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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).

-Thomas S. Monson

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Tears Came To My

Thomas S. Monson

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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).

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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).

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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.

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Anxiously You Ask, 'is There A Way To Safety? Can Someone Guide Me? Is There An Escape From Threatened Destruction?' The Answer Is A Resounding Yes! I Counsel You: 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. It Beckons Through The Storms Of Life. It Calls, 'this Way To Safety; This Way To Home.

Our Heavenly Father Is Aware Of Our Needs And Will Help Us As We Call Upon Him For Assistance. I Believe That No Concern Of Ours Is Too Small Or Insignificant. The Lord Is In The Details Of Our Lives.

We Are Never Alone When We Stand With Our Father In Heaven.

Father In Heaven

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

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Never, Never, Never Postpone Following A Prompting.

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Lasting Happiness

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, Press Onward

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Opportunities Are Everywhere. Needed Are Eyes To See The Pitiable Plight And Ears To Hear The Silent Pleadings Of A Broken Heart.

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Anger Does Not Solve Anything; It Builds Nothing.

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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.

Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone.

God Left The World Unfinished; The Pictures Unpainted, The Songs Unsung, And The Problems Unsolved, That Man Might Know The Joys Of Creation.

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Trust In The Lord

As We Emulate His Example, We Will Bless Lives, Including Our Own.

I Know That God Loves Us. He Allows Us To Exercise Our Moral Agency Even When We Misuse It. He Permits Us To Make Our Own Decisions. Christ Cannot Help Us If We Do Not Trust Him; He Cannot Teach Us If We Do Not Serve Him. He Will Not Force Us To Do What's Right, But He Will Show Us The Way Only When We Decide To Serve Him. Certainly, For Us To Serve In His Kingdom, Christ Requires That We Experience A Change Of Thought And Attitude.

We Do Not Find Truth Groveling Through Error.

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

When Faith Replaces Doubt, When Selfless Service Eliminates Selfish Striving, The Power Of God Brings To Pass His Purposes.

By Learning Of Him, By Believing In Him, By Following Him, There Is The Capacity To Become Like Him.

Forgiveness Should Go Hand-in-hand With Love.

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."

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

Your Mind Is A Cupboard And You Stock The Shelves.

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

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If You Want To Give Light To Others You Have To Glow Yourself.

A Friend Is More Concerned About Helping People Than Getting Credit. A Friend Cares. A Friend Loves. A Friend Listens. And A Friend Reaches Out.

Self-discipline Is A Rigorous Process At Best; Too Many Of Us Want It To Be Effortless And Painless.

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.

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Have An Attitude Of Gratitude.

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Let Us Respect Others No One Lives Alone In A City, A Nation, Or A World.

Respecting Others

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.

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Let Me Begin Now, This Very Night, To Emulate Christ. Cast Off Forever Will Be The Old Self And With It Defeat, Despair, Doubt, And Disbelief. To A Newness Of Life I Come--a Life Of Faith, Hope Courage, And Joy. No Task Looms Too Large; No Responsibility Too Heavy; No Duty Is A Burden. All Things Become Possible.

No One Has Learned The Meaning Of Living Until He Has Surrendered His Ego To The Service Of His Fellow Man. Service To Others Is Akin To Duty, The Fulfillment Of Which Brings True Joy.

Courage Is Required To Make An Initial Thrust Toward One's Coveted Goal, But Even Greater Courage Is Called For When One Stumbles And Must Make A Second Effort To Achieve. Have The Determination To Make The Effort, The Single-mindedne Ss To Work Toward A Worthy Goal, And The Courage Not Only To Face The Challenges That Inevitably Come But Also To Make A Second Effort, Should Such Be Required.

Stick To A Task 'til It Sticks To You. . .for Beginners Are Many, But Finishers Few.

You Have A Heritage Honor It. You Have Posses A Testimony Share It. You Will Face Temptations Withstand It. You Know The Truth Live It.

The Passage Of Time Has Not Altered The Capacity Of The Redeemer To Change Lives.

The Principles Of Living Greatly Include The Capacity To Face Trouble With Courage, Disappointment With Cheerfulness, And Trial With Humility.

Noah Heeded God’s Command To Build An Ark…that They Might Be Saved From The Floodwaters. Yet There Was No Evidence Of Rain And Flood. His Actions Were Considered Irrational. The Sun Was Shining And Life Moved Forward As Usual. But Time Ran Out. The Floods Came, The Disobedient Were Drowned. When God Speaks And We Obey, We Will Always Be Right.

Have We Been Guilty Of Declaring, 'i've Been Thinking About Making Some Course Corrections In My Life. I Plan To Take The First Step-tomorrow'? With Such Thinking, Tomorrow Is Forever. Such Tomorrows Rarely Come Unless We Do Something About Them Today.

We Need To Learn How To Separate Need From Greed.

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 Book Of Mormon Changes Lives.

You Can Achieve What You Believe You Can. Trust And Believe And Have Faith.

Do Not Yield To Satan's Enticements; Rather, Stand Firm For Truth. The Unsatisfied Yearnings Of The Soul Will Not Be Met By A Never-ending Quest For Joy Amidst The Thrills Of Sensation And Vice. Vice Never Leads To Virtue. Hate Never Promotes Love. Cowardice Never Gives Courage. Doubt Never Inspires Faith.

There Is No Finer Way To Demonstrate Love Of God Than By Serving Him In The Positions To Which We May Be Called. Occasionally, The Reward For That Service Will Be Prompt, And We'll See The Light In The Eyes Of The Person Whom We Have Helped. Other Times, However, The Lord Will Let Us Wait A Little While And Let Our Reward Come Another Way.

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.”

Any Excuse, No Matter How Valid, Only Weakens The Character.

Recent Surveys Of Church Members Have Shown A Serious Erosion In The Number Of Families Who Have A Year's Supply Of Life's Necessities. Most Members Plan To Do It. Too Few Have Begun... It Is Our Sacred Duty To Care For Our Families, Including Our Extended Families.

I Testify That When We Do All We Can To Accomplish The Work That Is Before Us, The Lord Will Make Available To Us The Sacred Key Needed To Unlock The Treasure Which We So Much Seek.

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

We Forget How The Greeks And Romans Prevailed Magnificently In A Barbaric World And How That Triumph Ended-how A Slackness And Softness Finally Overcame Them To Their Ruin. In The End, More Than They Wanted Freedom, They Wanted Security And A Comfortable Life; And They Lost All-comfort And Security And Freedom.

Security And Freedom

In Sickness, With Its Attendant Pain, Patience Is Required. If The Only Perfect Man Who Ever Lived-even Jesus Of Nazareth-was Called Upon To Endure Great Suffering, How Can We, Who Are Less Than Perfect, Expect To Be Free Of Such Challenges?

Now, Some Of You May Be Shy By Nature, Perhaps Feeling Yourselves Inadequate To Respond Affirmatively To A Calling. Remember That This Work Is Not Yours And Mine Alone. It Is The Lord's Work, And When We Are On The Lord's Errand, Brethren, We Are Entitled To The Lord's Help. Remember That The Lord Will Shape The Back To Bear The Burden Placed Upon It.

If You Will Study The Scriptures Diligently, Your Power To Avoid Temptation And To Receive Direction Of The Holy Ghost In All You Do Will Be Increased.

Physically Walking Where Jesus Walked Is Less Important Than Walking As He Walked.

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

There Is Really No Way We Can Know The Heart, The Intentions, Or The Circumstances Of Someone Who Might Say Or Do Something We Find Reason To Criticize. Thus The Commandment: 'judge Not.'

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. Courage Becomes A Living And An Attractive Virtue When It Is Regarded Not Only As A Willingness To Die Manfully, But Also As A Determination To Live Decently. A Moral Coward Is One Who Is Afraid To Do What He Thinks Is Right Because Others Will Disapprove Or Laugh. Remember That All Men Have Their Fears, But Those Who Face Their Fears With Dignity Have Courage As Well.

There Are Many Out There Who Plead And Pray For Help. There Are Those Who Are Discouraged, Those Who Are Beset By Poor Health And Challenges Of Life Which Leave Them In Despair. I’ve Always Believed In The Truth Of The Words, ‘god’s Sweetest Blessings Always Go By Hands That Serve Him Here Below.’ Let Us Have Ready Hands, Clean Hands, And Willing Hands, That We May Participate In Providing What Our Heavenly Father Would Have Others Receive From Him.

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.

Those Who Understand The Eternal Blessings Which Come From The Temple Know That No Sacrifice Is Too Great, No Price Too Heavy, No Struggle Too Difficult In Order To Receive Those Blessings.

As We Seek Christ, As We Find Him, As We Follow Him, We Shall Have The Christmas Spirit, Not For One Fleeting Day Each Year, But As A Companion Always.

It Is In The Home That We Form Our Attitudes, Our Deeply Held Beliefs. It Is In The Home That Hope Is Fostered Or Destroyed. Our Homes Are To Be More Than Sanctuaries; They Should Also Be Places Where God’s Spirit Can Dwell, Where The Storm Stops At The Door, Where Love Reigns And Peace Dwells

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.

You May Sometimes Be Tempted To Say, ‘will My Influence Make Any Difference? I Am Just One. Will My Service Affect The Work That Dramatically?’ I Testify To You That It Will. You Will Never Be Able To Measure Your Influence For Good.

None Of Us Makes It Through This Life Without Problems And Challenges — And Sometimes Tragedies And Misfortunes. After All, In Large Part We Are Here To Learn And Grow From Such Events In Our Lives. We Know That There Are Times When We Will Suffer, When We Will Grieve, And When We Will Be Saddened. However, We Are Told, “adam Fell That Men Might Be; And Men Are, That They Might Have Joy.” How Might We Have Joy In Our Lives, Despite All That We May Face? Again From The Scriptures: “wherefore, Be Of Good Cheer, And Do Not Fear, For I The Lord Am With You, And Will Stand By You."

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.

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