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

-Ezra Taft Benson

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I Have Faith That

Ezra Taft Benson

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

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... In All Seriousness... You Who Submit Yourselves To An Abortion Or To An Operation That Precludes You From Safely Having Additional Healthy Children Are Jeopardizing Your Exaltation And Your Future Membership In The Kingdom Of God.

By Deriving It's Just Powers From The Governed, Government Becomes Primarily A Mechanism For Defense Against Bodily Harm, Theft, And Involuntary Servitude. It Cannot Claim The Power To Redistribute Money Or Property Nor To Force Reluctant Citizens To Perform Acts Of Charity Against Their Will. Government Is Created By The People. No Individual Possesses The Power To Take Another's Wealth Or To Force Others To Do Good, So No Government Has The The Right To Do Such Things Either. The Creature Cannot Exceed The Creator.

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

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

I Have A Vision Of Artists Putting Into Film, Drama, Literature, Music, And Paintings Great Themes And Great Characters From The Book Of Mormon.

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

We Should Confess His Hand In All Things. Ingratitude Is One Of Our Great Sins.

You Are The One Who Must Decide Whose Thoughts You Will Entertain. You Are Free To Choose-but You Are Not Free To Alter The Consequences Of Those Choices. You Will Be What You Think About What You Consistently Allow To Occupy The Stage Of Your Mind.

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

To A Significant Degree, We Are An Overfed And Undernourished Nation Digging An Early Grave With Our Teeth, And Lacking The Energy That Could Be Ours Because We Overindulge In Junk Foods.

Youth Is The Spirit Of Adventure And Awakening. It Is A Time Of Physical Emerging When The Body Attains The Vigor And Good Health That May Ignore The Caution Of Temperance. Youth Is A Period Of Timelessness When The Horizons Of Age Seem Too Distant To Be Noticed.

Those Who Think Clean Thoughts Do Not Do Dirty Deeds.

Communism Introduced Into The World A Substitute For True Religion. It Is A Counterfeit Of The Gospel Plan.

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

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

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

Working Together

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

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

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

Bad Experience Is A School That Only Fools Keep Going To.

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

Right And Wrong As Moral Principles Do Not Change. They Are Applicable And Reliable Determinants Whether The Situations With Which We Deal Are Simple Or Complicated. There Is Always A Right And Wrong To Every Question Which Requires Our Solution.

What Does The Atonement Have To Do With Missionary Work? Any Time We Experience The Blessings Of The Atonement In Our Lives, We Cannot Help But Have A Concern For The Welfare Of Others. ... A Great Indicator Of One's Personal Conversion Is The Desire To Share The Gospel With Others.

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

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

We Must Ever Keep In Mind That Collectivized Socialism Is Part Of The Communist Strategy. Communism Is Fundamentally Socialism. We Will Never Win Our Fight Against Communism By Making Concessions To Socialism.

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

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

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

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

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

Contention In Our Families Drives The Spirit Of The Lord Away. It Also Drives Many Of Our Family Members Away. Contention Ranges From A Hostile Spoken Word To Worldwide Conflicts. The Scriptures Tell Us That "only By Pride Cometh Contention".

Without Christ There Would Be No Christmas And Without Christ There Can Be No Fulness Of Joy

A Father's Calling Is Eternal And Its Importance Transcends Time. It Is A Calling For Both Time And Eternity.

That The Sole Object And Only Legitimate End Of Government Is To Protect The Citizen In The Enjoyment Of Life, Liberty, And Property, And When The Government Assumes Other Functions It Is Usurpation And Oppression.

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Encourage Good Music And Art And Literature In Your Homes. Homes That Have A Spirit Of Refinement And Beauty Will Bless The Lives Of Your Children Forever.

The Temple Will Be An Ever-present Reminder That God Intended The Family To Be Eternal.

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

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

We Are Recipients Of God's Choicest Blessings. We Enjoy An Abundance Of Material Things Beyond That Enjoyed By Any Other Nation In The History Of The World; But Unless We Keep Alive A Realization That All These Blessings Come From God And Are A Part Of Our Great Spiritual Heritage, They May Crumble As Ashes In Our Hands. "in Nothing Doth Man Offend God, Or Against None Is His Wrath Kindled, Save Those Who Confess Not His Hand In All Things And Obey Not His Commandments."

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Genuine Happiness

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

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The So-called Civil Rights Movement As It Exists Today Is Used As A Communist Program For Revolution In America.

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We Need To Be More Grateful. I Think There Is No True Character Without Gratitude. It Is One Of The Marks Of A Real Strong Character To Have A Feeling Of Thanksgiving And Gratitude For Blessings. We Need More Of That Spirit In Our Homes, In Our Daily Associations, In The Church, Everywhere. It Doesn't Cost Anything, And It Is So Easy To Cultivate.

Scouting Teaches A Boy To Take Care Of Himself And Stand On His Own Two Feet.

Essentially, Pride Is A 'my Will' Rather Than 'thy Will' Approach To Life.

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

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

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A Father’s Duty Is To Make His Home A Place Of Happiness And Joy.

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Our Great Constitution Has Been Beaten And Torn Until Now It Hangs By A Single Thread, And That Thread Is Our Franchise To Vote.

Mothers, Train Up Your Children In Righteousness; Do Not Attempt To Save The World And Let Your Own Family Fall Apart.

We Need Missionaries To Match Our Message.

Be Guided By The Spirit. I Have Said So Many Times To My Brethren That The Spirit Is The Most Important Single Element In This Work. With The Spirit, And By Magnifying Your Call, You Can Do Miracles For The Lord In The Mission Field. Without The Spirit You Will Never Succeed Regardless Of Your Talent And Ability.

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

Character Is The One Thing We Make In This World And Take With Us Into The Next.

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

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

Fathers, Yours Is An Eternal Calling From Which You Are Never Released. Callings In The Church, As Important As They Are, By Their Very Nature Are Only For A Period Of Time, And Then An Appropriate Release Takes Place. But A Father's Calling Is Eternal, And Its Importance Transcends Time. It Is A Calling For Both Time And Eternity.

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

Let Us Have No Further Blind Devotion To The Communist Dominated United Nations!

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Husbands, Recognize Your Wife's Intelligence And Her Ability To Counsel With You As A Real Partner Regarding Family Plans, Family Activities, And Family Budgeting. Don't Be Stingy With Your Time Or With Your Means. Give Her The Opportunity To Grow Intellectually, Emotionally, And Socially As Well As Spiritually.

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

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

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

Constitution Of The United States

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

One Sure Way We Can Determine Whether We Are On The Strait And Narrow Path Is That We Will Possess The Spirit Of The Lord In Our Lives. Having The Holy Ghost Brings Forth Certain Fruits. . . . The Most Important Thing In Our Lives Is The Spirit. I Have Always Felt That. We Must Remain Open And Sensitive To The Promptings Of The Holy Ghost In All Aspects Of Our Lives.

I Believe That God Has Endowed Men With Certain Inalienable Rights As Set Forth In The Declaration Of Independence And That No Legislature And No Majority, However Great, May Morally Limit Or Destroy These; That The Sole Function Of Government Is To Protect Life, Liberty, And Property, And Anything More Than This Is Usurpation And Oppression.

Praise Your Children More Than You Correct Them. Praise Them For Even Their Smallest Achievement.

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

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

Communist Leaders

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

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

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

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

Now, Brethren, Do Not Expect Perfection In Your Choice Of A Mate. Do Not Be So Particular That You Overlook Her Most Important Qualities Of Having A Strong Testimony, Living The Principles Of The Gospel, Loving Home, Wanting To Be A Mother In Zion, And Supporting You In Your Priesthood Responsibilities. Of Course, She Should Be Attractive To You.... And One Good Yardstick As To Whether A Person Might Be The Right One For You Is This: In Her Presence, Do You Think Your Noblest Thoughts, Do You Aspire To Your Finest Deeds, Do You Wish You Were Better Than You Are?

Our Bishops Storehouses Are Not Intended To Stock Enough Commodities To Care For All The Members Of The Church. Storehouses Are Only Established To Care For The Poor And The Needy. For This Reason, Members Of The Church Have Been Instructed To Personally Store A Year's Supply Of Food, Clothing, And, Where Possible, Fuel. By Following This Counsel, Most Members Will Be Prepared And Able To Care For Themselves And Their Family Members, And Be Able To Share With Others As May Be Needed.

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

Ponder The Significance Of The Responsibility The Lord Has Given To Us. The Lord Has Counseled, "let The Solemnities Of Eternity Rest Upon Your Minds." (d&c 43:34.) You Cannot Do That When Your Minds Are Preoccupied With The Cares Of The World.

The Body Needs The Rejuvenation That Comes From Exercise. Walking In The Fresh Air Can Be Exhilarating And Refreshing. Properly Directed Running Can Also Have Some Beneficial Effects. Simple Sit-ups Or Sports Activities Can Also Be Helpful.

He Is The Way, The Truth, And The Light, And No One Can Come Back Into The Presence Of Our Father In Heaven Except Through Him. Christ Is God The Son And Possesses Every Virtue In Its Perfection. Therefore, The Only Measure Of True Greatness Is How Close A Man Can Become Like Jesus. That Man Is Greatest Who Is Most Like Christ, And Those Who Love Him Most Will Be Most Like Him.

Just As A Man Does Not Desire Food Until He Is Hungry, So Does He Not Desire The Salvation Of Christ Until He Knows Why He Needs Christ.

The Price Of Peace Is Righteousness. Men And Nations May Loudly Proclaim, 'peace, Peace,' But There Shall Be No Peace Until Individuals Nurture In Their Souls Those Principles Of Personal Purity, Integrity, And Character Which Foster The Development Of Peace. Peace Cannot Be Imposed. It Must Come From The Lives And Hearts Of Men. There Is No Other Way.

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

Many A Man In His Hour Of Trial Has Turned To The Book Of Mormon And Been Enlightened, Enlivened, And Comforted. The Psalms In The Old Testament Have A Special Food For The Soul Of One In Distress.

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

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

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

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

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

I Have Little Need To Remind You That Water Has Become One Of Our Major National Concerns.

A Missionary Should Never Permit Himself To See A Movie Or (read) Cheap Literature, Or Hear Music That Tends To Interfere With Or Which Dampens The Spirit Of Missionary Work. There Is Ample Evidence That Rock Music Is Offensive To The Spirit And Affects Adversely The Spirituality Of The Missionaries And Thus The Success Of The Proselyting Work.

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

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

I Began To Realize That When You Are At Peace With Your Maker You Can, If Not Ignore Human Criticism, At Least Rise Above It.

There Are Certain Basic Principles Regarding The Proper Role Of Government. If Principles Are Correct, Then They Can Be Applied To Any Specific Proposal With Confidence... The True Statesman Values Principle Above Popularity, And Works To Create Popularity For Those Political Principles Which Are Wise And Just.

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

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

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

If We Love God, Do His Will, And Fear His Judgment More Than Men's, We Will Have Self-esteem.

Prepare Yourselves Mentally. A Mission Requires A Great Deal Of Mental Preparation. You Must Memorize Missionary Discussions, Memorize Scriptures, And Oftentimes Learn A New Language. The Discipline To Do This Is Learned In Your Early Years. Establish Now The Daily Practice Of Reading The Scriptures Ten To Fifteen Minutes Each Day. If You Do So, By The Time You Reach The Mission Field, You Will Have Read All Four Of The Standard Works. I Urge You To Read Particularly The Book Of Mormon So That You Can Testify Of Its Truthfulness As The Lord Has Directed.

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

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

To The Proud, The Applause Of The World Rings In Their Ears; To The Humble, The Applause Of Heaven Warms Their Hearts.

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

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

The High Cost Of Low Living.

Too Often We Bask In Our Comfortable Complacency And Rationalize That The Ravages Of War, Economic Disaster, Famine, And Earth Quake Cannot Happen Here. Those Who Believe This Are Either Not Acquainted With The Revelations Of The Lord, Or They Do Not Believe Them. Those Who Smugly Think These Calamities Will Not Happen, That They Will Somehow Be Set Aside Because Of The Righteousness Of The Saints, Are Deceived And Will Rue The Day They Harbored Such A Delusion.

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

Every Member Of The Priesthood Should Understand The Divine Plan Designed By The Lord To Raise Up The First Free People In Modern Times.

The Book Of Mormon Is The "keystone" Of Our Religion, And The Doctrine And Covenants Is The Capstone, With Continuing Latter-day Revelation.

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

If We Are To Achieve Long-range Goals, We Must Learn To Set Up And Accomplish Short-range Goals That Will Move Us Along The Way. If We Do Not Consciously Select Our Goals, We May Be Controlled By Goals Not Of Our Own Choosing - Goals Imposed By Outside Pressures (such As The Expectations Of Others) Or By Our Habits (such As Procrastination) Or By Our Desire For The Approval Of The World.

Procrastination

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

For Years We Have Been Counseled To Have On Hand A Year's Supply Of Food. Yet There Are Some Today Who Will Not Start Storing Until The Church Comes Out With A Detailed Monthly Home Storage Program. Now Suppose That Never Happens. We Still Cannot Say We Have Not Been Told. Should The Lord Decide At This Time To Cleanse The Church- And The Need For That Cleansing Seems To Be Increasing- A Famine In This Land Of One Year's Duration Could Wipe Out A Large Percentage Of Slothful Members, Including Some Ward And Stake Officers. Yet We Cannot Say We Have Not Been Warned.

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

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

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

From The Book Of Mormon We Learn How Disciples Of Christ Live In Times Of War.

Are You Honest With The Lord In The Payment Of Your Tithes? Living This Divine Law Will Bring Both Spiritual And Material Blessings.

There Is No Place For Fear Among Men And Women Who Almighty, Who Do Not Hesitate To Humble Themselves In Seeking Divine Guidance Through Prayer. Though Persecutions Arise, Though Reverses Come, In Prayer We Can Find Reassurance, For God Will Speak Peace To The Soul. That Peace, That Spirit Of Serenity, Is Life's Greatest Blessing. .

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

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

The Secret Of A Happy Marriage Is To Serve God And Each Other.

When Our Heavenly Father Placed Adam And Eve On This Earth, He Did So With The Purpose In Mind Of Teaching Them How To Regain His Presence. Our Father Promised A Savior To Redeem Them From Their Fallen Condition.

Without Goals Our Efforts May Be Scattered And Unproductive.

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

The God Of Heaven Sent Some Of His Choicest Spirits To Lay The Foundation Of This Government. And He Has Sent Other Choice Spirits To Preserve It.

Pride Is Competition-competition Between God And Man.

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

Compelling Reason

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

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

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

With Good Health, All Other Activities Of Life Are Greatly Enhanced. A Clean Mind In A Healthy Body Enables One To Render Far More Effective Service To Others. It Helps One Provide More Vigorous Leadership. It Gives Our Every Experience In Life More Zest And More Meaning.

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

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

Be Right, And Then Be Easy To Live With, If Possible, But In That Order.

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

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

Pride Is The Great Stumbling Block Of Zion. I Repeat: Pride Is The Great Stumbling Block Of Zion.

The Lord Is Pleased With Every Effort, Even The Tiny, Daily Ones In Which We Strive To Be More Like Him.

Build Traditions Of Family Vacations And Trips And Outings. These Memories Will Never Be Forgotten By Your Children.

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

One Of The Marks Of An Educated Man Today Is To Know What Not To Read--what Not To See Or What Not To Listen To.

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

One Of The Trials Of Life Is That We Do Not Usually Receive Immediately The Full Blessing For Righteousness Or The Full Cursing For Wickedness.

Our Parents Deserve Our Honor And Respect For Giving Us Life Itself. Beyond This They Almost Always Made Countless Sacrifices As They Cared For And Nurtured Us Through Our Infancy And Childhood, Provided Us With The Necessities Of Life, And Nursed Us Through Physical Illnesses And The Emotional Stresses Of Growing Up.

A Young Woman Who Knows And Loves The Book Of Mormon, Who Has Read It Several Times, Who Has An Abiding Testimony Of Its Truthfulness, And Who Applies Its Teachings Will Be Able To Stand Against The Wiles Of The Devil And Will Be A Mighty Tool In The Hands Of The Lord.

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

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

Our Families May Be Corrupted By Worldly Trends And Teachings Unless We Know How To Use The [book Of Mormon] To Expose And Combat The Falsehoods In Socialism, Organic Evolution, Rationalism, Humanism, And So Forth.…and Our Nation Will Continue To Degenerate Unless We Read And Heed The Words Of The God Of This Land, Jesus Christ, And Quit Building Up And Upholding The Secret Combinations Which The Book Of Mormon Tells Us Proved The Downfall Of Both Previous American Civilizations.

Today The Devil As A Wolf In Supposedly A New Suit Of Sheep’s Clothing Is Enticing Some Men To Parrot His Line By Advocating Planned Government Guaranteed Security At The Expense Of Our Liberties.

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

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

Nations Cannot Endure In Sin.

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

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

Fatherhood Is Not A Matter Of Station Or Wealth; It Is A Matter Of Desire, Diligence, And Determination To See One's Family Exalted In The Celestial Kingdom. If That Prize Is Lost, Nothing Else Really Matters.

The Greatest Test Of Life Is Obedience To God.

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

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

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

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

The Earth Was Cursed For Adam's Sake. Work Is Our Blessing, Not Our Doom. God Has A Work To Do, And So Should We.

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

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

Modesty In Dress And Language And Deportment Is A True Mark Of Refinement And A Hallmark Of A Virtuous Latter-day Saint Woman.

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

We Must Not Lose Hope. Hope Is An Anchor To The Souls Of Men. Satan Would Have Us Cast Away That Anchor. In This Way He Can Bring Discouragement And Surrender. But We Must Not Lose Hope. The Lord Is Pleased With Every Effort, Even The Tiny, Daily Ones In Which We Strive To Be More Like Him. Though We May See That We Have Far To Go On The Road To Perfection, We Must Not Give Up Hope.

The Book Of Mormon Is Also The Keystone Of The Doctrine Of The Resurrection. As Mentioned Before, The Lord Himself Has Stated That The Book Of Mormon Contains The "fulness Of The Gospel Of Jesus Christ".

It Is Not On The Pinnacle Of Success And Ease Where Men And Women Grow Most. It Is Often Down In The Valley Of Heartache And Disappointment And Reverses Where Men And Women Grow.

The World Today Speaks A Great Deal About Love, And It Is Sought By Many. But The Pure Love Of Christ Differs Greatly From What The World Thinks Of Love. Charity Never Seeks Selfish Gratification. The Pure Love Of Christ Seeks Only The Eternal Growth And Joy Of Others.

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

We Must Be Devoted To Sound Principles In Word And Deed: Principle Above Party, Principle Above Pocketbook, Principle Above Popularity.

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

The Responsibility Of A Man Is To Lead His Family.

Do Not Leave Yourself Or Your Family Unprotected Against Financial Storms... Build Up Savings.

Someone Has Said It Is Better To Appreciate The Things You Don't Own Than To Own Things You Don't Appreciate. I Hope We Will Have With Us A Spirit Of Appreciation For All Of The Good Things We Enjoy, All The Blessings That We Have, Many Of Which Have Come So Easy To Us, With Very Little Effort On Our Part, And Yet They Are Very Real And Very Choice And Are Truly Rich Blessings.

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

A Woman Whose Life Is Involved In The Righteous Rearing Of Her Children Has A Better Chance Of Keeping Up Her Spirits Than The Woman Whose Total Concern Is Centered In Her Own Personal Problems.

Any Christian Constitutionalist Who Retreats From This Battle Jeopardizes His Life Here And Hereafter. Seldom Has So Much Responsibility Hung On So Few, So Heavily; But Our Numbers Are Increasing, And We Who Have Been Warned Have A Responsibility To Warn Our Neighbor.

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

Encourage Your Children To Come To You For Counsel With Their Problems And Questions By Listening To Them Every Day. Discuss With Them Such Important Matters As Dating, Sex, And Other Matters Affecting Their Growth And Development, And Do It Early Enough So They Will Not Obtain Information From Questionable Sources.

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

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

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

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