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Often Small Acts Of Service Are All That Is Required To Lift And Bless Another: A Question Concerning A Person's Family, Quick Words Of Encouragement, A Sincere Compliment, A Small Note Of Thanks, A Brief Telephone Call. If We Are Observant And Aware, And If We Act On The Promptings Which Come To Us, We Can Accomplish Much Good.

-Thomas S. Monson

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Often Small Acts Of

Thomas S. Monson

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Often Small Acts Of Service Are All That Is Required To Lift And Bless Another: A Question Concerning A Person's Family, Quick Words Of Encouragement, A Sincere Compliment, A Small Note Of Thanks, A Brief Telephone Call. If We Are Observant And Aware, And If We Act On The Promptings Which Come To Us, We Can Accomplish Much Good.

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

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, Press Onward

I Wasn't With Joseph, But I Believe Him. My Faith Did Not Come To Me Through Science, And I Will Not Permit So-called Science To Destroy It.

Let Us Relish Life As We Live It, Find Joy In The Journey, And Share Our Love With Family And Friends.

Family And Friends

Miracles Are Everywhere To Be Found When Priesthood Callings Are Magnified. When Faith Replaces Doubt, When Selfless Service Eliminates Selfish Striving, The Power Of God Brings To Pass His Purposes. The Priesthood Is Not Really So Much A Gift As It Is A Commission To Serve, A Privilege To Lift, And An Opportunity To Bless The Lives Of Others.

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

Our Lives Will Depend Upon The Decisions Which We Make, For Decisions Determine Destiny.

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

Spiritual Strength Frequently Comes Through Selfless Service.

Selfless Service

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is That Penetrating Light Which Shines Through The Darkness Of Our Lives.

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Turning The Pages Of Scriptural History From Beginning To End, We Learn Of The Ultimate Pioneer-even Jesus Christ. His Birth Was Foretold By The Prophets Of Old; His Entry Upon The Stage Of Life Was Announced By An Angel. His Life And His Ministry Have Transformed The World. . . . May We Ever Follow Him.

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

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Men And Women Of Integrity, Character, And Purpose Have Ever Recognized A Power Higher Than Themselves And Have Sought Through Prayer To Be Guided By That Power. Such Has It Ever Been. So Shall It Ever Be.

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

The Spirit Of Christmas Is The Spirit Of Love And Of Generosity And Of Goodness. It Illuminates The Picture Window Of The Soul, And We Look Out Upon The World's Busy Life And Become More Interested In People Than In Things.

Merry Christmas

A Woman Needs To Be Told She Is Beautiful. She Needs To Be Told She Is Valued. She Needs To Be Told She Is Worthwhile.

She Is Beautiful

I Have Found That, Rather Than Dwelling On The Negative, If We Will Take A Step Back And Consider The Blessings In Our Lives, Including Seemingly Small, Sometimes Overlooked Blessings, We Can Find Greater Happiness.

When Fear Replaces Faith, Remember Prayer.

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

Trust In The Lord

Choose A Field That Will Supply Sufficient Remuneration To Provide Adequately For Your Companion And Your Children. I Bear Testimony That These Criteria Are Very Important In Choosing Your Life's Work.

To Be Angry Is To Yield To The Influence Of Satan. No One Can Make Us Angry. It Is Our Choice. If We Desire To Have A Proper Spirit With Us At All Times, We Must Choose To Refrain From Becoming Angry. I Testify That Such Is Possible.

The Reward Of Eternal Life Requires Effort.

Testimony Bearing Is The Key To Missionary Work

To You Who Are Worthy And Able To Attend The Temple, I Would Admonish You To Go Often. The Temple Is A Place Where We Can Find Peace. There We Receive A Renewed Dedication To The Gospel And A Strengthened Resolve To Keep The Commandments.

Kneel Down To Pray. Step Up To Serve. Reach Out To Rescue. Each Is A Vital Page Of God's Blueprint To Make A House A Home And A Home A Heaven.

It Is Not Enough To Want To Make The Effort And To Say We'll Make The Effort. We Must Actually Make The Effort. It's In The Doing, Not Just The Thinking, That We Accomplish Our Goals. If We Constantly Put Our Goals Off, We Will Never See Them Fulfilled. Someone Put It This Way: Live Only For Tomorrow, And You Will Have A Lot Of Empty Yesterdays Today.

Heavenly Father Loves You—each Of You. That Love Never Changes.

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

The Book Of Mormon Changes Lives.

Loving Service Anonymously Given May Be Unknown To Man-but The Gift And The Giver Are Known To God.

If You Are Persistent, You Will Succeed

The Face Of Sin Today Often Wears The Mask Of Tolerance. Do Not Be Deceived; Behind That Facade Is Heartache, Unhappiness And Pain. .. You Be The One To Make A Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone. Have The Moral Courage To Be A Light For Others To Follow.

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

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

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

New Experiences

Through Personal Prayer, Through Family Prayer, By Trusting In God With Faith, Nothing Wavering, We Can Call Down To Our Rescue His Mighty Power.

May You Constantly Nourish Your Testimonies Of The Gospel That They Will Be A Protection To You Against The Buffetings Of The Adversary.

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

Do Not Procrastinate. Someone Has Said That Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time. Actually, Procrastination Is Much More. It Is The Thief Of Our Self-respect. It Nags At Us And Spoils Our Fun. It Deprives Us Of The Fullest Realization Of Our Ambitions And Hopes.

Procrastination

Without A Goal There Can Be No Real Success.

Have The Moral Courage To Be A Light For Others To Follow.

I Would Hope That We Would Not Lose The Real Objective Of Our Cherished Opportunities To Serve. That Objective, That Eternal Goal, Is The Same Spoken Of By The Lord And Found In The Pearl Of Great Price: "for Behold, This Is My Work And My Glory-to Bring To Pass The Immortality And Eternal Life Of Man." May We Ever Remember That The Mantle Of Membership In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Is Not A Cloak Of Comfort But Rather A Robe Of Responsibility. Our Duty, In Addition To Saving Ourselves, Is To Guide Others To The Celestial Kingdom Of God.

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

Life By The Yard Is Hard; By The Inch It's A Cinch. Each Of Us Can Be True For Just One Day--and Then One More And Then One More After That--until We've Lived A Lifetime Guided By The Spirit, A Lifetime Close To The Lord, A Lifetime Of Good Deeds And Righteousness.

Prayer Can Solve More Problems, Alleviate More Suffering, Prevent More Transgression, And Bring About Greater Peace And Contentment In The Human Soul Than Can Be Obtained In Any Other Way.

Whatever Our Calling, Regardless Of Our Fears Or Anxieties, Let Us Pray And Then Go And Do.

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

A Prominent Judge Was Asked What We, As Citizens Of The Countries Of The World, Could Do To Reduce Crime And Disobedience To Law And To Bring Peace And Contentment Into Our Lives And Into Our Nations. He Thoughtfully Replied, ‘i Would Suggest A Return To The Old-fashioned Practice Of Family Prayer.’

Countries Of The World

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

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

The Lord’s Purposes Are Often Accomplished As We Pay Heed To The Guidance Of The Spirit. I Believe That The More We Act Upon The Inspiration And Impressions Which Come To Us, The More The Lord Will Entrust To Us His Errands.

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

Remember That Ofttimes The Wisdom Of God Appears As Foolishness To Men, But The Greatest Single Lesson We Can Learn In Mortality Is That When God Speaks And A Man Obeys, That Man Will Always Be Right.

True Love Can Alter Human Lives And Change Human Nature.

Life And Change

I Testify To You Today That Turning Away From God Brings Broken Covenants, Shattered Dreams, And Crushed Hopes. Such A Quagmire Of Quicksand I Plead With You To Avoid. You Are Of A Noble Birthright. Eternal Life In The Kingdom Of Our Father Is Your Goal.

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

At Times Some May Think That No One Cares--but Someone Always Cares! Your Heavenly Father Will Not Leave You To Struggle Alone, But Stands Ever Ready To Help.

Miracles Are Everywhere To Be Found When The Priesthood Is Understood, Its Power Is Honored And Used Properly, And Faith Is Exerted.

Of Course, We Will Face Fear, Experience Ridicule, And Meet Opposition. Let Us Have The Courage To Defy The Consensus, The Courage To Stand For Principle. Courage, Not Compromise, Brings The Smile Of God's Approval.

The Person Who Is Working On His Or Her Family History Fits The Description Of One Who Is Fulfilling His Or Her Duty. I Know The Effort, I Know The Expense. I Know The Difficulties Through Which One May Go To Uncover One Name. I Know Our Heavenly Father Is Aware Of These Efforts. And Those For Whom We Perform Sacred Ordinances Are Aware Of Our Efforts. Oftentimes, In A Miraculous Way, There Shall Appear Before Us A Clear Pathway Through A Field Of Turbulence.

Look To The Lighthouse Of The Lord. There Is No Fog So Dense, No Night So Dark, No Gale So Strong, No Mariner So Lost But What Its Beacon Light Can Rescue.

By Choosing Our Path, We Choose Our Destination.

No Force In This World Can Stop The Work Of God.

Pray Always, And Be Believing, And All Things Shall Work Together For Your Good.

Working Together

Remember To Pray Fervently.

To Live Greatly, We Must Develop The Capacity To Face Trouble With Courage, Disappointment With Cheerfulness, And Triumph With Humility. You Ask, 'how Might We Achieve These Goals?' I Answer, 'by Getting A True Perspective Of Who We Really Are!' We Are Sons And Daughters Of A Living God In Whose Image We Have Been Created. Think Of That Truth: 'created In The Image Of God!' We Cannot Sincerely Hold This Conviction Without Experiencing A Profound New Sense Of Strength And Power, Even The Strength To Live The Commandments Of God, The Power To Resist The Temptations Of Satan.

Think To Thank. In These Three Words Are The Finest Capsule Course For A Happy Marriage, Formula For Enduring Friendship, And A Pattern For Personal Happiness.

This Will Equally Apply To Every Latter-day Saint. Salvation Is An Individual Operation.

Avoid Any Semblance Of Pornography. It Is Dangerous And Addictive. If You Continue To View Pornography, Your Spirit Will Become Desensitized And Your Conscience Will Erode.

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

On Occasion I Have Observed Parents Shopping To Clothe A Son About To Enter Missionary Service. The New Suits Are Fitted, The New Shoes Are Laced, And Shirts, Socks, And Ties Are Bought In Quantity. I Met One Father Who Said To Me, 'brother Monson, I Want You To Meet My Son.' Pride Popped His Buttons; The Cost Of The Clothing Emptied His Wallet; Love Filled His Heart. Tears Filled My Eyes When I Noticed That His [the Father's] Suit Was Old, His Shoes Well Worn; But He Felt No Deprivation. The Glow On His Face Was A Memory To Cherish.

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

Learn From The Past, Prepare For The Future, Live In The Present.

God Left The World Unfinished For Man To Work His Skill Upon. He Left The Electricity In The Cloud, The Oil In The Earth. He Left The Rivers Unbridged And The Forests Unfelled And The Cities Unbuilt. God Gives To Man The Challenge Of Raw Materials, Not The Ease Of Finished Things. He Leaves The Pictures Unpainted And The Music Unsung And The Problems Unsolved, That Man Might Know The Joys And Glories Of Creation.

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

When We Encounter Challenges And Problems In Our Lives, It Is Often Difficult For Us To Focus On Our Blessings. However, If We Reach Deep Enough And Look Hard Enough, We Will Be Able To Feel And Recognize Just How Much We Have Been Given.

Every Bishop Can Testify To The Promptings That Attend Calls To Serve In The Church. Frequently The Call Seems To Be For The Benefit Not So Much Of Those To Be Taught Or Led As For The Person Who Is To Teach Or Lead.

The Future Will Present Insurmountable Problems- Only When We Consider Them Insurmountable.

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

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

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

When We Have Sampled Much And Have Wandered Far And Have Seen How Fleeting And Sometimes Superficial A Lot Of The World Is, Our Gratitude Grows For The Privilege Of Being Part Of Something We Can Count On-home And Family And The Loyalty Of Loved Ones. We Come To Know What It Means To Be Bound Together By Duty, By Respect, By Belonging. We Learn That Nothing Can Fully Take The Place Of The Blessed Relationship Of Family Life.

As You Walk Through Life, Always Walk Toward The Light, And The Shadows Of Life Will Fall Behind You.

As We Touch The Temple And Love The Temple, Our Lives Will Reflect Our Faith. As We Go To The Holy House, As We Remember The Covenants We Make Therein, We Will Be Able To Bear Every Trial And Overcome Each Temptation.

None Of Us Will Honor Our Heavenly Father And Our Savior More Than By Serving As A Devoted, Compassionate Missionary, "for Them That Honour Me I Will Honour."

Amidst The Confusion Of The Times, The Conflicts Of Conscience, And The Turmoil Of Daily Living, An Abiding Faith Becomes An Anchor To Our Lives.

Your Patriarchal Blessing Is Your Passport To Peace In This Life. It Is A Liahona Of Light To Guide You Unerringly To Your Heavenly Home.

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

On Occasion We Need To Make A Second Effort - And A Third Effort, And A Fourth Effort, And As Many Degrees Of Effort As May Be Required To Accomplish What We Strive To Achieve.

May We Be People Of Honesty And Integrity Trying To Do The Right Thing At All Times And In All Circumstances.

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

I Express My Profound Thanks To A Loving Heavenly Father Who Gives To You, To Me, And To All Who Sincerely Seek, The Knowledge That Death Is Not The End, That His Son--even Our Savior Jesus Christ--died That We Might Live. Temples Of The Lord Dot The Lands Of Many Countries. Sacred Covenants Are Made. Celestial Glory Awaits The Obedient. Families Can Be Together Forever.

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Sends Forth To You An Earnest Appeal. Open Your Doors To The Missionaries. Open Your Minds To The Words Of God. Open Your Hearts, Even Your Very Souls, To The Sound Of That Still, Small Voice Which Testifies Of Truth.

God And Mother, Partners In Creation, In Love, In Sacrifice, In Service, Are As One.

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

We Continue To Build Temples. We Desire That As Many Members As Possible Have An Opportunity To Attend The Temple Without Having To Travel Inordinate Distances.

It Is Imperative That We Recognize That Whatever Has Happened To Us Has Happened To Others. They Have Coped And So Must We. We Are Not Alone. Heavenly Father's Help Is Near.

So Much In Life Depends On Our Attitude. The Way We Choose To See Things And Respond To Others Makes All The Difference.

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

The World Can Be A Challenging And Difficult Place In Which To Live. We Are Often Surrounded By That Which Would Drag Us Down. As You And I Go To The Holy Houses Of God, As We Remember The Covenants We Make Within, We Will Be More Able To Bear Every Trial And To Overcome Each Temptation. In This Sacred Sanctuary We Will Find Peace; We Will Be Renewed And Fortified.

Find Joy In The Journey.

The Teacher Not Only Shapes The Expectations And Ambitions Of Her Pupils, But She Also Influences Their Attitudes Toward Their Future And Themselves. If She Is Unskilled, She Leaves Scars On The Lives Of Youth, Cuts Deeply Into Their Self-esteem, And Distorts Their Image Of Themselves As Human Beings. But If She Loves Her Students And Has High Expectations Of Them, Their Self-confidence Will Grow, Their Capabilities Will Develop, And Their Future Will Be Assured.

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

Man Has Made Remarkable Strides In Conquering Outer Space, But How Futile Have Been His Efforts In Conquering Inner Space- The Space In Our Hearts And Minds Of Men.

Despite The Changes Which Come Into Our Lives And With Gratitude In Our Hearts, May We Fill Our Days-as Much As We Can-with Those Things Which Matter Most. May We Cherish Those We Hold Dear And Express Our Love To Them In Word And In Deed.

We've All Felt Anger. It Can Come When Things Don't Turn Out The Way We Want. It Might Be A Reaction To Something Which Is Said Of Us Or To Us. We May Experience It When People Don't Behave The Way We Want Them To Behave. Perhaps It Comes When We Have To Wait For Something Longer Than We Expected. We Might Feel Angry When Others Can't See Things From Our Perspective. There Seem To Be Countless Possible Reasons For Anger….if We Desire To Have A Proper Spirit With Us At All Times, We Must Choose To Refrain From Becoming Angry.

May We Show Increased Kindness Toward One Another, And May We Ever Be Found Doing The Work Of The Lord.

When Called To The Council Of The Twelve, October 4, 1963, He Said In The Salt Lake Tabernacle: I Think Of A Little Sister, A French-canadian Sister, Whose Life Was Changed By The Missionaries As Her Spirit Was Touched. As She Said Good-by To Me And My Wife In Quebec, She Said, "president Monson, I May Never See The Prophet. I May Never Hear The Prophet. But President, Far Better, Now That I Am A Member Of This Church, I Can Obey The Prophet."

Courage Becomes A Worthwhile And Meaningful Virtue When It Is Regarded Not So Much As A Willingness To Die Manfully But As A Determination To Live Decently.

The Work Is Demanding, The Impact Everlasting. This Is No Time For 'summer Soldiers' In The Army Of The Lord.

He Will Lift You And Guide You. He Will Not Always Take Your Afflictions From You, But He Will Comfort And Lead You With Love Through Whatever Storm You Face.

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

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

Be Of Good Cheer. The Future Is As Bright As Your Faith.

May Your Homes Be Filled With Peace, Harmony, Courtesy, And Love. May They Be Filled With The Spirit Of The Lord.

This Is A Wonderful Time To Be Living Here On Earth. Our Opportunities Are Limitless. While There Are Some Things Wrong In The World Today, There Are Many Things Right, Such As Teachers Who Teach, Ministers Who Minister, Marriages That Make It, Parents Who Sacrifice, And Friends Who Help. "we Can Lift Ourselves, And Others As Well, When We Refuse To Remain In The Realm Of Negative Thought And Cultivate Within Our Hearts An Attitude Of Gratitude. If Ingratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues."

Our Code Of Conduct Is Definitive; It Is Not Negotiable.

When We Safeguard (the Heavenly Virtue Of Freedom), When We Honor It, When We Protect It, We Will Walk With Washington, We Will Pray With Patriots, And We Shall Have Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men.

We Can Bolster Human Spirits, Clothe Cold Bodies, Feed Hungry People, Comfort Grieving Hearts, And Lift To New Heights Precious Souls.

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