We too can exercise such faith in the Lord, believing and trusting that our kind and constant God will bless us with His miraculous power suited to our circumstance, according to His timing. As we do so, we too will see the hand of God manifest in our lives…faith precedes and produces miracles for which we have no immediate explanation within our experience, such as…simply enduring in faith against all odds… the Lord will, according to our faith, fulfill His promises and work with us to overcome every challenge. He…has done so for His people in all nations and in every age and generation.
- Marcus B. Nash, By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled
Hebrews 11 | Substance of Faith | The Bible
Inspiring Short: The Miracle of the Ordinary | Lawrence E. Corbridge
An Easter Message of Hope and Triumph
In 1979 a large passenger jet...left New Zealand for a sightseeing flight to Antarctica and back. Unknown to the pilots, however, someone had modified the flight coordinates by a mere two degrees...they had no way of knowing that the incorrect coordinates had placed them directly in the path of...an active volcano... By the time the instruments sounded the warning... it was too late. The airplane crashed into the side of the volcano, killing everyone on board. It was a terrible tragedy brought on by a minor error—a matter of only a few degrees…Minor decisions can lead to major consequences.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, A Matter of a Few Degrees
Inspirational Message | Daily Restoration | Elder Uchtdorf
In these latter days, as in the times of old, we must avoid being acted upon by acting for ourselves to avoid evil. The Holy Ghost will prompt us. Joseph was told to flee from Potiphar’s wife. Abraham obeyed the commandment to flee out of the land of Ur. Lehi was instructed to flee Jerusalem before it was destroyed. And to protect the Savior’s life, Mary and Joseph were prompted to flee into Egypt. The promptings that come to us to flee evil reflect our Heavenly Father’s understanding of our particular strengths and weaknesses and His awareness of the unforeseen circumstances of our lives.
- Robert D. Hales, To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency
Press Forward: 2016 Youth Theme
Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better...There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel…Even if you cannot always see that silver lining on your clouds, God can, for He is the very source of the light you seek. He does love you, and He knows your fears. He hears your prayers. He is your Heavenly Father... They sustain us in our hour of need—and always will, even if we cannot recognize that intervention. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.
- Jeffrey R. Holland, “An High Priest of Good Things to Come”
Inspiring Short: Trusting in God, Day by Day | D. Todd Christofferson
Abraham’s faith was tested in a way that many of us would consider unimaginable... how did he take all those steps alongside his son Isaac over the three-day journey to the base of Mount Moriah? How did they carry the wood for the fire up the mountain? How did he build the altar? How did he bind Isaac and lay him on the altar? How did he explain to him that he would be the sacrifice? Abraham’s faith empowered him to follow God’s lead with exactness...When Abraham demonstrated his unwavering faithfulness and obedience to God, even when commanded to sacrifice his son, God rescued him.
- L. Tom Perry, Obedience through Our Faithfulness
Choose to Serve the Lord - by Blake Gillette and Angie Killian
Having Courage & Trusting the Lord: Stand Up for What You Believe In
I Will Go and Do: 2020 Youth Theme (feat. David Archuleta) — Official Music Video
Inspiring Short: Faith to Do His Will | Beth Luthy
Abraham and Isaac | Animated Scripture Lesson for Kids (Come Follow Me Dec Feb 23-Mar 1)
I think one of the most heart-wrenching stories in the Old Testament is that of Abraham, asked by the Lord to offer his young son Isaac as a sacrifice… Beginning with Adam, all Old Testament prophets have kept the law of sacrifice. Sacrifice is integral to the celestial law, pointing us to the most glorious sacrifice of all: our Savior Jesus Christ. President Gordon B. Hinckley defined sacrifice so beautifully when he said: “Without sacrifice there is no true worship of God. … ‘The Father gave his Son, and the Son gave his life,’ and we do not worship unless we give—give of our substance, … our time, … strength, … talent, … faith, … [and] testimonies”.
- Carol B. Thomas, Sacrifice: An Eternal Investment
Why Did God Ask Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac? (Week 8, Part 5/6) Genesis 18-23 | Feb 14–Feb 20
The prophets have uniformly taught that the consummate and culminating element of God’s great plan for the blessing of His children is eternal marriage...an eternal marriage is ordained of God. This means that the parties to the marriage covenant agree to invite God into their marriage, to pray together, to keep the commandments, to keep wants and passions within certain limits that the prophets have outlined. It means to be equal companions and to be just as true and pure outside the home as inside the home. That is part of what ordained of God means.
- F. Burton Howard, Eternal Marriage
Inspiring Short: Knowing Who to Marry | Thomas B. Holman
Rebekah at the Well | Animated Scripture Lesson for Kids
In the busyness of our daily lives and in the commotion of the contemporary world in which we live, we may be distracted from the eternal things that matter the most by making pleasure, prosperity, popularity, and prominence our primary priorities. Our short-term preoccupation with “the things of this world” and “the honors of men” may lead us to forfeit our spiritual birthright for far less than a mess of pottage…Each of us should evaluate our temporal and spiritual priorities sincerely and prayerfully to identify the things in our lives that may impede the bounteous blessings that Heavenly Father and the Savior are willing to bestow upon us.
- David A. Bednar, Put On Thy Strength, O Zion
Seek Jesus Christ: Our Greatest Treasure
A Mess of Pottage (Week 9, Part 4/7) Genesis 24–27 | Feb 21 - Feb 27
Our covenants give us power to stay on the covenant path because our relationship with Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father is changed. We are connected to Them by a covenantal bond...we live with an eternal perspective and are more motivated to serve God and others. We receive increased capacity to fulfill our purposes in mortality. We are protected from evil, and we gain greater power to resist temptation and to repent when we stumble…As you walk the covenant path, from baptism to the temple and throughout life, I promise you...power to learn, power to repent and be sanctified, and power to find hope, comfort, and even joy as you face life’s challenges.
- Dale G. Renlund, Accessing God’s Power through Covenants
How Can We Receive the Blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant? (Knowhy #408)
[O]ur Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know us and love us. They know when we are in pain or suffering in any way...They feel the depth of our suffering, and we can feel of Their love and compassion in our suffering. I testify that He has not forgotten you! Whatever sin or weakness or pain or struggle or trial you are going through, He knows and understands those very moments. He loves you! And He will carry you through those moments...He has paid the price that He might know how to succor you. Cast your burdens upon Him. Tell your Heavenly Father how you feel. Tell Him about your pain and afflictions and then give them to Him.
- Linda S. Reeves, The Lord Has Not Forgotten You
[P]erhaps you feel that your relationship with your child is less than ideal. That’s where the Savior’s power comes in. He heals the sick, and He can heal relationships. He multiplies bread and fish, and He can multiply the love and the joy in your home…In Heavenly Father’s plan, families’ relationships are meant to be eternal. This is why, as a parent, you never give up, even if you are not proud of how things went in the past. With Jesus Christ, the Master Healer and Savior, there can always be a new beginning; He always gives hope.
- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Jesus Christ is the Strength of Parents
How Jesus Christ Restores What Is Broken
Forgiving Others: An Easter Message from President Russell M. Nelson
[O]ne of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.” Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life...At the place Jacob named Peniel (which means “the face of God”), Jacob wrestled with a serious challenge. His agency was tested. Through this wrestle, Jacob proved what was most important to him. He demonstrated that he was willing to let God prevail in his life. In response, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, meaning “let God prevail.” God then promised Israel that all the blessings that had been pronounced upon Abraham’s head would also be his…The Lord is gathering those who will choose to let God be the most important influence in their lives.
- President Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail
Let God Guide You: From Weakness to Strength
Acting is [an] essential key to becoming a better disciple of Jesus Christ. As we act, He will guide and direct us along the way. I am sure that Nephi was seeking guidance from the Lord...He recalled, “I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.” ...This is how the Lord works as we put forth effort and act, even when we do not have a clear understanding of what needs to be done. The Lord told Nephi what to do: go and get the plates. But He did not tell Nephi how to do it. He left it to Nephi to figure out and seek the Lord’s help—and this is often how the Lord works in our lives. As we act in faith, the Lord guides and directs us.
- Ciro Schmeil, Faith to Act and Become
Pray for Eyes to See as He Sees
Recognizing Revelation | Growing Faith
Joseph was especially loved by his father, Jacob, which occasioned bitterness and jealousy on the part of his brothers... [They] determined to sell Joseph rather than leaving him to die...when the brothers of Joseph came to Egypt to buy corn, they were blessed by this favored man in Egypt—even their own brother. Joseph could have dealt harshly with his brothers for the callous and cruel treatment he had earlier received from them. However, he was kind and gracious to them and won their favor and support...
- President Thomas S. Monson, Compassion
Joseph found himself in a strange land with strange customs, a strange religion, and worst of all, being sold as a slave. Joseph presented himself so well and so ably that he was purchased by “Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard...And the Lord was with Joseph, [and he carried a spirit with him that helped as he became] a prosperous man"...in each situation in which Joseph found himself that the Lord was with him. It was easy to recognize the special spirit in him because of the way he lived and heeded the voice of the Lord to direct him.
- L. Tom Perry, Becoming Men in Whom the Spirit of God Is
One of Satan’s clever tactics is to tempt us to concentrate on the present and ignore the future... He tempts us with the transitory pleasures of the world so that we will not focus our minds and efforts on the things that bring eternal joy. The devil is a dirty fighter, and we must be aware of his tactics…Some standards must not be compromised…once you understand the standards, you must determine that you will live by them...You must be as Joseph who fled from the presence of Potiphar’s wife rather than sin against God. You must avoid moral misconduct by making a firm decision to avoid compromising situations and to stand firm for what is right. You must have self-control and high goals.
- M. Russell Ballard, Purity Precedes Power
Joseph Resists Potiphar's Wife (Week 11, Part 4/7) Genesis 37–41 | Mar 7 - Mar 13
Joseph of old, sold into slavery as a youth by his own brothers, in his anguish turned to God...and was prospered even in prison. Joseph suffered a further crushing disappointment when the prisoner he befriended, despite his promise to help Joseph, forgot all about him after being restored to his position in Pharaoh’s court. In due course, as you know, the Lord intervened to put Joseph in the highest position of trust and power next to Pharaoh, enabling Joseph to save the house of Israel. Surely Joseph could attest “that all things work together for good to them that love God.”…no matter what our mortal experience may entail, we can trust God and find joy in Him.
- President D. Todd Christofferson, Our Relationship with God
God Delivers Us in Our Trials | Hope Works at Home
Elder Ulisses Soares “Heard a Voice From Heaven” After Losing Two Children
Joseph in Egypt | Animated Scripture Lesson for Kids
From the beginning of time, the Lord has provided direction to help His people prepare spiritually and temporally against the calamities and trials that He knows will come as part of this mortal experience. These calamities may be personal or general in nature, but the Lord’s guidance will provide protection and support to the extent that we heed and act upon His counsel. A wonderful example is provided in an account from the book of Genesis, where we learn of Joseph in Egypt and his inspired interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream…Today we are blessed to be led by prophets who understand the need for us to prepare against the calamities “which should come”.
- W. Christopher Waddell, There Was Bread
April 2016 World Report: Ted Koppel Profiles LDS Preparedness