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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.

-Thomas S. Monson

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Each Of Us Can

Thomas S. Monson

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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.

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Blame Keeps Wounds Open; Only Forgiveness Heals

Prayer Is The Passport To Peace.

May Your Homes Be Filled With Peace, Harmony, Courtesy, And Love. May They Be Filled With The Spirit Of The Lord.

Youth Need Less Critics And More Models.

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

There Will Be Times When You Will Be Frightened And Discouraged. You May Feel That You Are Defeated. The Odds Of Obtaining Victory May Appear Overwhelming. At Times You May Feel Like David Trying To Fight Goliath. But Remember-david Did Win!

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

The Power To Lead Is The Power To Mislead, And The Power To Mislead Is The Power To Destroy.

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.

The Lighthouse Of The Lord Sends Forth Signals Readily Recognized And Never Failing

When We Ponder That Vast Throng Who Have Died Honorably Defending Home And Hearth, We Contemplate Those Immortal Words, 'greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends.' The Feelings Of Heartfelt Gratitude For The Supreme Sacrifice Made By So Many Cannot Be Confined To A Memorial Day, A Military Parade, Or A Decorated Grave.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Think To Thank. In These Three Words Are The Finest Capsule Course For A Happy Marriage, Formula For Enduring Friendship, And A Pattern For Personal Happiness.

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.

Through Humble Prayer, Diligent Preparation, And Faithful Service, We Can Succeed In Our Sacred Callings.

Love Is The Very Essence Of The Gospel.

On Occasion We Need To Make A Second Effort - And A Third Effort, And A Fourth Effort, And As Many Degrees Of Effort As May Be Required To Accomplish What We Strive To Achieve.

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.

There Will Come Into Every Life Moments Of Despair And The Need For Direction From A Divine Source-even An Unspoken Plea For Help.

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.

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

I Believe That No Concern Of Ours Is Too Small Or Insignificant.

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.

One Cannot Remember Mother And Forget God.

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

We Can’t Direct The Wind, But We Can Adjust The Sails. For Maximum Happiness, Peace, And Contentment, May We Choose A Positive Attitude.

Wonderful, Glorious Things Are In Store For You If You Will Only Believe, Obey, And Endure.

Avoid Pornography At All Costs!

There Is A Golden Thread That Runs Through Every Account Of Faith From The Beginning Of The World To The Present Time. Abraham, Noah, The Brother Of Jared, The Prophet Joseph Smith, And Countless Others Wanted To Be Obedient To The Will Of God. They Had Ears That Could Hear, Eyes That Could See, And Hearts That Could Know And Feel. They Never Doubted. They Trusted.

Christ's Peace Can Permeate Any Heart - Hearts That Are Troubled, Burdened With Grief, Confused, And Pleading For Help.

Missionary Service Is A Priesthood Duty.

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.

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

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

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

Life's Journey Is Not Traveled On A Freeway Devoid Of Obstacles, Pitfalls, And Snares. Rather, It Is A Pathway Marked By Forks And Turnings. 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. The Call For Courage Comes Constantly To Each Of Us. It Has Ever Been So, And So Shall It Ever Be.

Learn From The Past, Prepare For The Future, Live In The Present.

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

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."

Few See Beyond The Outward Appearance And Recognize The True Worth Of A Human Soul. When They Do, Miracles Occur.

Finding The Real Joy Of #‎ Christmas Comes Not In The Hurrying And The Scurrying To Get More Done, Nor Is It Found In The Purchasing Of #‎ Gifts . We Find Real Joy When We Make The Savior The Focus Of The Season.

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.

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.

The Spirit Must Be Freed From Tethers So Strong And Feelings Never Put To Rest, So That The Lift Of Life May Give Buoyancy To The Soul. In Many Families, There Are Hurt Feelings And A Reluctance To Forgive. It Doesn’t Really Matter What The Issue Was. It Cannot And Should Not Be Left To Injure. Blame Keeps Wounds Open. Only Forgiveness Heals. George Herbert, An Early 17th-century Poet, Wrote These Lines: ‘he That Cannot Forgive Others Breaks The Bridge Over Which He Himself Must Pass If He Would Ever Reach Heaven, For Everyone Has Need Of Forgiveness.’

Have The Moral Courage To Be A Light For Others To Follow.

Men Take Care Not To Make Women Weep, For God Counts Their Tears.

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?

Times Change, Years Speed By, But Christmas Continues Sacred. It Is Through Giving, Rather Than Getting, That The Spirit Of Christ Enters Our Lives. God Still Speaks. He Prompts. He Guides. He Blesses. He Gives.

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.

Our Most Significant Opportunities Will Be Found In Times Of Greatest Difficulty.

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

True Love Can Alter Human Lives And Change Human Nature.

Life And Change

We Tend To Become Like Those Whom We Admire.

There Is Really No Way We Can Know The Heart, The Intentions, Or The Circumstances Of Someone Who Might Say Or Do Something We Find Reason To Criticize. Thus The Commandment: 'judge Not.'

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

So Much In Life Depends On Our Attitude. The Way We Choose To See Things And Respond To Others Makes All The Difference.

Life By The Yard Is Hard; By The Inch It's A Cinch. Decisions Determine Destiny.

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

As We Move Toward The Future, We Must Not Neglect The Lessons Of The Past. Our Heavenly Father Gave His Son. The Son Of God Gave His Life. We Are Asked By Them To Give Our Lives, As It Were, In Their Divine Service. Will You? Will I? Will We? There Are Lessons To Be Taught, There Are Kind Deeds To Be Done, There Are Souls To Be Saved.

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

We Laugh, We Cry, We Work, We Play, We Love, We Live. And Then We Die. ... And Dead We Would Remain But For One Man And His Mission, Even Jesus Of Nazareth. ... With All My Heart And The Fervency Of My Soul, I Lift Up My Voice In Testimony As A Special Witness And Declare That God Does Live. Jesus Is His Son, The Only Begotten Of The Father In The Flesh. He Is Our Redeemer; He Is Our Mediator With The Father. He It Was Who Died On The Cross To Atone For Our Sins. He Became The Firstfruits Of The Resurrection. Because He Died, All Shall Live Again.

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

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.

If You Want To Give Light To Others You Have To Glow Yourself.

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

Family And Friends

God And Mother, Partners In Creation, In Love, In Sacrifice, In Service, Are As One.

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.

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

Dedicated Missionary Service Returns A Dividend Of Eternal Joy Which Extends Throughout Mortality And Into Eternity.

Often Small Acts Of Service Are All That Is Required To Lift And Bless Another: A Question Concerning A Person's Family, Quick Words Of Encouragement, A Sincere Compliment, A Small Note Of Thanks, A Brief Telephone Call. If We Are Observant And Aware, And If We Act On The Promptings Which Come To Us, We Can Accomplish Much Good.

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

Your Future Depends On Your Faith.

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

The Most Constant Thing Is Change.

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.

Every Bishop Can Testify To The Promptings That Attend Calls To Serve In The Church. Frequently The Call Seems To Be For The Benefit Not So Much Of Those To Be Taught Or Led As For The Person Who Is To Teach Or Lead.

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.

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.

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.

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

Work Will Win When Wishy Washy Wishing Won T.

Perhaps The Surest Test Of An Individual's Integrity Is His Refusal To Do Or Say Anything That Would Damage His Self-respect.

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.'

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

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.

The Battle For Self-discipline May Leave You A Bit Bruised And Battered But Always A Better Person. Self-discipline Is A Rigorous Process At Best; Too Many Of Us Want It To Be Effortless And Painless. Should Temporary Setbacks Afflict Us, A Very Significant Part Of Our Struggle For Self-discipline Is The Determination And The Courage To Try Again....eternal Life In The Kingdom Of Our Father Is Your Goal, And Self-discipline Will Surely Be Required If You Are To Achieve It.

Of Course, We Will Face Fear, Experience Ridicule, And Meet Opposition. 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.

Our Father's Commitment To Us, His Children, Is Unwavering. Indeed He Softens The Winters Of Our Lives, But He Also Brightens Our Summers.

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.

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.

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 Savior Taught His Disciples, 'for Whosoever Will Save His Life Shall Lose It: But Whosoever Will Lose His Life For My Sake, The Same Shall Save It' (luke 9:24)."i Believe The Savior Is Telling Us That Unless We Lose Ourselves In Service To Others, There Is Little Purpose To Our Own Lives. Those Who Live Only For Themselves Eventually Shrivel Up And Figuratively Lose Their Lives, While Those Who Lose Themselves In Service To Others Grow And Flourish—and In Effect Save Their Lives.

Sometimes We Can Take Offense So Easily. On Other Occasions We Are Too Stubborn To Accept A Sincere Apology. Who Will Subordinate Ego, Pride, And Hurt-then Step Forward With 'i Am Truly Sorry! Let's Be As We Once Were: Friends. Let's Not Pass To Future Generations The Grievances, The Anger Of Our Time'? Let's Remove Any Hidden Wedges That Can Do Nothing But Destroy.

Who Was This Man Of Sorrows, Acquainted With Grief? Who Is The King Of Glory, This Lord Of Hosts? He Is Our Master. He Is Our Savior. He Is The Son Of God. He Is The Author Of Our Salvation. He Beckons, “follow Me.” He Instructs, “go, And Do Thou Likewise.” He Pleads, “keep My Commandments.” Let Us Follow Him. Let Us Emulate His Example. Let Us Obey His Word. By So Doing, We Give To Him The Divine Gift Of Gratitude.

Pray Always, And Be Believing, And All Things Shall Work Together For Your Good.

Working Together

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."

There Is Absolutely Nothing In This World That Will Provide More Comfort And Happiness Than A Testimony Of The Truth.

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

Find Joy In The Journey.

Life By The Yard Is Hard; By The Inch It's A Cinch. Each Of Us Can Be True For Just One Day--and Then One More And Then One More After That--until We've Lived A Lifetime Guided By The Spirit, A Lifetime Close To The Lord, A Lifetime Of Good Deeds And Righteousness.

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

The Face Of Sin Today Often Wears The Mask Of Tolerance. Do Not Be Deceived; Behind That Facade Is Heartache, Unhappiness And Pain. .. You Be The One To Make A Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone. Have The Moral Courage To Be A Light For Others To Follow.

When Fear Replaces Faith, Remember Prayer.

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.

The Passage Of Time Has Not Altered The Capacity Of The Redeemer To Change Men’s Lives. As He Said To The Dead Lazarus, So He Says To You And Me: “come Forth.” Come Forth From The Despair Of Doubt. Come Forth From The Sorrow Of Sin. Come Forth From The Death Of Disbelief. Come Forth To A Newness Of Life. Come Forth.

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

Respecting Others

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

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

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

Let Us Not Only Remember The Past And Its Required Sacrifice, Let Us Also Remember That We Are Responsible To Build A Legacy For The Generations Which Follow Us.

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.

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

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

Whenever We Are Inclined To Feel Burdened Down With The Blows Of Life, Let Us Remember That Others Have Passed The Same Way, Have Endured, And Then Have Overcome.

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.

Things Which Provide Deep And Lasting Happiness And Gratitude Are The Things Which Money Cannot Buy: Our Families, The Gospel, Good Friends, Our Health, Our Abilities, The Love We Receive From Those Around Us.

Lasting Happiness

If We Will Put Our Trust In The Lord, He Will Help Us Through Our Difficulties, Whatever They My Be.

Trust In The Lord

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

Several Years Ago My Dear Wife Went To The Hospital. She Left A Note Behind For The Children: "dear Children, Do Not Let Daddy Touch The Microwave" - Followed By A Comma, "or The Stove, Or The Dishwasher, Or The Dryer." I'm Embarrassed To Add Any More To That List.

As Parents, We Should Remember That Our Lives May Be The Book From The Family Library Which The Children Most Treasure. Are Our Examples Worthy Of Emulation? Do We Live In Such A Way That A Son Or A Daughter May Say, ‘i Want To Follow My Dad,’ Or ‘i Want To Be Like My Mother’? Unlike The Book On The Library Shelf, The Covers Of Which Shield Its Contents, Our Lives Cannot Be Closed. Parents, We Truly Are An Open Book In The Library Of Learning Of Our Homes.

We Need Learn What We Need To Learn, Know What We Need To Know, And Do What We Need To Do.

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

Be Not Weary In Well-doing. … Out Of Small Things Proceedeth That Which Is Great. Behold, The Lord Requireth The Heart And A Willing Mind.

Courage Is Required To Make An Initial Thrust Toward One's Coveted Goal, But Even Greater Courage Is Called For When One Stumbles And Must Make A Second Effort To Achieve. Have The Determination To Make The Effort, The Single-mindedne Ss To Work Toward A Worthy Goal, And The Courage Not Only To Face The Challenges That Inevitably Come But Also To Make A Second Effort, Should Such Be Required.

We Can Bolster Human Spirits, Clothe Cold Bodies, Feed Hungry People, Comfort Grieving Hearts, And Lift To New Heights Precious Souls.

We May Not Only Find Faith In God In Our Sorrow. We May Also Become Faithful To Him In Times Of Calm.

Ideals Are Like The Stars - You Can't Touch Them With Your Hands, But By Following Them You Reach Your Destination.

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

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

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.

Your Patriarchal Blessing Is Your Passport To Peace In This Life. It Is A Liahona Of Light To Guide You Unerringly To Your Heavenly Home.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Many More People Could Ride Out The Storm-tossed Waves In Their Economic Lives If They Had Their Year's Supply Of Food…and Were Debt-free. Today We Find That Many Have Followed This Counsel In Reverse: They Have At Least A Year's Supply Of Debt And Are Food-free.

The Reward Of Eternal Life Requires Effort.

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 Passage Of Time Has Not Altered The Capacity Of The Redeemer To Change Lives.

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

The Storm Stops At The Door. Love Reigns, Peace Dwells.

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

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

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.

Let Us Open Wide The Windows Of Our Hearts, That Each Family Member May Feel Welcome And 'at Home.' Let Us Open Also The Doors Of Our Very Souls, That The Dear ________ May Enter. Remember His Promise: 'behold, I Stand At The Door, And Knock: If Any Man Hear My Voice, And Open The Door, I Will Come In To Him' (revelation 3:20).

Raising Children, Be Aware That The Piles And Piles Of Laundry Will Disappear All Too Soon And That You Will, To Your Surprise, Miss Them Profoundly.

The Good You Have Done, The Kind Words You Have Spoken, The Love You Have Shown To Others, Can Never Be Fully Measured.

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.

There Is No Better Time Than Now, This Very Christmas Season, For All Of Us To Rededicate Ourselves To The Principles Taught By Jesus The Christ.

There Is No Tomorrow To Remember If We Don’t Do Something Today, And To Live Most Fully Today, We Must Do That Which Is Of Greatest Importance. Let Us Not Procrastinate Those Things Which Matter Most.

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.

Choose Your Love; Love Your Choice.

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

I Wasn't With Joseph, But I Believe Him. My Faith Did Not Come To Me Through Science, And I Will Not Permit So-called Science To Destroy It.

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

All Of Us Remember The Home Of Our Childhood. Interestingly, Our Thoughts Do Not Dwell On Whether The House Was Large Or Small, The Neighborhood Fashionable Or Downtrodden. Rather, We Delight In The Experiences We Shared As A Family. The Home Is The Laboratory Of Our Lives, And What We Learn There Largely Determines What We Do When We Leave There.

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

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, Press Onward

As A Teenage Daughter Hears Her Sweet Mother Plead Unto The Lord That Her Daughter Will Be Inspired In The Selection Of Her Companions, That She Will Prepare Herself For A Temple Marriage, Don't You Believe That Such A Daughter Will Seek To Honor This Humble, Pleading Petition Of Her Mother, Whom She So Dearly Loves?

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

Your Mind Is A Cupboard And You Stock The Shelves.

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

To Catch The Real Meaning Of The Spirit Of Christmas, We Need Only Drop The Last Syllable, And It Becomes The Spirit Of Christ.

Have We Been Guilty Of Declaring, 'i've Been Thinking About Making Some Course Corrections In My Life. I Plan To Take The First Step-tomorrow'? With Such Thinking, Tomorrow Is Forever. Such Tomorrows Rarely Come Unless We Do Something About Them Today.

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is That Penetrating Light Which Shines Through The Darkness Of Our Lives.

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.

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.

You Have A Heritage Honor It. You Have Posses A Testimony Share It. You Will Face Temptations Withstand It. You Know The Truth Live It.

Can We Somehow Muster The Courage And Steadfastness Of Purpose That Characterized The Pioneers Of A Former Generation? Can You And I, In Actual Fact, Be Pioneers [today]?

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.

I Testify To You Today That Turning Away From God Brings Broken Covenants, Shattered Dreams, And Crushed Hopes. Such A Quagmire Of Quicksand I Plead With You To Avoid. You Are Of A Noble Birthright. Eternal Life In The Kingdom Of Our Father Is Your Goal.

Who The Lord Calls, The Lord Will Qualify.

Our Opportunities To Give Of Ourselves Are Indeed Limitless, But They Are Also Perishable. There Are Hearts To Gladden. There Are Kind Words To Say. There Are Gifts To Be Given. There Are Deeds To Be Done. There Are Souls To Be Saved.

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.

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.

Without A Goal There Can Be No Real Success.

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

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.

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.

Each Of Us Can Do Something To Help Someone.

Can Do Something

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

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.

When We Encounter Challenges And Problems In Our Lives, It Is Often Difficult For Us To Focus On Our Blessings. However, If We Reach Deep Enough And Look Hard Enough, We Will Be Able To Feel And Recognize Just How Much We Have Been Given.

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 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.

The Principles Of Living Greatly Include The Capacity To Face Trouble With Courage, Disappointment With Cheerfulness, And Trial With Humility.

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"

Decisions Determine Destiny.

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

Father In Heaven

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.

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