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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.

-Ezra Taft Benson

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Our Bishops Storehouses Are

Ezra Taft Benson

...

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.

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

Genuine Happiness

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

An Almost Forgotten Means Of Economic Self-reliance Is The Home Production Of Food. We Are Too Accustomed To Going To Stores And Purchasing What We Need.

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

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.

Fidelity To One's Marriage Vows Is Absolutely Essential For Love, Trust And Peace

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

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.

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.

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.

Happy And Successful Homes Cannot Be Built On Immorality.

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

Adequate Early Rest Is Best...."early To Bed And Early To Rise" Is Still Good Counsel.

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.

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?

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

... 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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. . . .

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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?

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

What Would God Have Me Do With My Life?

The Revelation To Store Food May Be As Essential To Our Temporal Salvation Today As Boarding The Ark Was To The People In The Days Of Noah.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

If We Do Not Feel Like Praying, Then We Should Pray Until We Do Feel Like Praying.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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.

Nations Cannot Endure In Sin.

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

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.

Gods' Payment Is The Best Payment.

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.

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. . . .

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Pride Is Competition-competition Between God And Man.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Would We Not Do Well To Have The Pleasing Of God As Our Motive Rather Than To Try To Elevate Ourselves Above Our Brother And Outdo Another?

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.

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

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

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

Compelling Reason

The 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.

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

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.

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

Freedom Can Be Killed By Neglect As Well As By Direct Attack.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.'

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

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

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

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

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

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."

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

The Responsibility Of A Man Is To Lead His Family.

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

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

If You Really Want To Receive Joy And Happiness, Then Serve Others With All Your Heart. Lift Their Burden, And Your Own Burden Will Be Lighter.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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. .

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

Listening To God

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.

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

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."

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

Satan Works Through Human Agents.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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".

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

The Lord Is Letting The Wheat And The Tares Mature Before He Fully Purges The Church. He Is Also Testing You To See If You Will Be Misled. The Devil Is Trying To Deceive The Very Elect.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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".

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.

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

Working Together

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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