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Beloved Youth, You Will Have Your Trials And Temptations Through Which You Must Pass, But There Are Great Moments Of Eternity Which Lie Ahead. You Have Our Love And Our Confidence. We Pray That You Will Be Prepared For The Reins Of Leadership. We Say To You, "arise And Shine Forth" And Be A Light Unto The World, A Standard To Others.

-Ezra Taft Benson

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Beloved Youth, You Will

Ezra Taft Benson

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Beloved Youth, You Will Have Your Trials And Temptations Through Which You Must Pass, But There Are Great Moments Of Eternity Which Lie Ahead. You Have Our Love And Our Confidence. We Pray That You Will Be Prepared For The Reins Of Leadership. We Say To You, "arise And Shine Forth" And Be A Light Unto The World, A Standard To Others.

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One Of The Cardinal Sins In Our Country Is Profanity -- The Taking Of The Name Of The Lord In Vain.

Some Of The Greatest Battles You Will Face Will Be Fought Within The Silent Chambers Of Your Own Soul.

One Who Is Kind Is Sympathetic And Gentle With Others. He Is Considerate Of Others Feelings And Courteous In His Behavior. He Has A Helpful Nature. Kindness Pardons Others? Weaknesses And Fault. Kindness Is Extended To All--to The Aged And The Young, To Animals, To Those Low Of Stations As Well As The High.

We Live In A Day Of Slick, Quiet And Clever Sins.

We Can And Should Place Special Emphasis On Developing In Our Youth Constructive Incentives — A Love Of Science, Engineering, And Math, So That They Will Want To Take Advanced Scientific Courses And Thereby Help Meet The Needs Of Our Times.

If We Have Any Criticism Of Our Leaders, We Invite Satan Into Our Lives And Beliefs.

We Can Choose To Humble Ourselves By Loving God, Adjusting Our Will To His, And Putting Him First In Our Lives.

Some Men Are Willing To Die For Their Faith But Will Not Fully Live For It. Christ Both Lived And Died For Us. By Walking In His Steps And Through His Atonement We Can Gain The Greatest Gift Of All--eternal Life--which Is That Kind Of Life Of The Great Eternal One, Our Father In Heaven.

Nations Cannot Endure In Sin.

The More We Express Our Gratitude To God For Our Blessings, The More He Will Bring To Our Mind Other Blessings. The More We Are Aware Of To Be Grateful For, The Happier We Become.

To Lose Yourself In Righteous Service To Others Can Lift Your Sights And Get Your Mind Off Personal Problems, Or At Least Put Them In Proper Focus.

What Does It Mean To Love Someone With All Your Heart? It Means To Love With All Your Emotional Feelings And With All Your Devotion. Surely When You Love Your Wife With All Your Heart, You Cannot Demean Her, Criticize Her, Find Fault With Her, Or Abuse Her By Words, Sullen Behavior, Or Actions.

Thank God For The Joys Of Family Life. I Have Often Said There Can Be No Genuine Happiness Separate And Apart From A Good Home. The Sweetest Influences And Associations Of Life Are There

Many Of Us Have A Tendency To Forget The Gracious Hand Which Has Preserved Our Nation, Enriched It, Strengthened It. Many Of Us Imagine In The Foolishness Of Pride, That Our Manifold Blessings Are Due Not To God's Goodness, But To Our Own Wisdom And Virtue. Too Many Of Us Have Been So Drunk With Self-sufficiency As No Longer To Feel The Need Of Prayer.

Do Not Be Caught Up In Materialism, One Of The Real Plagues Of Our Generation-that Is, Acquiring Things, Fast-paced Living, And Securing Career Success.

Give Me A Young Man Who Has Kept Himself Morally Clean And Has Faithfully Attended His Church Meetings. Give Me A Young Man Who Has Magnified His Priesthood And Has Earned The Duty Of God Award And Is An Eagle Scout. Give Me A Young Man Who Is A Seminary Graduate And Has A Burning Testimony Of The Book Of Mormon. Give Me Such A Young Man, And I Will Give You A Young Man Who Can Perform Miracles For The Lord In The Mission Field And Throughout His Life.

Faith In The Lord Jesus Christ Is The Foundation Upon Which Sincere And Meaningful Repentance Must Be Built. If We Truly Seek To Put Away Sin, We Must First Look To Him Who Is The Author Of Our Salvation.

The Devil Knows That If The Elders Of Israel Should Ever Wake Up, They Could Step Forth And Help Preserve Freedom And Extend The Gospel. Therefore The Devil Has Concentrated, And To A Large Extent Successfully, In Neutralizing Much Of The Priesthood. He Has Reduced Them To Sleeping Giants.

Satan Works Through Human Agents.

Now We Not Only Need To Say More About The Book Of Mormon, But We Need To Do More With It.

I Reverence The Constitution Of The United States As A Sacred Document. To Me Its Words Are Akin To The Revelations Of God, For God Has Placed His Stamp Of Approval On The Constitution Of This Land.

Constitution Of The United States

Our Father In Heaven Planned The Coming Forth Of The Founding Fathersand Their Form Of Government As The Necessary Great Prologue Leading To The Restoration Of The Gospel... America, The Land Of Liberty, Was To Be The Lord's Latter-day Base Of Operations For His Restored Church.

Nothing Will Surprise Us More Than When We Get To Heaven And See The Father And Realize How Well We Know Him And How Familiar His Face Is To Us.

I Say To You With All The Fervor Of My Soul That God Intended Men To Be Free. Rebellion Against Tyranny Is A Righteous Cause. It Is An Enormous Evil For Any Man To Be Enslaved To Any System Contrary To His Own Will. For That Reason Men, 200 Years Ago, Pledged Their Lives, Fortunes, And Sacred Honor. No Nation Which Has Kept The Commandments Of God Has Ever Perished, But I Say To You That Once Freedom Is Lost, Only Blood - Human Blood - Will Win It Back.

Mothers, Take Time To Be A Real Friend To Your Children. Listen To Your Children, Really Listen. Talk With Them, Laugh And Joke With Them, Sing With Them, Cry With Them, Hug Them, Honestly Praise Them. Yes, Regularly Spend Unused One-on-one Time With Each Child. Be A Real Friend To Your Children.

It Is Better To Prepare And Prevent Than It Is To Repair And Repent.

Yes, It Is The Precepts Of Men Versus The Revealed Word Of God. The More We Follow The Word Of God The Less We Are Deceived, While Those Who Follow The Wisdom Of Men Are Deceived The Most.

God Loves Us; The Devil Hates Us. God Wants Us To Have A Fulness Of Joy As He Has. The Devil Wants Us To Be Miserable As He Is. God Gives Us Commandments To Bless Us. The Devil Would Have Us Break These Commandments To Curse Us.

There Can Be No Genuine Happiness Separate And Apart From The Home.

Genuine Happiness

Mothers Stay Close To Your Daughters Earn & Deserve Their Love & Respect Be United With Their Father In The Rearing Of Your Children Do Nothing In Your Life To Cause Your Daughters To Stumble Because Of Your Example.

I Grew Up Believing That The Willingness And Ability To Work Is The Basic Ingredient Of Successful Farming. Hard, Intelligent Work Is The Key. Use It, And Your Chances For Success Are Good.

Pride Is Essentially Competitive In Nature. We Pit Our Will Against God's.

Humility Does Not Mean Weakness. It Does Not Mean Timidity. It Does Not Mean Fear. A Man Can Be Humble And Fearless. A Man Can Be Humble And Courageous.

Only Jesus Christ Is Uniquely Qualified To Provide That Hope, That Confidence, And That Strength We Need To Overcome The World And Rise Above Our Human Failings. To Do So, We Must Place Our Faith In Him And Live By His Laws And Teachings.

Be Cheerful In All That You Do. Live Joyfully. Live Happily. Live Enthusiastically, Knowing That God Does Not Dwell In Gloom And Melancholy, But In Light And Love.

Making Decisions Is Probably The Most Important Thing People Ever Do. Nothing Happens Until Someone Makes A Decision.

Beware Of Those Who Would Pit The Dead Prophets Against The Living Prophets, For The Living Prophets Always Take Precedence.

Clean Hearts And Healthful Food, Exercise, Early Sleep And Fresh Air, Wholesome Recreation And Meditation Combined With Optimism That Comes From Fighting For The Right And Knowing You'll Eventually Win For Keeps - This Is The Tonic Every True Christian Patriot Needs And Deserves.

We Are An Overfed And Undernourished Nation Digging An Early Grave With Our Teeth.

Some Prideful People Are Not So Concerned As To Whether Their Wages Meet Their Needs As They Are That Their Wages Are More Than Someone Else’s. Their Reward Is Being A Cut Above The Rest. This Is The Enmity Of Pride.

A Missionary Who Is Inspired By The Spirit Of The Lord Must Be Led By That Spirit To Choose The Proper Approach To Be Effective. We Must Not Forget That The Lord Himself Provided The Book Of Mormon As His Chief Witness. The Book Of Mormon Is Still Our Most Powerful Missionary Tool. Let Us Use It.

You Must Not Allow Yourselves To Become Discouraged. Missionary Work Brings Joy, Optimism, And Happiness. Don't Give Satan An Opportunity To Discourage You. Here Again, Work Is The Answer. The Lord Has Given Us A Key By Which We Can Overcome Discouragement: "come Unto Me, All Ye That Labor And Are Heavy Laden, And I Will Give You Rest. Take My Yoke Upon You, And Learn Of Me; For I Am Meek And Lowly In Heart; And Ye Shall Find Rest Unto Your Souls. For My Yoke Is Easy And My Burden Is Light."

Young People, Your Parents, With Their Maturity Of Years And Experience You Have Not Had, Can Provide Wisdom, Knowledge, And Blessings To Help You Over Life's Pitfalls. You May Find, That Life's Sweetest Experiences Come When You Go To Mom And Dad For Help.

Be A Light Unto The World, A Standard To Others. You Can Live In The World And Not Partake Of The Sins Of The World. You Can Live Life Joyously, Beautifully, Unmarred By The Ugliness Of Sin. This Is Our Confidence In You.

Inspiring Music May Fill The Soul With Heavenly Thoughts, Move One To Righteous Action, Or Speak Peace To The Soul.

The Lord Works From The Inside Out. The World Works From The Outside In. The World Would Take People Out Of The Slums. Christ Takes The Slums Out Of People, And Then They Take Themselves Out Of The Slums. The World Would Mold Men By Changing Their Environment. Christ Changes Men, Who Then Change Their Environment. The World Would Shape Human Behavior, But Christ Can Change Human Nature.

The Deepest Joys And Blessings In Life Are Associated With Family, Parenthood, And Sacrifice.

When Individual Members And Families Immerse Themselves In The Scriptures Regularly And Consistently, … Other Areas Of Activity Will Automatically Come. Testimonies Will Increase. Commitment Will Be Strengthened. Families Will Be Fortified. Personal Revelation Will Flow

The Book Of Mormon Was Written For Us Today. God Is The Author Of The Book. It Is A Record Of A Fallen People, Compiled By Inspired Men For Our Blessing Today. Those People Never Had The Book. It Was Meant For Us.

Fidelity To One's Marriage Vows Is Absolutely Essential For Love, Trust And Peace

All Through The Ages Prophets Have Looked Down Through The Corridors Of Time To Our Day. Billions Of The Deceased And Those Yet To Be Born Have Their Eyes On Us. Make No Mistake About It...this Is A Marked Generation. There Has Never Been More Expected Of The Faithful In Such A Short Time Than There Is Of Us.

We Can Choose To Humble Ourselves By Conquering Enmity Toward Our Brothers And Sisters, Esteeming Them As Ourselves, And Lifting Them As High Or Higher Than We Are. . . .

I Have Often Said One Of The Greatest Secrets Of Missionary Work Is Work! If A Missionary Works, He Will Get The Spirit; If He Gets The Spirit, He Will Teach By The Spirit; And If He Teaches By The Spirit, He Will Touch The Hearts Of The People And He Will Be Happy. There Will Be No Homesickness, No Worrying About Families, For All Time And Talents And Interests Are Centered On The Work Of The Ministry. Work, Work, Work-there Is No Satisfactory Substitute, Especially In Missionary Work.

First, We Should Become Informed About Communism, About Socialism, And About Americanism. What Better Way Can One Become Informed Than By First Studying The Inspired Words Of The Prophets And Using That As A Foundation; Against Which To Test All Other Material. This Is In Keeping With The Prophet Joseph Smith's Motto, "when The Lord Commands, Do It."

We Have Many Responsibilities, And One Cannot Expect The Full Blessings Of A Kind Providence If He Neglects Any Major Duty. A Man Has Duties To His Church, His Home, His Country, And His Profession Or Job.

"on My Honor" - What An Ennobling Phrase! Three Short Words, Nine Letters, But The Summation Of All We Call Character. From The Boy Scout's Oath.

I Hope We Can Be Happy Where We Are, Be Grateful For Our Blessings-now-here, Accept The Challenge That Is Ours And Make The Most Of It, And Don't Be Envious Of Others. God Help Us To Be Grateful.

Now, What Of The Entertainment That Is Available To Our Young People Today? Are You Being Undermined Right In Your Homes Through Your Television, Radio, Slick Magazines, And Rock Music Records?

Since Man Created Government To Help Secure And Safeguard [inalienable] Rights [from God], It Follows That Man Is Superior To Government And Should Remain Master Over It, Not The Other Way Around.

Every Latter-day Saint Should Love The Inspired Constitution Of The United States - A Nation With A Spiritual Foundation And A Prophetic History - Which Nation The Lord Has Declared To Be His Base Of Operations In These Latter Days.

Our Mothers Put God First When They Fill Their Highest Mission Within The Walls Of Their Own Homes.

Pride... Limits Or Stops Progression. The Proud Are Not Easily Taught. They Won't Change Their Minds To Accept Truths, Because To Do So Implies They Have Been Wrong.

A Good Name Is Still To Be Preferred To Great Riches. Especially Is It To Be Preferred To The Appearance Of Riches, Acquired With Nothing Down And Nothing To Pay For Two Months.

Woman Was Given To Man As An Helpmeet. That Complementary Association Is Ideally Portrayed In The Eternal Marriage Of Our First Parents—adam And Eve. They Labored Together; They Had Children Together; They Prayed Together; And They Taught Their Children The Gospel Together. This Is The Pattern God Would Have All Righteous Men And Women Imitate.

The Way To Feel Better About Your Own Situation Is To Improve Someone Else’s Circumstances.

We Should Know Why Paternalism, Collectivism, Or Unnecessary Federal Supervision Will Hold Our Standard Of Living Down And Reduce Productivity Just As It Has In Every Country Where It Has Been Tried. We Should Also Know Why The Communist Leaders Consider Socialism The Highroad To Communism.

Communist Leaders

I Have Faith That The Constitution Will Be Saved As Prophesied By Joseph Smith. It Will Be Saved By The Righteous Citizens Of This Nation Who Love And Cherish Freedom. It Will Be Saved By Enlightened Members Of This Church-among Others-men And Women Who Understand And Abide The Principles Of The Constitution....i Testify That The God Of Heaven Sent Some Of His Choicest Spirits To Lay The Foundation Of This Government, And He Has Now Sent Other Choice Spirits To Help Preserve It.

Would We Not Do Well To Have The Pleasing Of God As Our Motive Rather Than To Try To Elevate Ourselves Above Our Brother And Outdo Another?

One Of The Cardinal Sins In Our Country Is Profanity -- The Taking Of The Name Of The Lord In Vain. Reverence For The Name Of Deity Is Enjoined In Holy Writ. Jesus Made This Clear When Teaching His Disciples To Pray. He Said, Addressing The Father, "hallowed Be Thy Name: (see Matthew 6:9). Blaspheming The Name Of God Separates Man From His Creator."

Christ Wants To Lift Us To Where He Is. Do We Desire To Do The Same For Others?

The Declaration Of Independence To Which These Great Men Affixed Their Signatures Is Much More Than A Political Document. It Constitutes A Spiritual Manifesto-revel Ation, If You Will-declaring Not For This Nation Only, But For All Nations, The Source Of Man's Rights.

If You Really Want To Receive Joy And Happiness, Then Serve Others With All Your Heart. Lift Their Burden, And Your Own Burden Will Be Lighter.

Ours Is A Representative Republic With A Constitution In Which Is Recognized The Natural Law And The Natural Rights Of Man. It Is A Republic With A Spiritual Foundation Characterized By Freedom - Freedom For The Individual And For His Society.

Could Many Of Our Ills Today Have Resulted From Our Failure To Train A Strong Citizenry From The Only Source We Have - The Boys And Girls Of Each Community? Have They Grown Up To Believe In Politics Without Principle, Pleasure Without Conscience, Knowledge Without Effort, Wealth Without Work, Business Without Morality, Science Without Humanity, Worship Without Sacrifice?

A Man Must Not Only Stand For The Right Principles, But He Must Also Fight For Them. Those Who Fight For Principle Can Be Proud Of The Friends They've Gained And The Enemies They've Earned.

No True Latter-day Saint And No True American Can Be A Socialist Or A Communist Or Support Programs Leading In That Direction. These Evil Philosophies Are Incompatible With Mormonism, The True Gospel Of Jesus Christ.

Records, Radio, Television, Movies, Magazines-all Are Monopolized By The Money Managers Who Are Guided By One Ethic, The Words Wealth And Power.

We Must Share The Gospel With Others. That Is Our Responsibility-every Member A Missionary. That Is The Call Of Prophets Of God. ...member-missionary Work Is One Of The Great Keys To The Individual Growth Of Our Members. It Is My Conviction That Member-missionary Work Will Raise The Spirituality In Any Ward Where Applied

The Fellowship Of True Friends Who Can Hear You Out, Share Your Joys, Help Carry Your Burdens, And Correctly Counsel You Is Priceless.

Grandparents Can Have A Profound Influence On Their Grandchildren. Their Time Is Generally Not As Encumbered And Busy As The Parents', So Books Can Be Opened And Read, Stories Can Be Told... Children Then Obtain A Perspective Of Life Which Not Only Is Rewarding But Can Bring Them Security, Peace, And Strength.

No Society Will Long Survive Without Mothers Who Care For Their Young And Provide That Nurturing Care So Essential For Their Normal Development.

Those Who Are Heavy-laden With Despair Should Come Unto The Lord.

When We Put God First, All Other Things Fall Into Their Proper Place Or Drop Out Of Our Lives. Our Love Of The Lord Will Govern The Claims For Our Affection, The Demands On Our Time, The Interests We Pursue, And The Order Of Our Priorities.

You Must Keep Your Honor! You Can't Speak For The Country; You Can Do Little About The National Economy Or Actions Of Moral Weaklings Who Excuse Themselves With The Expression, "that Is Politics; Nor Can You Be Responsible For Deception In Others. But You Are Responsible For Yourself! There Are No Collective Panaceas - Only Individual Ones."

We Are Recipients Of God's Choicest Blessings. We Enjoy An Abundance Of Material Things Beyond That Enjoyed By Any Other Nation In The History Of The World; But Unless We Keep Alive A Realization That All These Blessings Come From God And Are A Part Of Our Great Spiritual Heritage, They May Crumble As Ashes In Our Hands. "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."

The Key To Overcoming Aloneness And A Feeling Of Uselessness For One Who Is Physically Able Is To Step Outside Yourself By Helping Others Who Are Truly Needy. We Promise Those Who Will Render This Kind Of Service That, In Some Measure, You Will Be Healed Of The Loss Of Loved Ones Or The Dread Of Being Alone. The Way To Feel Better About Your Own Situation Is To Improve Someone Else's Circumstances.

I Have A Vision Of The Whole Church Getting Nearer To God By Abiding By The Precepts Of The Book Of Mormon.

Why Did The Lord Inspire Mormon (or Moroni Or Alma) To Include That In His Record? What Lesson Can I Learn From That To Help Me Live In This Day And Age?

An Honorable Man Or Woman Is One Who Is Truthful; Free From Deceit; Above Cheating, Lying, Stealing, Or Any Form Of Deception. An Honorable Man Or Woman Is One Who Learns Early That One Cannot Do Wrong And Feel Right. A Man's Character Is Judged On How He Keeps His Word And His Agreements.

God Help Us To Be Grateful For Our Blessings, Never To Be Guilty Of The Sin Of Ingratitude, And To Instill This Same Gratitude Into The Lives Of Our Children.

There Is No Greater Church Calling Than That Of A Home Teacher. There Is No Greater Church Service Rendered To Our Father In Heaven's Children Than The Service Rendered By A Humble, Dedicated, Committed Home Teacher.

Personal Revelation, Consecration Of Performance, Attention To Detail, And Dependency On God-with These Qualities You Cannot Fail.

I Promise You That, With Increased Attendance In The Temples Of Our God, You Shall Receive Increased Personal Revelation To Bless Your Life As You Bless Those Who Have Died

God Loves Us. He's Watching Us, He Wants Us To Succeed, And We'll Know Someday That He Has Not Left One Thing Undone For The Eternal Welfare Of Each Of Us. If We Only Knew It, There Are Heavenly Hosts Pulling For Us -- Friends In Heaven That We Can't Rememer Now, Who Yearn For Our Victory.

Pride Is Concerned With Who Is Right. Humility Is Concerned With What Is Right.

Pride Is A Sin That Can Readily Be Seen In Others But Is Rarely Admitted In Ourselves.

The Man [who] Is Greatest And Most Blessed And Joyful [is One] Whose Life Most Closely Approaches The Pattern Of Christ. This Has Nothing To Do With Earthly Wealth, Power, Or Prestige. The Only True Test Of Greatness, Blessedness, Joyfulness Is How Close Can A Life Come To Being Like The Master, Jesus Christ. He Is The Right Way, The Full Truth, And The Abundant Life.

For Nearly Six Thousand Years, God Has Held You In Reserve To Make Your Appearance In The Final Days Before The Second Coming Of The Lord. . . . God Has Saved For The Finalinning Some Of His Strongest And Most Valiant Children, Who Will Help Bear Off The Kingdom Triumphantly. That Is Where You Come In, For You Are The Generation That Must Be Prepared To Meet Your God. . . .

Temples Are Places Of Personal Revelation. When I Have Been Weighed Down By A Problem Or A Difficulty, I Have Gone To The House Of The Lord With A Prayer In My Heart For Answers. The Answers Have Come In Clear And Unmistakable Ways.

Humility Responds To God's Will-to The Fear Of His Judgments And To The Needs Of Those Around Us. To The Proud, The Applause Of The World Rings In Their Ears; To The Humble, The Applause Of Heaven Warms Their Hearts. Someone Has Said, "pride Gets No Pleasure Out Of Having Something, Only Out Of Having More Of It Than The Next Man."

The Expression "follow The Brethren" Has A Broader Meaning Than Some Would Apply To It. It Means Not Only To Agree With The Counsel Given To The Church By The Brethren, But Also To Follow Their Example In Appearance And Deportment.

When I Think Of How We Show Faith, I Cannot Help But Think Of The Example Of My Own Father. I Recall Vividly How The Spirit Of Missionary Work Came Into My Life. I Was About Thirteen Years Of Age When My Father Received A Call To Go On A Mission.

That Government Is Best Which Governs The Least, So Taught The Courageous Founders Of This Nation. This Simple Declaration Is Diametrically Opposed To The All Too Common Philosophy That The Government Should Protect And Support One From The Cradle To The Grave. The Policy Of The Founding Fathers Has Made Our People And Our Nation Strong. The Opposite Leads Inevitably To Moral Decay.

There Are Times When You Simply Have To Righteous Hang On And Outlast The Devil.

Selfishness Is One Of The More Common Faces Of Pride. 'how Everything Affects Me' Is The Center Of All That Matters-self-conceit, Self-pity, Worldly Self-fulfillment, Self-gratification, And Self-seeking.

A Man Who Is Pressing Forward To Accomplish Worthy Goals Can Soon Put Despondency Under His Feet.

When We Set Goals We Are In Command. If We Know Where We Are Going, We Can Judge More Accurately Where We Are Now And Make Effective Plans To Reach Our Destination.

When You Choose To Follow Christ, You Choose To Be Changed.

When Obedience Ceases To Be An Irritant And Becomes Our Quest, In That Moment God Will Endow Us With Power.

Pride Is Ugly. It Says 'if You Succeed I Am A Failure.'

Be Cheerful In All That You Do. Live Joyfully. Live Happily.

We Oppose And Abhor The Damnable Practice Of Wholesale Abortion And Every Other Unholy And Impure Act Which Strikes At The Very Foundation Of The Home And Family, Our Most Basic Institutions.

I Counsel You, In The Words Of Jesus Christ, To "watch And Pray I Always Lest Ye Enter Into Temptation; For Satan Desireth To Have You, That He May Sift You As Wheat" (3 Nephi 18:18). If You Will Earnestly Seek Guidance From Your Heavenly Father, Morning And Evening, You Will Be Given The Strength To Shun Any Temptation.

Pride Is The Great Stumbling Block Of Zion...pride Is Ugly; It Says If You Succeed I Am A Failure...pride Is Basically Competitive In Nature. When Competition Ends, Pride Ends.

My Young Sisters, We Have Such Hope For You. We Have Such Great Expectations For You. Don't Settle For Less Than What The Lord Wants You To Be... Give Me A Young Woman Who Loves Home And Family, Who Reads And Ponders The Scriptures Daily, Who Has A Burning Testimony Of The Book Of Mormon... Give Me A Young Woman Who Is Virtuous And Who Has Maintained Her Personal Purity, Who Will Not Settle For Less Than A Temple Marriage, And I Will Give You A Young Woman Who Will Perform Miracles For The Lord Now And Throughout Eternity.

For Years We Have Heard Of The Role The Elders Could Play In Saving The Constitution From Total Destruction. But How Can The Elders Be Expected To Save It If They Have Not Studied It And Are Not Sure If It Is Being Destroyed Or What Is Destroying It.

It Is A Truism That Children Need More Of Mother Than Of Money.

Years Of Happiness Can Be Lost In The Foolish Gratification Of A Momentary Desire For Pleasure.

I Testify To You That God's Hand Has Been In Our Destiny. I Testify That Freedom As We Know It Today Is Being Threatened As Never Before In Our History. I Further Witness That This Land-the Americas-must Be Protected, Its Constitution Upheld, For This Is A Land Foreordained To Be The Zion Of Our God. He Expects Us As Members Of The Church And Bearers Of His Priesthood To Do All We Can To Preserve Our Liberty.

[joseph Smith] Foresaw The Time When The Destiny Of The Nation Would Be In Danger And Would Hang As By A Thread. Thank God He Did Not See The Thread Break. He Also Indicated The Important Part That This People Should Yet Play In Standing For The Principles Embodied In These Sacred Documents - The Declaration Of Independence And The Constitution.

Most Of Us Think Of Pride As Self-centeredness, Conceit, Boastfulness, Arrogance, Or Haughtiness. All Of These Are Elements Of The Sin, But The Heart, Or Core, Is Still Missing. The Central Feature Of Pride Is Enmity - Enmity Toward God And Enmity Toward Our Fellowmen.

For The Past Two Centuries, Those Who Do Not Prize Freedom Have Chipped Away At Every Major Clause Of Our Constitution Until Today We Face A Crisis Of Great Dimensions.

We Counsel You, Young Men, Not To Pollute Your Minds With Such Degrading Matter, For The Mind Through Which This Filth Passes Is Never The Same Afterwards. Don't See R-rated Movies Or Vulgar Videos Or Participate In Any Entertainment That Is Immoral, Suggestive, Or Pornographic. Don't Listen To Music That Is Degrading

I Don't Know How You Feel, My Brethren And Sisters, But I'd Rather Be Dead Than To Lose My Liberty. I Have No Fear We'll Ever Lose It Because Of Invasion From The Outside. But I Do Have Fear That It May Slip Away From Us Because Of Our Own Indifference, Our Own Negligence, As Citizens Of This Land. And So I Plead With You This Morning That You Take An Active Interest In Matters Pertaining To The Future Of This Country.

Each Day The Forces Of Evil And The Forces Of Good Enlist New Recruits. Each Day We Personally Make Many Decisions Showing The Cause We Support. The Final Outcome Is Certain---the Forces Of Righteousness Will Win. But What Remains To Be Seen Is Where Each Of Us Personally, Now And In The Future, Will Stand In This Battle---and How Tall We Will Stand. Will We Be True To Our Last Days And Fulfill Our Foreordained Missions?

The Revelation To Store Food May Be As Essential To Our Temporal Salvation Today As Boarding The Ark Was To The People In The Days Of Noah.

The Great Task Of Life Is To Learn The Will Of The Lord And Then Do It.

It Is Not Unusual To Hear A Religious Leader, A Philosopher, Or A Poet Refer To Man As Having A Divine Spark Within Him. Such Characterizations Infer That Man Possesses Great Abilities And Potentials. We Are Frequently Admonished To Develop Our Capabilities, Reach Out, And Set High Goals For Ourselves.

If You Want To Get The Spirit Of The Gospel In Your Home, Support The Missionary Program. Prepare Your Sons And Daughters Through Your Home Evenings; Through Setting The Proper Example In Your Homes. Prepare To Send Them Into The Mission Field. These Young Sons And Daughters Will Bless Your Names Forever If You Help To Make It Possible Through Your Training And Your Example And Your Willingness To Sacrifice Just A Little, If You Can Call It Sacrifice, To See Them Go Into The Mission Field.

[the Constitution] Will Not Be Saved In Washington. It Will Be Saved By The Citizens Of This Nation Who Love And Cherish Freedom...men And Women Who Will Subscribe To And Abide The Principles Of The Constitution.

Have A Good Physical Outlet Of Some Sport Or Exercise. Overcome Evil With Good. You Can Overcome Many Evil Inclinations Through Good Physical Exertion And Healthful Activities. A Healthy Soul...is In Better Condition To Overthrow The Devil.

Take Care Of Yourselves Physically. Guard Your Health Carefully. It Is One Of Our Greatest Blessings. I Especially Encourage Some Type Of Exercise Program So You Can Stay Physically Fit And Physically Capable In Proportion To The Demands On Your Body.

Without Goals Our Efforts May Be Scattered And Unproductive.

Marriage. . . Is The Most Glorious And Most Exalting Principle Of The Gospel Of Jesus Christ. No Ordinance Is Of More Importance And None More Sacred And More Necessary To The Eternal Joy Of Man. Faithfulness To The Marriage Covenant Brings The Fullest Joy Here And Glorious Rewards Hereafter.

Daily, Constantly, We Choose By Our Desires, Our Thoughts, And Our Actions Whether We Want To Be Blessed Or Cursed, Happy Or Miserable.

As Members Of The Lord's Church, We Must Take Missionary Work More Seriously. The Lord's Commission To 'preach The Gospel To Every Creature' (mark 16:15) Will Never Change In Our Dispensation. We Have Been Greatly Blessed With The Material Means, The Technology, And An Inspired Message To Bring The Gospel To All Men. More Is Expected Of Us Than Any Previous Generation. Where 'much Is Given Much Is Required.' (d&c 82:3.)

Pride Adversely Affects All Our Relationships - Our Relationship With God And His Servants, Between Husband And Wife, Parent And Child, Employer And Employee, Teacher And Student, And All Mankind.

I Feel Certain That If, In Our Homes, Parents Will Read From The Book Of Mormon Prayerfully And Regularly, Both By Themselves And With Their Children, The Spirit Of That Great Book Will Come To Permeate Our Homes And All Who Dwell Therein.

We Will Not Know Him, Until We Become Like Him.

It Is My Firm Belief That The God Of Heaven Raised Up The Founding Fathers And Inspired Them To Establish The Constitution Of This Land. This Is Part Of My Religious Faith. To Me This Is Not Just Another Nation. It Is A Great And Glorious Nation With A Divine Mission To Perform For Liberty-loving People Everywhere.

Communities Have A Responsibility To Assist The Family In Promoting Wholesome Entertainment. What A Community Tolerates Will Become Tomorrow's Standard For Today's Youth.

You Are Free To Choose, But You Are Not Free To Alter The Consequences Of Your Decisions.

Retirement From Work Has Depressed Many A Man And Hastened His Death.

The Greatest Work In All The World Is The Building Of Men And Women Of Character. Without Character There Is Not Much That Is Worthwhile.

From The 5th Grade Through The 4th Year Of College, Our Young People Are Being Indoctrinated With A Marxist Philosophy And I Am Fearful Of The Harvest. The Younger Generation Is Further To The Left Than Most Adults Realize. The Old Concepts Of Our Founding Fathers Are Scoffed And Jeered At By Young Moderns Whose Goals Appear To Be The Destruction Of Integrity And Virtue, And The Glorification Of Pleasure, Thrills, And Self-indulgence.

This Latter Day Work Is Spiritual. It Takes Spirituality To Comprehend It, To Love It, To Discern It. Therefore, Seek The Spirit In All You Do. Keep It With You Continually. That Is Our Challenge.

Happy And Successful Homes Cannot Be Built On Immorality.

Men And Women Who Turn Their Lives Over To God Will Discover That He Can Make A Lot More Out Of Their Lives Than They Can.

In General, The More Food We Eat In Its Natural State - Without Additives - And The Less It Is Refined, The Healthier It Will Be For Us. Food Can Affect The Mind, And Deficiencies Of Certain Elements In The Body Can Promote Mental Depression.

Rights Are Either God-given As Part Of The Divine Plan, Or They Are Granted By Government As Part Of The Political Plan. If We Accept The Premise That Human Rights Are Granted By Government, Then We Must Be Willing To Accept The Corollary That They Can Be Denied By Government.

And So Today, The Undermining Of The Home And Family Is On The Increase, With The Devil Anxiously Working To Displace The Father As The Head Of The Home And Create Rebellion Among The Children. [isaiah] Describes The Condition When [he] States, "as For My People, Children Are Their Oppressors, And Women Rule Over Them." And Then These Words Follow-and Consider These Words Seriously When You Think Of Those Political Leaders Who Are Promoting Birth Control And Abortion: "o My People, They Which Lead Thee Cause Thee To Err, And Destroy The Way Of Thy Paths."

Have You Ever Asked Yourself Why One Person Is Honorable And Another Dishonorable; Why One Is Honest, Another Dishonest; Why One Is Moral, Another Immoral? Most Individuals Do Not Intend To Be Dishonest, Dishonorable, Or Immoral. They Seem To Allow Their Characters To Erode By A Series Of Rationalizations, Lies, And Compromises. Then When Grave Temptation Presents Itself, They Haven't The Strength Of Character To Do What They Know To Be Right.

More Than Ever Before, We Need To Learn And Apply The Principles Of Economic Self-reliance. We Do Not Know When The Crisis Involving Sickness Or Unemployment May Affect Our Own Circumstances. We Do Know That The Lord Has Decreed Global Calamities For The Future And Has Warned And Forewarned Us To Be Prepared. For This Reason The Brethren Have Repeatedly Stressed A 'back To Basics' Program For Temporal And Spiritual Welfare.

I Would Rather Say Whoa To A Leader Than Gittie Up.

Let Us Be In A Position So We Are Able To Not Only Feed Ourselves Through Home Production And Storage, But Others As Well.

We Have A Sacred Responsibility To Fulfill The Threefold Mission Of The Church—first, To Teach The Gospel To The World; Second, To Strengthen The Membership Of The Church Wherever They May Be; Third, To Move Forward The Work Of Salvation For The Dead.

Gods' Payment Is The Best Payment.

I Never Travel Across This Great Nation Without Experiencing A Feeling Of Gratitude And Thanksgiving For All That We Have And Are. As I See Its Broad Fruitful Farms, Its Humming Factories, Its Gleaming Cities, Certainly It Is Easy To Realize That We Have Achieved Unequaled Material Progress In This Great Country.

To Their Duty To God, Youth Should Realize Their Duty To Our Country. They Should Love And Honor The Constitution Of The United States, The Basic Concepts And Principles Upon Which This Nation Has Been Established. Yes, They Need To Develop A Love For Our Free Institutions.

Acknowledging The Lord's Hand In Our Lives Cultivates Gratitude. . . .

God Our Father, Jesus, Our Elder Brother And Our Redeemer, And The Holy Ghost, The Testator, Are Perfect. They Know Us Best And Love Us Most And Will Not Leave One Thing Undone For Our Eternal Welfare. Should We Not Love Them For It And Honor Them First?

The Proud Depend Upon The World To Tell Them Whether They Have Value Or Not. Their Self-esteem Is Determined By Where They Are Judged To Be On The Ladders Of Worldly Success. They Feel Worthwhile As Individuals If The Numbers Beneath Them In Achievement, Talent, Beauty, Or Intellect Are Large Enough.

If America Is Destroyed, It May Be By Americans Who Salute The Flag, Sing The National Anthem, March In Patriotic Parades, Cheer Fourth Of July Speakers - Normally Good Americans, But Americans Who Fail To Comprehend What Is Required To Keep Our Country Strong And Free, Americans Who Have Been Lulled Away Into A False Security.

In The Scriptures There Is No Such Thing As Righteous Pride. It Is Always Considered As A Sin. We Are Not Speaking Of A Wholesome View Of Self-worth, Which Is Best Established By A Close Relationship With God. But We Are Speaking Of Pride As The Universal Sin, As Someone Has Described It. . . . Essentially, Pride Is A "my Will" Rather Than "thy Will" Approach To Life. The Opposite Of Pride Is Humbleness, Meekness, Submissiveness, Or Teachableness.

Successful Families Try To Work Together Toward Solutions Instead Of Resorting To Criticism And Contention.

Working Together

I Speak Of Honor-your Honor To God-your Honor To Country-your Honor To Self. I Sincerely Believe It To Be The Cure To Most Of Our Ills, Both On A National Or Individual Basis.

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Proclaims That Jesus Christ Is The Son Of God In The Most Literal Sense. The Body In Which He Performed His Mission In The Flesh Was Sired By That Some Holy Being We Worship As God, Our Eternal Father. Jesus Was Not The Son Of Joseph, Nor Was He Begotten By The Holy Ghost.

Satan Knows That Youth Is The Springtime Of Life When All Things Are New And Young People Are Most Vulnerable.

The Proud Make Every Man Their Adversary By Pitting Their Intellects, Opinions, Works, Wealth, Talents, Or Any Other Worldly Measuring Device Against Others.

Are We Reading The Constitution And Pondering It? Are We Aware Of Its Principles? Are We Abiding By These Principles And Teaching Them To Others? Could We Defend The Constitution? Can We Recognize When A Law Is Constitutionally Unsound? Do We Know What The Prophets Have Said About The Constitution And The Threats To It?

It Is Not Enough Simply To Try To Resist Evil Or Empty Our Lives Of Sin. We Must Also Fill Our Lives With Righteousness

Those Who Think Clean Thoughts Do Not Do Dirty Deeds.

For Over Forty Years, In A Spirit Of Love, Members Of The Church Have Been Counseled To Be Thrifty And Self-reliant; To Avoid Debt; Pay Tithes And A Generous Fast Offering; Be Industrious; And Have Sufficient Food, Clothing, And Fuel On Hand To Last At Least One Year. Today There Are Compelling Reasons To Reemphasize This Counsel.

Compelling Reason

"thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness" Exodus 20:16. When We Speak Of Morality, We Imply That A Man Is True To His Word-true To His Signature On A Contract. The Violations Of God's Laws Are Evidence That Lying And Misrepresentation Are Not Absent From Us.

The Lord Is Letting The Wheat And The Tares Mature Before He Fully Purges The Church. He Is Also Testing You To See If You Will Be Misled. The Devil Is Trying To Deceive The Very Elect.

We Do Not Have To Prove The Book Of Mormon Is True. The Book Is Its Own Proof.

The Church Has No Double Standard Of Morality. The Moral Code Of Heaven For Both Men And Women Is Complete Chastity Before Marriage And Full Fidelity After Marriage.

When You Are Tempted To Look Elsewhere For Greener Pastures, Just Remember Someone Else Is Probably Looking At Yours. And If Another Pasture Looks Greener, Perhaps It Is Getting Better Care And Attention. Grass Is Always Greener . . . Where It Is Watered.

Mothers Play An Important Role As The Heart Of The Home, But This In No Way Lessens The Equally Important Role Fathers Should Play, As Head Of The Home, In Nurturing, Training, And Loving Their Children.

Our Enmity Toward God Takes On Many Labels, Such As Rebellion, Hard-heartedness, Stiff-neckedness, Unrepentant, Puffed Up, Easily Offended, And Sign Seekers. The Proud Wish God Would Agree With Them. They Aren't Interested In Changing Their Opinions To Agree With God's.

True To Form, Many Of The People Who Desire To Frustrate God's Purposes Of Giving Mortal Tabernacles To His Spirit Children Through Worldwide Birth Control Are The Very Same People Who Support The Kinds Of Government That Perpetuate Famine. They Advocate An Evil To Cure The Results Of The Wickedness They Support.

Meditation On A Passage Of Scripture... Led A Young Boy Into A Grove Of Trees To Commune With His Heavenly Father. That Is What Opened The Heavens In This Dispensation

We Do Not Find The Savior Using Force Or Coercion To Accomplish His Purposes.

How Vital Are Mother’s Influence And Teaching In The Home-and How Apparent When Neglected!

The Proud Wish God Would Agree With Them. They Are Not Interested In Changing Their Opinions To Agree With God's.

Physical Well-being Is Not Only A Priceless Asset To Oneself-it Is A Heritage To Be Passed On. With Good Health, All Other Activities Of Life Are Greatly Enhanced. A Clean Mind In A Healthy Body Enables One To Render Far More Effective Service To Others. It Helps One Provide More Vigorous Leadership. It Gives Our Every Experience In Life More Zest And More Meaning. Robust Health Is A Noble And Worthwhile Attainment.

Freedom Is An Eternal Principle. Heaven Disapproves Of Force, Coercion And Intimidation. Only A Free People Can Be Truly A Happy People.

Beloved Youth, You Will Have Your Trials And Temptations Through Which You Must Pass, But There Are Great Moments Of Eternity Which Lie Ahead. You Have Our Love And Our Confidence. We Pray That You Will Be Prepared For The Reins Of Leadership. We Say To You, "arise And Shine Forth" And Be A Light Unto The World, A Standard To Others.

If We Do Not Feel Like Praying, Then We Should Pray Until We Do Feel Like Praying.

When We Set Goals, We Are In Command. Clearly Understood Goals Bring Our Lives Into Focus Just As A Magnifying Glass Focuses A Beam Of Light Into A Burning Point. Without Goals Our Efforts May Be Scattered And Unproductive

The Book Of Mormon Offers So Much That Broadens Our Understandings Of The Doctrines Of Salvation. Without It, Much Of What Is Taught In Other Scriptures Would Not Be Nearly So Plain And Precious.

If You Turn Your Life Over To The Lord He Can Do So Much More With It Than We Can.

There Could Not Be A Restoration Of The Gospel Without Freedom. God Provided This Country As The Base Of His Operations In These The Last Days, A Place Where There Would Be Freedom, Where He Could Restore His Gospel.

The Moment You Begin A Serious Study Of The Scriptures, You Will Find Greater Power To Resist Temptation. You Will Find The Power To Avoid Deception. You Will Find The Power To Stay On The Straight And Narrow Path.... When You Begin To Hunger & Thirst After Those Words, You Will Find Life In Greater Abundance.

A Positive Self-image Has Little Relationship To Our Material Circumstances.

One Of Satan's Greatest Tools Is Pride: To Cause A Man Or A Woman To Center So Much Attention On Self That He Or She Becomes Insensitive To His Creator Or Fellow Beings. It Is A Cause For Discontent, Divorce, Teenage Rebellion, Family Indebtedness, And Most Other Problems We Face.

In The Scriptures There Is No Such Thing As Righteous Pride. It Is Always Considered As A Sin.

You Cannot Do Wrong And Feel Right. It Is Impossible!

Can Human Hearts Be Changed? Why, Of Course! It Happens Every Day In The Great Missionary Work Of The Church. It Is One Of The Most Widespread Of Christ’s Modern Miracles. If It Hasn't Happened To You—it Should.

While You Are Going Through Your Trial, You Can Recall Your Past Victories And Coul The Blessings That You Do Have With A Sure Hope Of Greater Ones To Allow If You Are Faithful.

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