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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.

-Ezra Taft Benson

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Let Us Never Lose

Ezra Taft Benson

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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.

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

Enthusiasm For Life

Our Enmity Toward God Takes On Many Labels, Such As Rebellion, Hard-heartedness, Stiff-neckedness, Unrepentant, Puffed Up, Easily Offended, And Sign Seekers. The Proud Wish God Would Agree With Them. They Aren't Interested In Changing Their Opinions To Agree With God's.

God Loves Us; The Devil Hates Us. God Wants Us To Have A Fulness Of Joy As He Has. The Devil Wants Us To Be Miserable As He Is. God Gives Us Commandments To Bless Us. The Devil Would Have Us Break These Commandments To Curse Us.

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

Have Sufficient Food, Clothing, And Fuel On Hand To Last At Least One Year.

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.

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

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

Listening To God

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

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.

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.

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.

Thoughts Lead To Acts, Acts Lead To Habits, Habits Lead To Character - And Our Character Will Determine Our Eternal Destiny.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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. .

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."

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

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.

Every Man Eventually Is Backed Up To The Wall Of Faith, And There He Must Make His Stand.

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.

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

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.

To Their Duty To God, Youth Should Realize Their Duty To Our Country. They Should Love And Honor The Constitution Of The United States, The Basic Concepts And Principles Upon Which This Nation Has Been Established. Yes, They Need To Develop A Love For Our Free Institutions.

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

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

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

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.

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.

To The Humble, The Lord Has Given This Promise: "if Men Come Unto Me I Will Show Unto Them Their Weakness. I Give Unto Men Weakness That They May Be Humble; And My Grace Is Sufficient For All Men That Humble Themselves Before Me."

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.

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 Church Has No Double Standard Of Morality. The Moral Code Of Heaven For Both Men And Women Is Complete Chastity Before Marriage And Full Fidelity After Marriage.

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

It Is The Mark Of A Truly Educated Man To Know What Not To Read.

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.

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.

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

Pride Is Characterized By "what Do I Want Out Of Life?" Rather Than By "what Would God Have Me Do With My Life?" It Is Self-will As Opposed To God's Will. It Is The Fear Of Man Over The Fear Of God.

We Can Choose To Humble Ourselves By Confessing And Forsaking Our Sins And Being Born Of God.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

This Is Our First Interest As A Church-to Save And Exalt The Souls Of The Children Of Men. There Is No Richer Program Anywhere In The World Than We Have In The Church Today For The Building Of Men And Women And Providing The Answers To The Problems That Face Parents, Families, And Individuals. It Is A Program That Is Needed Today As Never Before.

The Lord Has Warned And Forewarned Us Against A Day Of Great Tribulation And Given Us Counsel, Through His Servants, On How We Can Be Prepared For These Difficult Times. Have We Heeded His Counsel?

Difficult Times

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

We Need Missionaries To Match Our Message.

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

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.

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.

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.

Beguiling Voices In The World Cry Out For 'alternative Lifestyles' For Women. They Maintain That Some Women Are Better Suited For Careers Than For Marriage And Motherhood.

Becoming Christlike Is A Lifetime Pursuit And Very Often Involves Growth And Change That Is Slow, Almost Imperceptible.

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.

The Proud Make Every Man Their Adversary By Pitting Their Intellects, Opinions, Works, Wealth, Talents, Or Any Other Worldly Measuring Device Against Others.

We Must Not Lose Hope. Hope Is An Anchor To The Souls Of Men. Satan Would Have Us Cast Away That Anchor.

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

A Positive Self-image Has Little Relationship To Our Material Circumstances.

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. . . .

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

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."

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

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

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.

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

Genuine Happiness

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.

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. He Can Deepen Their Joys, Expand Their Vision, Quicken Their Minds, Strengthen Their Muscles, Lift Their Spirits, Multiply Their Blessings, Increase Their Opportunities, Comfort Their Soals, And Pour Out Peace.

We Do Not Find The Savior Using Force Or Coercion To Accomplish His Purposes.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Families Must Spend More Time Together In Work And Recreation.

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.

For Nearly Six Thousand Years, God Has Held You In Reserve To Make Your Appearance In The Final Days Before The Second Coming Of The Lord. . . . God Has Saved For The Finalinning Some Of His Strongest And Most Valiant Children, Who Will Help Bear Off The Kingdom Triumphantly. That Is Where You Come In, For You Are The Generation That Must Be Prepared To Meet Your God. . . .

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.

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.

Unless We Do His Teachings, We Do Not Demonstrate Faith In Him.

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.

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.

Go On Daddy-daughter Dates And Father-and-sons' Outings With Your Children. As A Family, Go On Campouts And Picnics, To Ball Games And Recitals, To School Programs, And So Forth. Having Dad There Makes All The Difference.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

The Secret Of A Happy Marriage Is To Serve God And Each Other. The Goal Of Marriage Is Unity And Oneness, As Well As Self-development. Paradoxically, The More We Serve One Another, The Greater Is Our Spiritual And Emotional Growth.

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

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.'

Satan Works Through Human Agents.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Meditation On A Passage Of Scripture... Led A Young Boy Into A Grove Of Trees To Commune With His Heavenly Father. That Is What Opened The Heavens In This Dispensation

The Greatest Test Of Life Is Obedience To God.

Temples Are Places Of Personal Revelation. When I Have Been Weighed Down By A Problem Or A Difficulty, I Have Gone To The House Of The Lord With A Prayer In My Heart For Answers. The Answers Have Come In Clear And Unmistakable Ways.

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

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.

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

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.

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."

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.

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

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

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.

Nations Cannot Endure In Sin.

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

Rights Are Either God-given As Part Of The Divine Plan, Or They Are Granted By Government As Part Of The Political Plan. If We Accept The Premise That Human Rights Are Granted By Government, Then We Must Be Willing To Accept The Corollary That They Can Be Denied By Government.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Can Human Hearts Be Changed? Why, Of Course! It Happens Every Day In The Great Missionary Work Of The Church. It Is One Of The Most Widespread Of Christ’s Modern Miracles. If It Hasn't Happened To You—it Should.

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

Have Good Associates Or Don't Associate At All. Be Careful In The Selection Of Your Friends. If In The Presence Of Certain Persons You Are Lifted To Nobler Heights, You Are In Good Company. But If Your Friends Or Associates Encourage Base Thoughts, Then You Had Best Leave Them.

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

Humility Responds To God's Will-to The Fear Of His Judgments And To The Needs Of Those Around Us. To The Proud, The Applause Of The World Rings In Their Ears; To The Humble, The Applause Of Heaven Warms Their Hearts. Someone Has Said, "pride Gets No Pleasure Out Of Having Something, Only Out Of Having More Of It Than The Next Man."

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

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

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.

How Vital Are Mother’s Influence And Teaching In The Home-and How Apparent When Neglected!

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

The Stage, The Screen, The Novel, Casual Conversation, The Street Discussion, And Too Often The Fireside Intimacies Are Punctuated With Blasphemy, To Which May Be Added, As Of The Same Nature, Coarse, Ribald Jokes, Foul Stories, And Low Small Talk. Some Would Have Us Believe That Profanity Is A Sign Of Masculinity And Emotion Maturity.

Gods' Payment Is The Best Payment.

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.

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

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.

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.

I Speak Of Honor-your Honor To God-your Honor To Country-your Honor To Self. I Sincerely Believe It To Be The Cure To Most Of Our Ills, Both On A National Or Individual Basis.

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.

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

That Government Is Best Which Governs The Least, So Taught The Courageous Founders Of This Nation. This Simple Declaration Is Diametrically Opposed To The All Too Common Philosophy That The Government Should Protect And Support One From The Cradle To The Grave. The Policy Of The Founding Fathers Has Made Our People And Our Nation Strong. The Opposite Leads Inevitably To Moral Decay.

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.

There Are Blessings In Being Close To The Soil, In Raising Your Own Food Even If It Is Only A Garden In Your Yard And A Fruit Tree Or Two. Those Families Will Be Fortunate Who, In The Last Days, Have An Adequate Supply Of Food Because Of Their Foresight And Ability To Produce Their Own.

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.

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.

All Through The Ages Prophets Have Looked Down Through The Corridors Of Time To Our Day. Billions Of The Deceased And Those Yet To Be Born Have Their Eyes On Us. Make No Mistake About It...this Is A Marked Generation. There Has Never Been More Expected Of The Faithful In Such A Short Time Than There Is Of Us.

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.

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."

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.

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

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

Personal Revelation, Consecration Of Performance, Attention To Detail, And Dependency On God-with These Qualities You Cannot Fail.

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

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

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

Working Together

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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

True Repentance Involves A Change Of Heart And Not Just A Change Of Behavior.

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