, we build the kingdom of God. Sisters, all of us came to earth with these life-giving, nurturing, maternal gifts because that is God’s plan.

Carole M. Stephens, The Family Is of God, April 2015 General Conference
"Sister Yazzie doesn’t limit her love and influence to her biological family. She understands what it means to expand her sphere of influence as she goes about doing good, blessing, nurturing, and defending the family of God."

...
"Sisters, we belong. We are loved. We are needed. We have a divine purpose, work, place, and role in the Church and kingdom of God and in His eternal family. "

M. RUSSELL BALLARD, “Mothers and Daughters”, April 2010 General Conference
"If the mothers are thrifty, so are their daughters. If the mothers are modest, so are the girls. If the mothers wear flip-flops and other casual clothing to sacrament meeting, so do their daughters."


Elder M Russell Ballard, That the Lost May Be Found, General Conference April 2012

"And to you young women, I would add that you must also not lose sight of this responsibility. No career can bring you as much fulfillment as rearing a family. And when you are my age, you will realize this even more."

Economy

Elder M Russell Ballard, That the Lost May Be Found, General Conference April 2012
when families work and play together, neighborhoods and communities flourish, economies improve, and less government and fewer costly safety nets are required.


“So the bad news is that family breakdown is causing a host of societal and economic ills. But the good news is that, like any cause and effect, those ills can be reversed if what is causing them is changed. Inequities are resolved by living correct principles and values. Brothers and sisters, the most important cause of our lifetime is our families. If we will devote ourselves to this cause, we will improve every other aspect of our lives... ”

Government

Elder M Russell Ballard, That the Lost May Be Found, General Conference April 2012
when families work and play together, neighborhoods and communities flourish, economies improve, and less government and fewer costly safety nets are required.


“So the bad news is that family breakdown is causing a host of societal and economic ills. But the good news is that, like any cause and effect, those ills can be reversed if what is causing them is changed. Inequities are resolved by living correct principles and values. Brothers and sisters, the most important cause of our lifetime is our families. If we will devote ourselves to this cause, we will improve every other aspect of our lives... ”

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Home

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 382, 384)
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.”




Happiness

Elder L Tom Perry, Obedience to Law Is Liberty, General Conference April 2013
"A useful way to think about the commandments is they are loving counsel from a wise, all-knowing Heavenly Father. His goal is our eternal happiness, and His commandments are the road map He has given us to return to Him, which is the only way we will be eternally happy."

President Deiter F Ucktdorf - 2nd Counselor in the First Presidency, Of Regrets and Resolutions, General Conference October 2012
We shouldn’t wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover that happiness was already available—all the time! Life is not meant to be appreciated only in retrospect.”


Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 382, 384)
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.”

Sin

Hebrews 12:1
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Meditation

President Thomas S Monson, The Race of Life, General Conference April 2012
In this fast-paced life, do we ever pause for moments of meditation—even thoughts of timeless truths?”

What Is Doctrine?

Elder D Todd Christofferson, The Doctrine of Christ, General Conference April 2012
“At the same time it should be remembered that not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. It is commonly understood in the Church that a statement made by one leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, not meant to be official or binding for the whole Church.”

Apostles

Bible Dictionary Apostle
"The calling of an Apostle is to be a special witness of the name of Jesus Christ in all the world, particularly of His divinity and of His bodily resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:22; D&C 107:23)."

Elder Dallin H Oaks - Apostle, Protect the Children, General Conference October 2012
"I speak from the perspective of the gospel of Jesus Christ, including His plan of salvation. That is my calling. Local Church leaders have responsibility for a single jurisdiction, like a ward or stake, but an Apostle is responsible to witness to the entire world. In every nation, of every race and creed, all children are children of God."


1 Corinthians 15:4-6
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.


Special Witnesses
President Boyd K Packer, The Witness,” Ensign, May 2014, 97
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon recorded the following after a sacred experience:

“‘And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“‘For we saw him’ (D&C 76:22–23).

“Their words are my words.”

Laying on of Hands


Acts 11:2
 As they ministered to the Lord, and afasted, the bHoly Ghost said, cSeparate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have dcalled them.

Callings


Acts 11:2
 As they ministered to the Lord, and afasted, the bHoly Ghost said, cSeparate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have dcalled them.

33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

Monday, April 16, 2012

The Big Bang


Elder Russell M Nelson, Thanks Be to God, April 2012 General Conference
Yet some people erroneously think that these marvelous physical attributes happened by chance or resulted from a big bang somewhere. Ask yourself, 'Could an explosion in a printing shop produce a dictionary?' The likelihood is most remote. But if so, it could never heal its own torn pages or reproduce its own newer editions!”

Evil

Romans 12:21
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Judging

President Dieter F Uchtdorf, Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth, October 2014 General Conference
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a place for people with all kinds of testimonies. There are some members of the Church whose testimony is sure and burns brightly within them. Others are still striving to know for themselves. The Church is a home for all to come together, regardless of the depth or the height of our testimony. I know of no sign on the doors of our meetinghouses that says, ‘Your testimony must be this tall to enter.’

Elder Jeffrey R Holland, “Lord, I Believe”, General Conference April 2013
So be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we."

Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf, The Merciful Obtain Mercy, April 2012 General Conference

Of course, these words [D & C 64:9] seem perfectly reasonable—when applied to someone else. We can so clearly and easily see the harmful results that come when others judge and hold grudges. And we certainly don’t like it when people judge us.”
“But when it comes to our own prejudices and grievances, we too often justify our anger as righteous and our judgment as reliable and only appropriate.”



Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Husband

President Henry B Eyring, Families under Covenant, April 2012 General Conference
The second imperative is to love your wife. It will take faith and humility to put her interests above your own in the struggles of life. You have the responsibility to provide for and to nurture the family with her while serving others. That can at times consume all the energy and strength you have. Age and illness may increase your wife’s needs. If you choose even then to put her happiness above your own, I promise you that your love for her will increase.”

Friday, April 13, 2012

Media

Adrián Ochoa, Aaronic Priesthood: Arise and Use the Power of God, April 2012 General Conference “Yes, Aaronic Priesthood holders, we are at war. And in this war, the best way to defend against evil is to actively promote righteousness. You cannot listen to foul words and pretend you don’t hear. You cannot watch, alone or with others, images you know are filthy and pretend you don’t see. You cannot touch any unclean thing and pretend it’s no big deal. You cannot be passive when Satan seeks to destroy that which is wholesome and pure.”

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Article of Faith 5

Elder David A Bednar, The Powers of Heaven, April 2012 General Conference
"Thus, a boy or a man receives the authority of the priesthood and is ordained to a specific office by one who already holds the priesthood and has been authorized by a leader with the necessary priesthood keys."

Article of Faith 5
 We believe that a man must be acalled of God, by bprophecy, and by the laying on of chands by those who are in dauthority, toepreach the Gospel and administer in the fordinances thereof.

Priesthood

David A. Bednar, The Powers of Heaven, April 2012 General Conference
"Priesthood is the means whereby the Lord acts through men to save souls."




President Thomas S  Monson, Willing and Worthy to Serve, April 2012 General Conference
The priesthood is not so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and an opportunity to bless the lives of others.”


Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor (2001), 119
“What is priesthood? … It is the government of God, whether on the earth or in the heavens, for it is by that power, agency, or principle that all things are governed on the earth and in the heavens, and by that power that all things are upheld and sustained. It governs all things—it directs all things—it sustains all things—and has to do with all things that God and truth are associated with.”


Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 139–40; emphasis added
“The priesthood … is … the power of God delegated to man by which man can act in the earth for the salvation of the human family, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and act legitimately; not assuming that authority, nor borrowing it from generations that are dead and gone, but authority that has been given in this day in which we live by ministering angels and spirits from above, direct from the presence of Almighty God.”


Spencer W Kimball, The Miracle ofForgiveness [1969], 96
“One breaks the priesthood covenant by transgressing commandments—but also by leaving undone his duties. Accordingly, to break this covenant one needs only to do nothing


President Ezra Taft Benson, So Shall Ye Reap [1960], 21
“It is not enough to receive the priesthood and then sit back passively and wait until someone prods us into activity. When we receive the priesthood, we have the obligation of becoming actively and anxiously engaged in promoting the cause of righteousness in the earth, because the Lord says:
“‘… He that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned’ [D&C 58:29]
Article of Faith 5
 We believe that a man must be acalled of God, by bprophecy, and by the laying on of chands by those who are in dauthority, toepreach the Gospel and administer in the fordinances thereof.


Elder David A Bednar, The Powers of Heaven, April 2012 General Conference
The priesthood is the authority of God delegated to men on the earth to act in all things for the salvation of mankind.”
...
"The priesthood is inherently active rather than passive."