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The World Teaches Birth Control. Tragically, Many Of Our Sisters Subscribe To Its Pills And Practices When They Could Easily Provide Earthly Tabernacles For More Of Our Father's Children. We Know That Every Spirit Assigned To This Earth Will Come, Whether Through Us Or Someone Else. There Are Couples In The Church Who Think They Are Getting Along Just Fine With Their Limited Families But Who Will Someday Suffer The Pains Of Remorse When They Meet The Spirits That Might Have Been Part Of Their Posterity.

-Ezra Taft Benson

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The World Teaches Birth

Ezra Taft Benson

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The World Teaches Birth Control. Tragically, Many Of Our Sisters Subscribe To Its Pills And Practices When They Could Easily Provide Earthly Tabernacles For More Of Our Father's Children. We Know That Every Spirit Assigned To This Earth Will Come, Whether Through Us Or Someone Else. There Are Couples In The Church Who Think They Are Getting Along Just Fine With Their Limited Families But Who Will Someday Suffer The Pains Of Remorse When They Meet The Spirits That Might Have Been Part Of Their Posterity.

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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.

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

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

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.

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The Lord Works From The Inside Out. The World Works From The Outside In. The World Would Take People Out Of The Slums. Christ Takes The Slums Out Of People, And Then They Take Themselves Out Of The Slums. The World Would Mold Men By Changing Their Environment. Christ Changes Men, Who Then Change Their Environment. The World Would Shape Human Behavior, But Christ Can Change Human Nature.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

My Young Sisters, We Have Such Hope For You. We Have Such Great Expectations For You. Don't Settle For Less Than What The Lord Wants You To Be... Give Me A Young Woman Who Loves Home And Family, Who Reads And Ponders The Scriptures Daily, Who Has A Burning Testimony Of The Book Of Mormon... Give Me A Young Woman Who Is Virtuous And Who Has Maintained Her Personal Purity, Who Will Not Settle For Less Than A Temple Marriage, And I Will Give You A Young Woman Who Will Perform Miracles For The Lord Now And Throughout Eternity.

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

I Testify To You That God's Hand Has Been In Our Destiny. I Testify That Freedom As We Know It Today Is Being Threatened As Never Before In Our History. I Further Witness That This Land-the Americas-must Be Protected, Its Constitution Upheld, For This Is A Land Foreordained To Be The Zion Of Our God. He Expects Us As Members Of The Church And Bearers Of His Priesthood To Do All We Can To Preserve Our Liberty.

God Loves Us; The Devil Hates Us. God Wants Us To Have A Fulness Of Joy As He Has. The Devil Wants Us To Be Miserable As He Is. God Gives Us Commandments To Bless Us. The Devil Would Have Us Break These Commandments To Curse Us.

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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."

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In The Scriptures There Is No Such Thing As Righteous Pride. It Is Always Considered As A Sin.

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

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Happy And Successful Homes Cannot Be Built On Immorality.

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

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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.

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.

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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.

I Have Often Said One Of The Greatest Secrets Of Missionary Work Is Work! If A Missionary Works, He Will Get The Spirit; If He Gets The Spirit, He Will Teach By The Spirit; And If He Teaches By The Spirit, He Will Touch The Hearts Of The People And He Will Be Happy. There Will Be No Homesickness, No Worrying About Families, For All Time And Talents And Interests Are Centered On The Work Of The Ministry. Work, Work, Work-there Is No Satisfactory Substitute, Especially In Missionary Work.

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.

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.

Strong Families Cultivate An Attribute Of Effective Communication. They Talk Out Their Problems, Make Plans Together, And Cooperate Toward Common Objectives.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Now, What Of The Entertainment That Is Available To Our Young People Today? Are You Being Undermined Right In Your Homes Through Your Television, Radio, Slick Magazines, And Rock Music Records?

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

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

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.

Ours Is A Representative Republic With A Constitution In Which Is Recognized The Natural Law And The Natural Rights Of Man. It Is A Republic With A Spiritual Foundation Characterized By Freedom - Freedom For The Individual And For His Society.

When We Set Goals We Are In Command. If We Know Where We Are Going, We Can Judge More Accurately Where We Are Now And Make Effective Plans To Reach Our Destination.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Build Traditions Of Family Vacations And Trips And Outings. These Memories Will Never Be Forgotten By Your Children.

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

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.

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?

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.

The Holy Ghost Causes Our Feelings To Be More Tender. We Feel More Charitable And Compassionate With Each Other. We Are More Calm In Our Relationships. We Have A Greater Capacity To Love Each Other. People Want To Be Around Us Because Our Very Countenances Radiate The Influence Of The Spirit. We Are More Godly In Our Character. As A Result, We Become Increasingly More Sensitive To The Promptings Of The Holy Ghost And Thus Able To Comprehend Spiritual Things More Clearly.

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.

When I Think Of How We Show Faith, I Cannot Help But Think Of The Example Of My Own Father. I Recall Vividly How The Spirit Of Missionary Work Came Into My Life. I Was About Thirteen Years Of Age When My Father Received A Call To Go On A Mission.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If We Are To Achieve Long-range Goals, We Must Learn To Set Up And Accomplish Short-range Goals That Will Move Us Along The Way. If We Do Not Consciously Select Our Goals, We May Be Controlled By Goals Not Of Our Own Choosing - Goals Imposed By Outside Pressures (such As The Expectations Of Others) Or By Our Habits (such As Procrastination) Or By Our Desire For The Approval Of The World.

Procrastination

The Stage, The Screen, The Novel, Casual Conversation, The Street Discussion, And Too Often The Fireside Intimacies Are Punctuated With Blasphemy, To Which May Be Added, As Of The Same Nature, Coarse, Ribald Jokes, Foul Stories, And Low Small Talk. Some Would Have Us Believe That Profanity Is A Sign Of Masculinity And Emotion Maturity.

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

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.

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.

Yes, It Is The Precepts Of Men Versus The Revealed Word Of God. The More We Follow The Word Of God The Less We Are Deceived, While Those Who Follow The Wisdom Of Men Are Deceived The Most.

From The 5th Grade Through The 4th Year Of College, Our Young People Are Being Indoctrinated With A Marxist Philosophy And I Am Fearful Of The Harvest. The Younger Generation Is Further To The Left Than Most Adults Realize. The Old Concepts Of Our Founding Fathers Are Scoffed And Jeered At By Young Moderns Whose Goals Appear To Be The Destruction Of Integrity And Virtue, And The Glorification Of Pleasure, Thrills, And Self-indulgence.

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.

Communism Introduced Into The World A Substitute For True Religion. It Is A Counterfeit Of The Gospel Plan.

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.

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

To Love God With All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, And Strength Is All-consuming And All-encompassin G. It Is No Lukewarm Endeavor. It Is Total Commitment Of Our Very Being-physicall Y, Mentally, Emotionally, And Spiritually-to A Love Of The Lord.

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

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.

The Church Has No Double Standard Of Morality. The Moral Code Of Heaven For Both Men And Women Is Complete Chastity Before Marriage And Full Fidelity After Marriage.

A Man Must Not Only Stand For The Right Principles, But He Must Also Fight For Them. Those Who Fight For Principle Can Be Proud Of The Friends They've Gained And The Enemies They've Earned.

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. He Can Deepen Their Joys, Expand Their Vision, Quicken Their Minds, Strengthen Their Muscles, Lift Their Spirits, Multiply Their Blessings, Increase Their Opportunities, Comfort Their Soals, And Pour Out Peace.

Be A Light Unto The World, A Standard To Others. You Can Live In The World And Not Partake Of The Sins Of The World. You Can Live Life Joyously, Beautifully, Unmarred By The Ugliness Of Sin. This Is Our Confidence In You.

I Counsel You, In The Words Of Jesus Christ, To "watch And Pray I Always Lest Ye Enter Into Temptation; For Satan Desireth To Have You, That He May Sift You As Wheat" (3 Nephi 18:18). If You Will Earnestly Seek Guidance From Your Heavenly Father, Morning And Evening, You Will Be Given The Strength To Shun Any Temptation.

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.

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

I Say To You With All The Fervor Of My Soul That God Intended Men To Be Free. Rebellion Against Tyranny Is A Righteous Cause. It Is An Enormous Evil For Any Man To Be Enslaved To Any System Contrary To His Own Will. For That Reason Men, 200 Years Ago, Pledged Their Lives, Fortunes, And Sacred Honor. No Nation Which Has Kept The Commandments Of God Has Ever Perished, But I Say To You That Once Freedom Is Lost, Only Blood - Human Blood - Will Win It Back.

The God Of Heaven Sent Some Of His Choicest Spirits To Lay The Foundation Of This Government. And He Has Sent Other Choice Spirits To Preserve It.

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

Above All Else, Children Need To Know And Feel They Are Loved, Wanted, And Appreciated. They Need To Be Assured Of That Often. Obviously, This Is A Role Parents Should Fill, And Most Often The Mother Can Do It Best.

[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.

The Greatest Test Of Life Is Obedience To God.

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

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.

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.

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.

Our Desires, Be They Spiritual Or Temporal, Should Be Rooted In A Love Of The Lord.

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.

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.

It Is Better To Prepare And Prevent Than It Is To Repair And Repent.

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

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.

Those Who Think Clean Thoughts Do Not Do Dirty Deeds.

Many A Man In His Hour Of Trial Has Turned To The Book Of Mormon And Been Enlightened, Enlivened, And Comforted. The Psalms In The Old Testament Have A Special Food For The Soul Of One In Distress.

You Must Not Allow Yourselves To Become Discouraged. Missionary Work Brings Joy, Optimism, And Happiness. Don't Give Satan An Opportunity To Discourage You. Here Again, Work Is The Answer. The Lord Has Given Us A Key By Which We Can Overcome Discouragement: "come Unto Me, All Ye That Labor And Are Heavy Laden, And I Will Give You Rest. Take My Yoke Upon You, And Learn Of Me; For I Am Meek And Lowly In Heart; And Ye Shall Find Rest Unto Your Souls. For My Yoke Is Easy And My Burden Is Light."

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

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

This Latter Day Work Is Spiritual. It Takes Spirituality To Comprehend It, To Love It, To Discern It. Therefore, Seek The Spirit In All You Do. Keep It With You Continually. That Is Our Challenge.

The Expression "follow The Brethren" Has A Broader Meaning Than Some Would Apply To It. It Means Not Only To Agree With The Counsel Given To The Church By The Brethren, But Also To Follow Their Example In Appearance And Deportment.

Communities Have A Responsibility To Assist The Family In Promoting Wholesome Entertainment. What A Community Tolerates Will Become Tomorrow's Standard For Today's Youth.

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

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?

Now We Not Only Need To Say More About The Book Of Mormon, But We Need To Do More With It.

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.

I Feel Certain That If, In Our Homes, Parents Will Read From The Book Of Mormon Prayerfully And Regularly, Both By Themselves And With Their Children, The Spirit Of That Great Book Will Come To Permeate Our Homes And All Who Dwell Therein.

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

Nations Cannot Endure In Sin.

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.

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

We Oppose And Abhor The Damnable Practice Of Wholesale Abortion And Every Other Unholy And Impure Act Which Strikes At The Very Foundation Of The Home And Family, Our Most Basic Institutions.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

Temples Are Places Of Personal Revelation. When I Have Been Weighed Down By A Problem Or A Difficulty, I Have Gone To The House Of The Lord With A Prayer In My Heart For Answers. The Answers Have Come In Clear And Unmistakable Ways.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

The Deepest Joys And Blessings In Life Are Associated With Family, Parenthood, And Sacrifice.

This Nation Was Established By The God Of Heaven As A Citadel Of Liberty. A Constitution Guaranteeing Those Liberties Was Designed Under The Superintending Influence Of Heaven.

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

The World Today Speaks A Great Deal About Love, And It Is Sought By Many. But The Pure Love Of Christ Differs Greatly From What The World Thinks Of Love. Charity Never Seeks Selfish Gratification. The Pure Love Of Christ Seeks Only The Eternal Growth And Joy Of Others.

The Secret To Missionary Work Is Work. Work, Work, Work!

Missionary Work

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

Working Together

More Than Ever Before, We Need To Learn And Apply The Principles Of Economic Self-reliance. We Do Not Know When The Crisis Involving Sickness Or Unemployment May Affect Our Own Circumstances. We Do Know That The Lord Has Decreed Global Calamities For The Future And Has Warned And Forewarned Us To Be Prepared. For This Reason The Brethren Have Repeatedly Stressed A 'back To Basics' Program For Temporal And Spiritual Welfare.

One Of The Cardinal Sins In Our Country Is Profanity -- The Taking Of The Name Of The Lord In Vain. Reverence For The Name Of Deity Is Enjoined In Holy Writ. Jesus Made This Clear When Teaching His Disciples To Pray. He Said, Addressing The Father, "hallowed Be Thy Name: (see Matthew 6:9). Blaspheming The Name Of God Separates Man From His Creator."

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.

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.

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.

We Do Not Find The Savior Using Force Or Coercion To Accomplish His Purposes.

Since The Beginning, A Woman's First And Most Important Role Has Been Ushering Into Mortality Spirit Sons And Daughters Of Our Father In Heaven.

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

The Leisure Time Of Children Must Be Constructively Directed To Wholesome, Positive Pursuits. Too Much Time Viewing Television Can Be Destructive...it Is Estimated That Growing Children Today Watch Television Over Twenty-five Hours Per Week.

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

Listening To God

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

Every Latter-day Saint Should Make The Study Of This Book A Lifetime Pursuit. Otherwise, He Is Placing His Soul In Jeopardy And Neglecting That Which Could Give Spiritual And Intellectual Unity To His Whole Life.

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

Too Often We Bask In Our Comfortable Complacency And Rationalize That The Ravages Of War, Economic Disaster, Famine, And Earth Quake Cannot Happen Here. Those Who Believe This Are Either Not Acquainted With The Revelations Of The Lord, Or They Do Not Believe Them. Those Who Smugly Think These Calamities Will Not Happen, That They Will Somehow Be Set Aside Because Of The Righteousness Of The Saints, Are Deceived And Will Rue The Day They Harbored Such A Delusion.

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

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

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.

An Honorable Man Or Woman Is One Who Is Truthful; Free From Deceit; Above Cheating, Lying, Stealing, Or Any Form Of Deception. An Honorable Man Or Woman Is One Who Learns Early That One Cannot Do Wrong And Feel Right. A Man's Character Is Judged On How He Keeps His Word And His Agreements.

[the Constitution] Will Not Be Saved In Washington. It Will Be Saved By The Citizens Of This Nation Who Love And Cherish Freedom...men And Women Who Will Subscribe To And Abide The Principles Of The Constitution.

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.

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.

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

What Does The Atonement Have To Do With Missionary Work? Any Time We Experience The Blessings Of The Atonement In Our Lives, We Cannot Help But Have A Concern For The Welfare Of Others. ... A Great Indicator Of One's Personal Conversion Is The Desire To Share The Gospel With Others.

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

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