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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.

-Thomas S. Monson

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Who Was This Man

Thomas S. Monson

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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.

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

My Earnest Prayer Is That You Will Have The Courage Required To Refrain From Judging Others, The Courage To Be Chaste And Virtuous, And The Courage To Stand Firm For Truth And Righteousness. As You Do So, You Will Be ‘an Example Of The Believers’ (1 Timothy 4:12), And Your Life Will Be Filled With Love And Peace And Joy.

God Left The World Unfinished For Man To Work His Skill Upon. He Left The Electricity In The Cloud, The Oil In The Earth. He Left The Rivers Unbridged And The Forests Unfelled And The Cities Unbuilt. God Gives To Man The Challenge Of Raw Materials, Not The Ease Of Finished Things. He Leaves The Pictures Unpainted And The Music Unsung And The Problems Unsolved, That Man Might Know The Joys And Glories Of Creation.

Those Who Grieve Frequently Find Themselves Alone. Missed Is The Laughter Of Children, The Commotion Of Teenagers, And The Tender, Loving Concern Of A Departed Companion. The Clock Ticks More Loudly, Time Passes More Slowly, And Four Walls Can Indeed A Prison Make. 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.

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

Wherefore, Be Of Good Cheer, And Do Not Fear, For I The Lord Am With You, And Will Stand By You.

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.

Sometimes We Can Take Offense So Easily. On Other Occasions We Are Too Stubborn To Accept A Sincere Apology. Who Will Subordinate Ego, Pride, And Hurt-then Step Forward With 'i Am Truly Sorry! Let's Be As We Once Were: Friends. Let's Not Pass To Future Generations The Grievances, The Anger Of Our Time'? Let's Remove Any Hidden Wedges That Can Do Nothing But Destroy.

Your Future Depends On Your Faith.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

Anger Does Not Solve Anything; It Builds Nothing.

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

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

I Ask You To Make Institute A Priority.

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.'

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

Father In Heaven

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.

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

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.

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

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

Children Learn Through Gentle Direction And Persuasive Teaching.

In The Temple We Can Find Peace. The Blessings Of The Temple Are Priceless.

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

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

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

The Problems Of Our Day Loom Ominously Before Us... Surrounded By The Sophistication Of Modern Living, We Look Heavenward For That Unfailing Sense Of Direction, That We Might Chart And Follow A Wise And Proper Course. Our Heavenly Father Will Not Leave Our Sincere Petition Unanswered.

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

The Work Is Demanding, The Impact Everlasting. This Is No Time For 'summer Soldiers' In The Army Of The Lord.

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.

Prayer Is The Passport To Peace.

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.

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.

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Family Prayer Is The Greatest Deterrent To Sin, And Hence The Most Beneficent Provider Of Joy And Happiness. The Old Saying Is Yet True: 'the Family That Prays Together Stays Together.'

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Taking Responsibility

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.

Love Is The Very Essence Of The Gospel.

The Road Back To God Is Not Nearly So Steep Nor Is It So Difficult As Some Would Have Us Believe.

The Reward Of Eternal Life Requires Effort.

This Sabbath Day Has Been Designated As A Day Of Thanksgiving, A Day Of Gratitude-even A Day Of Prayer. We Pause, We Ponder, We Reflect On The Blessings An All-wise Heavenly Father Has Bestowed Upon Us, His Children, By Bringing Peace To The Battlefield Of War And Comfort To The Hearts Of So Many In This Wonderful World Where We Live And Which We Call Home

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.

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.

The Effectiveness Of An Inspired Bishop, Adviser, Or Teacher Has Very Little To Do With The Outward Trappings Of Power Or An Abundance Of This World's Goods. The Leaders Who Have The Most Influence Are Usually Those Who Set Hearts Afire With Devotion To The Truth, Who Make Obedience To Duty Seem The Essence Of Manhood, Who Transform Some Ordinary Routine Occurrence So That It Becomes A Vista Where We See The Person We Aspire To Be.

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 We Treat People Merely As They Are, They Will Remain As They Are. When We Treat Them As If They Were What They Should Be, They Will Become What They Should Be.

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

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. .

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.

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.

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.

Pray Always, And Be Believing, And All Things Shall Work Together For Your Good.

Working Together

May We Muster Courage At The Crossroads, Courage For The Conflicts, Courage To Say, "no," Courage To Say, "yes," For Courage Counts.

Youth Need Less Critics And More Models.

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

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).

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?

Sometimes We Let Our Thoughts Of Tomorrow Take Up Too Much Of Today. Daydreaming Of The Past And Longing For The Future May Provide Comfort But Will Not Take The Place Of Living In The Present. This Is The Day Of Our Opportunity, And We Must Grasp It

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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

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.

As A Result Of The Sacred Ordinances Performed In The Holy House Of God, No Light Need Be Permanently Extinguished, No Voice Permanently Stilled, No Place In Our Heart Permanently Left Vacant.

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.

Without A Goal There Can Be No Real Success.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Remember Who You Are

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

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.

When Fear Replaces Faith, Remember Prayer.

May Each Of Us Remember This Truth; 'one Cannot Forget Mother And Remember God. One Cannot Remember Mother And Forget God.' Why? Because These Two Sacred Persons, God And Mother, Partners In Creation, In Love, In Sacrifice, In Service, Are As One.

…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.

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

I Read With Keen Interest The Words Of A Bumper Sticker Readily Visible On The Highly Polished Chrome Bumper Of A Car Which Was Weaving In And Out Of The Traffic Stream. The Words Were These: "honk If You Love Jesus." No One Honked. Perhaps Each Was Disturbed By The Thoughtless And Rude Actions Of The Offending Driver. Then, Again, Would Honking Be An Appropriate Manner In Which To Show One's Love For The Son Of God, The Savior Of The World, The Redeemer Of All Mankind? Such Was Not The Pattern Provided By Jesus Of Nazareth.

Choose Your Love; Love Your Choice.

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.

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

Perhaps The Surest Test Of An Individual's Integrity Is His Refusal To Do Or Say Anything That Would Damage His Self-respect.

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.

May We Be Faithful Followers Of Christ, Examples Of Righteousness, Thus Becoming Lights In The World.

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!

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 Most Constant Thing Is Change.

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.

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

May I Share With You A Formula That In My Judgment Will Help You And Help Me To Journey Well Through Mortality... First, Fill Your Mind With Truth; Second, Fill Your Life With Service; And Third, Fill Your Heart With Love.

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.

Each Of Us Can Do Something To Help Someone.

Can Do Something

As The Christmas Season Envelops Us With All Its Glory, May We, As Did The Wise Men, Seek A Bright, Particular Star To Guide Us In Our Celebration Of The Savior’s Birth.

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

Perhaps There Has Never Been A Time When We Had Greater Need To Pray And To Teach Our Family Members To Pray. Prayer Is A Defense Against Temptation. It Is Through Earnest And Heartfelt Prayer That We Can Receive The Needed Blessings And The Support Required To Make Our Way In This Sometimes Difficult And Challenging Journey We Call Mortality.

Spiritual Strength Frequently Comes Through Selfless Service.

Selfless Service

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.

Everyone Can Be Discontented If He Ignores His Blessings And Looks Only At His Burdens.

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

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.

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

Times Change; Years Speed By; But Christmas Continues Sacred.

Do Not Procrastinate. Someone Has Said That Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time. Actually, Procrastination Is Much More. It Is The Thief Of Our Self-respect. It Nags At Us And Spoils Our Fun. It Deprives Us Of The Fullest Realization Of Our Ambitions And Hopes.

Procrastination

We 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.

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

It Was By Faith, Nothing Wavering, That Joseph Saw God Our Eternal Father And Jesus Christ, His Son.

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.

I Forbid You, Agnostic, Doubting Thoughts, To Destroy The House Of My Faith.

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.

Should Doubt Knock At Your Doorway, Just Say To Those Skeptical, Disturbing, Rebellious Thoughts: "i Propose To Stay With My Faith, With The Faith Of My People."

The Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step. Watch Your Step.

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.

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.

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

No One Can Make Us Angry. It Is Our Choice.

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.

Ideals Are Like The Stars - You Can't Touch Them With Your Hands, But By Following Them You Reach Your Destination.

Find Joy In The Journey.

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.

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

Have An Attitude Of Gratitude.

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.

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.

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.

Hope Is Putting Faith To Work When Doubting Would Be Easier

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

Testimony Bearing Is The Key To Missionary Work

We Will Never Regret The Kind Words Spoken Or The Affection Shown. Rather, Our Regrets Will Come If Such Things Are Omitted From Our Relationships With Those Who Mean The Most To Us.

We Must Not Let Our Passions Destroy Our Dreams.

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

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

To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

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

Christmas Spirit

Look To The Lighthouse Of The Lord. There Is No Fog So Dense, No Night So Dark, No Gale So Strong, No Mariner So Lost But What Its Beacon Light Can Rescue.

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

My Brothers And Sisters, Do We Remember To Give Thanks For The Blessings We Receive? Sincerely Giving Thanks Not Only Helps Us Recognize Our Blessings, But It Also Unlocks The Doors Of Heaven And Helps Us Feel God's Love.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

There Are Those Who Struggle Every Day With Challenges. Let Us Extend To Them Our Concern, As Well As A Helping Hand. As We Care For Each Other, We Will Be Blessed.

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.

Have Times Really Changed? Don't We Today, As Always, Love Our Children And Want Them To Live Righteously? Don't We Today, As Always, Need God's Divine Protecting Care? Don't We Today, As Always, Continue To Be At His Mercy And In His Debt For The Very Life He Has Given Us?

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

I Add My Personal Witness: Our Missionaries Are Not Salesmen With Wares To Peddle; Rather, They Are Servants Of The Most High God, With Testimonies To Bear, Truths To Teach, And Souls To Save. Each Missionary Who Goes Forth In Response To A Sacred Call Becomes A Servant Of The Lord Whose Work This Truly Is. Do Not Fear, Young Men, For He Will Be With You. He Never Fails. He Has Promised: "i Will Go Before Your Face. I Will Be On Your Right Hand And On Your Left, And My Spirit Shall Be In Your Hearts, And Mine Angels Round About You, To Bear You Up"

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.’

May We Ever Watch Over One Another, Assisting In Times Of Need. Let Us Not Be Critical And Judgmental, But Let Us Be Tolerant, Ever Emulating The Savior's Example Of Loving-kindness. In That Vein, May We Willingly Serve One Another. May We Pray For The Inspiration To Know Of The Needs Of Those Around Us, And Then May We Go Forward And Provide Assistance.

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.

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.

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).

On Occasion I Have Observed Parents Shopping To Clothe A Son About To Enter Missionary Service. The New Suits Are Fitted, The New Shoes Are Laced, And Shirts, Socks, And Ties Are Bought In Quantity. I Met One Father Who Said To Me, 'brother Monson, I Want You To Meet My Son.' Pride Popped His Buttons; The Cost Of The Clothing Emptied His Wallet; Love Filled His Heart. Tears Filled My Eyes When I Noticed That His [the Father's] Suit Was Old, His Shoes Well Worn; But He Felt No Deprivation. The Glow On His Face Was A Memory To Cherish.

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.

Our Problem Is That We Often Expect Instantaneous Solutions To Such Challenges, Forgetting That Frequently The Heavenly Virtue Of Patience Is Required.

Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone.

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

Who The Lord Calls, The Lord Will Qualify.

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

Missionary Service Is A Priesthood Duty.

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.

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

Respecting Others

As We Follow That Man Of Galilee-even The Lord Jesus Christ-our Personal Influence Will Be Felt For Good Wherever We Are, Whatever Our Callings.

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

You Can Dress Attractively Without Being Immodest. Within The Lord’s Guidelines, There Is Room For You To Be Lively, Vibrant, And Beautiful Both In Your Dress And In Your Actions.

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

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

One Cannot Remember Mother And Forget God.

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.

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

One Day Each Of Us Will Run Out Of Tomorrows. Let Us Not Put Off What Is Important.

Along That Straight And True Path There Are Other Goals: Missionary Service, Temple Marriage, Church Activity, Scripture Study, Prayer, Temple Work. There Are Countless Worthy Goals To Reach As We Travel Through Life. Needed Is Our Commitment To Reach Them.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Men Take Care Not To Make Women Weep, For God Counts Their Tears.

Ours Is The Responsibility To Show Our Gratitude By The Actions Of Our Lives.

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.

We Need To Learn How To Separate Need From Greed.

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

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.

In Reality, We Are All Travelers - Even Explorers Of Mortality.

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