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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.

-Thomas S. Monson

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When Firmly Planted, Your

Thomas S. Monson

...

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.

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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.

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

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.

Love Is The Catalyst That Causes Change. Love Is The Balm That Brings Healing To The Soul.

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

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

The Lord Is In The Details Of Our Lives.

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

We Are Surrounded By Those In Need Of Our Attention, Our Encouragement, Our Support, Our Comfort, Our Kindness... We Are The Lord’s Hands Here Upon The Earth, With The Mandate To Serve And To Lift His Children. He Is Dependent Upon Each Of Us

God’s Love Is There For You Whether Or Not You Feel You Deserve Love. It Is Simply Always There.

I Plead With You To Have The Courage To Refrain From Judging And Criticizing Those Around You, As Well As The Courage To Make Certain That Everyone Is Included And Feels Loved And Valued.

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

One Man Said, "i Looked At My Brother Through The Microscope Of Criticism, And I Said, "how Coarse My Brother Is." Then I Looked At My Brother Through The Telescope Of Scorn, And I Said, "how Small My Brother Is." Then I Looked Into The Mirror Of Truth And I Said, "how Like Me My Brother Is."

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

Happiness Comes From Living The Way The Lord Wants You To Live.

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.

There Are Feet To Steady, Hands To Grasp, Minds To Encourage, Hearts To Inspire, And Souls To Save

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

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

Christmas Spirit

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.

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

Father In Heaven

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.

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).

All Of Us Remember The Home Of Our Childhood. Interestingly, Our Thoughts Do Not Dwell On Whether The House Was Large Or Small, The Neighborhood Fashionable Or Downtrodden. Rather, We Delight In The Experiences We Shared As A Family. The Home Is The Laboratory Of Our Lives, And What We Learn There Largely Determines What We Do When We Leave There.

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

To You Who Are Parents, I Say, Show Love To Your Children. You Know You Love Them, But Make Certain They Know It As Well. They Are So Precious. Let Them Know. Call Upon Our Heavenly Father For Help As You Care For Their Needs Each Day And As You Deal With The Challenges Which Inevitably Come With Parenthood. You Need More Than Your Own Wisdom In Rearing Them.

Hope Is Putting Faith To Work When Doubting Would Be Easier

Our Heavenly Father Can Appreciate Our Love For Him By How Well We Serve Him And How Well We Serve Our Fellowmen.

Youth Need Less Critics And More Models.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Your Future Depends On Your Faith.

Decisions Determine Destiny.

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.

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

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

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.

Don't Save Something For A Special Occasion. Every Day Of Your Life Is A Special Occasion.

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

Our Opportunities To Give Of Ourselves Are Indeed Limitless, But They Are Also Perishable. There Are Hearts To Gladden. There Are Kind Words To Say. There Are Gifts To Be Given. There Are Deeds To Be Done. There Are Souls To Be Saved.

Our Thinking Will Automatically Improve When We Remember The Words Of Paul: 'know Ye Not That Ye Are The Temple Of God, And The Spirit Of God Dwelleth In You?

Work Without Vision Is Drudgery. Vision Without Work Is Dreaming. Work Coupled With Vision Is Destiny.

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.

Serving Throughout The World Is A Great Missionary Force Going About Doing Good. Missionaries Teach Truth. They Dispel Darkness. They Spread Joy. They Bring Precious Souls To Christ.

Find Joy In The Journey.

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

Life Is Perfect For None Of Us. Rather Than Being Judgmental And Critical Of Each Other, May We Have The Pure Love Of Christ For Our Fellow Travelers In This Journey Through Life.

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.

Not Surprisingly, As The Pioneer Theme Is Presented, Each Goes Back In Memory To His Or Her Own Family Line. There Are Usually Examples To Identify And Which Fit The Definition Of A Pioneer: "one Who Goes Before, Showing Others The Way To Follow." Some, If Not All, Made Great Sacrifices To Leave Behind Comfort And Ease And Respond To That Clarion Call Of Their Newly Found Faith.

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

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.

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.

Each Of Us Can Be A Leader. We Need To Remember That The Mantle Of Leadership Is Not The Cloak Of Comfort, But The Robe Of Responsibility. Perhaps Our Service Is To Youth. If So, I Caution: 'youth Needs Fewer Critics And More Models.' One Hundred Years From Now It Will Not Matter What Kind Of A Car We Drove, What Kind Of A House We Lived In, How Much We Had In The Bank Account, Nor What Our Clothes Looked Like. But The World May Be A Little Better Because We Were Important In The Life Of A Boy Or A Girl.

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

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

Prayer Continues To Provide Power--spiritual Power. Prayer Continues To Provide Peace--spiritual Peace.

Spiritual Peace

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

There Are Rules And Laws To Help Ensure Our Physical Safety. Likewise, The Lord Has Provided Guidelines And Commandments To Help Ensure Our Spiritual Safety So That We Might Successfully Navigate This Often-treachero Us Mortal Existence And Return Eventually To Our Heavenly Father.

Fill Your Mind With Truth; Fill Your Heart With Love; Fill Your Life With Service.

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

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.

I Am Certain That The Lord, Who Notes The Fall Of A Sparrow, Looks With Compassion Upon Those Who Have Been Called Upon To Part, Even Temporarily, From Their Precious Children.

With All The Strength Of My Soul, I Testify That God Lives, That His Beloved Son Is The Firstfruits Of The Resurrection, That The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is That Penetrating Light That Makes Of Every Hopeless Dawn A Joyful Morning.

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

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)

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

Because He Came To Earth, We Have A Perfect Example To Follow. As We Strive To Become More Like Him, We Will Have Joy And Happiness In Our Lives And Peace Each Day Of The Year. It Is His Example Which, If Followed, Stirs Within Us More Kindness And Love, More Respect And Concern For Others.

Concern For Others

Life's Journey Is Not Traveled On A Freeway Devoid Of Obstacles, Pitfalls, And Snares. Rather, It Is A Pathway Marked By Forks And Turnings. 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. The Call For Courage Comes Constantly To Each Of Us. It Has Ever Been So, And So Shall It Ever Be.

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.

Who Was This Man Of Sorrows, Acquainted With Grief? Who Is The King Of Glory, This Lord Of Hosts? He Is Our Master. He Is Our Savior. He Is The Son Of God. He Is The Author Of Our Salvation. He Beckons, “follow Me.” He Instructs, “go, And Do Thou Likewise.” He Pleads, “keep My Commandments.” Let Us Follow Him. Let Us Emulate His Example. Let Us Obey His Word. By So Doing, We Give To Him The Divine Gift Of Gratitude.

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

Your Mind Is A Cupboard And You Stock The Shelves.

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

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

This Is Our One And Only Chance At Mortal Life-here And Now. The Longer We Live, The Greater Is Our Realization That It Is Brief. Opportunities Come, And Then They Are Gone. I Believe That Among The Greatest Lessons We Are To Learn In This Short Sojourn Upon The Earth Are Lessons That Help Us Distinguish Between What Is Important And What Is Not. I Plead With You Not To Let Those Most Important Things Pass You By. As You Plan For That Illusive, Nonexistent Future When You Will Have Time To Do All That You Want To Do. Instead, Find You In The Journey Now.

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

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

From The Book Of Mormon Come Other Precious Promises, Including Promises Of Peace, Freedom, And Blessings If We 'will But Serve The God Of The Land, Who Is Jesus Christ' (ether 2:12).

We Do Not Find Truth Groveling Through Error.

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

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

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.

We Must Develop The Capacity To See Men Not As They Are At Present But As They May Become.

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.

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.'

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.

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. .

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.

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.

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

The Reward Of Eternal Life Requires Effort.

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.

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

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.

Perhaps When We Face Our Maker, We Will Not Be Asked, 'how Many Positions Did You Hold,' But Rather, 'how Many People Did You Help?

Charity Is Having Patience With Someone Who Has Let Us Down. It Is Resisting The Impulse To Become Offended Easily. It Is Accepting Weaknesses And Shortcomings. It Is Accepting People As They Truly Are. It Is Looking Beyond Physical Appearances To Attributes That Will Not Dim Through Time. It Is Resisting The Impulse To Categorize Others.

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

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.

Forgiveness Should Go Hand-in-hand With Love.

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

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.

There Is No Tomorrow To Remember If We Don’t Do Something Today, And To Live Most Fully Today, We Must Do That Which Is Of Greatest Importance. Let Us Not Procrastinate Those Things Which Matter Most.

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.

I Counseled Many Returning Missionaries. I Interviewed 1,700 Missionaries All Over The World. My Advice To Them Is That You Should Study And Prepare For Your Life's Work In A Field That You Enjoy.

There Is Absolutely Nothing In This World That Will Provide More Comfort And Happiness Than A Testimony Of The Truth.

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

Family And Friends

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

The Past Is Behind, Learn From It. The Future Is Ahead, Prepare For It. The Present Is Here, Live It.

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

Through Tears And Trials, Through Fears And Sorrows, Through The Heartache And Loneliness Of Losing Loved Ones, There Is Assurance That Life Is Everlasting. Our Lord And Savior Is The Living Witness That Such Is So.

Losing A Loved One

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

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.

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.

Testimony Bearing Is The Key To Missionary Work

Spiritual Strength Frequently Comes Through Selfless Service.

Selfless Service

Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone.

Dedicated Missionary Service Returns A Dividend Of Eternal Joy Which Extends Throughout Mortality And Into Eternity.

Because Of Jesus Christ The World Has Changed, The Divine Atonement Has Been Made, The Price Of Sin Has Been Paid, And The Fearful Spectacle Of Death Yields To The Light Of Truth And The Assurance Of Resurrection. Though The Years Roll By, His Birth, His Ministry, His Legacy Continue To Guide The Destiny Of All Who Follow Him As He So Invitingly Urged.

Missionary Service Is A Priesthood Duty.

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.

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.

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.

Missionary Work Is An Identifying Feature Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. Always Has It Been; Ever Shall It Be.

Prayer Is The Passport To Peace.

Ours Is The Responsibility To Keep Our Light Bright For Others To See And Follow.

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.

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

With A Strong Testimony Of The Savior And His Restored Gospel, You Have Limitless Opportunities To Shine.

As Parents, We Should Remember That Our Lives May Be The Book From The Family Library Which The Children Most Treasure. Are Our Examples Worthy Of Emulation? Do We Live In Such A Way That A Son Or A Daughter May Say, ‘i Want To Follow My Dad,’ Or ‘i Want To Be Like My Mother’? Unlike The Book On The Library Shelf, The Covers Of Which Shield Its Contents, Our Lives Cannot Be Closed. Parents, We Truly Are An Open Book In The Library Of Learning Of Our Homes.

There Is A Golden Thread That Runs Through Every Account Of Faith From The Beginning Of The World To The Present Time. Abraham, Noah, The Brother Of Jared, The Prophet Joseph Smith, And Countless Others Wanted To Be Obedient To The Will Of God. They Had Ears That Could Hear, Eyes That Could See, And Hearts That Could Know And Feel. They Never Doubted. They Trusted.

How Grateful We Are That The Heavens Are Indeed Open, That The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Has Been Restored, And That The Church Is Founded On The Rock Of Revelation. We Are A Blessed People, With Apostles And Prophets Upon The Earth Today.

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

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

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.

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.

We Laugh, We Cry, We Work, We Play, We Love, We Live. And Then We Die. ... And Dead We Would Remain But For One Man And His Mission, Even Jesus Of Nazareth. ... With All My Heart And The Fervency Of My Soul, I Lift Up My Voice In Testimony As A Special Witness And Declare That God Does Live. Jesus Is His Son, The Only Begotten Of The Father In The Flesh. He Is Our Redeemer; He Is Our Mediator With The Father. He It Was Who Died On The Cross To Atone For Our Sins. He Became The Firstfruits Of The Resurrection. Because He Died, All Shall Live Again.

Remember To Pray Fervently.

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.

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.

Whenever We Are Inclined To Feel Burdened Down With The Blows Of Life, Let Us Remember That Others Have Passed The Same Way, Have Endured, And Then Have Overcome.

By Choosing Our Path, We Choose Our Destination.

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 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.

What Will You And I Give For Christmas This Year? Let Us In Our Lives Give To Our Lord And Savior The Gift Of Gratitude By Living His Teachings And Following In His Footsteps. It Was Said Of Him That He “went About Doing Good.” As We Do Likewise, The Christmas Spirit Will Be Ours.

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."

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

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

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.

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.

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

Reading Is One Of The True Pleasures Of Life. In Our Age Of Mass Culture, When So Much That We Encounter Is Abridged,adapted, Adulterated, Shredded, And Boiled Down, It Is Mind-easing And Mind-inspiring To Sit Down Privately With A Congenial Book.

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

We Cannot Know What Faith Is If We Have Never Had It, And We Cannot Obtain It As Long As We Deny It. Faith And Doubt Cannot Exist In The Same Mind At The Same Time, For One Will Dispel The Other.

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

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

As You And I Walk The Pathway Jesus Walked, Let Us Listen For The Sound Of Sandaled Feet. Let Us Reach Out For The Carpenter's Hand. Then We Shall Come To Know Him.

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.

Lessons Learned In The Home, Last The Longest.

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

Remember Who You Are

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

Often We Live Side By Side But Do Not Communicate Heart To Heart.

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

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.’

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

Many More People Could Ride Out The Storm-tossed Waves In Their Economic Lives If They Had Their Year's Supply Of Food…and Were Debt-free. Today We Find That Many Have Followed This Counsel In Reverse: They Have At Least A Year's Supply Of Debt And Are Food-free.

Christmas Is The Spirit Of Giving Without A Thought Of Getting. It Is Happiness Because We See Joy In People. It Is Forgetting Self And Finding Time For Others. It Is Discarding The Meaningless And Stressing The True Values

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

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."

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.

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

She Is Beautiful

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.

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.

There Is No Better Time Than Now, This Very Christmas Season, For All Of Us To Rededicate Ourselves To The Principles Taught By Jesus Christ. It Is The Time To Love The Lord, Our God, With All Our Heart – And Our Neighbors As Ourselves. It Is Well To Remember That He Who Gives Money Gives Much; He Who Gives Time Gives More; But He Who Gives Of Himself Gives All.

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

I Hope That You Will Learn To Take Responsibility For Your Decisions. Don't Take Counsel Of Your Fears.

Taking Responsibility

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!

Gaze Upward, Look Inward, Reach Outward, Press Forward.

Choose Your Love; Love Your Choice.

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

If We Do Not Have A Deep Foundation Of Faith And A Solid Testimony Of Truth, We May Have Difficulty Withstanding The Harsh Storms And Icy Winds Of Adversity Which Inevitably Come To Each Of Us.

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.

Never, Never, Never Postpone Following A Prompting.

If We Are To Have The Very Best Christmas Ever, We Must Listen For The Sound Of Sandaled Feet. We Must Reach Out For The Carpenter's Hand. With Every Step We Take In His Footsteps, We Abandon A Doubt And Gain A Truth.

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

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, Press Onward

So Frequently We Mistakenly Believe That Our Children Need More Things, When In Reality Their Silent Pleadings Are Simply For More Of Our Time.

It Is Not Enough To Want To Make The Effort... It's In The Doing, Not Just The Thinking That We Accomplish Our Goals.

How Much Better The World Would Be If We All Gave Gifts Of Understanding, And Compassion, Of Service, And Friendship, Of Kindness And Gentleness.

Let Us Be Kind To One Another, To Be Aware Of Each Other’s Needs, And Try To Help In That Regard.

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

Countries Of The World

The World Around You Is Not Equipped To Provide The Help You Need To Make It Through This Often Treacherous Journey.

The Hand Of A Bride Becomes The Hand Of A Mother. Ever So Gently She Cares For Her Precious Child. Bathing, Dressing, Feeding, Comforting-there Is No Hand Like Mother's. Nor Does Its Tender Care Diminish Through The Years.

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.

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?

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.

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

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