Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Acts 26:13-15 (Paul recounts his conversion story)
Real testimony of…precious truths comes as a witness by the Holy Ghost after sincere and dedicated effort...To gain and forever hold on to a testimony of gospel truths is worth whatever price in spiritual preparation we may be required to pay…having a testimony alone is not enough. In fact, when we are truly converted, we cannot be restrained from testifying. And as it was with Apostles and faithful members of old, so is it also our privilege, our duty, and our solemn obligation to “declare the things which [we] know to be true”.
- Pres Ballard, Pure Testimony
Acts 26:16–18 (Paul's calling and efforts to minister)
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...[We] rejoice in the Lord’s many tender mercies in our lives as we minister as He would...Jesus Christ ministers. Angels minister. Followers of Jesus Christ “minister one to another,”...let His name be known through our ministry.
- Gerrit W. Gong, Ministering
Acts 26:19-29 (Paul testifies to King Agrippa)
[T]rue disciples respond in ways that invite the Spirit of the Lord...We cannot change the doctrines of the restored gospel, even if teaching and obeying them makes us unpopular in the eyes of the world. Yet even as we feel to speak the word of God with boldness, we must pray to be filled with the Holy Ghost. We should never confuse boldness with Satan’s counterfeit: overbearance. True disciples speak with quiet confidence, not boastful pride.
- Robert D. Hales, Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship
Acts 27:9-21 (Paul warns of danger and is ignored)
[W]e are each a beloved child of God and that He has inspired servants. Those servants of God have foreseen the times in which we live…For those of us who are concerned for ourselves and for those we love, there is hope in the promise God has made of a place of safety in the storms ahead...the Lord Jesus Christ has given you the invitation “Come unto me.” He invites you, out of love for you and for those you love, to come to Him for peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. He knows perfectly the storms you will face in your test as part of the plan of happiness.
- Pres Eyring, Steady in the Storms
Acts 27:22-25, 44 (Paul and the sailors arrive safely)
Remember that this work is not yours and mine alone. It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.
- President Thomas S. Monson, To Learn, to Do, to Be
Acts 28:1-6 (Paul is protected from a viper bite)
Many today feel troubled and distressed; many feel that, at any moment, the ships of their lives could capsize or sink… Be assured that there is a safe harbor…Be of good cheer. The Man of Galilee, the Creator, the Son of the Living God will not forget nor forsake those whose hearts are drawn to Him. I testify that the Man who suffered for mankind, who committed His life to healing the sick and comforting the disconsolate, is mindful of your sufferings, doubts, and heartaches... At times we may be tempted to think the Savior is oblivious to our trials. In fact, the reverse is true; it is we who need to be awakened in our hearts to His teachings.
- Joseph B. Wirthlin, Finding a Safe Harbor
[A]s we follow Jesus Christ with footsteps of faith, there is hope. There is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is hope for all in this life. There is hope to overcome our mistakes, our sorrows, our struggles, and our trials and our troubles. There is hope...and peace in Christ. He can carry us today through difficult times…Let us follow Jesus Christ with faith in every footstep. We need to serve the Lord and serve one another. We need to strengthen ourselves spiritually by keeping and honoring our covenants. We should not lose the sense of urgency to keep the commandments.
- Pres Ballard, Follow Jesus Christ with Footsteps of Faith
Long-lasting conversion is a lifelong process. Conversion is our goal....Reading or hearing about another person’s experiences and insights can be helpful, but that won’t bring the same converting power...[M]any…faithful followers of Christ have symbolically placed the blood of the Lamb of God on the entrance to their homes. They are demonstrating their inward commitment to follow the Savior. Their faith precedes the miracle. It is the miracle of one person having an experience in the scriptures and that experience being blessed by the influence of the Holy Ghost.
- Mark L. Pace, Conversion Is Our Goal
After a number of mistakes and failures to live as we know we should, we may lose confidence in ourselves and have a poor self-image of who we are and what we are capable of becoming. We may forget that we are children of God and have the potential of dwelling with him and his Son if we accept the Atonement and keep the commandments…Why is the Savior’s atonement so important as the central gospel principle in the Church and in our lives?
- Robert D. Hales, Your Sorrow Shall Be Turned to Joy
When we speak of repentance, we aren’t just talking about self-improvement efforts. True repentance is more than that—it is inspired by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His power to forgive our sins…Sometimes the journey will seem long—after all, it is the journey toward eternal life. But it can be a joyous journey if we pursue it with faith in Jesus Christ and hope in His Atonement. I testify that the moment we set foot on the path of repentance, we invite the Savior’s redeeming power into our lives.
- Stephen W. Owen, Repentance Is Always Positive
[W]hen we are baptized, we are spiritually born of God and are entitled to receive His image in our countenances. We should experience a mighty change of heart so that we can “become new creatures” and exercise faith in the redemption of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in order to maintain our standards of worthiness…I witness that we cannot be fully converted until we “walk in newness of life” and are at heart a new person, “purged from [our] old sins.”
- James E. Faust, Born Again
Jesus Christ has given us a continuous pattern for change...Sometimes the changes we need to make are associated with serious sin. But most often, we strive to refine our character to align ourselves with the attributes of Jesus Christ. Our daily choices will either help or hinder our progress. Small but steady, deliberate changes will help us improve. Do not become discouraged. Change is a lifelong process...because of Jesus Christ, we can change. We can adjust our habits, alter our thoughts, and refine our character to become more like Him. And with His help, we can keep the change.
- Becky Craven, Keep the Change
As sons [and daughters] of our Heavenly Father, we are heirs to all that He has...how can we not willingly and joyfully engage in serving the Lord and our fellowmen…Serving God and our fellowmen will challenge us and transform us into something greater than we ever thought possible…And in the process, as you “lose [your] life” in the service of others, you will grow and develop until you reach “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Then you will be prepared to inherit, with Christ, everything your Father has.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles
[R]emember these words of the Savior: “I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” So it is with us. We are not alone. The Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father love us, and They are with us. Because Jesus looked to His Father and completed the great atoning sacrifice, we can look to Jesus Christ with assurance that He will help us...He is patient and kind; His redeeming love never ends and never fails. He will help us live our covenants and magnify our calling[s].
- Kim B. Clark, Look unto Jesus Christ
Romans 12:19-21 (“Overcome Evil with Good”)
In one of Paul’s teachings…, he invited them to be his followers as he himself was a follower of Christ. This is a sincere and valid invitation from Paul’s time until today: to be a follower of Christ. I began to reflect on what it means to become a follower of Christ. And more important, I began to ask, “In what way should I imitate Him?” To be a follower of Christ is to strive to conform our actions, conduct, and lives to those of the Savior. It is to acquire virtues. It is to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ…
- Alfred Kyungu, To Be a Follower of Christ
Love is the catalyst that causes change. Love is the balm that brings healing to the soul…Where love is, there is no disputation. Where love is, there is no contention. Where love is, there God will be also. Each of us has the responsibility to keep His commandments. The lessons found in scripture find fulfillment in our lives…The single most important word is love.
- President Thomas S. Monson, A Doorway Called Love
We are commanded to love others, not to judge them. Let’s lay down that heavy burden; it isn’t ours to carry. Instead, we can pick up the Savior’s yoke of love and compassion… Are there people in your path who you have felt inclined to judge? If so, remember that these are valuable opportunities for us to practice loving as the Savior loves.
- J. Annette Dennis, His Yoke Is Easy and His Burden Is Light
We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude... We often take for granted the very people who most deserve our gratitude. Let us not wait until it is too late for us to express that gratitude.
- President Thomas S. Monson, The Divine Gift of Gratitude
Unity doesn’t magically happen; it takes work. It’s messy, sometimes uncomfortable, and happens gradually when we clear away the bad as fast as the good can grow. We are never alone in our efforts to create unity…Jesus put it bluntly: “Be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” But if we are one—then we are His...I have full spiritual confidence that, as we seek union of feeling, we will call down the power of God to make our efforts whole…May we...use our individual and collective efforts to increase unity in the world.
- Sharon Eubank, By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God
[T]he purpose of faith is not to change God’s will but to empower us to act on God’s will. Faith is trust—trust that God sees what we cannot and that He knows what we do not. Sometimes, trusting our own vision and judgment is not enough…Faith means that we trust not only in God’s wisdom but that we trust also in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does—every blessing He gives and every blessing He, for a time, withholds—is for our eternal happiness.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Fourth Floor, Last Door
That sweet, quiet voice of inspiration comes more as a feeling than it does as a sound. Pure intelligence can be spoken into the mind. The Holy Ghost communicates with our spirits through the mind more than through the physical senses. This guidance comes as thoughts, as feelings through promptings and impressions...The Lord has many ways of pouring knowledge into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, to correct us, to warn us...You can know the things you need to know. Pray that you will learn to receive that inspiration and remain worthy to receive it.
- Boyd K. Packer, Prayer and Promptings
[W]here our foundation is really matters, and this has a decisive effect on the outcome ultimately and eternally. I hope and pray that we all will find and stay on the sure foundation as we establish our future life...That is the promise from God! If we build our foundation on Jesus Christ, we cannot fall! As we endure faithfully to the end, God will help us establish our lives upon His rock...We may not be able to change all of what is coming, but we can choose how we prepare for what is coming...Our entire lives should be filled with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, They Cannot Prevail; We Cannot Fall
Your body is your personal temple, created to house your eternal spirit. Your care of that temple is important. Now, I ask you, … are you more interested in dressing and grooming your body to appeal to the world than to please God? Your answer to this question sends a direct message to Him about your feelings regarding His transcendent gift to you.
- President Russell M. Nelson, We Can Do Better and Be Better
A consecrated life respects the incomparable gift of one’s physical body, a divine creation in the very image of God...Those who believe that our bodies are nothing more than the result of evolutionary chance will feel no accountability to God or anyone else for what they do with or to their body. We who have a witness of the broader reality of premortal, mortal, and postmortal eternity, however, must acknowledge that we have a duty to God with respect to this crowning achievement of His physical creation... As our body is the instrument of our spirit, it is vital that we care for it as best we can.
- D. Todd Christofferson, Reflections on a Consecrated Life