E. T. Sullivan

When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way.  He doesn't stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts.  Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home of some obscure mother.  And then God puts the idea into the mother's heart, and she puts it in the baby's mind. And then God waits.  The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts.  The greatest forces in the world are babies.

In Charles L. Wallis, ed., The Treasure Chest (1965), 53. as quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley, “These, Our Little Ones,” Ensign, Dec 2007, 4–9"

James E. Faust

Marriage is the way provided by God for the fulfillment of the greatest of human needs, based upon mutual respect, maturity, selflessness, decency, commitment, and honesty. Happiness in marriage and parenthood can exceed a thousand times any other happiness.

James E. Faust, “The Enriching of Marriage,” Ensign, Nov 1977, 9

Spencer W. Kimball

Marriage is perhaps the most vital of all the decisions and has the most far-reaching effects, for it has to do not only with immediate happiness, but also with eternal joys. It affects not only the two people involved, but also their families and particularly their children and their children’s children down through the many generations.

Spencer W. Kimball, “Oneness in Marriage,” Ensign, Oct 2002, 40

Adapted from a devotional address given at Brigham Young University on 7 September 1976. The full text is published in a Deseret Book Company book, Marriage and Divorce.

Spencer W. Kimball

While marriage is difficult, and discordant and frustrated marriages are common, yet real, lasting happiness is possible, and marriage can be more an exultant ecstasy than the human mind can conceive. This is within the reach of every couple, every person. “Soul mates” are fiction and an illusion; and while every young man and young woman will seek with all diligence and prayerfulness to find a mate with whom life can be most compatible and beautiful, yet it is certain that almost any good man and any good woman can have happiness and a successful marriage if both are willing to pay the price.

Spencer W. Kimball, “Oneness in Marriage,” Ensign, Oct 2002, 40 

Adapted from a devotional address given at Brigham Young University on 7 September 1976. The full text is published in a Deseret Book Company book, Marriage and Divorce.

Spencer W. Kimball

We are limited in our visions. With our eyes we can see but a few miles. With our ears we can hear but a few years. We are encased, enclosed, as it were, in a room, but when our light goes out of this life, then we see beyond mortal limitations. …The walls go down, time ends and distance fades and vanishes as we go into eternity … and we immediately emerge into a great world in which there are no earthly limitations.

The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (1982), 40–41.

Orson F. Whitney

No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.

Orson F. Whitney, as quoted from “Chapter 2: Tragedy or Destiny?,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, (2006),11–21"

B.H. Roberts

Faith is trust in what the Spirit learned eons ago.

B. H. Roberts, “Scriptural Notebook,” BYU Special Collections under “F” as quoted from

Truman G. Madsen, “Souls Aflame: The Prayer Heritage of the Latter-day Saints,” New Era, Jul 1984, 44

John Taylor

Show and prove to the world, to angels and to God that you are on the side of truth and honesty, purity and integrity, and that you are for God and his kingdom.

If we could live our religion, fear God, be strictly honest, observe his laws and statutes, and keep his commandments to do them, we would feel very different.  We should feel comfortable and happy. Our spirits would be peaceful and buoyant and from day to day, from week to week and from year to year, our joys would increase.

from The Teachings of John Taylor, ch. 7

Author Unknown

Where there is love,
there is a beauty
that cannot be described,
a strength
that cannot be broken,
a joy
that cannot be surpassed,
For where there is love, there is God.

Dora Toone Brough

To the Bride and Groom

If you want to be happy throughout your life,
Be patient and tolerant, avoid all strife.

Love is a priceless, wonderful thing,
Held close and secure by your wedding ring.

Faith in each other must always be
As strong and fine as a tall pine tree.


Prayer is a path between you and God,
Use it each day as a guiding rod.

Live the gospel, you will find
A treasured gift, which is peace of mind.

Source Unknown.

Frank L. Stanton

Keep a-Goin'

If you strike a thorn or rose,
    Keep a-goin'!
If it hails or if it snows,
    Keep a-goin'!
'Taint to nose to sit an' whine
When the fish ain't on  your line;
Bait your hook an' keep a-tryin' -
    Keep a-goin'!

When the weather kills your crop,
    Keep a-goin'!
Though 'tis work to reach the top,
   Keep a-goin'!
S'pose you're out o' ev'ry dime,
Gittin' broke ain't any crime;
Tell the world you're feelin' prime -
   Keep a-goin'!

When it looks like all is up,
   Keep a-goin'!
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
    Keep a-goin'!
See the wild birds on the wing,
Hear the bells that sweetly ring,
When you feel like surgin', sing -
   Keep a-goin'!

Maya Angelou

Woman Work

I've got the children to tend
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
Then baby to dry
I got company to feed
The garden to weed
I've got the shirts to press
The tots to dress
The cane to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.

Shine on me, sunshine
Rain on me, rain
Fall softly, dewdrops
And cool my brow again.

Storm, blow me from here
With your fiercest wind
Let me float across the sky
'Til I can rest again.

Fall gently, snowflakes
Cover me with white
Cold ice kisses and
let me rest tonight.

Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf andn stone
Star shine, moon glow
You're all that I can call my own.

Maya Angelou

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model size.
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down to their knees.
They they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say, It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Richard G. Scott

If you have determined to live righteously, don’t become discouraged. Life may seem difficult now, but hold on tightly to that iron rod of truth. You are making better progress than you realize. Your struggles are defining character, discipline, and confidence in the promises of your Father in Heaven and the Savior as you consistently obey Their commandments.

Richard G. Scott, “The Transforming Power of Faith and Character,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 43–46

Richard G. Scott

A strong testimony gives peace, comfort, and assurance. It generates the conviction that as the teachings of the Savior are consistently obeyed, life will be beautiful, the future will be secure, and there will be capacity to overcome the challenges that cross our path.

Richard G. Scott, “The Transforming Power of Faith and Character,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 43–46

Richard G. Scott

We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.


Richard G. Scott, “The Transforming Power of Faith and Character,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 43–46

Richard G. Scott

Faith in the power of obedience to the commandments of God will forge strength of character available to you in times of urgent need. Such character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. That is when it is intended to be used. Your exercise of faith in true principles builds character; fortified character expands your capacity to exercise more faith. As a result, your capacity and confidence to conquer the trials of life is enhanced. The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to benefit from exercising the power of faith. You will discover how faith and character interact to strengthen one another. Character is woven patiently from threads of applied principle, doctrine, and obedience.

Richard G. Scott, “The Transforming Power of Faith and Character,” Ensign, Nov 2010, 43–46

Howard W. Hunter

History tells us there is a God. Science confirms the fact there is a Supreme Being. Human reasoning persuades us that there is a God. His own revelations to man leave no doubt as to his existence. In order for an individual to obtain unwavering knowledge of the reality of God, he must live the commandments and the doctrines announced by the Savior during his personal ministry.

"Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:16-17.)

In other words, those who are willing to make the search, apply themselves, and do God's will, will have the knowledge come to them of the reality of God.

Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, Ensign April 1970

Brigham Young

The gospel is of a character that a man may be benefitted by it if he will, but it has no help for the man who fails to take advantage of that which it offers. It is a perfect system of self-development. A man can rise to the most exalted heights, if he will; or he may loiter by the way, waste the day-light until he is overtaken in his darkness and thence must grope his way, because he failed to take advantage of the light.

Today is our day, brethren and sisters. We cannot hope, when the night comes, when the grave has demanded its own, for the development and progress that is available to us today. These bodies of ours God has given us for development. We are separated from them when we go into the grave. We are not ourselves, we are only partial when the body and the spirit are separated. Why will we loiter, instead of developing that which is perfect, the human soul. Separated, it is a divided thing; together, it may rise to the most exalted height. We preach to the world faith. Have we faith? We preach to the world repentance. Do we repent? Do we place our feet each day upon the mistakes of yesterday, using them as stepping stones to a higher life, to the new birth symbolized by the baptism of water? Have we taken to ourselves every day the new birth of the Spirit? Have we risen to more exalted heights? Are we in closer communion with God than we were yesterday? If not, we have failed to take advantage of opportunity offered in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Elder Brigham S. Young, Conference Report, April 1927, Afternoon Meeting 59

Rulon S. Wells

The Lord inspired the fathers of our country, our Revolutionary fathers, with this same spirit of human liberty, this right of free agency. This great struggle for liberty did not begin on this earth; it began before the foundations of it were laid. The Lord devised the plan whereby we might be liberated and made free and independent. The Lord designs that we shall be so. There was war in heaven before the foundations of this earth were laid. And what was that great conflict over? It was a struggle for the liberties of the children of God.

Elder Rulon S. Wells, Conference Report, April 1930, Second Day—Morning Meeting 70

Neal A. Maxwell

Petitioning in prayer has taught me that the vault of heaven, with all its blessings, is to be opened only by a combination lock: one tumbler falls when there is faith, a second when there is personal righteousness, and the third and final tumbler falls only when what is sought is (in God's judgment, not ours) "right" for us.  Sometimes we pound on the vault door for something we want very much, in faith, in reasonable righteousness, and wonder why the door does not open.  We would  be very spoiled children if that vault door opened any more easily than it does now.  I can tell, looking back, that God truly loves me by the petitions that, in his perfect wisdom and love, he has refused to grant me.  Our rejected petitions tell us not only much about ourselves, but also much about our flawless Father.

Neal A. Maxwell, "Insights From My Life," p. 200

Jeffrey R. Holland

To hear someone so remarkable say something so tremendously bold, so overwhelming in its implications, that everything in the Church - everything - rises or falls on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and, by implication the Prophet Joseph Smith's account of how it came forth, can be a little breathtaking.  It sounds like a "sudden death" proposition to me.  Either the Book of Mormon is what the Prophet Joseph Smith said it is or this Church and its founder are false, fraudulent, a deception from the first instance onward.

Not everything in life is so black and white, but it seems the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and its keystone role in our belief is exactly that.  Either Joseph Smith was the prophet he said he was, who, after seeing the Father and the Son, later beheld the angel Moroni, repeatedly heard counsel from his lips, eventually receiving at his hands a set of ancient gold plates which he then translated according to the gift and power of God - or else he did not.  And if he did not, in the spirit of President Benson's comment, he is not entitled to retain even the reputation of New England folk hero or well-meaning young man or writer of remarkable fiction.  No, and he is not entitled to be considered a great teacher or a quintessential American prophet or the creator of great wisdom literature.  If he lied about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, he is certainly none of those.

I feel about this as C.S. Lewis once said about the divinity of Christ... I am suggesting that we make exactly that same kind of do-or-die, bold assertion about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the divine origins of the Book of Mormon.  We have to. Reason and rightness require it.  Accept Joseph Smith as a prophet and the book as the miraculously revealed and revered word of the Lord it is or else consign both man and book to Hades for the devastating deception of it all, but let's not have any bizarre middle ground about the wonderful contours of a young boy's imagination or his remarkable facility for turning a literary phrase. That is an unacceptable position to take - morally, literally, historically, or theologically.

Jeffrey R. Holland, "True or False," New Era, June 1995, 6

C.S. Lewis

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say.  A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.  He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell.  You must make your choice.  Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.  You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.  But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher.  He did not leave that open to us.  He did not intend to.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1952, pp. 40-41

W. Ian Thomas

There are few things quite so boring as being religious, but there is nothing quite so exciting as being a Christian!  Most folks have never discovered the difference between the one and the other, so that there are those who sincerely try to live a life they do not have, substituting religion for God, Christianity for Christ, and their own noble endeavors for the energy, joy, and power of the Holy Spirit.  In the absence of reality, they can only grasp at ritual, stubbornly defending the latter in the absence of the former, lest they be found with neither!  They are lamps without oil, cars without gas, pens without ink, baffled at their own impotence in the absence of all that alone can make man functional; for man was so engineered by God that the presence of the Creator within the creature is indispensable to His humanity.  Christ gave himself for us to give Himself to us!  His presence puts God back into the man! He came that we might have life - God's life!  There are those who have a life they never live.  They have come to Christ and thanked Him only for what He did, but do not live in the power of who He is.  Between the Jesus who 'was' and the Jesus who 'will be' they live in a spiritual vacuum, trying with no little zeal to live for Christ a life that only He can live in and through them, perpetually begging for what in Him they already have!

W. Ian Thomas, in Bob George Classic Christianity [Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1989], foreward

Solomon Bennett Freehof

as quoted by W. Eugene Hansen:

Years ago I preferred clever people.  There was a joy in beholding ... a mind ... bearing thoughts quickly translated into words, or ideas expressed in a new way.  I find now my taste has changed.  Verbal fireworks often bore me.  They seem motivated  by self-assertion and self-display.  I now prefer another type of person; one who is considerate, understanding of others, careful not to break down another person's self-respect. ... My preferred person today is one who is always aware of the needs of others, or their pain and [their] fear and [their] unhappiness, and their search for self-respect. ... I once liked clever people.  Now I like good people."


W. Eugene Hansen, "Love," Ensign, Nov 1989, 24

Wayne S. Peterson

Our home should ideally be a refuge where each member feels safe, secure, loved, and insulated from harsh criticism and contention that we so often encounter in the world.  Christ set a perfect example of maintaining emotional control in every setting. Appearing before Caiaphas and Pilate, He was buffeted, slapped, spat upon, and mocked by His tormentors (see Matt. 26; Luke 23). The great irony was that they demeaned their Creator, whose suffering was undertaken out of love for them.  In the face of this unjust abuse, Jesus maintained His composure, refusing to act unkindly. Even on the cross, in the midst of that unspeakable agony, His plea was, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).  He expects the same of us. To those who would follow Him, He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).  May we evidence our discipleship by strengthening our homes in kind and loving ways. May we remember that “a soft answer turneth away wrath” and strive through our relationships and encounters to shape a character that will meet with the Savior’s approval.

Wayne S. Peterson, “Our Actions Determine Our Character,” Ensign, Nov 2001,  83

Rusell M. Nelson

Indeed, in some instances, the merciful companion to truth is silence. Some truths are best left unsaid.

Russell M. Nelson, “Truth—and More,” Ensign, Jan 1986, 69

Margaret D. Nadauld

Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.

Margaret D. Nadauld, “The Joy of Womanhood,” Ensign, Nov 2000,  14

Dallin H. Oaks

One who focuses on faults, though they be true, tears down a brother or a sister. The virtues of patience, brotherly kindness, mutual respect, loyalty, and good manners all rest to some degree on the principle that even though something is true, we are not necessarily justified in communicating it to any and all persons at any and all times.

Dallin H. Oaks, “Criticism,” Ensign, Feb 1987,  68

Gordon B. Hinckley

I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort. I am not asking that all criticism be silenced. Growth comes of correction. Strength comes of repentance. Wise is the man who can acknowledge mistakes pointed out by others and change his course.  What I am suggesting is that each of us turn from the negativism that so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good among those with whom we associate, that we speak of one another’s virtues more than we speak of one another’s faults.

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Continuing Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, Apr 1986, 2

Jenkins Lloyd Jones

as quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley:

Anyone who imagines that bliss ... is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed.  [The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. … Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.

Big Rock Candy Mountains,” Deseret News, 12 June 1973, A4 quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Conversation with Single Adults,” Ensign, Mar 1997, 58

Robert D. Hales

True friends make it easier to live the gospel. They never make us choose between their ways and the Lord’s ways. They help us be the kind of person that attracts other true friends.

Robert D. Hales, “To the Aaronic Priesthood: Preparing for the Decade of Decision,” Ensign, May 2007, 48–51

Marvin J. Ashton

A friend in the true sense is not a person who passively nods approval of our conduct or ignores improper behavior. A friend is a person who cares. When we lose someone who cares about us, we lose one of our most valuable assets… A friend is a priceless possession because a true friend is one who not only is willing to love us the way we are, but is able to leave us better than he found us. We are poor when we lose friends because generally they are willing to reprove, admonish, love, encourage, and guide us for our best good.

Marvin J. Ashton, “It’s No Fun Being Poor,” Ensign, Sep 1982,  72

Marvin J. Ashton

Listening is more than being quiet. Listening is much more than silence. Listening requires undivided attention. The time to listen is when someone needs to be heard. The time to deal with a person with a problem is when he has the problem. The time to listen is the time when our interest and love are vital to the one who seeks our ear, our heart, our help, and our empathy.  We should all increase our ability to ask comfortable questions, and then listen—intently, naturally. Listening is a tied-in part of loving. How powerful are the words, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19–20.)

Marvin J. Ashton, “Family Communications,” Ensign, May 1976,  52

M. Russell Ballard

Nothing is more important to the relationship between family members than open, honest communication… Often what we see in the eyes and what we feel in the heart will communicate far more than what we hear or say. A word to you children: Never be disrespectful to your parents. You must also learn to listen, especially to the counsel of your mom and dad and to the promptings of the Spirit. There are powerful moments of communication through regular family prayer and through family scripture study. The scriptures will help define family values and goals, and talking together about them will assist family members to learn to become individually secure, spiritually strong, and self-reliant.

M. Russell Ballard, “Like a Flame Unquenchable,” Ensign, May 1999,  85

Robert E. Wells

Too often, criticism attacks tender, unprotected feelings. When we criticize, we are implying blame, censure, condemnation, reprobation, and denunciation—and we’re setting ourselves up as judges, as if we were qualified to point out someone else’s faults and weaknesses.

For some people, sharp questions or quick rejoinders are habits. Criticism is a form of humor for them, and they enjoy feeling superior when they see someone else’s discomfort. This is a tragic, sinful attitude that must be changed.

Robert E. Wells, “Overcoming Those Differences of Opinion,” Ensign, Jan. 1987, 60

L. Lionel Kendrick

Christlike communications are expressed in tones of love rather than loudness. They are intended to be helpful rather than hurtful. They tend to bind us together rather than to drive us apart. They tend to build rather than to belittle.  Christlike communications are expressions of affection and not anger, truth and not fabrication, compassion and not contention, respect and not ridicule, counsel and not criticism, correction and not condemnation. They are spoken with clarity and not with confusion. They may be tender or they may be tough, but they must always be tempered.   The real challenge that we face in our communications with others is to condition our hearts to have Christlike feelings for all of Heavenly Father's children. When we develop this concern for the condition of others, we then will communicate with them as the Savior would. We will then warm the hearts of those who may be suffering in silence. As we meet people with special needs along life's way, we can then make their journey brighter by the things that we say.   Christlike communications will help us to develop righteous relationships and ultimately to return to our heavenly home safely. May we treasure the divine gift of communication, and may we use it wisely to build and to assist others on this marvelous journey through mortality. 

L. Lionel Kendrick "Christlike Communications," Ensign, Nov. 1988, 24

Thomas S. Monson

Men, take care not to make women weep, for God counts their tears.

Thomas S. Monson, “Standards of Strength,” NewEra, Oct 2008, 2–5

James E. Faust

We need to remind ourselves as husbands that our wives have been blessed with the divine gifts of intuition, faith, and love. They enjoy priesthood blessings even though they do not hold any priesthood office. … Priesthood blessings are not just male- or husband-oriented, but reach their potential flowering in the eternal relationship of the husband and wife sharing and administering these great blessings to our families. These blessings are the keys to eternal life, salvation, and exaltation through obedience.

James E. Faust, “Brethren, Love Your Wives,” Tambuli, Apr 1982, 7

Dallin H. Oaks

In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.  [Conversion] signifies not just a convincing but a profound change of nature…which requires us to do and to become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.  This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the right reason—for the pure love of Christ...  Instead of being judgmental about others, we should be concerned about ourselves. We must not give up hope. We must not stop striving. We are children of God, and it is possible for us to become what our Heavenly Father would have us become.

Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov 2000,  32

James E. Faust

A patriarchal blessing from an ordained patriarch can give us a star to follow, which is a personal revelation from God to each individual. If we follow this star, we are less likely to stumble and be misled. Our patriarchal blessing will be an anchor to our souls, and if we are worthy, neither death nor the devil can deprive us of the blessings pronounced. They are blessings we can enjoy now and forever.

James E. Faust, “Priesthood Blessings,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 63.

Thomas S. Monson

Your patriarchal blessing is yours and yours alone. It may be brief or lengthy, simple or profound. Length and language do not a patriarchal blessing make. It is the Spirit that conveys the true meaning. Your blessing is not to be folded neatly and tucked away. It is not to be framed or published. Rather, it is to be read. It is to be loved. It is to be followed. Your patriarchal blessing will see you through the darkest night. It will guide you through life’s dangers. Your patriarchal blessing is to you a personal Liahona to chart your course and guide your way.

Thomas S. Monson, “Your Patriarchal Blessing: A Liahona of Light,” Ensign, Nov 1986,  65

Richard P. Lindsay

The Lord has already revealed many things he expects of you: righteousness, obedience, compassion, honesty. You’ve been taught about them all your life. And you’ve already made commitments—at baptism, each time you take the sacrament, when you receive the priesthood. Remember a patriarchal blessing is an expression of the Lord’s love for you personally. More than anything else, it will help you understand through the Spirit your own marvelous potential and some of the great blessings the Lord has in store for you as you keep his commandments.

Richard P. Lindsay, “Chart Your Course by It,” New Era, Sep 1990,  4

James E. Faust

Our testimonies can be strengthened and fortified and our lives given greater purpose every time we read and reread our patriarchal blessings. By their very nature, all blessings are qualified and conditional, regardless of whether the blessing specifically spells out the qualification or not. Each blessing is absolutely qualified and given upon the condition of the faithfulness of the recipient of the blessing.

James E. Faust, “Your Patriarchal Blessing,” New Era, Nov 2005,  4

M. Russell Ballard

We need to become so deeply converted to the gospel of Christ that the fire of the covenant will burn in our hearts like flame unquenchable. And with that kind of faith we will do what is necessary to remain true and worthy.

M. Russell Ballard, “Like a Flame Unquenchable,” Ensign, May 1999, 85

Spencer W. Kimball

I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away.  If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.

Spencer W. Kimball, What I Hope You Will Teach My Grandchildren, 6

Sheri Dew

No woman who understands the gospel would ever think that any other work is more important or would ever say, “I am just a mother,” for mothers heal the souls of men… And if the day comes when we are the only women on earth who find nobility and divinity in motherhood, so be it. For mother is the word that will define a righteous woman made perfect in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, a woman who has qualified for eternal increase in posterity, wisdom, joy, and influence.

Sheri Dew, “Are We Not All Mothers?,” Ensign, Nov 2001, 96

Boyd K. Packer

The atonement is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them. 

 

Boyd K. Packer, “The Mediator,” Ensign, May 1977, 54

Dallin H. Oaks

The reality of our total dependence upon Jesus Christ for the attainment of our goals of immortality and eternal life should dominate every teaching and every testimony and every action of every soul touched by the light of the gospel.  If we teach every other subject and principle with perfection and fall short on this one, we have failed in our most important mission.

Dallin H. Oaks, CES-SLC,  Feb 7, 1992

Henry B. Eyring

When the Holy Ghost is your companion you can have confidence that the Atonement is working in your life.

Henry B. Eyring, Come Unto Chirst, BYU Fireside, (found in To Draw Closer To God, 1997, pp 49-50)

Bruce R. McConkie

The actual cleansing of the soul comes when the Holy Ghost is received.  The Holy Ghost is a sanctifier whose divine commission is to burn dross and evil out of a human soul as though by fire.

Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 239

Henry B. Eyring

To know His will you must be committed to do it. The words “Thy will be done,” written in the heart, are the window to revelation.  The answer comes by the Holy Spirit. You will need that guidance often. To have the Holy Ghost as your companion you must be worthy, cleansed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. So, your obedience to the commandments, your desire to do His will, and your asking in faith will determine how clearly the Master can guide you by answers to your prayers.

Henry B. Eyring, “Rise to Your Call,” Ensign, Nov 2002, 75

Joseph Fielding Smith

When a man has the manifestation from the Holy Ghost, it leaves an indelible impression on his soul, one that is not easily erased. It is Spirit speaking to spirit, and it comes with convincing force. A manifestation of an angel, or even the Son of God himself, would impress the eye and mind, and eventually become dimmed, but the impressions of the Holy Ghost sink deeper into the soul and are more difficult to erase.

Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:151

Henry B. Eyring

It takes a choice to “feast upon the words of Christ.” And even the feast is not nourishing without a choice to do what the words of Christ tell [us] to do. With faith and obedience practiced long enough, the Holy Ghost becomes a constant companion, our natures change, and endurance becomes certain.

Henry B. Eyring, “True Friends,” Ensign, May 2002, 26

Ezra Taft Benson

One of the trials of life is that we do not usually receive immediately the full blessing for righteousness or the full cursing for wickedness. That it will come is certain, but ofttimes there is a waiting period that occurs.

 

Ezra Taft Benson, “The Great Commandment—Love the Lord,” Ensign, May 1988,  4

Joseph Fielding Smith

What would man amount to without this free agency? He would be no better than a mechanical contrivance. He could not have acted for himself, but in all things would have been acted upon, and hence unable to have received a reward for meritorious conduct. He would have been an automaton; could have had no happiness nor misery, ‘neither sense nor insensibility,’ and such could hardly be called existence.

Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56], 1:64).

Robert D. Hales

Agency leads us to act: to seek that we may find, to ask that we may receive guidance from the Spirit, to knock on that door that leads to spiritual light and ultimately salvation. I bear special witness that our Savior Jesus Christ is the source of that light, even the Light and Life of the World. As we use our agency to follow Him, His light will grow within us brighter and brighter until that perfect day when we are welcomed into the presence of our Father in Heaven for all eternity.

Robert D. Hales, “To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency,” Ensign, May 2006,  4–8

Man's Search for Meaning

Reflecting on his horrendous wartime experiences, Viktor Frankl recalled: “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.

 

Man’s Search for Meaning [1985], 86.

Sheri Dew

We are here to demonstrate by our choices that we want to be in the kingdom of God more than anything else.

Sheri Dew, Relief Society Sisterhood Day, South Bend, Indiana, March 23, 2002

Richard L. Evans

Life offers you two precious gifts.  One is time, the other, freedom of choice – the freedom to buy your time with what you will.  You are free to exchange your allotment of time for thrills. You may trade it for base desires. You may invest in greed. You may purchase with it vanity; you may spend your time in pursuit of material things. Yours is the freedom to choose. But these are not bargains, for in them you find no lasting satisfaction.

Richard L. Evans, Man’s Search for Happiness