Background Image

...

Christmas Is The Spirit Of Giving Without A Thought Of Getting. It Is Happiness Because We See Joy In People. It Is Forgetting Self And Finding Time For Others. It Is Discarding The Meaningless And Stressing The True Values

-Thomas S. Monson

...

Please Wait....
Translating....

Christmas Is The Spirit

Thomas S. Monson

...

Christmas Is The Spirit Of Giving Without A Thought Of Getting. It Is Happiness Because We See Joy In People. It Is Forgetting Self And Finding Time For Others. It Is Discarding The Meaningless And Stressing The True Values

Views: 4

Topic

More From Thomas S. Monson

Let Us Have The Courage To Defy The Consensus, The Courage To Stand For Principle. Courage, Not Compromise, Brings The Smile Of God’s Approval. Courage Becomes A Living And An Attractive Virtue When It Is Regarded Not Only As A Willingness To Die Manfully, But Also As A Determination To Live Decently. 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.

True Love Is A Reflection Of The Savior's Love. In December Of Each Year We Call It The Christmas Spirit.

No One Can Make Us Angry. It Is Our Choice.

The Spirit Of Christmas Is The Spirit Of Love And Of Generosity And Of Goodness. It Illuminates The Picture Window Of The Soul, And We Look Out Upon The World's Busy Life And Become More Interested In People Than In Things.

Merry Christmas

As We Follow That Man Of Galilee-even The Lord Jesus Christ-our Personal Influence Will Be Felt For Good Wherever We Are, Whatever Our Callings.

He Who Gives Money Gives Some, He Who Gives Time Gives More, And He Who Gives Of Himself Gives All.

Amidst The Confusion Of The Times, The Conflicts Of Conscience, And The Turmoil Of Daily Living, An Abiding Faith Becomes An Anchor To Our Lives.

Heavenly Father Has A Picture Of You On His Dresser. He Loves You And Will Help You. Call Upon Him.

Physically Walking Where Jesus Walked Is Less Important Than Walking As He Walked.

Opportunities Are Everywhere. Needed Are Eyes To See The Pitiable Plight And Ears To Hear The Silent Pleadings Of A Broken Heart.

Find Someone Who Is Having A Hard Time Or Is Ill Or Lonely, And Do Something For Him Or Her.

Youth Of The Church, The World Is In Need Of Your Help. There Are Feet To Steady, Hands To Grasp, Minds To Encourage, Hearts To Inspire, And Souls To Save. The Harvest Truly Is Great. Let There Be No Mistake About It; The Missionary Opportunity Of A Lifetime Is Yours.

Missionary Service Is A Priesthood Duty.

Love Is The Catalyst That Causes Change. Love Is The Balm That Brings Healing To The Soul.

I Testify That When We Do All We Can To Accomplish The Work That Is Before Us, The Lord Will Make Available To Us The Sacred Key Needed To Unlock The Treasure Which We So Much Seek.

I Read With Keen Interest The Words Of A Bumper Sticker Readily Visible On The Highly Polished Chrome Bumper Of A Car Which Was Weaving In And Out Of The Traffic Stream. The Words Were These: "honk If You Love Jesus." No One Honked. Perhaps Each Was Disturbed By The Thoughtless And Rude Actions Of The Offending Driver. Then, Again, Would Honking Be An Appropriate Manner In Which To Show One's Love For The Son Of God, The Savior Of The World, The Redeemer Of All Mankind? Such Was Not The Pattern Provided By Jesus Of Nazareth.

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.

I Know That God Loves Us. He Allows Us To Exercise Our Moral Agency Even When We Misuse It. He Permits Us To Make Our Own Decisions. Christ Cannot Help Us If We Do Not Trust Him; He Cannot Teach Us If We Do Not Serve Him. He Will Not Force Us To Do What's Right, But He Will Show Us The Way Only When We Decide To Serve Him. Certainly, For Us To Serve In His Kingdom, Christ Requires That We Experience A Change Of Thought And Attitude.

Let Me Begin Now, This Very Night, To Emulate Christ. Cast Off Forever Will Be The Old Self And With It Defeat, Despair, Doubt, And Disbelief. To A Newness Of Life I Come--a Life Of Faith, Hope Courage, And Joy. No Task Looms Too Large; No Responsibility Too Heavy; No Duty Is A Burden. All Things Become Possible.

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.

"president Monson, I May Never See The Prophet. I May Never Hear The Prophet. But President, Far Better, Now That I Am A Member Of This Church, I Can Obey The Prophet."

Don't Save Something For A Special Occasion. Every Day Of Your Life Is A Special Occasion.

Temples Are More Than Stone And Mortar. They Are Filled With Faith And Fasting. They Are Built Of Trials And Testimonies. They Are Sanctified By Sacrifice And Service.

A Grateful Heart, Then, Comes Through Expressing Gratitude To Our Heavenly Father For His Blessings And To Those Around Us For All That They Bring Into Our Lives. This Requires Conscious Effort-at Least Until We Have Truly Learned And Cultivated An Attitude Of Gratitude. Often We Feel Grateful And Intend To Express Our Thanks But Forget To Do So Or Just Don't Get Around To It. Someone Has Said That "feeling Gratitude And Not Expressing It Is Like Wrapping A Present And Not Giving It."

I Urge You To Hold Fast To Your Standards. I Plead With You Not To Waver.

Have Times Really Changed? Don't We Today, As Always, Love Our Children And Want Them To Live Righteously? Don't We Today, As Always, Need God's Divine Protecting Care? Don't We Today, As Always, Continue To Be At His Mercy And In His Debt For The Very Life He Has Given Us?

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

Do We Give Thanks To God 'for His Unspeakable Gift' And His Rich Blessings So Abundantly Bestowed Upon Us?

Let Us Open Wide The Windows Of Our Hearts, That Each Family Member May Feel Welcome And 'at Home.

Sometimes We Let Our Thoughts Of Tomorrow Take Up Too Much Of Today. Daydreaming Of The Past And Longing For The Future May Provide Comfort But Will Not Take The Place Of Living In The Present. This Is The Day Of Our Opportunity, And We Must Grasp It

How Long Has It Been Since You Looked Into The Eyes Of Your Mother And, Holding Nothing Back, Spoke Those Welcome Words, 'mother, I Truly Love You'? How About Father, Who Daily Toils To Provide For You? Fathers Appreciate Hearing Those Same Precious Words From The Lips Of A Child, 'i Love You.'

None Of Us Makes It Through This Life Without Problems And Challenges — And Sometimes Tragedies And Misfortunes. After All, In Large Part We Are Here To Learn And Grow From Such Events In Our Lives. We Know That There Are Times When We Will Suffer, When We Will Grieve, And When We Will Be Saddened. However, We Are Told, “adam Fell That Men Might Be; And Men Are, That They Might Have Joy.” How Might We Have Joy In Our Lives, Despite All That We May Face? Again From The Scriptures: “wherefore, Be Of Good Cheer, And Do Not Fear, For I The Lord Am With You, And Will Stand By You."

The Hand Of A Bride Becomes The Hand Of A Mother. Ever So Gently She Cares For Her Precious Child. Bathing, Dressing, Feeding, Comforting-there Is No Hand Like Mother's. Nor Does Its Tender Care Diminish Through The Years.

In The Private Sanctuary Of One's Own Conscience Lies That Spirit, That Determination To Cast Off The Old Person And To Measure Up To The Statue Of True Potential.

Gaze Upward, Look Inward, Reach Outward, Press Forward.

A Prayerful Life Is The Key To Possessing Gratitude. We Often Take For Granted The People Who Most Deserve Our Gratitude. Let Us Not Wait Until It Is Too Late For Us To Express Our Gratitude. Feeling Gratitude And Not Expressing It Is Like Wrapping A Present And Not Giving It. If I Gratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues. To Express Gratitude Is Gracious And Honorable, To Enact Gratitude Is Generous And Noble, But To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

My Brothers And Sisters, Do We Remember To Give Thanks For The Blessings We Receive? Sincerely Giving Thanks Not Only Helps Us Recognize Our Blessings, But It Also Unlocks The Doors Of Heaven And Helps Us Feel God's Love.

At Times Many Of Us Let That Enemy Of Achievement--even The Culprit 'self-defeat'--dwarf Our Aspirations, Smother Our Dreams, Cloud Our Vision, And Impair Our Lives. The Enemy's Voice Whispers In Our Ears, 'you Can't Do It.' 'you're Too Young.' 'you're Too Old.' 'you're Nobody.' This Is When We Remember That We Are Created In The Image Of God. Reflection On This Truth Provides A Profound Sense Of Strength And Power.

I Promise You That One Day You Will Stand Aside And Look At Your Difficult Times, You Will Realize That He Was Always There Beside You.

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.

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.

We Are A Temple-building And A Temple-attending People.

How Does One Magnify A Calling? Simply By Performing The Service That Pertains To It.

The Road Back To God Is Not Nearly So Steep Nor Is It So Difficult As Some Would Have Us Believe.

Testimony Bearing Is The Key To Missionary Work

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

As A Result Of The Sacred Ordinances Performed In The Holy House Of God, No Light Need Be Permanently Extinguished, No Voice Permanently Stilled, No Place In Our Heart Permanently Left Vacant.

We Should Strive For Steadiness, And For A Commitment To God That Does Not Ebb And Flow With The Years Or The Crises Of Our Lives.

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.

Despite The Changes Which Come Into Our Lives And With Gratitude In Our Hearts, May We Fill Our Days-as Much As We Can-with Those Things Which Matter Most. May We Cherish Those We Hold Dear And Express Our Love To Them In Word And In Deed.

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.

In Short, If You Have Any Question About Whether A Particular Movie, Book, Or Other Form Of Entertainment Is Appropriate, Don’t See It, Don’t Read It, Don’t Participate.

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."

There Are Those Who Struggle Every Day With Challenges. Let Us Extend To Them Our Concern, As Well As A Helping Hand. As We Care For Each Other, We Will Be Blessed.

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.

This Is Our One And Only Chance At Mortal Life-here And Now. The Longer We Live, The Greater Is Our Realization That It Is Brief. Opportunities Come, And Then They Are Gone. I Believe That Among The Greatest Lessons We Are To Learn In This Short Sojourn Upon The Earth Are Lessons That Help Us Distinguish Between What Is Important And What Is Not. I Plead With You Not To Let Those Most Important Things Pass You By. As You Plan For That Illusive, Nonexistent Future When You Will Have Time To Do All That You Want To Do. Instead, Find You In The Journey Now.

To Express Gratitude Is Gracious And Honorable, To Enact Gratitude Is Generous And Noble, But To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

Though We May Not Necessarily Forfeit Our Lives In Service To Our God, We Can Certainly Demonstrate Our Love For Him By How Well We Serve Him.

Difficulties Allow Us To Change For The Better.

Change For The Better

A Friend Is More Concerned About Helping People Than Getting Credit. A Friend Cares. A Friend Loves. A Friend Listens. And A Friend Reaches Out.

Our Task Is To Become Our Best Selves. One Of God's Greatest Gifts To Us Is The Joy Of Trying Again, For No Failure Ever Need Be Final.

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

Lessons Learned In The Home, Last The Longest.

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

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

The Ability To Communicate Is Not Something We Are Born With. We Have To Learn It And Earn It.

Ability To Communicate

Your Mind Is A Cupboard And You Stock The Shelves.

Choose Your Friends With Caution. Plan Your Future With Purpose. Frame Your Life With Faith.

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.

May We Realize How Close To Us He Is Willing To Come, How Far He Is Willing To Go To Help Us And How Much He Loves Us.

Look To The Lighthouse Of The Lord. There Is No Fog So Dense, No Night So Dark, No Gale So Strong, No Mariner So Lost But What Its Beacon Light Can Rescue.

Missionary Work Is An Identifying Feature Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. Always Has It Been; Ever Shall It Be.

As We Arise Each Morning, Let Us Determine To Respond With Love And Kindness To Whatever Might Come Our Way.

The Goal Of Gospel Teaching... Is Not To 'pour Information' Into The Minds Of Class Members... The Aim Is To Inspire The Individual To Think About, Feel About, And Then Do Something About Living Gospel Principles.

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.

Let Us Not Demeanor Or Belittle. Rather, Let Us Be Compassionate And Encouraging,. We Must Be Careful That We Do Not Destroy Another Person's Confidence Through Careless Words. Or Actions.

To Live Greatly, We Must Develop The Capacity To Face Trouble With Courage, Disappointment With Cheerfulness, And Triumph With Humility. You Ask, 'how Might We Achieve These Goals?' I Answer, 'by Getting A True Perspective Of Who We Really Are!' We Are Sons And Daughters Of A Living God In Whose Image We Have Been Created. Think Of That Truth: 'created In The Image Of God!' We Cannot Sincerely Hold This Conviction Without Experiencing A Profound New Sense Of Strength And Power, Even The Strength To Live The Commandments Of God, The Power To Resist The Temptations Of Satan.

Make Room For The Lord In Your Homes And In Your Hearts, And He Will Be Your Companion. He Will Be By Your Side.

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

Your Future Depends On Your Faith.

Along That Straight And True Path There Are Other Goals: Missionary Service, Temple Marriage, Church Activity, Scripture Study, Prayer, Temple Work. There Are Countless Worthy Goals To Reach As We Travel Through Life. Needed Is Our Commitment To Reach Them.

A Woman Needs To Be Told She Is Beautiful. She Needs To Be Told She Is Valued. She Needs To Be Told She Is Worthwhile.

She Is Beautiful

Any Excuse, No Matter How Valid, Only Weakens The Character.

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

I Extol Those Who, With Loving Care And Compassionate Concern, Feed The Hungry, Clothe The Naked, And House The Homeless. He Who Notes The Sparrow's Fall Will Not Be Unmindful Of Such Service.

In The Search For Our Best Selves, Several Questions Will Guide Our Thinking: Am I What I Want To Be? Am I Closer To The Savior Today Than I Was Yesterday? Will I Be Closer Yet Tomorrow? Do I Have The Courage To Change For The Better?

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.

It Is Not Enough To Want To Make The Effort And To Say We'll Make The Effort. We Must Actually Make The Effort. It's In The Doing, Not Just The Thinking, That We Accomplish Our Goals. If We Constantly Put Our Goals Off, We Will Never See Them Fulfilled. Someone Put It This Way: Live Only For Tomorrow, And You Will Have A Lot Of Empty Yesterdays Today.

Avoid Any Semblance Of Pornography. It Is Dangerous And Addictive. If You Continue To View Pornography, Your Spirit Will Become Desensitized And Your Conscience Will Erode.

In The Temple We Can Find Peace. The Blessings Of The Temple Are Priceless.

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.

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.

Decisions Determine Destiny.

When We Have Sampled Much And Have Wandered Far And Have Seen How Fleeting And Sometimes Superficial A Lot Of The World Is, Our Gratitude Grows For The Privilege Of Being Part Of Something We Can Count On-home And Family And The Loyalty Of Loved Ones. We Come To Know What It Means To Be Bound Together By Duty, By Respect, By Belonging. We Learn That Nothing Can Fully Take The Place Of The Blessed Relationship Of Family Life.

Children Learn Through Gentle Direction And Persuasive Teaching.

May We All Make The Journey To Bethlehem In Spirit, Taking With Us A Tender Caring Heart As Our Gift To The Savior.

Choose Good Friends. Friends Help To Determine Your Future. You Will Tend To Be Like Them And To Be Found Where They Choose To Go. Remember, The Path We Follow In This Life Leads To The Path We Follow In The Next.

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

Men And Women Of Integrity, Character, And Purpose Have Ever Recognized A Power Higher Than Themselves And Have Sought Through Prayer To Be Guided By That Power. Such Has It Ever Been. So Shall It Ever Be.

Miracles Are Everywhere To Be Found When Priesthood Callings Are Magnified. When Faith Replaces Doubt, When Selfless Service Eliminates Selfish Striving, The Power Of God Brings To Pass His Purposes. The Priesthood Is Not Really So Much A Gift As It Is A Commission To Serve, A Privilege To Lift, And An Opportunity To Bless The Lives Of Others.

Because Sexual Intimacy Is So Sacred, The Lord Requires Self-control And Purity Before Marriage, As Well As Full Fidelity After Marriage... Tears Inevitably Follow Transgression. Men, Take Care Not To Make Women Weep, For God Counts Their Tears.

The Road To Anywhere Is The Road To Nowhere, And The Road To Nowhere Leads To Dreams Sacrificed, Opportunities Squandered, And A Life Unfulfilled. In Our Journey We Will Encounter Forks And Turnings In The Road.

Family Prayer Is The Greatest Deterrent To Sin, And Hence The Most Beneficent Provider Of Joy And Happiness. The Old Saying Is Yet True: 'the Family That Prays Together Stays Together.'

The Problems Of Our Day Loom Ominously Before Us... Surrounded By The Sophistication Of Modern Living, We Look Heavenward For That Unfailing Sense Of Direction, That We Might Chart And Follow A Wise And Proper Course. Our Heavenly Father Will Not Leave Our Sincere Petition Unanswered.

I Testify That Each One Of Us Can Feel The Lord's Inspiration As We Live Worthily And Strive To Serve Him.

By Learning Of Him, By Believing In Him, By Following Him, There Is The Capacity To Become Like Him.

I Acknowledge That I Do Not Understand The Processes Of Creation, But I Accept The Fact Of It.

Christmas Is The Spirit Of Giving Without A Thought Of Getting. It Is Happiness Because We See Joy In People. It Is Forgetting Self And Finding Time For Others. It Is Discarding The Meaningless And Stressing The True Values

When You're At A Funeral And You're Crying, You're Crying For Yourself

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.

It Is Not Enough To Want To Make The Effort... It's In The Doing, Not Just The Thinking That We Accomplish Our Goals.

We Become So Caught Up In The Busyness Of Our Lives. Were We To Step Back, However, And Take A Good Look At What We’re Doing, We May Find That We Have Immersed Ourselves In The “thick Of Thin Things.” In Other Words, Too Often We Spend Most Of Our Time Taking Care Of The Things Which Do Not Really Matter Much At All In The Grand Scheme Of Things, Neglecting Those More Important Causes.

This Sabbath Day Has Been Designated As A Day Of Thanksgiving, A Day Of Gratitude-even A Day Of Prayer. We Pause, We Ponder, We Reflect On The Blessings An All-wise Heavenly Father Has Bestowed Upon Us, His Children, By Bringing Peace To The Battlefield Of War And Comfort To The Hearts Of So Many In This Wonderful World Where We Live And Which We Call Home

One Cannot Remember Mother And Forget God.

It Is In The Home That We Form Our Attitudes, Our Deeply Held Beliefs. It Is In The Home That Hope Is Fostered Or Destroyed. Our Homes Are To Be More Than Sanctuaries; They Should Also Be Places Where God’s Spirit Can Dwell, Where The Storm Stops At The Door, Where Love Reigns And Peace Dwells

I Have Found That, Rather Than Dwelling On The Negative, If We Will Take A Step Back And Consider The Blessings In Our Lives, Including Seemingly Small, Sometimes Overlooked Blessings, We Can Find Greater Happiness.

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.

To You Who Are Parents, I Say, Show Love To Your Children. You Know You Love Them, But Make Certain They Know It As Well. They Are So Precious. Let Them Know. Call Upon Our Heavenly Father For Help As You Care For Their Needs Each Day And As You Deal With The Challenges Which Inevitably Come With Parenthood. You Need More Than Your Own Wisdom In Rearing Them.

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.

May We Be People Of Honesty And Integrity Trying To Do The Right Thing At All Times And In All Circumstances.

I Would Hope That We Would Not Lose The Real Objective Of Our Cherished Opportunities To Serve. That Objective, That Eternal Goal, Is The Same Spoken Of By The Lord And Found In The Pearl Of Great Price: "for Behold, This Is My Work And My Glory-to Bring To Pass The Immortality And Eternal Life Of Man." May We Ever Remember That The Mantle Of Membership In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Is Not A Cloak Of Comfort But Rather A Robe Of Responsibility. Our Duty, In Addition To Saving Ourselves, Is To Guide Others To The Celestial Kingdom Of God.

Forgiveness Should Go Hand-in-hand With Love.

Those Who Understand The Eternal Blessings Which Come From The Temple Know That No Sacrifice Is Too Great, No Price Too Heavy, No Struggle Too Difficult In Order To Receive Those Blessings.

The Work Is Demanding, The Impact Everlasting. This Is No Time For 'summer Soldiers' In The Army Of The Lord.

Your Heavenly Father Loves You-each Of You. That Love Never Changes. It Is Not Influenced By Your Appearance, By Your Possessions, Or By The Amount Of Money You Have In Your Bank Account. It Is Not Changed By Your Talents And Abilities. It Is Simply There. It Is There For You When You Are Sad Or Happy, Discouraged Or Hopeful. God's Love Is There For You Whether Or Not You Feel You Deserve Love. It Is Simply Always There.

I Hope That You Will Learn To Take Responsibility For Your Decisions. Don't Take Counsel Of Your Fears.

Taking Responsibility

The Lord Shapes The Back To Bear The Burden Placed Upon It.

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

So Much In Life Depends On Our Attitude. The Way We Choose To See Things And Respond To Others Makes All The Difference. To Do The Best We Can And Then To Choose To Be Happy About Our Circumstances, Whatever They May Be, Can Bring Peace And Contentment. We Can't Direct The Wind, But We Can Adjust The Sails. For Maximum Happiness, Peace, And Contentment, May We Choose A Positive Attitude.

You May Sometimes Be Tempted To Say, ‘will My Influence Make Any Difference? I Am Just One. Will My Service Affect The Work That Dramatically?’ I Testify To You That It Will. You Will Never Be Able To Measure Your Influence For Good.

No Force In This World Can Stop The Work Of God.

None Of Us Will Honor Our Heavenly Father And Our Savior More Than By Serving As A Devoted, Compassionate Missionary, "for Them That Honour Me I Will Honour."

A Prominent Judge Was Asked What We, As Citizens Of The Countries Of The World, Could Do To Reduce Crime And Disobedience To Law And To Bring Peace And Contentment Into Our Lives And Into Our Nations. He Thoughtfully Replied, ‘i Would Suggest A Return To The Old-fashioned Practice Of Family Prayer.’

Countries Of The World

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

May Each Of Us Remember This Truth; 'one Cannot Forget Mother And Remember God. One Cannot Remember Mother And Forget God.' Why? Because These Two Sacred Persons, God And Mother, Partners In Creation, In Love, In Sacrifice, In Service, Are As One.

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.

Love Should Be The Very Heart Of Family Life.

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

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)

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

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

Serving Throughout The World Is A Great Missionary Force Going About Doing Good. Missionaries Teach Truth. They Dispel Darkness. They Spread Joy. They Bring Precious Souls To Christ.

The Lord’s Purposes Are Often Accomplished As We Pay Heed To The Guidance Of The Spirit. I Believe That The More We Act Upon The Inspiration And Impressions Which Come To Us, The More The Lord Will Entrust To Us His Errands.

Come From Your Wandering Way, Weary Travelers. Come To The Gospel Of Jesus Christ. Come To That Heavenly Haven Called Home. Here You Will Discover The Truth. Here You Will Learn The Reality Of The Godhead, The Comfort Of The Plan Of Salvation, The Sanctity Of The Marriage Covenant, The Power Of Personal Prayer. Come Home.

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.

With All The Strength Of My Soul, I Testify That God Lives, That His Beloved Son Is The Firstfruits Of The Resurrection, That The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is That Penetrating Light That Makes Of Every Hopeless Dawn A Joyful Morning.

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.

Our Thinking Will Automatically Improve When We Remember The Words Of Paul: 'know Ye Not That Ye Are The Temple Of God, And The Spirit Of God Dwelleth In You?

Faith Precedes The Miracle. It Has Ever Been So And Shall Ever Be. It Was Not Raining When Noah Was Commanded To Build An Ark. There Was No Visible Ram In The Thicket When Abraham Prepared To Sacrifice His Son Isaac. Two Heavenly Personages Were Not Yet Seen When Joseph Knelt And Prayed. First Came The Test Of Faith–and Then The Miracle. Remember That Faith And Doubt Cannot Exist In The Same Mind At The Same Time, For One Will Dispel The Other. Cast Out Doubt. Cultivate Faith.

The Book Of Mormon Changes Lives.

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.

Our Problem Is That We Often Expect Instantaneous Solutions To Such Challenges, Forgetting That Frequently The Heavenly Virtue Of Patience Is Required.

Often We Live Side By Side But Do Not Communicate Heart To Heart.

I Dreamt And Saw That Life Was Joy. I Awoke And Saw That Life Was Duty. I Served And Found That Duty Was Joy. See Life A Duty, Ellen Sturgis Hooper, (1816-1841) Topics: Beauty, Duty & Life I Slept, And Dreamed That Life Was Beauty; I Woke, And Found That Life Was Duty.

Love Is The Very Essence Of The Gospel.

Heavenly Father Loves You—each Of You. That Love Never Changes.

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.

When We Safeguard (the Heavenly Virtue Of Freedom), When We Honor It, When We Protect It, We Will Walk With Washington, We Will Pray With Patriots, And We Shall Have Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men.

This Is Not A Time For Fear, Brethren, But Rather A Time For Faith - A Time For Each Of Us Who Holds The Priesthood To Be His Best Self.

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

There Are Hearts To Gladden... Kind Words To Say... Gifts To Be Given... Deeds To Be Done.

Let Us Be Kind To One Another, To Be Aware Of Each Other’s Needs, And Try To Help In That Regard.

Now, Some Of You May Be Shy By Nature, Perhaps Feeling Yourselves Inadequate To Respond Affirmatively To A Calling. Remember That This Work Is Not Yours And Mine Alone. It Is The Lord's Work, And When We Are On The Lord's Errand, Brethren, We Are Entitled To The Lord's Help. Remember That The Lord Will Shape The Back To Bear The Burden Placed Upon It.

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.

Miracles Are Everywhere To Be Found When The Priesthood Is Understood, Its Power Is Honored And Used Properly, And Faith Is Exerted.

Perhaps When We Face Our Maker, We Will Not Be Asked, 'how Many Positions Did You Hold,' But Rather, 'how Many People Did You Help?

Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone.

Our Opportunities To Give Of Ourselves Are Indeed Limitless, But They Are Also Perishable.

Never, Never, Never Postpone Following A Prompting.

When The Time For Decision Arrives, The Time For Preparation Is Past.

We Were Not Placed On This Earth To Walk Alone.

All That Occurs Within The Walls Of The Temple Is Uplifting And Enobling.

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

Vice Never Leads To Virtue. Hate Never Promotes Love. Cowardice Never Gives Courage. Doubt Never Inspires Faith.

The Temples Are A Refuge From Life's Storms Even A Never-failing Beacon Guiding Us To Safety.

Permissiveness, Immorality, Pornography, Drugs, The Power Of Peer Pressure-all These And More-cause Many To Be Tossed About On A Sea Of Sin And Crushed On The Jagged Reefs Of Lost Opportunities, Forfeited Blessings, And Shattered Dreams.

You Can Achieve What You Believe You Can. Trust And Believe And Have Faith.

Each Of Us Has Much For Which To Be Grateful If We Will But Pause And Contemplate Our Blessings.

All Of Us Are Prone To Excuse Our Own Mediocre Performance. We Blame Our Misfortunes, Our Disfigurements, Our So-called Handicaps. Victims Of Our Own Rationalization, We Say Silently To Ourselves, 'i'm Just Too Weak,' Or 'i'm Not Cut Out For Better Things.' Others Soar Beyond Our Meager Accomplishments. Envy And Discouragement Take Their Toll. .

We Continue To Build Temples. We Desire That As Many Members As Possible Have An Opportunity To Attend The Temple Without Having To Travel Inordinate Distances.

May We Muster Courage At The Crossroads, Courage For The Conflicts, Courage To Say, "no," Courage To Say, "yes," For Courage Counts.

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.

Courage Becomes A Worthwhile And Meaningful Virtue When It Is Regarded Not So Much As A Willingness To Die Manfully But As A Determination To Live Decently.

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

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.

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

The World Can Be A Challenging And Difficult Place In Which To Live. We Are Often Surrounded By That Which Would Drag Us Down. As You And I Go To The Holy Houses Of God, As We Remember The Covenants We Make Within, We Will Be More Able To Bear Every Trial And To Overcome Each Temptation. In This Sacred Sanctuary We Will Find Peace; We Will Be Renewed And Fortified.

God Left The World Unfinished For Man To Work His Skill Upon. He Left The Electricity In The Cloud, The Oil In The Earth. He Left The Rivers Unbridged And The Forests Unfelled And The Cities Unbuilt. God Gives To Man The Challenge Of Raw Materials, Not The Ease Of Finished Things. He Leaves The Pictures Unpainted And The Music Unsung And The Problems Unsolved, That Man Might Know The Joys And Glories Of Creation.

By Choosing Our Path, We Choose Our Destination.

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"

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

If Ingratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues.

May We Be Faithful Followers Of Christ, Examples Of Righteousness, Thus Becoming Lights In The World.

As You And I Walk The Pathway Jesus Walked, Let Us Listen For The Sound Of Sandaled Feet. Let Us Reach Out For The Carpenter's Hand. Then We Shall Come To Know Him.

Choose A Field That Will Supply Sufficient Remuneration To Provide Adequately For Your Companion And Your Children. I Bear Testimony That These Criteria Are Very Important In Choosing Your Life's Work.

Each Of Us Can Be A Leader. We Need To Remember That The Mantle Of Leadership Is Not The Cloak Of Comfort, But The Robe Of Responsibility. Perhaps Our Service Is To Youth. If So, I Caution: 'youth Needs Fewer Critics And More Models.' One Hundred Years From Now It Will Not Matter What Kind Of A Car We Drove, What Kind Of A House We Lived In, How Much We Had In The Bank Account, Nor What Our Clothes Looked Like. But The World May Be A Little Better Because We Were Important In The Life Of A Boy Or A Girl.

When God Speaks And We Obey, We Will Always Be Right.

Rather Than Dwelling On The Past, We Should Make The Most Of Today, Of The Here And Now, Doing All We Can To Provide Pleasant Memories For The Future…if You Are Still In The Process Of Raising Children Be Aware That The Tiny Fingerprints That Show Up On Almost Every Newly Cleaned Surface, The Toys Scattered About The House, The Piles And Piles Of Laundry To Be Tackled, Will Disappear All Too Soon, And That You Will, To Your Surprise, Miss Them, Profoundly.

The Future Is In Your Hands, The Outcome Is Up To You.

Keep The Commandments Of God. If You Have Sinned, The Sooner You Begin To Make Your Way Back, The Sooner You Will Find The Sweet Peace And Joy That Come With The Miracle Of Forgiveness. Happiness Comes From Living The Way The Lord Wants You To Live And From Service To God And Others.

Trending Author

Benito Mussolini

T. Berry Brazelton

Category