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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.

-Ezra Taft Benson

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My Young Sisters, We

Ezra Taft Benson

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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.

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

One Of Satan's Greatest Tools Is Pride: To Cause A Man Or A Woman To Center So Much Attention On Self That He Or She Becomes Insensitive To His Creator Or Fellow Beings. It Is A Cause For Discontent, Divorce, Teenage Rebellion, Family Indebtedness, And Most Other Problems We Face.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

I Rode Horseback Three Miles Each Way To Get To High School, And In Bad Weather It Was A Problem Sometimes To Make My Eight O'clock Class On Time. Like Others, I Often Missed School To Help On The Farm, Especially In The Fall, Until After Harvest, And In The Spring, During Planting Season.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Families Must Spend More Time Together In Work And Recreation.

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.

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

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.

Humility Does Not Mean Weakness. It Does Not Mean Timidity. It Does Not Mean Fear. A Man Can Be Humble And Fearless. A Man Can Be Humble And Courageous.

Pride... Limits Or Stops Progression. The Proud Are Not Easily Taught. They Won't Change Their Minds To Accept Truths, Because To Do So Implies They Have Been Wrong.

The Man [who] Is Greatest And Most Blessed And Joyful [is One] Whose Life Most Closely Approaches The Pattern Of Christ. This Has Nothing To Do With Earthly Wealth, Power, Or Prestige. The Only True Test Of Greatness, Blessedness, Joyfulness Is How Close Can A Life Come To Being Like The Master, Jesus Christ. He Is The Right Way, The Full Truth, And The Abundant Life.

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

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?

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

I Don't Know How You Feel, My Brethren And Sisters, But I'd Rather Be Dead Than To Lose My Liberty. I Have No Fear We'll Ever Lose It Because Of Invasion From The Outside. But I Do Have Fear That It May Slip Away From Us Because Of Our Own Indifference, Our Own Negligence, As Citizens Of This Land. And So I Plead With You This Morning That You Take An Active Interest In Matters Pertaining To The Future Of This Country.

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.

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

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

Working Together

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Nations Cannot Endure In Sin.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Happy And Successful Homes Cannot Be Built On Immorality.

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?

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.

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

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

A Missionary Who Is Inspired By The Spirit Of The Lord Must Be Led By That Spirit To Choose The Proper Approach To Be Effective. We Must Not Forget That The Lord Himself Provided The Book Of Mormon As His Chief Witness. The Book Of Mormon Is Still Our Most Powerful Missionary Tool. Let Us Use It.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

What Would God Have Me Do With My Life?

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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."

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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."

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

Listening To God

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."

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

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

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

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

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

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

We Believe In A Moral Code. Communism Denies Innate Right Or Wrong. As W. Cleon Skousen Has Said In His Timely Book, The Naked Communist: The Communist 'has Convinced Himself That Nothing Is Evil Which Answers The Call Of Expediency.' This Is A Most Damnable Doctrine. People Who Truly Accept Such A Philosophy Have Neither Conscience Nor Honor. Force, Trickery, Lies, Broken Promises Are Wholly Justified.

From The Standpoint Of Food Production, Storage, Handling, And The Lord's Counsel, Wheat Should Have High Priority. Water, Of Course, Is Essential. Other Basics Could Include Honey Or Sugar, Legumes, Milk Products Or Substitutes, And Salt Or Its Equivalent.

Mothers, Take Time To Be A Real Friend To Your Children. Listen To Your Children, Really Listen. Talk With Them, Laugh And Joke With Them, Sing With Them, Cry With Them, Hug Them, Honestly Praise Them. Yes, Regularly Spend Unused One-on-one Time With Each Child. Be A Real Friend To Your Children.

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.

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

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.

You Cannot Do Wrong And Feel Right. It Is Impossible!

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

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

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

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

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."

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

There Could Not Be A Restoration Of The Gospel Without Freedom. God Provided This Country As The Base Of His Operations In These The Last Days, A Place Where There Would Be Freedom, Where He Could Restore His Gospel.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

The Greatest Work In All The World Is The Building Of Men And Women Of Character. Without Character There Is Not Much That Is Worthwhile.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

When We Put God First, All Other Things Fall Into Their Proper Place Or Drop Out Of Our Lives.

Gods' Payment Is The Best Payment.

Man Is At His Best When Complimented By The Influence Of A Good Woman.

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

With Pride, There Are Many Curses. With Humility, There Come Many Blessings.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

If We Would Truly Seek To Be More Like Our Savior And Master, Learning To Love As He Loves Should Be Our Highest Goal

In These Sacred Documents Are Embodied Eternal Principles That No Man, Group Of Men, Or Nation Has The Right To Withhold From Others. Here Is Our Basis For Freedom Of Individual Achievement. Our Constitution With Its Bill Of Rights Guarantees To All Our People The Greatest Freedom Ever Enjoyed By The People Of Any Great Nation. This System Guarantees Freedom Of Individual Enterprise, Freedom To Own Property, Freedom To Start One's Own Business And To Operate It According To One's Own Judgment So Long As The Enterprise Is Honorable.

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.

When You Choose To Follow Christ, You Choose To Be Changed. Men And Women Changed For Christ Will Be Captained By Christ. Their Will Is Swallowed Up In His Will. They Do Always Those Things That Please The Lord. Not Only Would They Die For The Lord, But More Important They Want To Live For Him. They Stand As Witnesses Of God At All Times, And In All Things, And In All Places. They Have Christ On Their Minds, As They Look Unto Him In Every Thought. They Have Christ In Their Hearts As Their Affections Are Placed On Him Forever.

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

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.

"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.

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.

Pride Is Competition-competition Between God And Man.

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.

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.

The Declaration Of Independence Was To Set Forth The Moral Justification Of A Rebellion Against A Long-recognized Political Tradition - The Divine Right Of Kings. At Issue Was The Fundamental Question Of Whether Men's Rights Were God-given Or Whether These Rights Were To Be Dispensed By Governments To Their Subjects. This Document Proclaimed That All Men Have Certain Inalienable Rights. In Other Words, These Rights Came From God.

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.

Those Who Think Clean Thoughts Do Not Do Dirty Deeds.

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?

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.

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.

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

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

Enthusiasm For Life

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

[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.

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

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

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.

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.

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. . . .

In A Home Where There Is An Able-bodied Husband, He Is Expected To Be The Breadwinner.

Some Of The Greatest Battles You Will Face Will Be Fought Within The Silent Chambers Of Your Own Soul.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

The High Cost Of Low Living.

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

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

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.

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

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

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."

It Is Mother's Influence During The Crucial Formative Years That Forms A Child's Basic Character. Home Is The Place Where A Child Learns Faith, Feels Love, And Thereby Learns From Mother's Loving Example To Choose Righteousness.

... 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.

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.

It Is A Fundamental Truth That The Responsibilities Of Motherhood Cannot Be Successfully Delegated. No, Not To Day-care Centers, Not To Schools, Not To Nurseries, Not To Babysitters.

Our Wise Founders Seemed To Understand, Better Than Most Of Us, Our Own Scripture, Which States That ‘it Is The Nature And Disposition Of Almost All Men, As Soon As They Get A Little Authority … They Will Immediately Begin To Exercise Unrighteous Dominion.’

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

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

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