Title Page of the Book of Mormon, Paragraph 1
The holy scriptures are the word of God given to us for our salvation. The scriptures are essential in receiving a testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel...Will you open with me the cover of the Book of Mormon? We read that it...has “come forth by the gift and power of God,” and its interpretation is “by the gift of God”—by the Holy Ghost...take hold of the scriptures! Cling to them, walk by them, live by them, rejoice in them, feast on them. Don’t nibble. They are “the power of God unto salvation” that lead us back to our Savior Jesus Christ.
- Robert D. Hales, Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation
Title Page of the Book of Mormon, Paragraph 2
[The prophet] spoke of the power of the Book of Mormon. He urged us to study, ponder, and apply its teachings. He promised that if we dedicated time each day to studying and pondering and kept the commandments the Book of Mormon contains, we would have a vital testimony of its truth, and the resultant testimony of the living Christ would see us through to safety in times of trouble…Faithful Latter-day Saints have increased their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Book of Mormon as the word of God, and in the restoration of priesthood keys in His true Church.
- President Henry B. Eyring, Fear Not to Do Good
Introduction, Paragraphs 1, 3 and 5
The central purpose of the Book of Mormon is its testament of Jesus Christ. Of more than 6,000 verses in the Book of Mormon, far more than half refer directly to Him. So, “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins”...The Book of Mormon confirms the teachings of the Old Testament. It confirms the teachings of the New Testament. It restores “many plain and precious things” lost or taken from them. It is in truth another testament of Jesus Christ.
- M. Russell Ballard, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ—Plain and Precious Things
The Book of Mormon is a keystone because it establishes and ties together eternal principles and precepts, rounding out basic doctrines of salvation. It is the crowning gem in the diadem of our holy scriptures. It is a keystone for other reasons also. In the promise of Moroni previously referred to—namely, that God will manifest the truth of the Book of Mormon to every sincere inquirer having faith in Christ—we have a key link in a self-locking chain…In addition, the Book of Mormon is a necessary keystone of our own individual faith.
- James E. Faust, The Keystone of Our Religion
Those who have a testimony of the restored gospel also have a duty to share it. The Book of Mormon teaches that we should “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in”.…Those who have the gift to know have an obvious duty to bear their witness so that those who have the gift to believe on their words might also have eternal life…There has never been a greater need for us to profess our faith, privately and publicly...We must be valiant in our testimony of Jesus.
- President Dallin H. Oaks, Testimony
Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Paragraphs 6-7
Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Paragraph 23
[F]ollowing the First Vision, the miraculous coming forth of the Book of Mormon is the second fundamental milestone of the unfolding Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this dispensation…As we study the coming forth of this holy book of scripture in these latter days, we come to realize that the entire undertaking was miraculous—from the Prophet Joseph receiving the gold plates from a holy angel to its translation “by the gift and power of God,” its preservation, and its publication by the hand of the Lord.
- Ulisses Soares, The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon
A testimony is a most precious possession because it is not acquired by logic or reason alone, it cannot be purchased with earthly possessions, and it cannot be given as a present or inherited from our ancestors. We cannot depend on the testimonies of other people. We need to know for ourselves…We need to come to Christ and follow His teachings…Nephi’s testimony gave him the courage to stand up and be counted as one who obeys the Lord.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Power of a Personal Testimony
As His faithful disciple, you can receive personal inspiration and revelation, consistent with His commandments, that is tailored to you. You have unique missions and roles to perform in life and will be given unique guidance to fulfill them...The Lord is mindful of those who obey and, in the words of Nephi, will “prepare a way for [us to] accomplish the thing which he commandeth.” Note that Nephi says, “a way”—not “the way.”...Trust God to lead you, even if that way looks different than you expected or is different from others.
- Michelle D. Craig, Spiritual Capacity
If we pay close attention to the uses of the word remember in the holy scriptures, we will recognize that remembering in the way God intends is a fundamental and saving principle of the gospel. This is so because prophetic admonitions to remember are frequently calls to action: to listen, to see, to do, to obey, to repent. When we remember in God’s way, we overcome our human tendency simply to gird for the battle of life and actually engage in the battle itself, doing all in our power to resist temptation and avoid sinning.
- Marlin K. Jensen, Remember and Perish Not
I have been encouraged…by the account of Nephi being asked to go back to Jerusalem for the plates of Laban…Nephi’s experience with the Holy Ghost on that errand has given me courage many times when I have embarked on tasks I knew were assignments from the Lord but which seemed far beyond... my capacity...Nephi was guided by the Spirit minute by minute through the night on the Lord’s errand. We need, and you will need, the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost…[It] will guide in the way best suited to your faith and capacity to receive revelation for you and for those you love and serve.
- President Henry B. Eyring, Our Constant Companion
Nephi['s] first act when he heard his father teach about the destruction of Jerusalem was to cry unto the Lord till his heart was soft and he believed all the words spoken by his father. The Lord spoke directly to Nephi, saying, “Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart”. Nephi teaches the importance of desire and diligence in keeping commandments and calling upon God in order to have the ability to say with ease, “I will go and do”.
- Michael T. Ringwood, An Easiness and Willingness to Believe
[T]he rich treasures of truth in the scriptures...teach with “plainness, even as plain as word can be”…The scriptures are so important that Nephi risked his life to obtain a copy of them. He wanted to “see, and hear, and know”. He “searched [the scriptures] and found that they were desirable [and] of great worth”. In the scriptures he learned about “the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old”. He started a study of the scriptures and learned about Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost.
- Julie B. Beck, My Soul Delighteth in the Scriptures
The prophet Nephi wrote, “My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children”. Written scripture, especially the Book of Mormon, brings us to believe in God and “be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son”…[T]he Book of Mormon is a book with a purpose... “written by way of commandment” and “by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation” to “come forth by the gift and power of God” to the convincing of each of us “that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.”
- Craig C. Christensen, A Book with a Promise
[A]s sons and daughters of God, we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are to be forgiving even when it seems others may not warrant our forgiveness…We can all receive unspeakable peace and partnering with our Savior as we learn to freely forgive those who have trespassed against us...The teachings of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, are clear; the sinner must be willing to forgive others if he or she hopes to obtain forgiveness...I invite all of us to forgive completely and let healing occur from within.
- Larry J. Echo Hawk, Even as Christ Forgives You, So Also Do Ye
Let’s stay at the tree, partake of the love of God, and share it. By lifting the people around us, we ascend together. Unfortunately, the memory of eating the fruit is not enough; we need to partake again and again… We can do this! We can hold on and hope on! We can stay at the tree and partake of the fruit with a smile on our face, letting the Light of Christ in our eyes become something others can count on in their darkest hours. As they see light manifest in our countenances, they will be drawn to it.
- Tamara W. Runia, Seeing God’s Family through the Overview Lens
Our covenant connection with God and Jesus Christ is the channel through which we can receive the capacity and strength to “heed not.” And this bond is strengthened as we continually hold fast to the rod of iron...Please note that the ability to resist the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary is promised to those individuals who “hold fast to” rather than merely “cling to” the word of God. Interestingly, the Apostle John described Jesus Christ as the Word.
- David A. Bednar, But We Heeded Them Not
In our day, or the latter days, God has continued His pattern for revealing truth...The Book of Mormon prophets...knew about the plan of salvation and the sacred mission of Jesus Christ. The appearance of the resurrected Christ to the ancient people of the Americas is recorded in this sacred book. He taught them His gospel and established His Church among them. I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of the divinity of Jesus Christ…[and] is a record of holy prophets…
- Gary J. Coleman, “Are You Still Here?”
God reveals eternal truth to us through a network of revelatory relationships involving Himself, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, prophets, and us…God is the source of eternal truth…the Holy Ghost testifies of all truth. He reveals truths to us directly and witnesses of truth taught by others. Impressions from the Spirit typically come as thoughts to our minds and feelings to our hearts...Once the Holy Ghost confirms a specific truth to us, our understanding deepens as we put that principle into practice.
- John C. Pingree, Jr., Eternal Truth
Through his compliance with the severe requirements of the Atonement, the Savior offered the ultimate expression of love. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” And by permitting his Son to make such a selfless and suffering sacrifice, the Father provided us with an ultimate expression of his love as his gift to the rest of his children...This gift of charity is to be received.
- C. Max Caldwell, Love of Christ
The evil one has attempted on many occasions in all dispensations to put out of existence, if you will, many of God’s children. Sometimes he, himself, has assumed the deluder’s role. Other times he has worked through those who have stepped to his side of the line…There are those who would draw you off course and cause you to waste time and energies…I assure you that opposition to our cause testifies of its divinity. Would satanic powers combine against us if we were not posing a threat to such powers?
- Carlos E. Asay, Opposition to the Work of God
Some of the early Apostles knew that an apostasy would occur before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ...With this falling away, priesthood keys were lost, and some precious doctrines of the Church organized by the Savior were changed…The Apostle John saw in vision the time when an angel would come to the earth as part of the Restoration of the gospel...the Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ. It restored precious truths concerning the Fall, the Atonement, the Resurrection, and life after death.
- James E. Faust, The Restoration of All Things
The phrase “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” is not simply a nice idea or an example of beautiful scriptural language. Rather, these blessings are readily evident in the lives of countless latter-day disciples of the Lord...I testify that the covenant people of the Lord today indeed are armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. I have witnessed faith, courage, perspective, persistence, and joy that extend far beyond mortal capacity—and that only God could provide.
- David A. Bednar, With the Power of God in Great Glory
Mortal life is not easy for any of us...Consider some of the reactions of Laman and Lemuel...They came to Nephi and said they could not “understand the words which [their] father [had] spoken.”...Nephi’s reply to his brothers is a key for us to receive continual answers to prayer...Be obedient, remember the times when you have felt the Spirit in the past, and ask in faith. Your answer will come, and you will feel the love and peace of the Savior. It may not come as quickly or in the format you desire, but the answer will come.
- James B. Martino, Turn to Him and Answers Will Come
[S]tudy the word of God in the scriptures and the words of the living prophets. We talk to God through prayer. He most often communicates back to us through His written word...Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them...Through daily, consistent scripture study, you will find peace in the turmoil around you and strength to resist temptations…The more we develop these habits, the more anxious is Satan to harm us but the less is his ability to do so.
- Richard G. Scott, Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority
All families need strengthening, from the ideal to the most troubled. That strengthening can come from you...It is important to establish patterns of righteousness in your own life, which will enable you to set a good example for your family, whatever form your family may take. The example of your righteous life will strengthen your family…you will be blessed throughout your life and will develop the spiritual foundation from which you can strengthen your family by example.
- Mary N. Cook, Strengthen Home and Family
I think of the many trials that Nephi experienced, many of which are included in his writing. His trials help us understand that we all have our dark days...Despite these...trials during the course of his life, Nephi always recognized the goodness of God…how do we react to our afflictions? Do we murmur before the Lord because of them? Or, like Nephi…do we feel thankful in word, thought, and deed because we are more focused on our blessings than on our problems?
- Moisés Villanueva, Favored of the Lord in All My Days
The God of heaven and earth will help us overcome discouragement and whatever obstacles we encounter if we look to Him, follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and just keep going—with faith. Thankfully, when we are weak or incapable, the Lord can strengthen our faith. He can increase our capacity beyond our own…Just as the Savior finished the work He was given to do, He has the power to help us finish the work we have been given.
- Carl B. Cook, Just Keep Going—with Faith
Where do we turn for help? “In the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way”. The Savior isn’t our last chance; He is our only chance...the Savior will guide those who follow Him all the way home. Lehi’s family endured an intense wilderness experience designed to teach, test, and sanctify them. Likewise, the path from our former home to eternal life runs right through this earthly wilderness, where we may expect similar challenges and difficulties. But in our journey we are not alone, for the Lord’s promise to Lehi is the same to us...The Lord knows the way because He is the way and is our only chance for successfully negotiating mortality.
- Sheri L. Dew, Our Only Chance
The very factors that caused the Liahona to work for Lehi will likewise invite the Holy Ghost into our lives. And the very factors that caused the Liahona not to work anciently will likewise cause us to withdraw ourselves from the Holy Ghost today…The director was a physical instrument that served as an outward indicator of their inner spiritual standing before God. It worked according to the principles of faith and diligence…The Spirit of the Lord can be our guide and will bless us with direction, instruction, and spiritual protection during our mortal journey.
- David A. Bednar, That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us
[W]e are urged to search, feast, and ponder. Especially, however, we should also do more of what Nephi did, namely “liken all scriptures unto [ourselves]”…Laman and Lemuel’s rejection of the prophets and the scriptures meant there could be no useful likening or rehearsals of remembrance and no freshening of personal revelation to them for their time. They simply did not understand that God’s ways are higher than man’s ways....We can partake of His love by applying Jesus’ glorious Atonement in order to become more like Him. By likening precious scriptures to ourselves we will hasten that precious process!
- Neal A. Maxwell, Lessons from Laman and Lemuel
[W]e have been warned with counsel of where to find safety from sin and from sorrow... The account at the beginning of the Book of Mormon is of a prophet of God, Lehi. He was also the leader of a family. He was warned by God to take those he loved to safety. Lehi’s experience is a type of what happens as God gives counsel through His servants. Of Lehi’s family, only those who had faith and who themselves received confirming revelation saw both the danger and the way to safety.
- President Henry B. Eyring, Finding Safety in Counsel
Jesus Christ can heal more than just our physical bodies...[he] can also heal us when we sin. We sin when we knowingly break one of God’s laws. When we sin, our soul becomes unclean... God the Father knows we will sin, but He has prepared a way for us to be redeemed…Through Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice, we can be redeemed from our sins and brought back to the presence of God the Father if we repent... the faster we repent and bring the Atonement of Jesus Christ into our lives, the sooner we can be healed from the effects of sin.
- Matthew L. Carpenter, Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?
From the very beginning, God has taught his children that blessings come to those who are obedient... as we obey the commandments, we have the evidence of blessings, feelings of accomplishment, and inner peace… Obedience brings blessings here and now. Jesus said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Happiness and peace are found when we are in harmony with ourselves, with God, and with our fellowmen.
- Barbara K. Winder, Draw Near unto Me through Obedience
In unfair situations, one of our tasks is to trust that “all that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ overcame the world and “absorbed” all unfairness. Because of Him, we can have peace in this world and be of good cheer. If we let Him, Jesus Christ will consecrate the unfairness for our gain. He will not just console us and restore what was lost; He will use the unfairness for our benefit.
- Dale G. Renlund, Infuriating Unfairness
Our Father’s plan provides for redemption from the Fall through the atonement of Jesus Christ. As the Only Begotten Son of God and the only sinless person to live on this earth, he made a perfect atonement for all mankind. It applies to everyone unconditionally as it pertains to the resurrection from temporal, or physical, death, for all shall rise from the dead with immortal bodies as a result of the Atonement.
- M. Russell Ballard, Answers to Life’s Questions
We teach that agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and “to act for [ourselves] and not to be acted upon.” Agency is to act with accountability and responsibility for our actions. Our agency is essential to the plan of salvation...we must continue to choose to follow the Savior. Eternity is at stake, and our wise use of agency and our actions are essential that we might have eternal life.
- Robert D. Hales, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life
Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration...He was the instrument in God’s hands in bringing forth sacred scripture, lost doctrine, and the restoration of the priesthood. The importance of Joseph’s work requires more than intellectual consideration; it requires that we, like Joseph, “ask of God.”...Each believer needs a spiritual confirmation of the divine mission and character of the Prophet Joseph Smith...Jesus...Christ...chose a holy man, a righteous man, to lead the Restoration of the fulness of His gospel. He chose Joseph Smith.
- Neil L. Andersen, Joseph Smith
In the Book of Mormon, Nephi speaks often of delight. He delights “in the things of the Lord,” “in the scriptures,” and “in the great and eternal plan” of our Father in Heaven... We too should delight in the things of the Lord for it will “lift” our hearts and give us cause to “rejoice”…To delight in Him is to acknowledge His hand in our lives. Our gospel duty is to do what is right and to love and delight in what is right. When we delight to serve Him, our Father in Heaven delights to bless us.
- Susan W. Tanner, My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord
Nephi knew in whom He could trust...There will be times when we will not be able to see any way that a current situation will end well and might even express, as Nephi, “My heart sorroweth because of my flesh.” There may be times that the only hope we have is in Jesus Christ. What a blessing to have that hope and trust in Him... Like Nephi, we can do difficult things and help others do the same, because we know in whom we can trust.
- John A. McCune, Come unto Christ—Living as Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ has always been led by living prophets and apostles...the Lord’s servants are inspired to help us avoid obstacles that are spiritually life threatening and to help us pass safely through mortality to our final, ultimate, heavenly destination...Through the centuries, prophets have fulfilled their duty when they have warned people of the dangers before them. The Lord’s Apostles are duty bound to watch, warn, and reach out to help those seeking answers to life’s questions.
- M. Russell Ballard, God is at the Helm
Happiness is a condition of the soul. This joyous state comes as a result of righteous living…After the struggles of the long journey to the promised land and after 30 years of faithful efforts to keep the commandments of God, the untiring prophet Nephi of the Book of Mormon summarized the history of his people by saying, “And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.”
Happiness is defined in the Book of Mormon by the prophet-king Benjamin as “the blessed and happy state of those [that] keep the commandments of God."
- Benjamin De Hoyos, True Happiness: A Conscious Decision
Temples are the most sacred places of worship on earth where sacred ordinances are performed—ordinances which pertain to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God. Each one is literally a house of the Lord—a place where He and His spirit may dwell, where He may come or send others to confer priesthood blessings and to give revelation to His people. Temples built especially to the Lord have been erected in all ages...The Nephites built sacred temples.
- David B. Haight, Temples and Work Therin, Oct 1990
[T]he Book of Mormon came forth as a sign that the Lord had commenced to gather children of the covenant. This book, written for our day, states: “Then ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel … is already beginning to be fulfilled…“For behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel.”…The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been restored in these latter days to fulfill ancient promises of the Lord. It is part of the “restitution of all things.”
- President Russell M. Nelson, Children of the Covenant
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is available to each of us. His Atonement is infinite. It applies to everyone, even you. It can clean, reclaim, and sanctify even you. That is what infinite means—total, complete, all, forever. President Boyd K. Packer has taught: “There is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ”…
- Shayne M. Bowen, The Atonement Can Clean, Reclaim, and Sanctify Our Lives
God did not create our spirits to be independent of Him. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through the incalculable gift of His Atonement, not only saves us from death and offers us, through repentance, forgiveness for our sins, but He also stands ready to save us from the sorrows and pains of our wounded souls...He comes to us when others pass us by. With compassion, He places His healing balm on our wounds and binds them up. He carries us. He cares for us.
- Neil L. Andersen, Wounded
Righteous living is a shield, a protector, an insulation, a strength, a power, a joy, a Christlike trait. Yes, living a life of righteousness is a chainbreaker...We need to arise from the dust and enjoy the fresh air of righteousness. We need to move forward in patience, understanding, love, and never-ending commitment…The joys of happiness can only be realized by living lofty principles.
- Marvin K. Ashton, “Shake Off the Chains with Which Ye Are Bound”
The blessings that flow into the lives of those who follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, who choose to be counted among His disciples, are numerous, joyful, and eternal… here is only one way into the fold of God and only one way to be saved. It is by and through Jesus Christ…[T]o receive the marvelous blessings promised to those who come into the fold of God requires us to do just that—we need to choose to come…
- Randy D. Funk, Come into the Fold of God
Redemption, by and through the Savior Jesus Christ, makes joy possible...The joy we speak of is a gift for the faithful, yet it comes with a price. Joy is not cheap or casually given. Rather, it is bought “with the precious blood of [Jesus] Christ.” If we really understood the value of true, godly joy, we would not hesitate to sacrifice any worldly possession or make any necessary life changes to receive it.
- Craig C. Christensen, “There Can Be Nothing So Exquisite and Sweet as Was My Joy”
As we open scriptural pages to read of the plan for life on earth, we see that our Father in Heaven made known to the prophets of the Old Testament that the Savior, His Only Begotten Son, would come to earth. Isaiah...and others of the prophets had revealed to them the Christ and that He would come to provide the way for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven. These prophets left their witnesses for us to study and to pray about and to receive our own testimony of the “looked for” Savior of the Old Testament.
- James M. Paramore, The Many Witnesses of Jesus Christ and His Work
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."...Ever since the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated, we have interpreted that scripture from Isaiah, repeated again in Micah, as applying to this sacred house of the Lord. And of this place, since the day of its dedication, an ever-increasing number from across the world have said in effect, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord..."
- President Gordon B. Hinckley, An Ensign to the Nations, A Light to the World
[H]umility is a mandatory requirement for us to be ready to return to the presence of God.
We all like to think we are sufficiently humble, but some experiences in life make us realize that the natural, prideful man or woman often is very much alive within us…In Proverbs we find, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” In order to develop humility, we must understand what it really means in the context of the gospel. Some people confuse being humble with other things...
- Joni L. Koch, Humble to Accept and Follow
[T]he Savior would not save His people in their sins but from their sins...“And [Christ] hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem [His people] from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.”…Jesus revealed that to atone for our sins and redeem us from death, both physical and spiritual, His suffering caused Himself, “even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore..."
- D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide in My Love”
The war is for the souls of men...The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is on the offensive in the declaration of good to be good and evil to be evil...Satan offers a strange mixture of just enough good to disguise the evil along his downward path to destruction…He forges a Rembrandt-quality representation by calling evil good and good evil. He has confused many people, even nations and leaders, to the point of an immoral approach to moral issues.
- Durrel A. Woolsey, A Strategy for War
Peace and good tidings; good tidings and peace. These are among the ultimate blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings a troubled world and the troubled people who live in it...Ultimately it is Christ who is beautiful upon the mountain. And it is His merciful promise of “peace in this world,” His good tidings of “eternal life in the world to come” that make us fall at His feet and call His name blessed…Through His suffering and His obedience He has earned and rightly bears the crown of “Prince of Peace.”
- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom"
[L]et us devote ourselves more diligently to the preparations needed for the day when pain and evil are ended altogether...It will be a day of redemption and judgment...“God has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged rightly by a man whom he has appointed—and of this he has given assurance to all by raising this man from the dead…In the greatest irony of history, [Jesus] himself underwent cruel and unjust judgment, coming to the place which symbolized and drew together all the myriad cruelties and injustices of history, to bear that chaos, that darkness, that cruelty, that injustice, in himself, and to exhaust its power.”
- D. Todd Christofferson, Preparing for the Lord’s Return
One of the most cherished titles of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is “Prince of Peace.” Ultimately His kingdom will be established including peace and love. We look forward to the millennial reign of the Messiah…Peace in the world is not promised or assured until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ…As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
- Quentin L. Cook, Personal Peace in Challenging Times
The Lord is gathering those who will choose to let God be the most important influence in their lives. For centuries, prophets have foretold this gathering, and it is happening right now! As an essential prelude to the Second Coming of the Lord, it is the most important work in the world! This premillennial gathering is an individual saga of expanding faith and spiritual courage for millions of people...Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel.
- President Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail
[W]e cannot save ourselves...from our sins, change our bodies to an immortal state, or exalt ourselves. It is only possible through the Savior Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement...Our perfection is only possible through God’s grace…When we live according to His will, “relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save,” there is a 100 percent guarantee of being cleansed by the Savior’s blood and eventually being perfected in Him.
- Paul V. Johnson, Be Perfected in Him
Twenty-six hundred years ago, Babylon was the world’s great superpower…[and] was the world’s center of learning, law, and philosophy. Its military might was unparalleled. It shattered the power of Egypt...[Now t]he ancient city of Babylon is in ruins. Its splendor is long gone. But Babylon’s worldliness and wickedness live on. Now it falls to us to live as believers in a world of disbelief.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Be Not Afraid, Only Believe
We can ensure that the voice of the covenant people is not silent in the ears of the rising generation and that Jesus is not a Sunday-only topic. The voice of the covenant people is found in our own words of testimony. It is found in the words of living prophets. And it is preserved powerfully in the scriptures. It is there that our children will come to know Jesus and find answers to their questions. It is there they will learn for themselves the doctrine of Christ. It is there they will find hope. This will prepare them for a lifetime of seeking truth and living on the covenant path.
- Jan E. Newman, Preserving the Voice of the Covenant People in the Rising Generation
The Savior invites us to come unto Him—no matter our circumstances. We come to church to renew our covenants, to increase our faith, to find peace, and to do as He did perfectly in His life—minister to others who feel like they don’t belong...Let us ask Him to show us the way, day by day, to 'bring in … the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind'—that is, everyone—to the great feast of the Lord.
- D. Todd Christofferson, The Doctrine of Belonging
[I]t is not pleasing to the Lord if we are cruel or mean to others...our world needs your goodness and love. Be kind to one another. Jesus taught us to love one another and to treat others as we want to be treated. As we strive to be kind, we draw closer to Him and His loving influence…I testify of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who taught us to love one another as He loved us.
- President Dallin H. Oaks, Parents and Children
Isaiah foresaw that God would do “a marvellous work and a wonder” in the latter days. Those words of Isaiah echoed in the ears of inhabitants of ancient America: “The Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men”. That marvelous work would include the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the gospel.
- President Russell M. Nelson, Scriptural Witnesses
Satan, the father of lies and the great deceiver, would have us question things as they really are and either ignore eternal truths or replace them with something that appears more pleasing…The adversary…does not easily abandon his destructive motives to deceive and demean us…He has always pretended to be something that he is not. He always attempts to hide who he truly is. He claims that obedience will make your life miserable and that it will rob you of happiness.
- Gary E. Stevenson, Deceive Me Not
Revelations are conveyed in a variety of ways...The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept”. Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation...as we strive ever more consistently to do good and to become better, we can walk with the confidence that God will guide our steps.
- David A. Bednar, The Spirit of Revelation
Some people have such a powerful experience with the Book of Mormon the first time they open it, but for others the witness of the truthfulness comes more gradually as they read and pray about it… For yet others, a testimony of the Book of Mormon comes more slowly, after much study and prayer…The greatest power of the Book of Mormon is its impact in bringing us closer to Jesus Christ.
- LeGrand R. Curtis Jr., There Is Power in the Book
Entering into the kingdom of God is so important that Jesus was baptized to show us “the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which [we] should enter”.…Jesus was baptized to fulfill His Father’s commandment that sons and daughters of God should be baptized. He set the example for all of us to humble ourselves before our Heavenly Father...As we follow the example of Jesus, we, too, demonstrate that we will repent and be obedient in keeping the commandments of our Father in Heaven.
- Robert D. Hales, The Covenant of Baptism: To Be in the Kingdom and of the Kingdom
Nephi’s treatise on the doctrine of Christ is a treasure to those who feast upon it...We also hear the voice of the Father bearing record: “...He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.”…When we have built our houses on the foundation of a covenantal relationship with Christ, we are trusting the doctrine of Christ, and as we come unto Him, we have His promise of eternal life. People who trust the doctrine of Christ press forward with steadfastness in Christ and endure to the end. There is no other way to be saved in the kingdom of heaven.
- Evan A. Schmutz, Trusting the Doctrine of Christ
As we strive to stay on the covenant path, it is “the Holy Ghost … [that] will show [us] all things [that we] should do.” When we are unsure or uneasy, we can ask God for help. The Savior’s promise could not be clearer: “Ask, and it shall be given you; … for every one that asketh receiveth.” With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can transform our divine nature into our eternal destiny.
…the Holy Ghost can and will reveal everything we need to soar onto and maintain momentum on the covenant path.
- Dale G. Renlund, A Framework for Personal Revelation
In the Book of Mormon we are admonished to “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do”.…Let us not be slothful because of the easiness of the way. Let us in faith take the words of Christ into our minds and into our hearts as they are recorded in sacred scripture and as they are uttered by living prophets, seers, and revelators. Let us with faith and diligence feast upon the words of Christ, for the words of Christ will be our spiritual Liahona telling us all things what we should do.
- W. Rolfe Kerr, The Words of Christ: Our Spiritual Liahona
We are commanded to pray always to the Father in the name of the Son…counsel with Heavenly Father in morning prayer… During the course of the day, we keep a prayer in our heart for continued assistance and guidance.
…At the end of our day, we kneel again and report back to our Father...Morning and evening prayers—and all of the prayers in between—are not unrelated, discrete events; rather, they are linked together each day and across days, weeks, months, and even years. This is in part how we fulfill the scriptural admonition to “pray always”.
- David A. Bednar, Pray Always
The prophet Isaiah saw in vision a book that he proclaimed was part of “a marvellous work and a wonder.” I testify that the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is that book. It is a sacred record written by prophets of God to persuade all people to come unto Christ, and it helps to reveal the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness...I know that the Book of Mormon is a second testament of Jesus Christ. I join my testimony with the prophets of this sacred book to declare that “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ.”
- Gary J. Coleman, “Mom, Are We Christians?”
I thank God for his Son, Jesus Christ, for his mission in mortality, and for his ministry as the resurrected Lord. His sacrifice and his glory assure that “the spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time”. Gratefully and positively, I affirm that there is life after life, first in the spirit world and then in the Resurrection, for each and every one of us.
- President Russell M. Nelson, Life After Life
The reality of the Resurrection of the Savior overwhelms our heartbreak with hope because with it comes the assurance that all the other promises of the gospel are just as real—promises that are no less miraculous than the Resurrection. We know that He has “rise[n] from the dead, with healing in his wings.” We know that He can make us whole no matter what is broken in us. We know that He “shall wipe away all tears from [our] eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”
- Paul V. Johnson, And There Shall Be No More Death
[W]hen our Savior, Jesus Christ, looks upon us, He sees and understands the pain and burden of our sins. He sees our addictions and challenges. He sees our struggles and afflictions of any kind—and He is filled with compassion toward us… Brothers and sisters, whether you are carrying the burden of unresolved sin, suffering because of an offense committed against you long ago, or struggling to forgive yourself for an accidental mistake, you have access to the healing and redeeming power of the Savior Jesus Christ.
- Peter F. Meurs, He Could Heal Me!
As we exercise faith, He helps us press forward through hardships…Can you think of a more personal, loving image of God the Eternal Father? You are His child. If you are feeling lost, if you have questions or lack wisdom, if you are struggling with your circumstances or wrestling with spiritual dissonance, turn to Him. Pray to Him for comfort, love, answers, and direction. Whatever the need and wherever you are, pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father.
- Alan T. Phillips, God Knows and Loves You
Salvation is not earned…Left to our own devices, the prospect of returning to live in God’s presence is hopeless. Without the blessings that come from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we can never do enough or be enough by ourselves. The good news, though, is that because of and through Jesus Christ we can become enough. All people will be saved from physical death by the grace of God, through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Dale G. Renlund, Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with God
If we humble ourselves and have faith in Jesus Christ, then His grace will enable us to change. In other words, He will empower us to change...His strengthening, enabling grace gives us power to overcome all obstacles, all challenges, and all weaknesses as we seek to change...our divine destiny and purpose is ultimately to become like our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. We do this as we change, or repent. We receive the Savior’s “image in [our] countenances.” We become new, clean, different, and we simply continue to work at it every day.
- Kevin S. Hamilton, “Then Will I Make Weak Things Become Strong”
The willingness of Latter-day Saints to respond to calls to serve is a representation of their desire to do the will of the Lord...I see two kinds of service: one, the service we render when we are called to serve in the Church; the other, the service we willingly give to those around us because we are taught to care…We serve where we are called. It does not matter what the calling may be…The spirit of service does not come by assignment. It is a feeling that accompanies a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Boyd K Packer, Called to Serve
The great enemy of charity is pride...Pride is short-tempered, unkind, and envious. Pride exaggerates its own strength and ignores the virtues of others. Pride is selfish and easily provoked. Pride assumes evil intent where there is none and hides its own weaknesses behind clever excuses. Pride is cynical, pessimistic, angry, and impatient. Indeed, if charity is the pure love of Christ, then pride is the defining characteristic of Satan…for the sake of your soul...[s]et aside pride.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, In Praise of Those Who Save
[W]e can each do something, however small that act may seem to be. We can pay an honest tithe and give our fast and free-will offerings, according to our circumstances. And we can watch for other ways to help. To worthy causes and needy people, we can give time if we don’t have money, and we can give love when our time runs out. We can share the loaves we have and trust God that the cruse of oil will not fail…May God…bless us to hear the often silent cries of the sorrowing and the afflicted, the downtrodden, the disadvantaged, the poor.
- Jeffrey R. Holland, A Handful of Meal and a Little Oil
Self-esteem is…earned by obedience to God’s commandments regarding chastity. Yet in our day those commands have been attacked and trivialized...Each human being is a child of God—created in His image—with natural appetites to control...Any who choose to serve “the creature more than the Creator” deprive themselves of spiritual reward. Thus, our priorities should be honestly evaluated in terms of that first commandment. If change in direction is needed, we may want to issue a self-command to “about face!” Doing so would please the Lord…
- President Russell M. Nelson, “Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods”
Although we admire and respect many talented and remarkable men and women for their abilities and contributions, the degree to which they are revered, if taken to an excess, can be the equivalent of the children of Israel worshipping a golden calf in the desert of Sinai...Their focus on the calf impacted their ability to worship the true God. The hero—our hero, now and always—is Jesus Christ, and anything or anyone that distracts us from His teachings, as found in the scriptures and through the words of living prophets, can negatively impact our progress on the covenant path.
- W. Christopher Waddell, More Than a Hero
The gospel is the glorious plan of God in which we, as His children, are given...a time to develop faith, to repent, and to reconcile ourselves with God. Because our mortal frailties and “opposition in all things” would make this life profoundly difficult and because we could not cleanse our own sins, a Savior was needed…His crowning achievement was the Atonement, wherein Jesus the Christ “descended below all things”, making it possible for Him to pay a redeeming ransom for each of us.
- Donald L. Hallstrom, Converted to His Gospel through His Church
[A]fter digging and dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting, the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning shears and weeps, crying out to any who would listen, “What could I have done more for my vineyard?” What an indelible image of God’s engagement in our lives! What anguish in a parent when His children do not choose Him nor “the gospel of God” He sent! How easy to love someone who so singularly loves us!
- Jeffrey R. Holland, The Grandeur of God
You are…in a period of the earth’s history that all of the great prophets of all the ages have looked forward to with anticipation...It is the period during which the Lord and his servants will make the final great effort to take the message of truth to all the peoples of the earth...The prophet Zenos, whom Jacob quotes in the Book of Mormon, compares this effort to the work of the laborers who prune and nurture a vineyard and gather its fruit for the last time. Zenos likens the Savior to the master of the vineyard...
- Dean L. Larsen, A Royal Generation
I have thought of the Lord’s invitation to come unto Him and to spiritually be wrapped in His arms...We have each felt to some extent these spiritual arms around us. We have felt His forgiveness, His love and comfort...The Lord’s desire that we come unto Him and be wrapped in His arms is often an invitation to repent…It is the beckoning of a loving Father and His Only Begotten Son to be more than we are, to reach up to a higher way of life, to change, and to feel the happiness of keeping the commandments. Being disciples of Christ, we rejoice in the blessing of repenting and the joy of being forgiven.
- Neil L. Andersen, “Repent … That I May Heal You”
In the spirit of the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive trees, the Lord of the vineyard and his servants bring forth precious fruit and strengthen each tree by binding together the strengths and weaknesses of all the trees. The Lord of the vineyard and his servants repeatedly ask, “What more can I do?” Together, they bless hearts and homes, wards and branches, through inspired, consistent ministering. Ministering—shepherding—makes our vineyard “one body”—a sacred grove. Each tree in our grove is a living family tree. Roots and branches intertwine. Ministering blesses generations.
- Gerrit W. Gong, Ministering
I encourage you now to recall, especially in times of crisis, when you felt the Spirit and your testimony was strong; remember the spiritual foundations you have built. I promise that if you will do this, avoiding things that do not build and strengthen your testimony or that mock your beliefs, those precious times when your testimony prospered will return again to your memory…as you faithfully live the gospel of Jesus Christ and abide by its teachings, your testimony will be protected and it will grow. Keep the covenants you have made, regardless of the actions of those around you.
- Ronald A. Rasband, Lest Thou Forget
As we go about living from day to day, it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged. We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others and yet standing in the minority or even standing alone concerning what is acceptable and what is not. Do we have the moral courage to stand firm for our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone? …it is essential that we are able to face—with courage—whatever challenges come our way…In order for us to be strong and to withstand all the forces pulling us in the wrong direction or all the voices encouraging us to take the wrong path, we must have our own testimony.
- President Thomas S. Monson, Dare to Stand Alone
What a blessing it would be to have it said of all fathers and mothers that they were goodly parents, righteous parents, active parents, faithful parents, exemplary parents, celestial parents…Lehi wanted more than anything else for his family to partake of the blessings of life—eternal life. We have another good example in Enos, the son of Jacob, for he also came from a good home… Praise be to the father and mother who bestow the blessings of a good name, a noble heritage, and a testimony of the gospel, and who teach their children obedience to the Lord…
- L. Tom Perry, “Born of Goodly Parents”
The Savior of the world, the Redeemer of all God’s children, Jesus of Nazareth, has power to forgive sins...The Savior’s vicarious sacrifice satisfies the justice of God. Therefore, God extends his mercy, whereby we may receive forgiveness of our personal transgressions through faith in the Redeemer, followed by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel…The beginning and completion of repentance leading to forgiveness is faith in Jesus Christ, who is the “author and the finisher of [our] faith”.
- Ronald E. Poelman, Divine Forgiveness
God hears our prayers and answers them in a personalized way…Prayer is the means of communication with our Heavenly Father that allows us to “call and don’t fall.” However, there are circumstances in which we might think that the call has not been heard because we do not receive an immediate response or one according to our expectations. This sometimes leads to anxiety, sadness, or disappointment... Confidence in God’s answers implies accepting that His ways are not our ways and that “all things must come to pass in their time.”
- Taylor G. Godoy, Call, Don’t Fall
We must choose to be anchored to the Savior, to be bound to Him by our covenants. How do we strengthen that anchor? We pray with a humble heart, study and ponder the scriptures, take the sacrament with a spirit of repentance and reverence, strive to keep the commandments, and follow the prophet’s counsel…I testify that as we choose to make covenants with Heavenly Father and access the power of the Savior to keep them, we will be blessed with more happiness in this life than we can now imagine and a glorious eternal life to come.
- Jean B. Bingham, Covenants with God Strengthen, Protect, and Prepare Us for Eternal Glory
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not just one of many things we do. The Savior is the motivating power behind all that we do. He is not a rest stop in our journey. He is not a scenic byway or even a major landmark. He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Jesus Christ].” That is the Way and our ultimate destination.
…As we seek to purify our lives and look unto Christ in every thought, everything else begins to align. Life no longer feels like a long list of separate efforts held in tenuous balance. Over time, it all becomes one work.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Our Heartfelt All
If we will look to Christ and open our eyes and our ears, the Holy Ghost will bless us to see the Lord Jesus Christ working in our lives, strengthening our faith in Him with assurance and evidence. We increasingly will see all of our brothers and sisters the way God sees them, with love and compassion…We will see and understand ourselves and the world around us the way the Savior does. We will come to have what the Apostle Paul called “the mind of Christ.” We will have eyes to see and ears to hear, and we will build the kingdom of God.
- Kim B. Clark, Eyes to See and Ears to Hear
[S]tudy diligently. The Savior of the world instructed: “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” He added: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” A study of the scriptures will help our testimonies and the testimonies of our family members...I reiterate: Study diligently.
- President Thomas S. Monson, Three Goals to Guide You
As disciples of Christ, we are invited to increase our faith in, and love for, our spiritual brother- and sisterhood…we can strive to see ourselves reflected in the dreams, hopes, sorrows, and pains of our neighbor. We are all fellow travelers as God’s children, equal in our imperfect state and in our ability to grow. We are invited to walk together, peaceably, with our hearts filled with love toward God and all men—or, as Abraham Lincoln noted, “with malice toward none; with charity for all.”
- Ulisses Soares, Brothers and Sisters in Christ
[T]he first thing you must commit to do is to go and serve, knowing that you do not go alone. When you go to comfort and serve anyone for the Savior, He prepares the way before you…remember the Lord as you go in service for Him. The Lord not only goes before our faces and sends angels to serve with us, but He also feels the comfort we give others as if we had given it to Him... I witness that we grow closer to the Savior as we, out of pure love, serve others for Him.
- Henry B. Eyring, Trust in That Spirit Which Leadeth to Do Good
It is Heavenly Father who gives us our daily bread, which includes both the food we eat and the strength we need to keep His commandments. The Father gives good gifts. He hears and answers our prayers. Heavenly Father delivers us from evil when we let Him. He weeps for us when we suffer. Ultimately, all of our blessings come from the Father.
…If you are struggling to believe it is worth the sacrifices you are asked to make, the Savior calls to you, saying, “Ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath … prepared for you...”
- Brian K. Ashton, The Father
Do you want to be happy? What makes you unhappy? President Russell M. Nelson said: “If you want to be miserable, break the commandments—and never repent. If you want joy, stay on the covenant path.” Isn’t it simple to be happy? Just make covenants and keep them in your lives…President Thomas S. Monson taught: “When we keep the commandments, our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and less complicated. Our challenges and problems will be easier to bear, and we will receive [God’s] promised blessings.”
- Yoon Hwan Choi, Do You Want to Be Happy?
Jesus Christ’s Atonement can deliver and redeem us from sin. But Jesus Christ also intimately understands our every pain, affliction, sickness, sorrow, separation…Left on our own, we may not know our own good. When “I choose me,” I am also choosing my own limitations, weaknesses, inadequacies. Ultimately, to do the most good, we must be good. Since none save God is good, we seek perfection in Jesus Christ. We become our truest, best selves only as we put off the natural man or woman and become a child before God.
- Gerrit W. Gong, All Things for Our Good
Are you taking full advantage of the redeeming power of repentance in your life so that you can have greater peace and joy? Feelings of turmoil and despondency often signal a need for repentance…Follow the path to peace and joy through complete repentance. The Savior will help you obtain forgiveness as you sincerely follow all of the steps to repentance. He is the Redeemer. He loves you. He wants you to have peace and joy in your life.
- Richard G. Scott, The Path to Peace and Joy
[L]iving the gospel doesn’t need to be complicated. It is really straightforward. It could be described like this: Hearing the word of God with earnest intent leads us to believe in God and to trust His promises. The more we trust God, the more our hearts are filled with love for Him and for each other...It is beautifully simple, and it works beautifully... God will take you as you are at this very moment and begin to work with you. All you need is a willing heart, a desire to believe, and trust in the Lord.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, It Works Wonderfully!
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others—especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people…The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire—no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers…
- President Russell M. Nelson, Peacemakers Needed
King Benjamin taught that we are responsible for the determined effort necessary to resist temptation. He warned his people about specific temptations. But after giving those warnings, he put the obligation on them. As often as we pray not to be overcome by temptation and to be delivered from evil, we are responsible for ourselves...We can pray to recognize and reject the first thoughts of sin. We can pray to recognize a warning not to speak words which would hurt or tempt someone else. And we can, when we must, pray for the humility and the faith to repent.
- Henry B. Eyring, As a Child
How do we obtain that mighty change of heart? It is initiated and eventually occurs when we study the scriptures to obtain the knowledge that will strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, which will create a desire to change; when we cultivate that desire through prayer and fasting; when we act, according to the word studied or received, and we make a covenant to surrender our hearts to Him, just as with King Benjamin’s people…let the words of our prophets, which will come from the Lord, enter our hearts to experience a mighty change.
- Eduardo Gavarret, A Mighty Change of Heart: “I Have Nothing More to Give You”
It is important to remember that taking the Savior’s name upon us is a covenant commitment...The sacrament is a weekly reminder that taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ is a living and continuing commitment, not a single event that happens once only on the day of our baptism…As we follow this divinely designed covenant path, our commitment and efforts to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ will give us the strength “to retain [His] name written always in [our] hearts.”
- Paul B. Pieper, All Must Take upon Them the Name Given of the Father
As we develop greater faith and trust in the Lord, we can access His power to bless and deliver us. The Book of Mormon weaves this beautiful theme of the Lord’s power to deliver His children throughout its pages…There are many accounts in the scriptures of those who have put their trust in the Lord and who have been helped and delivered by Him...Each faced real and difficult challenges. Each acted in faith and put his trust in the Lord. Each received His help. And still in our day, God’s power and love are manifest in the lives of His children.
- Jean A. Stevens, “Fear Not; I Am with Thee”
God is the Father of our spirits. He has a glorified, perfected body of flesh and bone. We lived with Him in heaven before we were born. And when He created us physically, we were created in the image of God, each with a personal body...The earth was created to support our brief sojourn in mortality. We were born with a capacity to grow, love, marry, and form families…When you sing “I Am a Child of God,” think of His gift to you of your own physical body.
- President Russell M. Nelson, Thanks Be to God
Why does the Lord call prophets, seers, and revelators? And how do we sustain them? The fundamental responsibility of prophets, seers, and revelators, all of whom bear apostolic authority, is to bear certain testimony of the name of Jesus Christ in all the world…[They] teach the word of God in clarity that all His children may benefit and be blessed through obedience to their teachings.
- Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Living Prophets, Seers, and Revelators
[A] solar eclipse is indeed a remarkable phenomenon of nature during which the beauty, warmth, and light of the sun can be completely covered by a comparatively insignificant object, causing darkness and chill. A similar phenomenon can be replicated in a spiritual sense, when otherwise small and insignificant matters are drawn too close and block the beauty, warmth, and heavenly light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, replacing it with cold darkness…be vigilant not to allow insignificant and inconsequential matters in life to obscure your eternal view...
- Gary E. Stevenson, Spiritual Eclipse
[W]e must have faith in Jesus Christ…through His grace He can make weak things become strong...His strengthening, enabling grace gives us power to overcome all obstacles, all challenges, and all weaknesses as we seek to change. Our greatest weaknesses can become our greatest strengths. We can be changed and “become new creatures.” Weak things literally can “become strong unto [us].”
- Kevin S. Hamilton, “Then Will I Make Weak Things Become Strong”
[T]he steadfast choices of one individual affect generations...Your vision of your future will help you press forward...It is daily diligence with prayer and scripture study that will help you reach your goals. Your daily decisions will influence generations… you will find yourself faced with choices that will have eternal implications. You can press forward with vision. The Holy Ghost will help you remain steadfast, and your testimony of the Savior will help you proceed with a perfect brightness of hope.
- Elaine S. Dalton, Press Forward and Be Steadfast
I have long been impressed by, and have also felt, the yearning love of the prophets of God in their warnings against sin. They are not motivated by a desire to condemn. Their true desire mirrors the love of God; in fact, it is the love of God. They love those to whom they are sent, whoever they may be and whatever they may be like. Just as the Lord, His servants do not want anyone to suffer the pains of sin and poor choices.
- D. Todd Christofferson, The Love of God
We must at times search our own souls and discover what we really are. Our real character, much as we would wish, cannot be hidden. It shines from within us transparently. Attempts to deceive others only deceive ourselves…For members of this Church to enjoy the blessings of a covenant people, the law of the Lord must be written in their hearts.
- James E. Faust, “Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart”
Courage comes in many forms…inner courage also includes doing the right thing even though we may be afraid, defending our beliefs at the risk of being ridiculed, and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened with a loss of friends or of social status. He who stands steadfastly for that which is right must risk becoming at times disapproved and unpopular…Courage characterized the life of Abinadi, as shown by his willingness to offer his life rather than to deny the truth.
- President Thomas S. Monson, Be Strong and of a Good Courage
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a free gift offered to all who have lived, who currently live, and who will live on the earth. In addition to bearing the burden of our sins, the Christ took upon Himself our sorrows, infirmities, sufferings, and sicknesses and all the afflictions inherent in the mortal condition of man. There is no anguish, no pain or sadness that He did not suffer for us...although infinite and universal in its reach, the Lord’s Atonement is a remarkably personal and intimate gift, suited to each of us individually.
- Gérald Caussé, A Living Witness of the Living Christ
Jesus Christ applies to Himself both titles, “Son” and “Father…Jesus Christ is the Son of Elohim both as spiritual and bodily offspring; that is to say, Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh, and which body died on the cross and was afterward taken up by the process of resurrection... [I]n all His dealings with the human family Jesus the Son has represented…His Father in power and authority.
- The Father and the Son, April 2002 Ensign
[O]ur Father’s beautiful plan, even His “fabulous” plan, is designed to bring you home, not to keep you out...He sent His precious Beloved Son to this fallen world to live the full range of the human experience, to provide an example for the rest of His children to follow, and to atone and redeem. Christ’s great atoning gift removes every roadblock of physical and spiritual death that would separate us from our eternal home. Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.
- Patrick Kearon, God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home