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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.

-Thomas S. Monson

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The Face Of Sin

Thomas S. Monson

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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.

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True Love Can Alter Human Lives And Change Human Nature.

Life And Change

We Become So Caught Up In The Busyness Of Our Lives. Were We To Step Back, However, And Take A Good Look At What We’re Doing, We May Find That We Have Immersed Ourselves In The “thick Of Thin Things.” In Other Words, Too Often We Spend Most Of Our Time Taking Care Of The Things Which Do Not Really Matter Much At All In The Grand Scheme Of Things, Neglecting Those More Important Causes.

The Road To Anywhere Is The Road To Nowhere, And The Road To Nowhere Leads To Dreams Sacrificed, Opportunities Squandered, And A Life Unfulfilled. In Our Journey We Will Encounter Forks And Turnings In The Road.

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.

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."

Happiness Comes When We Stop Complaining About The Troubles We Have And Offer Thanks For All The Troubles We Don't Have.

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.

A Grateful Heart, Then, Comes Through Expressing Gratitude To Our Heavenly Father For His Blessings And To Those Around Us For All That They Bring Into Our Lives. This Requires Conscious Effort-at Least Until We Have Truly Learned And Cultivated An Attitude Of Gratitude. Often We Feel Grateful And Intend To Express Our Thanks But Forget To Do So Or Just Don't Get Around To It. Someone Has Said That "feeling Gratitude And Not Expressing It Is Like Wrapping A Present And Not Giving It."

There Will Be Occasions In Each Of Our Lives When We Will Be Called Upon To Explain Or To Defend Our Beliefs. When The Time For Performance Arrives, The Time For Preparation Is Past.

Remember Who You Are And What God Expects You To Become.

Remember Who You Are

Do We Have A Guide To Help Us Choose The Right And Avoid Dangerous Detours? I Have Tried To Pattern My Life After The Master. Whenever I Have A Difficult Decision To Make, I Have Looked At That Picture And Asked Myself, "what Would He Do?" Then I Try To Do It. We Can Never Go Wrong When We Choose To Follow The Savior.

There Will Be Times When You Will Be Frightened And Discouraged. You May Feel That You Are Defeated. The Odds Of Obtaining Victory May Appear Overwhelming. At Times You May Feel Like David Trying To Fight Goliath. But Remember-david Did Win!

Each Of Us Has Much For Which To Be Grateful If We Will But Pause And Contemplate Our Blessings.

We Are Reminded That Anger Doesn't Solve Anything. It Builds Nothing, But It Can Destroy Everything.

If Any Has Stumbled In His Journey, There Is A Way Back. The Process Is Called Repentance. Our Savior Died To Provide You And Me That Blessed Gift. Though The Path Is Difficult, The Promise Is Real: 'though Your Sins Be As Scarlet, They Shall Be As White As Snow' (isaiah 1:18).

Let Us Not Demeanor Or Belittle. Rather, Let Us Be Compassionate And Encouraging,. We Must Be Careful That We Do Not Destroy Another Person's Confidence Through Careless Words. Or Actions.

Decisions Are Constantly Before Us. To Make Them Wisely, Courage Is Needed-the Courage To Say No, The Courage To Say Yes. Decisions Do Determine Destiny. I Plead With You To Make A Determination Right Here, Right Now, Not To Deviate From The Path Which Will Lead To Our Goal: Eternal Life With Our Father In Heaven.

One, Two, Three...let's Go Shopping!

Let Us Make Of Our Homes Sanctuaries Of Righteousness, Places Of Prayer, And Abodes Of Love, That We Might Merit The Blessings That Can Come Only From Our Heavenly Father.

Permissiveness, Immorality, Pornography, Drugs, The Power Of Peer Pressure-all These And More-cause Many To Be Tossed About On A Sea Of Sin And Crushed On The Jagged Reefs Of Lost Opportunities, Forfeited Blessings, And Shattered Dreams.

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

We Need Learn What We Need To Learn, Know What We Need To Know, And Do What We Need To Do.

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

When We Deal In Generalities, We Shall Never Succeed. When We Deal In Specifics, We Shall Rarely Have A Failure. When Performance Is Measured, Performance Improves. When Performance Is Measured And Reported, The Rate Of Performance Accelerates.

One Cannot Remember Mother And Forget God.

When We Keep The Spirit Of Christmas, We Keep The Spirit Of Christ, For The Christmas Spirit Is The Christ Spirit.

Christmas Spirit

The Lord Shapes The Back To Bear The Burden Placed Upon It.

There Are Lives To Brighten. There Are Hearts To Touch. There Are Souls To Save.

Keep The Commandments Of God. If You Have Sinned, The Sooner You Begin To Make Your Way Back, The Sooner You Will Find The Sweet Peace And Joy That Come With The Miracle Of Forgiveness. Happiness Comes From Living The Way The Lord Wants You To Live And From Service To God And Others.

Vice Never Leads To Virtue. Hate Never Promotes Love. Cowardice Never Gives Courage. Doubt Never Inspires Faith.

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

I Acknowledge That I Do Not Understand The Processes Of Creation, But I Accept The Fact Of It.

The Book Of Mormon Changes Lives.

No Member Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Who Has Canned Peas, Topped Beets, Hauled Hay, Shoveled Coal, Or Helped In Any Way To Serve Others Ever Forgets Or Regrets The Experience Of Helping Provide For Those In Need.

Courage Is Required To Make An Initial Thrust Towards Ones Coveted Goal, But Even Greater Courage Is Called For When One Stumbles And Must Make A Second Effort To Achieve.

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.

A Prayerful Life Is The Key To Possessing Gratitude. We Often Take For Granted The People Who Most Deserve Our Gratitude. Let Us Not Wait Until It Is Too Late For Us To Express Our Gratitude. Feeling Gratitude And Not Expressing It Is Like Wrapping A Present And Not Giving It. If I Gratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues. To Express Gratitude Is Gracious And Honorable, To Enact Gratitude Is Generous And Noble, But To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

Each Of Us Can Do Something To Help Someone.

Can Do Something

Testimony Bearing Is The Key To Missionary Work

When You're At A Funeral And You're Crying, You're Crying For Yourself

If Ingratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues.

One Sees A Blatant Disregard For The Precious Souls Of Mankind.

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."

The Temples Are A Refuge From Life's Storms Even A Never-failing Beacon Guiding Us To Safety.

Our Father's Commitment To Us, His Children, Is Unwavering. Indeed He Softens The Winters Of Our Lives, But He Also Brightens Our Summers.

Your Mind Is A Cupboard And You Stock The Shelves.

All Of Us Are Prone To Excuse Our Own Mediocre Performance. We Blame Our Misfortunes, Our Disfigurements, Our So-called Handicaps. Victims Of Our Own Rationalization, We Say Silently To Ourselves, 'i'm Just Too Weak,' Or 'i'm Not Cut Out For Better Things.' Others Soar Beyond Our Meager Accomplishments. Envy And Discouragement Take Their Toll. .

We Are Going To Make Mistakes, But None Of Us Can Become An Expert In Family History Work Without First Being A Novice.

To Catch The Real Meaning Of The Spirit Of Christmas, We Need Only Drop The Last Syllable, And It Becomes The Spirit Of Christ.

It Is Impossible To Stand Upright When One Plants His Roots In The Shifting Sands Of Popular Opinion And Approval.

How Do We Find The Lord? I Believe We Have To Seek Him In Simple Things. I Believe We Have To Seek Him In Personal Prayer. I Believe We Must Seek Him In Personal Service. I Believe We Seek And Find Jesus When We Follow His Example.

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?

Oh, Sweet The Joy This Sentence Gives: ‘i Know That My Redeemer Lives!’

A Home Is Much More Than A House Built Of Lumber, Brick, Or Stone. A Home Is Made Of Love, Sacrifice, And Respect. We Are Responsible For The Homes We Build. We Must Build Wisely, For Eternity Is Not A Short Voyage. There Will Be Calm And Wind, Sunlight And Shadows, Joy And Sorrow. But If We Really Try, Our Home Can Be A Bit Of Heaven Here On Earth. The Thoughts We Think, The Deeds We Do, The Lives We Live Not Only Influence The Success Of Our Earthly Journey, They Also Mark The Way To Our Eternal Goals.

Love Should Be The Very Heart Of Family Life.

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.

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.

Help Others In Their Race Of Life. Remember That When You Help Another Up A Mountain, You Are A Little Nearer The Top Yourself.

We Can’t Direct The Wind, But We Can Adjust The Sails. For Maximum Happiness, Peace, And Contentment, May We Choose A Positive Attitude.

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.

Let Us Not Only Remember The Past And Its Required Sacrifice, Let Us Also Remember That We Are Responsible To Build A Legacy For The Generations Which Follow Us.

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.

When The Time For Decision Arrives, The Time For Preparation Is Past.

The Sweetest Feeling In Mortality Is To Realize That God, Our Heavenly Father, Knows Each One Of Us And Generously Permits Us To See And To Share His Divine Power To Save.

By Choosing Our Path, We Choose Our Destination.

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.

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.

Do We Give Thanks To God 'for His Unspeakable Gift' And His Rich Blessings So Abundantly Bestowed Upon Us?

I Extol Those Who, With Loving Care And Compassionate Concern, Feed The Hungry, Clothe The Naked, And House The Homeless. He Who Notes The Sparrow's Fall Will Not Be Unmindful Of Such Service.

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.

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

Remember To Pray Fervently.

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.

Have An Attitude Of Gratitude.

Let Us Open Wide The Windows Of Our Hearts, That Each Family Member May Feel Welcome And 'at Home.' Let Us Open Also The Doors Of Our Very Souls, That The Dear ________ May Enter. Remember His Promise: 'behold, I Stand At The Door, And Knock: If Any Man Hear My Voice, And Open The Door, I Will Come In To Him' (revelation 3:20).

The Goal Of Gospel Teaching... Is Not To 'pour Information' Into The Minds Of Class Members... The Aim Is To Inspire The Individual To Think About, Feel About, And Then Do Something About Living Gospel Principles.

When We Ponder That Vast Throng Who Have Died Honorably Defending Home And Hearth, We Contemplate Those Immortal Words, 'greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends.' The Feelings Of Heartfelt Gratitude For The Supreme Sacrifice Made By So Many Cannot Be Confined To A Memorial Day, A Military Parade, Or A Decorated Grave.

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.

Come From Your Wandering Way, Weary Travelers. Come To The Gospel Of Jesus Christ. Come To That Heavenly Haven Called Home. Here You Will Discover The Truth. Here You Will Learn The Reality Of The Godhead, The Comfort Of The Plan Of Salvation, The Sanctity Of The Marriage Covenant, The Power Of Personal Prayer. Come Home.

Needed Are...[souls] Filled With Compassion, That We Might Communicate Not Only Eye To Eye, Or Voice To Ear, But In The Majestic Style Of The Savior, Even Heart To Heart.

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.

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.

The Battle For Self-discipline May Leave You A Bit Bruised And Battered But Always A Better Person. Self-discipline Is A Rigorous Process At Best; Too Many Of Us Want It To Be Effortless And Painless. Should Temporary Setbacks Afflict Us, A Very Significant Part Of Our Struggle For Self-discipline Is The Determination And The Courage To Try Again....eternal Life In The Kingdom Of Our Father Is Your Goal, And Self-discipline Will Surely Be Required If You Are To Achieve It.

Lessons Learned In The Home, Last The Longest.

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.

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 Learn To Pray By Praying. One Can Devote Countless Hours To Examining The Experiences Of Others, But Nothing Penetrates The Human Heart As Does A Personal Fervent Prayer And Its Heaven Sent Response.

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.

Missionary Service Is A Priesthood Duty.

Don’t Limit Yourself And Don’t Let Others Convince You That You Are Limited In What You Can Do. Believe In Yourself And Then Live So As To Reach Your Possibilities. You Can Achieve What You Believe You Can. Trust And Believe And Have Faith.

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.

All That Occurs Within The Walls Of The Temple Is Uplifting And Enobling.

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?

Let Us Not Demean Or Belittle. Rather, Let Us Be Compassionate And Encouraging.

Times Change, Years Speed By, But Christmas Continues Sacred. It Is Through Giving, Rather Than Getting, That The Spirit Of Christ Enters Our Lives. God Still Speaks. He Prompts. He Guides. He Blesses. He Gives.

Several Years Ago My Dear Wife Went To The Hospital. She Left A Note Behind For The Children: "dear Children, Do Not Let Daddy Touch The Microwave" - Followed By A Comma, "or The Stove, Or The Dishwasher, Or The Dryer." I'm Embarrassed To Add Any More To That List.

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.

May We Realize How Close To Us He Is Willing To Come, How Far He Is Willing To Go To Help Us And How Much He Loves Us.

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.

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, Press Onward

When We Qualify For The Help Of The Lord, We Can Build Boys, We Can Mend Men, We Can Accomplish Miracles In His Holy Service. Our Opportunities Are Without Limit.

It Is Necessary To Prepare And To Plan So That We Don’t Fritter Away Our Lives. Without A Goal, There Can Be No Real Success. One Of The Best Definitions Of Success I Have Ever Heard Goes Something Like This: Success Is The Progressive Realization Of A Worthy Ideal. Someone Has Said The Trouble With Not Having A Goal Is That You Can Spend Your Life Running Up And Down The Field And Never Cross The Goal Line.

Wonderful, Glorious Things Are In Store For You If You Will Only Believe, Obey, And Endure.

Be Not Weary In Well-doing. … Out Of Small Things Proceedeth That Which Is Great. Behold, The Lord Requireth The Heart And A Willing Mind.

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

Make Room For The Lord In Your Homes And In Your Hearts, And He Will Be Your Companion. He Will Be By Your Side.

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

To Express Gratitude Is Gracious And Honorable, To Enact Gratitude Is Generous And Noble, But To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

Rather Than Dwelling On The Past, We Should Make The Most Of Today, Of The Here And Now, Doing All We Can To Provide Pleasant Memories For The Future…if You Are Still In The Process Of Raising Children Be Aware That The Tiny Fingerprints That Show Up On Almost Every Newly Cleaned Surface, The Toys Scattered About The House, The Piles And Piles Of Laundry To Be Tackled, Will Disappear All Too Soon, And That You Will, To Your Surprise, Miss Them, Profoundly.

It Is Our Solemn Duty, Our Precious Privilege-even Our Sacred Opportunity-to Welcome To Our Homes And To Our Hearts The Children Who Grace Our Lives.

As A Teenage Daughter Hears Her Sweet Mother Plead Unto The Lord That Her Daughter Will Be Inspired In The Selection Of Her Companions, That She Will Prepare Herself For A Temple Marriage, Don't You Believe That Such A Daughter Will Seek To Honor This Humble, Pleading Petition Of Her Mother, Whom She So Dearly Loves?

In The Private Sanctuary Of One's Own Conscience Lies That Spirit, That Determination To Cast Off The Old Person And To Measure Up To The Statue Of True Potential.

The Power To Lead Is The Power To Mislead, And The Power To Mislead Is The Power To Destroy.

In Short, If You Have Any Question About Whether A Particular Movie, Book, Or Other Form Of Entertainment Is Appropriate, Don’t See It, Don’t Read It, Don’t Participate.

Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone.

The Good You Have Done, The Kind Words You Have Spoken, The Love You Have Shown To Others, Can Never Be Fully Measured.

Can We Somehow Muster The Courage And Steadfastness Of Purpose That Characterized The Pioneers Of A Former Generation? Can You And I, In Actual Fact, Be Pioneers [today]?

I Believe That No Concern Of Ours Is Too Small Or Insignificant.

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.

There Is Much That Is Difficult And Challenging In The World Today, My Brothers And Sisters, But There Is Also Much That Is Good And Uplifting. As We Declare In Our Thirteenth Article Of Faith, 'if There Is Anything Virtuous, Lovely, Or Of Good Report Or Praiseworthy, We Seek After These Things.' May We Ever Continue To Do So.

True Love Is A Reflection Of The Savior's Love. In December Of Each Year We Call It The Christmas Spirit.

This Is Not A Time For Fear, Brethren, But Rather A Time For Faith - A Time For Each Of Us Who Holds The Priesthood To Be His Best Self.

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.

Things Which Provide Deep And Lasting Happiness And Gratitude Are The Things Which Money Cannot Buy: Our Families, The Gospel, Good Friends, Our Health, Our Abilities, The Love We Receive From Those Around Us.

Lasting Happiness

In The Performance Of Our Responsibilities, I Have Learned That When We Heed A Silent Prompting And Act Upon It Without Delay, Our Heavenly Father Will Guide Our Footsteps And Bless Our Lives And The Lives Of Others. I Know Of No Experience More Sweet Or Feelings More Precious Than To Heed A Prompting, Only To Discover That The Lord Has Answered Another's Prayer Through You.

As We Remember Prayer And Take Time To Turn To The Scriptures, Our Lives Will Be Infinitely More Blessed And Our Burdens Will Be Made Lighter.

The Greatest Force In The World Today Is The Power Of God As It Works Through Man.

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

When Firmly Planted, Your Testimony Of The Gospel, Of The Savior, And Of Our Heavenly Father Will Influence All That You Do Throughout Your Life. It Will Help To Determine How You Spend Your Time And With Whom You Choose To Associate. It Will Affect The Way You Treat Your Family, How You Interact With Others. It Will Bring Love, Peace, And Joy Into Your Life.

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

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.

Faith Precedes The Miracle. It Has Ever Been So And Shall Ever Be. It Was Not Raining When Noah Was Commanded To Build An Ark. There Was No Visible Ram In The Thicket When Abraham Prepared To Sacrifice His Son Isaac. Two Heavenly Personages Were Not Yet Seen When Joseph Knelt And Prayed. First Came The Test Of Faith–and Then The Miracle. Remember That Faith And Doubt Cannot Exist In The Same Mind At The Same Time, For One Will Dispel The Other. Cast Out Doubt. Cultivate Faith.

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.

Your Heavenly Father Loves You-each Of You. That Love Never Changes. It Is Not Influenced By Your Appearance, By Your Possessions, Or By The Amount Of Money You Have In Your Bank Account. It Is Not Changed By Your Talents And Abilities. It Is Simply There. It Is There For You When You Are Sad Or Happy, Discouraged Or Hopeful. God's Love Is There For You Whether Or Not You Feel You Deserve Love. It Is Simply Always There.

You Can't Be Right By Doing Wrong; You Can't Be Wrong By Doing Right.

No Temptation, No Pressure, No Enticing Can Overcome Us Unless We Allow Such. If We Make The Wrong Choice, We Have No One To Blame But Ourselves.

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.

It Has Been Said That The Gate Of History Turns On Small Hinges, And So Do People's Lives. The Choices We Make Determine Our Destiny.

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

If You Are Persistent, You Will Succeed

I Dreamt And Saw That Life Was Joy. I Awoke And Saw That Life Was Duty. I Served And Found That Duty Was Joy. See Life A Duty, Ellen Sturgis Hooper, (1816-1841) Topics: Beauty, Duty & Life I Slept, And Dreamed That Life Was Beauty; I Woke, And Found That Life Was Duty.

The Passage Of Time Has Not Altered The Capacity Of The Redeemer To Change Men’s Lives. As He Said To The Dead Lazarus, So He Says To You And Me: “come Forth.” Come Forth From The Despair Of Doubt. Come Forth From The Sorrow Of Sin. Come Forth From The Death Of Disbelief. Come Forth To A Newness Of Life. Come Forth.

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.

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.

Graduation Is Not The Conclusion Of An Achievement But Simply The Ending Of One Chapter And The Beginning Of Another Chapter

Together We Shall Move Forward Doing [the Lord's] Work

Home Should Be A Haven Of Love. Honor, Courtesy, And Respect Symbolize Love And Characterize The Righteous Family.

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

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.'

I Think There Is No Place In The World Where I Feel Closer To The Lord Than In One Of His Holy Temples.

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.

The Spirit Must Be Freed From Tethers So Strong And Feelings Never Put To Rest, So That The Lift Of Life May Give Buoyancy To The Soul. In Many Families, There Are Hurt Feelings And A Reluctance To Forgive. It Doesn’t Really Matter What The Issue Was. It Cannot And Should Not Be Left To Injure. Blame Keeps Wounds Open. Only Forgiveness Heals. George Herbert, An Early 17th-century Poet, Wrote These Lines: ‘he That Cannot Forgive Others Breaks The Bridge Over Which He Himself Must Pass If He Would Ever Reach Heaven, For Everyone Has Need Of Forgiveness.’

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

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.

What Is Most Important Almost Always Involves The People Around Us.

"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."

Mortality Is A Period Of Testing, A Time To Prove Ourselves Worthy To Return To The Presence Of Our Heavenly Father. In Order For Us To Be Tested, We Must Face Challenges And Difficulties. These Can Break Us, And The Surface Of Our Souls May Crack And Crumble-that Is, If Our Foundations Of Faith, Our Testimonies Of Truth Are Not Deeply Embedded Within Us.

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.

Raising Children, Be Aware That The Piles And Piles Of Laundry Will Disappear All Too Soon And That You Will, To Your Surprise, Miss Them Profoundly.

…faith Forged In The Furnace Of Trials And Tears Is Marked By Trust And Testimony. Only God Can Count The Sacrifice; Only God Can Measure The Sorrow; Only God Can Know The Hearts Of Those Who Serve Him.

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.

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.

Wishing Will Not Make It So. The Lord Expects Our Thinking. He Expects Our Action. He Expects Our Labors. He Expects Our Testimonies. He Expects Our Devotion.

The Needs Of Others Are Ever Present, And Each Of Us Can Do Something To Help Someone.... Unless We Lose Ourselves In Service To Others, There Is Little Purpose To Our Own Lives.

Our Most Significant Opportunities Will Be Found In Times Of Greatest Difficulty.

Temples Are More Than Stone And Mortar. They Are Filled With Faith And Fasting. They Are Built Of Trials And Testimonies. They Are Sanctified By Sacrifice And Service.

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

You Will Never Be Able To Measure Your Influence For Good.

He Who Gives Money Gives Some, He Who Gives Time Gives More, And He Who Gives Of Himself Gives All.

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.

Love Is The Very Essence Of The Gospel.

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."

Work Will Win When Wishy Washy Wishing Won T.

As We Move Toward The Future, We Must Not Neglect The Lessons Of The Past. Our Heavenly Father Gave His Son. The Son Of God Gave His Life. We Are Asked By Them To Give Our Lives, As It Were, In Their Divine Service. Will You? Will I? Will We? There Are Lessons To Be Taught, There Are Kind Deeds To Be Done, There Are Souls To Be Saved.

Christ Instructs Us To Stand Up Bravely For Our Beliefs... He Asks Us To Let Our Lights Shine.

The Way To Be With God In Every Season Is To Strive To Be Near Him Every Week And Each Day.

The Battle For Self-discipline May Leave You A Bit Bruised And Battered But Always A Better Person.

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

We Tend To Become Like Those Whom We Admire.

Should There Be Anyone Who Feels He Is Too Weak To Do Better Because Of That Greatest Of Fears, The Fear Of Failure, There Is No More Comforting Assurance To Be Had Than The Words Of The Lord: 'my Grace Is Sufficient For All Men That Humble Themselves Before Me; For If They Humble Themselves Before Me, And Have Faith In Me, Then Will I Make Weak Things Become Strong Unto Them' (ether 12:27)

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.

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

Choose Your Friends Carefully, For You Will Tend To Be Like Them And Be Found Where They Choose To Go.

Our Opportunities To Give Of Ourselves Are Indeed Limitless, But They Are Also Perishable.

Whether It Is The Best Of Times Or The Worst Of Times, He Is With Us. He Has Promised Us That This Will Never Change.

Not A Day Has Gone By That I Have Not Communicated With My Father In Heaven Through Prayer. It Is A Relationship I Cherish-one I Would Literally Be Lost Without. If You Do Not Now Have Such A Relationship With Your Father In Heaven, I Urge You To Work Toward That Goal. As You Do So, You Will Be Entitled To His Inspiration And Guidance In Your Life.

A Grateful Heart ... Comes Through Expressing Gratitude To Our Heavenly Father For His Blessings And To Those Around Us For All That They Bring Into Our Lives.

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

I Promise You That One Day You Will Stand Aside And Look At Your Difficult Times, You Will Realize That He Was Always There Beside You.

At Times Many Of Us Let That Enemy Of Achievement--even The Culprit 'self-defeat'--dwarf Our Aspirations, Smother Our Dreams, Cloud Our Vision, And Impair Our Lives. The Enemy's Voice Whispers In Our Ears, 'you Can't Do It.' 'you're Too Young.' 'you're Too Old.' 'you're Nobody.' This Is When We Remember That We Are Created In The Image Of God. Reflection On This Truth Provides A Profound Sense Of Strength And Power.

Christ's Peace Can Permeate Any Heart - Hearts That Are Troubled, Burdened With Grief, Confused, And Pleading For Help.

My Dear Sisters, Do Not Pray For Tasks Equal To Your Abilities, But Pray For Abilities Equal To Your Tasks. Then The Performance Of Your Tasks Will Be No Miracle, But You Will Be The Miracle.

There Are Hearts To Gladden... Kind Words To Say... Gifts To Be Given... Deeds To Be Done.

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

Trust In The Lord

We Find Real Joy When We Keep The Savior The Focus Of The Season.

Difficulties Allow Us To Change For The Better.

Change For The Better

Each Of Our Temples Is An Expression Of Our Testimony That Life Beyond The Grave Is As Real And As Certain As Is Our Life Here On Earth.

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.

We Must Learn To Separate Need From Greed...we Must Not Allow Our Yearnings To Exceed Our Earnings.

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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