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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.

-Thomas S. Monson

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Faith Precedes The Miracle.

Thomas S. Monson

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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.

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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.

Christ Instructs Us To Stand Up Bravely For Our Beliefs... He Asks Us To Let Our Lights Shine.

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.

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

Find Joy In The Journey.

Our Challenge Is To Join Forces Of The Old And The New- Experience And Experiment, History And Destiny, The World Of Man And The New World Of Science- But Always In Accordance With The Never-changing Word Of God.

New Experiences

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?

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

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.

Forgiveness Should Go Hand-in-hand With Love.

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

We Must Not Let Our Passions Destroy Our Dreams.

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

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

Children Learn Through Gentle Direction And Persuasive Teaching.

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. .

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.

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

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.

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

Self-discipline Is A Rigorous Process At Best; Too Many Of Us Want It To Be Effortless And Painless.

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.

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

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.

Youth Need Less Critics And More Models.

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

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

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 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.

We Were Not Placed On This Earth To Walk Alone.

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

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.

We Tend To Become Like Those Whom We Admire.

Everyone Can Be Discontented If He Ignores His Blessings And Looks Only At His Burdens.

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

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.

I Add My Personal Witness: Our Missionaries Are Not Salesmen With Wares To Peddle; Rather, They Are Servants Of The Most High God, With Testimonies To Bear, Truths To Teach, And Souls To Save. Each Missionary Who Goes Forth In Response To A Sacred Call Becomes A Servant Of The Lord Whose Work This Truly Is. Do Not Fear, Young Men, For He Will Be With You. He Never Fails. He Has Promised: "i Will Go Before Your Face. I Will Be On Your Right Hand And On Your Left, And My Spirit Shall Be In Your Hearts, And Mine Angels Round About You, To Bear You Up"

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

Gracias, Danke, Merci - Whatever Language Is Spoken, "thank You" Frequently Expressed Will Cheer Your Spirit, Broaden Your Friendships, And Lift Your Lives To A Higher Pathway As You Journey Toward Perfection. There Is A Simplicity - Even A Sincerity - When "thank You" Is Spoken.

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

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

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

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

We Learn To Pray By Praying. One Can Devote Countless Hours To Examining The Experiences Of Others, But Nothing Penetrates The Human Heart As Does A Personal Fervent Prayer And Its Heaven Sent Response.

With A Strong Testimony Of The Savior And His Restored Gospel, You Have Limitless Opportunities To Shine.

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

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.

As We Remember Prayer And Take Time To Turn To The Scriptures, Our Lives Will Be Infinitely More Blessed And Our Burdens Will Be Made Lighter.

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.

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)

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.

If You Are Persistent, You Will Succeed

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

Blame Keeps Wounds Open; Only Forgiveness Heals

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.

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 Think There Is No Place In The World Where I Feel Closer To The Lord Than In One Of His Holy Temples.

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.

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

When Faith Replaces Doubt, When Selfless Service Eliminates Selfish Striving, The Power Of God Brings To Pass His Purposes.

We Are Going To Make Mistakes, But None Of Us Can Become An Expert In Family History Work Without First Being A Novice.

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.

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

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.

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

My Brothers And Sisters, May The Spirit Of Love Which Comes At Christmas Time Fill Our Homes And Our Lives And Linger There Long After The Tree Is Down And The Lights Are Put Away For Another Year.

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.

In Sickness, With Its Attendant Pain, Patience Is Required. If The Only Perfect Man Who Ever Lived-even Jesus Of Nazareth-was Called Upon To Endure Great Suffering, How Can We, Who Are Less Than Perfect, Expect To Be Free Of Such Challenges?

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

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

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

Losing A Loved One

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

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

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, Press Onward

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.

Avoid The Philosophy And Excuse That Yesterday's Luxuries Have Become Today's Necessities. They Aren't Necessities Unless We Ourselves Make Them Such. . . . It Is Essential For Us To Live Within Our Means.

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.

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

Trust In The Lord

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.

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.

If Any Has Stumbled In His Journey, There Is A Way Back. The Process Is Called Repentance. Our Savior Died To Provide You And Me That Blessed Gift. Though The Path Is Difficult, The Promise Is Real: 'though Your Sins Be As Scarlet, They Shall Be As White As Snow' (isaiah 1:18).

When We Qualify For The Help Of The Lord, We Can Build Boys, We Can Mend Men, We Can Accomplish Miracles In His Holy Service. Our Opportunities Are Without Limit.

I Like This Thought: Your Mind Is A Cupboard, And You Stock The Shelves. Let Us Make Certain That Our Cupboard Shelves, And Those Of Our Family Members, Are Stocked With The Things Which Will Provide Safety To Our Souls And Enable Us To Return To Our Father In Heaven. Such Shelves Could Well Be Stocked With Gospel Scholarship, Faith, Prayer, Love, Service, Obedience, Example, And Kindness

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

Who The Lord Calls, The Lord Will Qualify.

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.

Decisions Determine Destiny.

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.

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.

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?

Missionary Service Is A Priesthood Duty.

Happiness Comes When We Stop Complaining About The Troubles We Have And Offer Thanks For All The Troubles We Don't Have.

Tears Came To My Eyes When I Read Of A Mere Boy In One Of Our Eastern Cities Who Noticed A Vagrant Asleep On A Sidewalk And Who Then Went To His Own Room, Retrieved His Own Pillow, And Placed It Beneath The Head Of That One Whom He Knew Not. Perhaps There Came From The Precious Past The Welcome Words: 'inasmuch As Ye Have Done It Unto One Of The Least Of These My Brethren, Ye Have Done It Unto Me' (matt. 25:40).

As We Attend The Temple, There Can Come To Us A Dimension Of Spirituality And A Feeling Of Peace Which Will Transcend Any Other Feeling Which Could Come Into The Human Heart. We Will Grasp The True Meaning Of The Words Of The Savior When He Said: “peace I Leave With You, My Peace I Give Unto You. … Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled, Neither Let It Be Afraid.”

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

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.

Because He Came To Earth, We Have A Perfect Example To Follow. As We Strive To Become More Like Him, We Will Have Joy And Happiness In Our Lives And Peace Each Day Of The Year. It Is His Example Which, If Followed, Stirs Within Us More Kindness And Love, More Respect And Concern For Others.

Concern For Others

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.

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

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.

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

Remember To Pray Fervently.

This Is My Philosophy On All Life, Not Just When It Comes To Love. All The Best Things Are Terrifying, But That's Why They're The Best Things. Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy. You Have To Be Afraid To Want It, Afraid To Lose It, Afraid To Try. If You Feel That, Then You Know You're On To A Winner.

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.

Together We Shall Move Forward Doing [the Lord's] Work

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).

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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 Ask You To Make Institute A Priority.

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.

The Knowledge Which We Seek, The Answers For Which We Yearn, And The Strength Which We Desire Today To Meet The Challenges Of A Complex And Changing World Can Be Ours When We Willingly Obey The Lord’s Commandments.

…faith Forged In The Furnace Of Trials And Tears Is Marked By Trust And Testimony. Only God Can Count The Sacrifice; Only God Can Measure The Sorrow; Only God Can Know The Hearts Of Those Who Serve Him.

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

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

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

If You Will Study The Scriptures Diligently, Your Power To Avoid Temptation And To Receive Direction Of The Holy Ghost In All You Do Will Be Increased.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Your Mind Is A Cupboard And You Stock The Shelves.

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

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

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

Difficulties Allow Us To Change For The Better.

Change For The Better

No Problem Is Too Small For His Attention Nor So Large That He Cannot Answer The Prayer Of Faith. Prayer Surely Is The Passport To Spiritual Power.

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.

How Much Better The World Would Be If We All Gave Gifts Of Understanding, And Compassion, Of Service, And Friendship, Of Kindness And Gentleness.

It Is Almost Inevitable That Our Faith Will Be Challenged. We May At Times Find Ourselves Surrounded By Others And Yet Standing In The Minority Or Even Standing Alone Concerning What Is Acceptable And What Is Not. Do We Have The Moral Courage To Stand Firm For Our Beliefs, Even If By So Doing We Must Stand Alone?

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

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

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.

The Needs Of Others Are Ever Present, And Each Of Us Can Do Something To Help Someone.... Unless We Lose Ourselves In Service To Others, There Is Little Purpose To Our Own Lives.

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.

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

The Sweetest Feeling In Mortality Is To Realize That God, Our Heavenly Father, Knows Each One Of Us And Generously Permits Us To See And To Share His Divine Power To Save.

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

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

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.

Like The Vital Rudder Of A Ship, We Have Been Provided A Way To Determine The Direction We Travel. The Lighthouse Of The Lord Beckons To All As We Sail The Seas Of Life. Our Home Port Is The Celestial Kingdom Of God. Our Purpose Is To Steer An Undeviating Course In That Direction. A Man Without A Purpose Is Like A Ship Without A Rudder—never Likely To Reach Home Port. To Us Comes The Signal: Chart Your Course, Set Your Sail, Position Your Rudder, And Proceed.

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.

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

From The Book Of Mormon Come Other Precious Promises, Including Promises Of Peace, Freedom, And Blessings If We 'will But Serve The God Of The Land, Who Is Jesus Christ' (ether 2:12).

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.

Wishing Will Not Make It So. The Lord Expects Our Thinking. He Expects Our Action. He Expects Our Labors. He Expects Our Testimonies. He Expects Our Devotion.

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

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.

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

As We Emulate His Example, We Will Bless Lives, Including Our Own.

True Love Can Alter Human Lives And Change Human Nature.

Life And Change

As I Contemplate All That You Face In The World Today, One Word Comes To My Mind. It Describes An Attribute Needed By All Of Us But One Which You-at This Time Of Your Life And In This World-will Need Particularly. That Attribute Is Courage.

Spiritual Strength Frequently Comes Through Selfless Service.

Selfless Service

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

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.

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.

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.

We Need To Learn How To Separate Need From Greed.

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.

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

Each Heartfelt Prayer, Each Church Meeting Attended, Each Worthy Friend, Each Righteous Decision, Each Act Of Service Perfomed All Precede That Goal Of Eternal Life.

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.

One Sees A Blatant Disregard For The Precious Souls Of Mankind.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Courage, Not Compromise, Brings The Smile Of God's Approval.

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

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

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.

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

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 Code Of Conduct Is Definitive; It Is Not Negotiable.

No Temptation, No Pressure, No Enticing Can Overcome Us Unless We Allow Such. If We Make The Wrong Choice, We Have No One To Blame But Ourselves.

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.

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

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

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

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

Perhaps There Has Never Been A Time When We Had Greater Need To Pray And To Teach Our Family Members To Pray. Prayer Is A Defense Against Temptation. It Is Through Earnest And Heartfelt Prayer That We Can Receive The Needed Blessings And The Support Required To Make Our Way In This Sometimes Difficult And Challenging Journey We Call Mortality.

When We Keep The Spirit Of Christmas, We Keep The Spirit Of Christ, For The Christmas Spirit Is The Christ Spirit.

Christmas Spirit

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

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.

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

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

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