Dieter F Uchtdorf

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters—my dear friends—please, first doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.  We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Come, Join With Us, Ensign, Nov. 2013

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

James E. Faust

The depth of the love of parents for their children cannot be measured. It is like no other relationship. It exceeds concern for life itself. The love of a parent for a child is continuous and transcends heartbreak and disappointment. All parents hope and pray that their children will make wise decisions. Children who are obedient and responsible bring to their parents unending pride and satisfaction.

James E. Faust
April 2003

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.

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

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

N. Eldon Tanner

The happy home is one where the family lives together, works together, plays together, and prays together; where the parents show love and courtesy and demonstrate it to each other. Love is expressed often through actions and by the spoken word. We should not be like the Scotsman who, at the death of his wife, was receiving expressions of sympathy from his friends. One neighbor commented on what a fine person she was. Jock replied, “Aye, she was a good woman, and I came near telling her so once or twice.”

N. Eldon Tanner, “Celestial Marriages and Eternal Families,” Ensign, May 1980, 15

N. Eldon Tanner

Another example is given of a man whose daughter came to him one evening and said, “Dad, may I use the car tonight?”
He replied, “It isn’t here.”
“What do you mean, ‘It isn’t here.’ Where is it?”
“I don’t know. I let a man borrow it.”
“Well, who is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t understand. When will he bring it back?”
The father then explained, saying, “You seem to be quite concerned about my car, and yet you don’t seem to appreciate my wanting to know about your dates—with whom and where you are going and when you will come back. I have far more interest in you and your welfare than in my automobile, and I hope you can understand now why I ask you those questions.”
Children should understand and be made to feel the love and concern their parents have for them. If the proper relationship exists they will willingly confide their plans and be happy to have their friends and parents meet.

N. Eldon Tanner, “Celestial Marriages and Eternal Families,” Ensign, May 1980, 15

Kahlil Gibran

Work is love made visible.

Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet (1973), 28.

Russell M. Nelson

Real love is not measured in terms of moonlight and roses, but in terms of who will care for you when you are old.

Russell M. Nelson, “Identity, Priority, and Blessings,” Ensign, Aug 2001, 6

Joseph B. Wirthlin

The things you say, the tone of your voice, the anger or calm of your words—these things are noticed by your children and by others. They see and learn both the kind and the unkind things we say or do. Nothing exposes our true selves more than how we treat one another in the home.

When we are filled with kindness, we are not judgmental. The Savior taught, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” 4 He also taught that “with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” 5
“But,” you ask, “what if people are rude?”
Love them.
“If they are obnoxious?”
Love them.
“But what if they offend? Surely I must do something then?”
Love them.
“Wayward?”
The answer is the same. Be kind. Love them.
Why? In the scriptures Jude taught, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.” 6
Who can tell what far-reaching impact we can have if we are only kind?

 Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Virtue of Kindness,” Ensign, May 2005, 26

Susan W. Tanner

...[L]ove is the foundational virtue in building a strong home. Our Father in Heaven exemplifies the pattern we should follow.  He loves us, teaches us, is patient with us, and entrusts us with our agency.  President Hinckley said: "Love can make the difference - love generously given in childhood and reaching through the awkward years of youth ... and encouragement that is quick to compliment and slow to criticize." Sometimes discipline, which means "to teach" is confused with criticism.  Children - as well as people of all ages - improve behavior from love and encouragement more than from fault-finding.

Susan W. Tanner, “Did I Tell You … ?,” Ensign, May 2003, 73

Robert F. Orton

Most of us profess to love God.  The challenge, I have observed, is loving our neighbor.  The term neighbor includes family, people with whom we work, those whom we see in geographical proximity to our home and at church, and even the enemy, though we do not condone what the latter does.  If we do not love all of these, our brothers and sisters, can we truly say that we love God?  The Apostle John declared "that he who loveth God love his brother also," and added, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar" (1 Jn. 4:21, 20). Love of God and neighbor must therefore be inseparably connected.

Robert F. Orton, "'The First and Great Commandment'," Ensign, Nov 2001, 81