Background Image

...

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

-Ezra Taft Benson

...

Please Wait....
Translating....

I Say To You

Ezra Taft Benson

...

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

Views: 62833

Topic

More From Ezra Taft Benson

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

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

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.

Those Who Think Clean Thoughts Do Not Do Dirty Deeds.

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.

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

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

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

A Mother's Role Is God-ordained. Mothers Are To Conceive, Bear, Nourish, Love, And Train. They Are To Be Helpmates And Are To Counsel With Their Husbands.

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

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.

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

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

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.

... 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.

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.

Above All Else, Children Need To Know And Feel They Are Loved, Wanted, And Appreciated. They Need To Be Assured Of That Often. Obviously, This Is A Role Parents Should Fill, And Most Often The Mother Can Do It Best.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Young People, You Need The Wisdom Of Age, Just As Some Of Us Older Ones Need Your Enthusiasm For Life.

Enthusiasm For Life

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

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

Be An Example In Your Church Activity-honor The Sabbath Day, Attend Your Meetings, Observe The Word Of Wisdom, Pay Your Tithes And Offerings, Support Your Leaders, And Otherwise Keep The Commandments. Serve Cheerfully And Gratefully In Every Calling You Receive. Live Worthy Of A Temple Recommend And Enjoy The Sweet, Sacred Spirit That Comes From Frequent Temple Attendance.

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.

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?

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

Besides The Physical Ordinance Of Baptism And The Laying On Of Hands, One Must Be Spiritually Born Again To Gain Exaltation And Eternal Life.

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.

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."

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Today, With The Abundance Of Books Available, It Is The Mark Of A Truly Educated Man To Know What Not To Read. … Feed Only On The Best. As John Wesley’s Mother Counseled Him: ‘avoid Whatever Weakens Your Reason, Impairs The Tenderness Of Your Conscience, Obscures Your Sense Of God, Takes Off Your Relish For Spiritual Things, … Increases The Authority Of The Body Over The Mind.

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

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.

Pride Does Not Look Up To God And Care About What Is Right. It Looks Sideways To Man And Argues Who Is Right. Pride Is Manifest In The Spirit Of Contention. Was It Not Through Pride That The Devil Became The Devil? Christ Wanted To Serve. The Devil Wanted To Rule. Christ Wanted To Bring Men To Where He Was. The Devil Wanted To Be Above Men. Christ Removed Self As The Force In His Perfect Life. It Was Not My Will, But Thine Be Done

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

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

This Nation Was Established By The God Of Heaven As A Citadel Of Liberty. A Constitution Guaranteeing Those Liberties Was Designed Under The Superintending Influence Of Heaven.

Let Us Never Lose Sight Of The Fact That Education Is A Preparation For Life - And That Preparing For Life Is Far More Than Knowing How To Make A Living Or How To Land On The Moon. Preparing For Life Means Building Personal Integrity, Developing A Sound Sense Of Values, Increasing The Capacity And Willingness To Serve. Education Must Have Its Roots In Moral Principles. If We Lose Sight Of That Fact In Our Attempt To Match Our Educational System Against That Of The Materialists, We Shall Have Lost Far More Than We Could Possibly Gain.

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

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

There Are Some Who Apparently Feel That The Fight For Freedom Is Separate From The Gospel. They Express It In Several Ways, But It Generally Boils Down To This: Just Live The Gospel; There's No Need To Get Involved In Trying To Save Freedom And The Constitution Or Stop Communism.... Should We Counsel The People, 'just Live Your Religion - There's No Need To Get Involved In The Fight For Freedom?' No We Should Not, Because Our Stand For Freedom Is A Most Basic Part Of Our Religion.

Nations Cannot Endure In Sin.

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

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

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

The World Teaches Birth Control. Tragically, Many Of Our Sisters Subscribe To Its Pills And Practices When They Could Easily Provide Earthly Tabernacles For More Of Our Father's Children. We Know That Every Spirit Assigned To This Earth Will Come, Whether Through Us Or Someone Else. There Are Couples In The Church Who Think They Are Getting Along Just Fine With Their Limited Families But Who Will Someday Suffer The Pains Of Remorse When They Meet The Spirits That Might Have Been Part Of Their Posterity.

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

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.

Every Knee Shall Bow And Every Tongue Confess That Jesus Is The Christ

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.

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

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

The Responsibility Of A Man Is To Lead His Family.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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."

If We Keep A Goal Firmly In Mind, We Will Know When We Have Reached It. This Gives Us A Sense Of Accomplishment And The Challenge Of Establishing Fresh, New Goals - Always Keeping The Long-range Objective In Mind. If We Can State Our Goals Clearly, We Will Gain A Purpose And Meaning In All Our Actions.

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

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

The 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.

He Who Kneels Before God, Can Stand Before Any Man.

Listening To God

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Genuine Happiness

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

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

Do Not Make Your Mind A Dumping Ground For Other People's Garbage.

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

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

Too Often The Pressure For Popularity, On Children And Teens, Places An Economic Burden On The Income Of The Father, So Mother Feels She Must Go To Work To Satisfy Her Children's Needs. That Decision Can Be Most Shortsighted.

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.

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

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

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

A Secret Combination That Seeks To Overthrow The Freedom Of All Lands, Nations, And Countries Is Increasing In Its Evil Influence And Control Over America And The Entire World.

Our Desires, Be They Spiritual Or Temporal, Should Be Rooted In A Love Of The Lord.

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.

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

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.

Let Your Minds Be Filled With The Goal Of Being Like The Lord, And You Will Crowd Out Depressing Thoughts As You Anxiously Seek To Know Him And Do His Will.

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

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

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

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.

We Can Choose To Humble Ourselves By Receiving Counsel And Chastisement, . . . By Forgiving Those Who Have Offended Us, . . . By Rendering Selfless Service. . . .

Wickedness Never Did, Never Does, Never Will Bring Us Happiness.

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.

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

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

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.

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."

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.

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.

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

Freedom Must Be Continually Guarded As Something More Priceless Than Life Itself.

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 Holy Ghost Causes Our Feelings To Be More Tender. We Feel More Charitable And Compassionate With Each Other. We Are More Calm In Our Relationships. We Have A Greater Capacity To Love Each Other. People Want To Be Around Us Because Our Very Countenances Radiate The Influence Of The Spirit. We Are More Godly In Our Character. As A Result, We Become Increasingly More Sensitive To The Promptings Of The Holy Ghost And Thus Able To Comprehend Spiritual Things More Clearly.

No Man Is Truly Free Who Is In Financial Bondage. 'think What You Do When You Run In Debt', Said Benjamin Franklin, 'you Give Another Power Over Your Liberty.'

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

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

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.

In The Beginning, Adam — Not Eve— Was Instructed To Earn The Bread By The Sweat Of His Brow. Contrary To Conventional Wisdom, A Mother's Calling Is In The Home, Not In The Marketplace.

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

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.

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.

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

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?

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

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

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

The One Man Other Than My Father Who Made The Most Lasting Impression Was An Uncle, Serge B. Benson. He Taught Me In Three Different Classes - But Above All, He Taught Me Lessons In Moral, Physical, And Intellectual Courage That I Have Tried To Apply In Later Life.

Godly Sorrow Is A Gift Of The Spirit. It Is A Deep Realization That Our Actions Have Offended Our Father And Our God. It Is The Sharp And Keen Awareness That Our Behavior Caused The Savior, He Who Knew No Sin, Even The Greatest Of All, To Endure Agony And Suffering.

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.

To The Patriots I Say This: Take That Long Eternal Look. Stand Up For Freedom, No Matter What The Cost. Stand Up And Be Counted. It Can Help To Save Your Soul-and Maybe Your Country.

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

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

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

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

Working Together

Satan Works Through Human Agents.

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

We Cannot Do Everything At Once, But We Can Do A Great Deal If We Choose Our Goals Well And Work Diligently To Attain Them.

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.

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

Christ Changes Men, Who Then Change Their Environment. The World Would Shape Human Behavior, But Christ Can Change Human Nature.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

I Wish That Every Latter-day Saint Could Say And Mean It With All His Heart: 'i'll Go Where You Want Me To Go. I'll Say What You Want Me To Say. I'll Be What You Want Me To Be'. If We Could Do That, We Would Be Assured Of The Maximum Happiness Here And Exaltation In The Celestial Kingdom Of God Hereafter.

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

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.

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.

Periodic Fasting Can Help Clear Up The Mind And Strengthen The Body And The Spirit.

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 Testify That Wickedness Is Rapidly Expanding In Every Segment Of Our Society. It Is More Highly Organized, More Cleverly Disguised, And More Powerfully Promoted Than Ever Before. Secret Combinations Lusting For Power, Gain, And Glory Are Flourishing. A Secret Combination That Seeks To Overthrow The Freedom Of All Lands, Nations, And Countries Is Increasing Its Evil Influence And Control Over America And The Entire World.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

To Be A Successful Missionary One Must Have The Spirit Of The Lord. We Are Also Taught That The Spirit Will Not Dwell In Unclean Tabernacles. Therefore, One Of The First Things A Missionary Must Do To Gain Spirituality Is To Make Sure His Own Personal Life Is In Order.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

For The Righteous, The Gospel Provides A Warning Before Calamity, A Program For The Crises, Refuge For Each Disaster... The Lord Has Warned Us Of Famines, But The Righteous Will Have Listened To The Prophets And Stored At Least One Year's Supply Of Survival Food.

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.

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

Every Latter-day Saint Should Make The Study Of This Book A Lifetime Pursuit. Otherwise, He Is Placing His Soul In Jeopardy And Neglecting That Which Could Give Spiritual And Intellectual Unity To His Whole Life.

I Am A Libertarian. I Want To Be Known As A Libertarian And A Constitutionalist In The Tradition Of The Early James Madison - Father Of The Constitution. Labels Change And Perhaps In The Old Tradition I Would Be Considered One Of The Original Whigs. The New Title I Would Wear Today Is That Of Conservative, Though In Its Original Connotation The Term Liberal Fits Me Better Than The Original Meaning Of The Word Conservative.

The Proud Do Not Change To Improve, But Defend Their Position By Rationalizing. Repentance Means Change, And It Takes A Humble Person To Change.

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

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

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

If There Is One Word That Describes The Meaning Of Character, It Is The Word Honor. Without Honor, Civilization Would Not Long Exist. Without Honor, There Could Be No Dependable Contracts, No Lasting Marriages, No Trust Or Happiness. What Does The Word Honor Mean To You? To Me, Honor Is Summarized In This Expression By The Poet Tennyson, "man's Word [of Honor] Is God In Man."

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

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

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

The Time Is Long Overdue For A Massive Flooding Of The Earth With The Book Of Mormon For The Many Reasons Which The Lord Has Given. In This Age Of Electronic Media And Mass Distribution Of The Printed Word, God Will Hold Us Accountable If We Do Not Now Move The Book Of Mormon In A Monumental Way.

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

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".

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

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.

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

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

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

Gods' Payment Is The Best Payment.

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

Trending Author

Category