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As We Touch The Temple And Love The Temple, Our Lives Will Reflect Our Faith. As We Go To The Holy House, As We Remember The Covenants We Make Therein, We Will Be Able To Bear Every Trial And Overcome Each Temptation.

-Thomas S. Monson

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As We Touch The

Thomas S. Monson

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As We Touch The Temple And Love The Temple, Our Lives Will Reflect Our Faith. As We Go To The Holy House, As We Remember The Covenants We Make Therein, We Will Be Able To Bear Every Trial And Overcome Each Temptation.

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A Home Is Much More Than A House Built Of Lumber, Brick, Or Stone. A Home Is Made Of Love, Sacrifice, And Respect. We Are Responsible For The Homes We Build. We Must Build Wisely, For Eternity Is Not A Short Voyage. There Will Be Calm And Wind, Sunlight And Shadows, Joy And Sorrow. But If We Really Try, Our Home Can Be A Bit Of Heaven Here On Earth. The Thoughts We Think, The Deeds We Do, The Lives We Live Not Only Influence The Success Of Our Earthly Journey, They Also Mark The Way To Our Eternal Goals.

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Do Not Yield To Satan's Enticements; Rather, Stand Firm For Truth. The Unsatisfied Yearnings Of The Soul Will Not Be Met By A Never-ending Quest For Joy Amidst The Thrills Of Sensation And Vice. Vice Never Leads To Virtue. Hate Never Promotes Love. Cowardice Never Gives Courage. Doubt Never Inspires Faith.

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The Way To Be With God In Every Season Is To Strive To Be Near Him Every Week And Each Day.

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Your Future Depends On Your Faith.

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May We Give As The Savior Gave. To Give Of Oneself Is A Holy Gift. We Give As A Remembrance Of All The Savior Has Given.

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The World Around You Is Not Equipped To Provide The Help You Need To Make It Through This Often Treacherous Journey.

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At Times Some May Think That No One Cares--but Someone Always Cares! Your Heavenly Father Will Not Leave You To Struggle Alone, But Stands Ever Ready To Help.

Don't Forget: One Of The Saddest Things In Life Is Wasted Talent.

Without A Goal There Can Be No Real Success.

To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

Prayer Is The Passport To Peace.

Remember Who You Are And What God Expects You To Become.

Remember Who You Are

Through Personal Prayer, Through Family Prayer, By Trusting In God With Faith, Nothing Wavering, We Can Call Down To Our Rescue His Mighty Power.

I Testify To You That Our Promised Blessings Are Beyond Measure. Though The Storm Clouds May Gather, Though The Rains May Pour Down Upon Us, Our Knowledge Of The Gospel And Our Love Of Our Heavenly Father And Savior Will Comfort And Sustain Us And Bring Joy To Our Hearts As We Walk Uprightly And Keep The Commandments. There Will Be Nothing In This World That Can Defeat Us.

The Past Is Behind, Learn From It. The Future Is Ahead, Prepare For It. The Present Is Here, Live It.

Times Change; Years Speed By; But Christmas Continues Sacred.

It Is Impossible To Stand Upright When One Plants His Roots In The Shifting Sands Of Popular Opinion And Approval.

As The Christmas Season Envelops Us With All Its Glory, May We, As Did The Wise Men, Seek A Bright, Particular Star To Guide Us In Our Celebration Of The Savior’s Birth.

A Grateful Heart ... Comes Through Expressing Gratitude To Our Heavenly Father For His Blessings And To Those Around Us For All That They Bring Into Our Lives.

May We Incorporate Into Our Own Lives The Divine Principles Which He Joseph Smith So Beautifully Taught By Example, That We, Ourselves, Might Live More Completely The Gospel Of Jesus Christ. . . May Our Lives Reflect The Knowledge We Have That God Lives, That Jesus Christ Is His Son, That Joseph Smith Was A Prophet And That We Are Led Today By Another Prophet Of God - Even President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Gordon B Hinckley

Should There Be Anyone Who Feels He Is Too Weak To Do Better Because Of That Greatest Of Fears, The Fear Of Failure, There Is No More Comforting Assurance To Be Had Than The Words Of The Lord: 'my Grace Is Sufficient For All Men That Humble Themselves Before Me; For If They Humble Themselves Before Me, And Have Faith In Me, Then Will I Make Weak Things Become Strong Unto Them' (ether 12:27)

Do Not Procrastinate. Someone Has Said That Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time. Actually, Procrastination Is Much More. It Is The Thief Of Our Self-respect. It Nags At Us And Spoils Our Fun. It Deprives Us Of The Fullest Realization Of Our Ambitions And Hopes.

Procrastination

Ours Is The Responsibility To Keep Our Light Bright For Others To See And Follow.

Mortality Is A Period Of Testing, A Time To Prove Ourselves Worthy To Return To The Presence Of Our Heavenly Father. In Order For Us To Be Tested, We Must Face Challenges And Difficulties. These Can Break Us, And The Surface Of Our Souls May Crack And Crumble-that Is, If Our Foundations Of Faith, Our Testimonies Of Truth Are Not Deeply Embedded Within Us.

Our Heavenly Father Can Appreciate Our Love For Him By How Well We Serve Him And How Well We Serve Our Fellowmen.

Love Thy Neighbor Is More Than A Divine Truth. It Is A Pattern For Perfection.

God’s Love Is There For You Whether Or Not You Feel You Deserve Love. It Is Simply Always There.

Home Should Be A Haven Of Love. Honor, Courtesy, And Respect Symbolize Love And Characterize The Righteous Family.

Clearly, One Primary Purpose Of Our Existence Upon The Earth Is To Obtain A Body Of Flesh And Bones. We Have Also Been Given The Gift Of Agency. In A Thousand Ways We Are Privileged To Choose For Ourselves. Here We Learn From The Hard Taskmaster Of Experience. We Discern Between Good And Evil. We Differentiate As To The Bitter And The Sweet. We Discover That There Are Consequences Attached To Our Actions.

I Urge You To Live Within Your Means. One Cannot Spend More Than One Earns And Remain Solvent. I Promise You That You Will Then Be Happier Than You Would Be If You Were Constantly Worrying About How To Make The Next Payment On Nonessential Debt.

The Effectiveness Of An Inspired Bishop, Adviser, Or Teacher Has Very Little To Do With The Outward Trappings Of Power Or An Abundance Of This World's Goods. The Leaders Who Have The Most Influence Are Usually Those Who Set Hearts Afire With Devotion To The Truth, Who Make Obedience To Duty Seem The Essence Of Manhood, Who Transform Some Ordinary Routine Occurrence So That It Becomes A Vista Where We See The Person We Aspire To Be.

Kneel Down To Pray. Step Up To Serve. Reach Out To Rescue. Each Is A Vital Page Of God's Blueprint To Make A House A Home And A Home A Heaven.

Happiness Comes From Living The Way The Lord Wants You To Live.

Whether It Is The Best Of Times Or The Worst Of Times, He Is With Us. He Has Promised Us That This Will Never Change.

The Question Each Of Us Must Answer Is ... What Shall I Do With Jesus? He Himself Has Provided Us The Answer: "follow Me, And Do The Things Which Ye Have Seen Me Do"

There Is Much That Is Difficult And Challenging In The World Today, My Brothers And Sisters, But There Is Also Much That Is Good And Uplifting. As We Declare In Our Thirteenth Article Of Faith, 'if There Is Anything Virtuous, Lovely, Or Of Good Report Or Praiseworthy, We Seek After These Things.' May We Ever Continue To Do So.

A Moral Coward Is One Who Is Afraid To Do What He Thinks Is Right Because Others Will Disapprove Or Laugh. Remember That All Men Have Their Fears, But Those Who Face Their Fears With Dignity Have Courage As Well.

Hope Is Putting Faith To Work When Doubting Would Be Easier

Stick To A Task 'til It Sticks To You. . .for Beginners Are Many, But Finishers Few.

Each Of Our Temples Is An Expression Of Our Testimony That Life Beyond The Grave Is As Real And As Certain As Is Our Life Here On Earth.

How You Speak And The Words You Use Tell Much About The Image You Choose To Portray. Use Language To Build And Uplift Those Around You. Profane, Vulgar, Or Crude Language And Inappropriate Or Off-color Jokes Are Offensive To The Lord. Never Misuse The Name Of God Or Jesus Christ. The Lord Said, "thou Shalt Not Take The Name Of The Lord Thy God In Vain" (ex. 20:7).

The Reward Of Eternal Life Requires Effort.

When We Deal In Generalities, We Shall Never Succeed. When We Deal In Specifics, We Shall Rarely Have A Failure. When Performance Is Measured, Performance Improves. When Performance Is Measured And Reported, The Rate Of Performance Accelerates.

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Sends Forth To You An Earnest Appeal. Open Your Doors To The Missionaries. Open Your Minds To The Words Of God. Open Your Hearts, Even Your Very Souls, To The Sound Of That Still, Small Voice Which Testifies Of Truth.

Our Heavenly Father Is Aware Of Our Needs And Will Help Us As We Call Upon Him For Assistance. I Believe That No Concern Of Ours Is Too Small Or Insignificant. The Lord Is In The Details Of Our Lives.

Not A Day Has Gone By That I Have Not Communicated With My Father In Heaven Through Prayer. It Is A Relationship I Cherish-one I Would Literally Be Lost Without. If You Do Not Now Have Such A Relationship With Your Father In Heaven, I Urge You To Work Toward That Goal. As You Do So, You Will Be Entitled To His Inspiration And Guidance In Your Life.

The Book Of Mormon Changes Lives.

No Member Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Who Has Canned Peas, Topped Beets, Hauled Hay, Shoveled Coal, Or Helped In Any Way To Serve Others Ever Forgets Or Regrets The Experience Of Helping Provide For Those In Need.

Choose Your Friends Carefully, For You Will Tend To Be Like Them And Be Found Where They Choose To Go.

How Do We Find The Lord? I Believe We Have To Seek Him In Simple Things. I Believe We Have To Seek Him In Personal Prayer. I Believe We Must Seek Him In Personal Service. I Believe We Seek And Find Jesus When We Follow His Example.

Reading Is One Of The True Pleasures Of Life. In Our Age Of Mass Culture, When So Much That We Encounter Is Abridged,adapted, Adulterated, Shredded, And Boiled Down, It Is Mind-easing And Mind-inspiring To Sit Down Privately With A Congenial Book.

Turning The Pages Of Scriptural History From Beginning To End, We Learn Of The Ultimate Pioneer-even Jesus Christ. His Birth Was Foretold By The Prophets Of Old; His Entry Upon The Stage Of Life Was Announced By An Angel. His Life And His Ministry Have Transformed The World. . . . May We Ever Follow Him.

Not Surprisingly, As The Pioneer Theme Is Presented, Each Goes Back In Memory To His Or Her Own Family Line. There Are Usually Examples To Identify And Which Fit The Definition Of A Pioneer: "one Who Goes Before, Showing Others The Way To Follow." Some, If Not All, Made Great Sacrifices To Leave Behind Comfort And Ease And Respond To That Clarion Call Of Their Newly Found Faith.

It Is Our Solemn Duty, Our Precious Privilege-even Our Sacred Opportunity-to Welcome To Our Homes And To Our Hearts The Children Who Grace Our Lives.

With The Birth Of The Babe In Bethlehem, There Emerged A Great Endowment—a Power Stronger Than Weapons, A Wealth More Lasting Than The Coins Of Caesar. This Child Was To Become The King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords, The Promised Messiah—jesus Christ, The Son Of God.

On Occasion I Have Observed Parents Shopping To Clothe A Son About To Enter Missionary Service. The New Suits Are Fitted, The New Shoes Are Laced, And Shirts, Socks, And Ties Are Bought In Quantity. I Met One Father Who Said To Me, 'brother Monson, I Want You To Meet My Son.' Pride Popped His Buttons; The Cost Of The Clothing Emptied His Wallet; Love Filled His Heart. Tears Filled My Eyes When I Noticed That His [the Father's] Suit Was Old, His Shoes Well Worn; But He Felt No Deprivation. The Glow On His Face Was A Memory To Cherish.

It Was By Faith, Nothing Wavering, That Joseph Saw God Our Eternal Father And Jesus Christ, His Son.

It Is Imperative That We Recognize That Whatever Has Happened To Us Has Happened To Others. They Have Coped And So Must We. We Are Not Alone. Heavenly Father's Help Is Near.

To Be Angry Is To Yield To The Influence Of Satan. No One Can Make Us Angry. It Is Our Choice. If We Desire To Have A Proper Spirit With Us At All Times, We Must Choose To Refrain From Becoming Angry. I Testify That Such Is Possible.

We Truly Need Him Every Hour, Whether They Be Hours Of Sunshine Or Of Rain.

It’s Not Enough To Wish, It’s Not Enough To Dream, It’s Not Enough To Promise. We Must Do.

When You’re On The Lord’s Errand, You’re Entitled To The Lord’s Blessings.

Needed Are...[souls] Filled With Compassion, That We Might Communicate Not Only Eye To Eye, Or Voice To Ear, But In The Majestic Style Of The Savior, Even Heart To Heart.

The Courage To Say No, The Courage To Say Yes. Decisions Do Determine Destiny.

So Frequently We Mistakenly Believe That Our Children Need More Things, When In Reality Their Silent Pleadings Are Simply For More Of Our Time.

There Are Many Out There Who Plead And Pray For Help. There Are Those Who Are Discouraged, Those Who Are Beset By Poor Health And Challenges Of Life Which Leave Them In Despair. I’ve Always Believed In The Truth Of The Words, ‘god’s Sweetest Blessings Always Go By Hands That Serve Him Here Below.’ Let Us Have Ready Hands, Clean Hands, And Willing Hands, That We May Participate In Providing What Our Heavenly Father Would Have Others Receive From Him.

Remember That Ofttimes The Wisdom Of God Appears As Foolishness To Men, But The Greatest Single Lesson We Can Learn In Mortality Is That When God Speaks And A Man Obeys, That Man Will Always Be Right.

We Find Real Joy When We Keep The Savior The Focus Of The Season.

We Must Not Let Our Passions Destroy Our Dreams.

We Must Learn To Separate Need From Greed...we Must Not Allow Our Yearnings To Exceed Our Earnings.

What Will You And I Give For Christmas This Year? Let Us In Our Lives Give To Our Lord And Savior The Gift Of Gratitude By Living His Teachings And Following In His Footsteps. It Was Said Of Him That He “went About Doing Good.” As We Do Likewise, The Christmas Spirit Will Be Ours.

May We Show Increased Kindness Toward One Another, And May We Ever Be Found Doing The Work Of The Lord.

The Greatest Force In The World Today Is The Power Of God As It Works Through Man.

My Earnest Prayer Is That You Will Have The Courage Required To Refrain From Judging Others, The Courage To Be Chaste And Virtuous, And The Courage To Stand Firm For Truth And Righteousness. As You Do So, You Will Be ‘an Example Of The Believers’ (1 Timothy 4:12), And Your Life Will Be Filled With Love And Peace And Joy.

Let Us Relish Life As We Live It, Find Joy In The Journey, And Share Our Love With Family And Friends.

Family And Friends

Spiritual Strength Frequently Comes Through Selfless Service.

Selfless Service

Each Of Us Can Do Something To Help Someone.

Can Do Something

Work Will Win When Wishy Washy Wishing Won T.

Avoid Pornography At All Costs!

Courage Is Required To Make An Initial Thrust Towards Ones Coveted Goal, But Even Greater Courage Is Called For When One Stumbles And Must Make A Second Effort To Achieve.

Should Doubt Knock At Your Doorway, Just Say To Those Skeptical, Disturbing, Rebellious Thoughts: "i Propose To Stay With My Faith, With The Faith Of My People."

As We Touch The Temple And Love The Temple, Our Lives Will Reflect Our Faith. As We Go To The Holy House, As We Remember The Covenants We Make Therein, We Will Be Able To Bear Every Trial And Overcome Each Temptation.

As We Seek Christ, As We Find Him, As We Follow Him, We Shall Have The Christmas Spirit, Not For One Fleeting Day Each Year, But As A Companion Always.

Decisions Are Constantly Before Us. To Make Them Wisely, Courage Is Needed-the Courage To Say No, The Courage To Say Yes. Decisions Do Determine Destiny. I Plead With You To Make A Determination Right Here, Right Now, Not To Deviate From The Path Which Will Lead To Our Goal: Eternal Life With Our Father In Heaven.

You Can Share Your Testimony In Many Ways, By The Words You Speak, By The Example You Set, By The Manner In Which You Live Your Life.

Words You Speak

There Is No Finer Way To Demonstrate Love Of God Than By Serving Him In The Positions To Which We May Be Called. Occasionally, The Reward For That Service Will Be Prompt, And We'll See The Light In The Eyes Of The Person Whom We Have Helped. Other Times, However, The Lord Will Let Us Wait A Little While And Let Our Reward Come Another Way.

By Choosing Our Path, We Choose Our Destination.

We Must Develop The Capacity To See Men Not As They Are At Present But As They May Become.

Man Has Made Remarkable Strides In Conquering Outer Space, But How Futile Have Been His Efforts In Conquering Inner Space- The Space In Our Hearts And Minds Of Men.

Some Are Young People Who Don't Know Who They Are, What They Can Be Or Even Want To Be. They Are Afraid, But They Don't Know Of What. They Are Angry, But They Don't Know At Whom. They Are Rejected And They Don't Know Why. All They Want Is To Be Somebody.

Christmas Is A Glorious Time Of The Year, Simple In Origin, Deep In Meaning, Beautiful In Tradition And Custom, Rich In Memories, And Charitable In Spirit.

The Person Who Is Working On His Or Her Family History Fits The Description Of One Who Is Fulfilling His Or Her Duty. I Know The Effort, I Know The Expense. I Know The Difficulties Through Which One May Go To Uncover One Name. I Know Our Heavenly Father Is Aware Of These Efforts. And Those For Whom We Perform Sacred Ordinances Are Aware Of Our Efforts. Oftentimes, In A Miraculous Way, There Shall Appear Before Us A Clear Pathway Through A Field Of Turbulence.

Loving Service Anonymously Given May Be Unknown To Man-but The Gift And The Giver Are Known To God.

None Within The Sound Of My Voice Should Be In Any Doubt Concerning What Is Moral And What Is Not, Nor Should Any Be In Doubt About What Is Expected Of Us ... We Have Been And Continue To Be Taught God's Laws. Despite What You May See Or Hear Elsewhere, These Laws Are Unchanging.

Charity Is Having Patience With Someone Who Has Let Us Down. It Is Resisting The Impulse To Become Offended Easily. It Is Accepting Weaknesses And Shortcomings. It Is Accepting People As They Truly Are. It Is Looking Beyond Physical Appearances To Attributes That Will Not Dim Through Time. It Is Resisting The Impulse To Categorize Others.

Decisions Determine Destiny.

One Day Each Of Us Will Run Out Of Tomorrows. Let Us Not Put Off What Is Important.

Let Us Respect Others No One Lives Alone In A City, A Nation, Or A World.

Respecting Others

Don’t Limit Yourself And Don’t Let Others Convince You That You Are Limited In What You Can Do. Believe In Yourself And Then Live So As To Reach Your Possibilities. You Can Achieve What You Believe You Can. Trust And Believe And Have Faith.

We Forget How The Greeks And Romans Prevailed Magnificently In A Barbaric World And How That Triumph Ended-how A Slackness And Softness Finally Overcame Them To Their Ruin. In The End, More Than They Wanted Freedom, They Wanted Security And A Comfortable Life; And They Lost All-comfort And Security And Freedom.

Security And Freedom

Let Us Not Demean Or Belittle. Rather, Let Us Be Compassionate And Encouraging.

We Learn And Grow And Become Stronger As We Face And Survive The Trials Through Which We Must Pass.

There Are Lives To Brighten. There Are Hearts To Touch. There Are Souls To Save.

God Left The World Unfinished; The Pictures Unpainted, The Songs Unsung, And The Problems Unsolved, That Man Might Know The Joys Of Creation.

How Grateful We Are That The Heavens Are Indeed Open, That The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Has Been Restored, And That The Church Is Founded On The Rock Of Revelation. We Are A Blessed People, With Apostles And Prophets Upon The Earth Today.

Help Others In Their Race Of Life. Remember That When You Help Another Up A Mountain, You Are A Little Nearer The Top Yourself.

Remember To Pray Fervently.

Work Without Vision Is Drudgery. Vision Without Work Is Dreaming. Work Coupled With Vision Is Destiny.

There Are Rules And Laws To Help Ensure Our Physical Safety. Likewise, The Lord Has Provided Guidelines And Commandments To Help Ensure Our Spiritual Safety So That We Might Successfully Navigate This Often-treachero Us Mortal Existence And Return Eventually To Our Heavenly Father.

Choose Your Love; Love Your Choice.

No One Has Learned The Meaning Of Living Until He Has Surrendered His Ego To The Service Of His Fellow Man. Service To Others Is Akin To Duty, The Fulfillment Of Which Brings True Joy.

Wherefore, Be Of Good Cheer, And Do Not Fear, For I The Lord Am With You, And Will Stand By You.

I Express My Profound Thanks To A Loving Heavenly Father Who Gives To You, To Me, And To All Who Sincerely Seek, The Knowledge That Death Is Not The End, That His Son--even Our Savior Jesus Christ--died That We Might Live. Temples Of The Lord Dot The Lands Of Many Countries. Sacred Covenants Are Made. Celestial Glory Awaits The Obedient. Families Can Be Together Forever.

This Is A Wonderful Time To Be Living Here On Earth. Our Opportunities Are Limitless. While There Are Some Things Wrong In The World Today, There Are Many Things Right, Such As Teachers Who Teach, Ministers Who Minister, Marriages That Make It, Parents Who Sacrifice, And Friends Who Help. "we Can Lift Ourselves, And Others As Well, When We Refuse To Remain In The Realm Of Negative Thought And Cultivate Within Our Hearts An Attitude Of Gratitude. If Ingratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues."

We Are Never Alone When We Stand With Our Father In Heaven.

Father In Heaven

In The Performance Of Our Responsibilities, I Have Learned That When We Heed A Silent Prompting And Act Upon It Without Delay, Our Heavenly Father Will Guide Our Footsteps And Bless Our Lives And The Lives Of Others. I Know Of No Experience More Sweet Or Feelings More Precious Than To Heed A Prompting, Only To Discover That The Lord Has Answered Another's Prayer Through You.

You Can't Be Right By Doing Wrong; You Can't Be Wrong By Doing Right.

Our Lives Will Depend Upon The Decisions Which We Make, For Decisions Determine Destiny.

When Firmly Planted, Your Testimony Of The Gospel, Of The Savior, And Of Our Heavenly Father Will Influence All That You Do Throughout Your Life. It Will Help To Determine How You Spend Your Time And With Whom You Choose To Associate. It Will Affect The Way You Treat Your Family, How You Interact With Others. It Will Bring Love, Peace, And Joy Into Your Life.

Noah Heeded God’s Command To Build An Ark…that They Might Be Saved From The Floodwaters. Yet There Was No Evidence Of Rain And Flood. His Actions Were Considered Irrational. The Sun Was Shining And Life Moved Forward As Usual. But Time Ran Out. The Floods Came, The Disobedient Were Drowned. When God Speaks And We Obey, We Will Always Be Right.

If We Do Not Have A Deep Foundation Of Faith And A Solid Testimony Of Truth, We May Have Difficulty Withstanding The Harsh Storms And Icy Winds Of Adversity Which Inevitably Come To Each Of Us.

Through Tears And Trials, Through Fears And Sorrows, Through The Heartache And Loneliness Of Losing Loved Ones, There Is Assurance That Life Is Everlasting. Our Lord And Savior Is The Living Witness That Such Is So.

Losing A Loved One

Ours Is The Responsibility To Show Our Gratitude By The Actions Of Our Lives.

Oh, Sweet The Joy This Sentence Gives: ‘i Know That My Redeemer Lives!’

He Will Lift You And Guide You. He Will Not Always Take Your Afflictions From You, But He Will Comfort And Lead You With Love Through Whatever Storm You Face.

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