Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Harold B. Lee

[Harold B. Lee offered to take his daughter's two sons to sit with him at a church dance festival.  He said of this experience,] "I didn’t know what I was getting into. … As that spectacle began, I didn’t know there was so much difference between a seven-year-old and a five-year-old. The seven-year-old was entranced by that spectacle down on the football field. But that five-year-old, his attention span was pretty short. He’d squirm and then he’d want to go and get a hot dog and he’d want to go get a drink and he’d want to go to the toilet, and he was just on the move all the time. And here I was sitting in the front with the General Authorities, and they were smiling as they saw this little show going on and as I tried to pull my grandson here and there, trying to make him behave. Finally, that little five-year-old turned on me and with his little doubled-up fist he smacked me to the side of the face and he said, “Grandfather, don’t shove me!” And you know, that hurt. In that twilight, I thought I could see my brethren chuckling a bit as they saw this going on, and my first impulse was to take him and give him a good spanking; that’s what he deserved. But, I’d seen his little mother do something. I’d seen her when he was having a temper tantrum and she had a saying, “You have to love your children when they’re the least lovable.” And so I thought I’d try that out. I had failed in the other process.
So I took him in my arms and I said to him, “My boy, Grandfather loves you. I so much want you to grow up to be a fine big boy. I just want you to know that I love you, my boy.” His little angry body began to [relax], and he threw his arms around my neck and he kissed my cheek, and he loved me. I had conquered him by love. And incidentally, he had conquered me by love.

Address to Sunday School general conference, 5 Oct. 1973, Historical Department Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7–8.), as reprinted in the Teachings of Harold B. Lee manual (2000), Ch.14, p. 296

Sunday, May 15, 2011

David O. McKay

Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success.

Teachings of David O. McKay

Old Saying

Doing nothing is the hardest work of all, because one can never stop to rest.

Old Saying

Gospel Principles

To some people work is a drudgery.  To others it is an exciting part of life.  One way to enjoy life's fullest benefits is to learn to love work.  Not all of us can choose the kind of work we do.  Some of us labor for long hours... it is difficult to enjoy such work.  Yet the happiest people have learned to enjoy their work, whatever it is.  We can help one another in our work.  The heaviest load becomes lighter when someone shares it.
Our attitude toward work is very important.  ... A traveler passed a stone quarry and saw three men working. He asked each man what he was doing.  Each man's answer revealed a different attitude towards the same job.  "I am cutting stone," the first man answered.
The second replied, "I am earning three gold pieces a day."
The third man smiled and said, "I am helping to build a house of God."

Gospel Principles, ch. 27 Work and Personal Responsibility

Harold B. Lee

The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own homes.

Teachings of Harold B. Lee

Harold B. Lee

Happiness comes from unselfish service.  And happy homes are only those where there is a daily striving to make sacrifices for each other's happiness.

Teachings of President Harold B. Lee

Theodore M. Burton

Can there be discord, hate, envy, and dissension in God's presence? No!  Such things make a hell and not a heaven.  That is why we must learn to get rid of dissension, envy, hate, and discord in this life on earth. It is here we must learn how to turn our hearts to serve one another with love.  Here we must learn how to live with one another in peace and harmony so that we can be prepared to live in the presence of that God we claim to worship.

Theodore M. Burton, Ensign Nov 1974, 54

Franklin D. Richards

Certainly in our homes we can all be peacemakers by exhibiting love and goodwill, thus offsetting the evil of contention, envy, and jealousy.  Where misunderstandings exist between children and parents, we can encourage adjustments on the part of both.  We can pray together for the spirit of peace. ... We can be a peacemaker by avoiding criticism. ... We can be a peacemaker by practicing and teaching forgiveness.  Jesus was asked how many times one should be forgiven, and he replied that we should forgive without limit.

Franklin D. Richards, Ensign Nov 1974, 105

Franklin D. Richards

Our Lord and Savior is called the Prince of Peace, and his message is a message of peace to the individual and to the world.  It is the peace that makes us really appreciate mortal life and enables us to bear heartbreaking tribulations.

Franklin D. Richards, Ensign Nov 1974, 105

David O. McKay

If you want peace, yours is the responsibility to obtain it.  The Restored Gospel teaches that our homes should become warm nests where children may be protected and grow into noble men and women; where ... old age [may find] repose; where prayer will find an altar.

David O. McKay Church News Mar 1961, 15

Gordon B. Hinckley

You may think it is the macho thing to flare up in anger and swear and profane the name of the Lord.  It is not that macho thing.  It is an indication of weakness.  Anger is not an expression of strength.  It is an indication of one's inability to control his thoughts, words, his emotions.  Of course it is easy to get angry.  When the weakness of anger takes over, the strength of reason leaves.  Cultivate within yourselves the mighty power of self-discipline.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign Now 1991, 49

Franklin D. Richards

The blessed part about being a peacemaker is that those who are peacemakers and who live the gospel principles receive a testimony borne of the Holy Ghost.  They enjoy the peace that surpasseth all understanding, relief from inner tensions, joy and happiness, contentment, growth and development.

Theodore M. Burton

Whenever you get red in the face, whenever you raise your voice, whenever you get "hot under the collar," or angry, rebellious, or negative in spirit, then know that the Spirit of God is leaving you and the spirit of Satan is beginning to take over.

Theodore M. Burton, Ensign, Nov 1974, 77

Thomas S. Monson

The priesthood is not really so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and an opportunity to bless the lives of others.

Thomas S. Monson, Ensign May 2006, 57

Wilford Woodruff

What a responsibility it is to hold this heavenly, this eternal, this everlasting Priesthood!  And we shall have to give an account of it.  Apostles, Seventies, High Priests, Elders, and all men who bear any portion of this Priesthood that has been given unto us will be held responsible for it.

Wilford Woodruff, Deseret Weekly, March 2, 1889, 294

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Albert L. Zobell

We were fighting the battle of the Bulge near the town of Ammonius, Belgium.  By that time the Germans were on the defensive.  We had just succeeded in cutting off or surrounding a section of the German line.  They were surrendering in large numbers.  As we were disarming the soldiers, one of them said to me in broken English, "Would you know if there are any Mormon soldiers in your unit?"

I replied, "Yes, I am a Mormon."

He asked,  "Do you hold the priesthood?"

"Yes, I do," I answered, "I was married in the temple."

"Would you be so kind as to come with me to that shell hole over there and administer to my buddy? He is pretty well shaken up, and pretty badly wounded."

Of course I consented to go.  We found that his buddy was in a bad condition and was suffering much pain.  Then the two of us, who a few short hours before had been on opposite sides in a bitter struggle, knelt down and administered to the wounded lad.  And as we did so, I felt the Spirit of the Lord very strongly.  I know that the feeling was shared by them, too.  As we finished, the litter bearers were there.  We lifted the broken body to the stretcher.  Then our ways parted: the wounded boy was taken to the hospital, the German soldier was sent back with the other prisoners, and I went on with my other duties.

Albert L. Zobell Jr, A Storyteller's Scrapbook, 1948, 112- 113