Inspirational Quote Book Topics

Assigned Topics (4):

A.    Family.

1.      “I did not personally attend the cultural celebration in Calgary, inasmuch as it was Sister Monson’s 85th birthday and I felt I should be with her.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Welcome to Conference, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “Preparations for departure begin. Young men, I hope you appreciate the sacrifices which your parents so willingly make in order for you to serve. Their labors will sustain you, their faith encourage you, their prayers uphold you. A mission is a family affair. Though the expanse of continents or oceans may separate, hearts are as one.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Come, All Ye Sons of God, April 2013 General Conference.

3.      “One title that defines all of us in the most fundamental way is son of Heavenly Father. No matter what else we are or do in life, we must never forget that we are God’s literal spirit children. We were His children before we came to this world, and we will be His children forevermore. This basic truth should change the way we look at ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and life itself.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

4.      “It can be discouraging at times to know what it means to be a son of God and y et come up short. The adversary likes to take advantage of these feelings. Satan would rather that you define yourself by y our sins instead of y our divine potential. Brethren, don’t listen to him.

“We have all seen a toddler learn to walk. He takes a small step and totters. He falls. Do we scold such an attempt? Of course not. What father would punish a toddler for stumbling? We encourage, we applaud, and we praise because with every small step, the child is becoming more like his parents.

“Now, brethren, compared to the perfection of God, we mortals are scarcely more than awkward, faltering toddlers. But our loving Heavenly Father wants us to become more like Him, and, dear brethren, that should be our eternal goal too. God understands that we get there not in an instant but by taking one step at a time.

“I do not believe in a God who would set up rules and commandments only to wait for us to fail so He could punish us. I believe in a Heavenly Father who is loving and caring and who rejoices in our every effort to stand tall and walk toward Him. Even when we stumble, He urges us not to be discouraged—never to give up or flee our allotted field of service—but to take courage, find our faith, and keep trying.

“Our Father in Heaven mentors His children and often sends unseen heavenly help to those who desire to follow the Savior.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

5.      “We will not always be safe from the adversary’s influence, even within our own homes. We need to protect our nestlings.”

President Boyd K. Packer, These Things I Know, April 2013 General Conference.

6.      “We live in a very dangerous world that threatens those things that are most spiritual. The family, the fundamental organization in time and eternity, is under attack from forces seen and unseen. The adversary is about. His objective is to cause injury. If he can weaken and destroy the family, he will have succeeded.”

President Boyd K. Packer, These Things I Know, April 2013 General Conference.

7.      “There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother.”

President Boyd K. Packer, These Things I Know, April 2013 General Conference.

8.      “Teach yourself and teach your families about the gift of the Holy Ghost and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. You will do no greater eternal work than within the walls of your own home.”

President Boyd K. Packer, These Things I Know, April 2013 General Conference.

9.      “As we give up commitment and fidelity to our marriage partners, we remove the glue that holds our society together.”

Elder L. Tom Perry, Obedience to Law Is Liberty, April 2013 General Conference.

10.  “A useful way to think about the commandments is they are loving counsel from a wise, all-knowing Heavenly Father. His goal is our eternal happiness, and His commandments are the road map He has given us to return to Him, which is the only way we will be eternally happy. How significant are the home and the family to our eternal happiness? On page 141 of my little brown book, it states, “Indeed our heaven is little more than a projection of our homes into eternity.””

Elder L. Tom Perry, Obedience to Law Is Liberty, April 2013 General Conference.

11.  “Jesus taught that God created male and female and that a man should leave his parents and cleave to his wife (see Mark 10:6–8). Our commitment to this teaching is well known.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Followers of Christ, April 2013 General Conference.

12.  “And the primary purpose of this priesthood power is to bless, sanctify, and purify us so we can live together with our families in the presence of our heavenly parents, bound by priesthood sealings, participating in the marvelous work of God and Jesus Christ in forever expanding Their light and glory.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard, This Is My Work and Glory, April 2013 General Conference.

13.  “I’m sure you can identify the fundamental principles that center your home on the Savior. The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference.

14.  “One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference.

15.  “When you are sealed forever in the house of the Lord, a new family unit is created. Parents, who have had direct responsibility for you since your birth, now move into an advisory role. Their counsel is precious now, but you and your eternal companion now make the decisions together. As a husband and worthy priesthood bearer, you will want to emulate the example of the Savior, whose priesthood you hold. You will make giving of self to wife and children a primary focus of your life. Occasionally a man attempts to control the destiny of each family member. He makes all the decisions. His wife is subjected to his personal whims. Whether that is the custom or not is immaterial. It is not the way of the Lord. It is not the way a Latter-day Saint husband treats his wife and family.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, Receive the Temple Blessings, April 1999 General Conference.

B.     Atonement.

1.      “Recently I asked how he explained the surge of convert baptisms in his ward and the increase in the number of young people ready and eager to take the gospel of Jesus Christ out to the world. He said it seemed to him that it was not so much the duty any one performed but the way they all became one in their enthusiasm to bring people into the community of Saints that had brought them such happiness.

“For some it was that and more. Like the sons of Mosiah, they had felt the effects of sin in their own lives and the marvelous healing of the Atonement within the Church of God. Out of love and gratitude for the Savior’s gift to them, they wanted to help everyone they could to escape the sadness of sin, feel the joy of forgiveness, and gather with them to safety in the kingdom of God.

“It was the love of God and the lov e for their friends and neighbors that unified them to serve the people. They desired to take the gospel to everyone in their part of the world. And they prepared their children to be worthy to be called by the Lord to teach, to testify, and to serve in other parts of His vineyard.”

President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “Without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, life would be a dead-end road without hope or future. With the Atonement, life is an ennobling, inspiring journey of growth and development that leads to eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

“But while the Atonement is meant to help us all become more like Christ, it is not meant to make us all the same. Sometimes we confuse differences in personality with sin. We can even make the mistake of thinking that because someone is different from us, it must mean they are not pleasing to God…”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

3.      “The Savior is the worker of miracles. He is the great Healer. He is our example, our light, even in the darkest moments, and He shows us the right way.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

4.      “Because we are accountable and we make the choices, the redemption from our own sins is conditional—conditioned on confessing and abandoning sin and turning to a godly life, or in other words, conditioned on repentance (see D&C 58:43).”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Redemption, April 2013 General Conference.

5.      “Inasmuch as we follow Christ, we seek to participate in and further His redemptive work. The greatest service we can provide to others in this life, beginning with those of our own family, is to bring them to Christ through faith and repentance so they may experience His Redemption—peace and joy now and immortality and eternal life in the world to come.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Redemption, April 2013 General Conference.

6.      “Concerning the importance of the Atonement, in Alma we learn, “For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; … or else all mankind must unavoidably perish.””

President Boyd K. Packer, The Atonement, October 2012 General Conference.

7.      “No matter what our transgressions have been, no matter how much our actions may have hurt others, that guilt can all be wiped out. To me, perhaps the most beautiful phrase in all scripture is when the Lord said, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”

“That is the promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement: to take anyone who comes, anyone who will join, and put them through an experience so that at the end of their life, they can go through the veil having repented of their sins and having been washed clean through the blood of Christ.

“That is what Latter-day Saints do around the world. That is the Light we offer to those who are in darkness and have lost their way. Wherever our members and missionaries may go, our message is one of faith and hope in the Savior Jesus Christ.”

President Boyd K. Packer, The Atonement, October 2012 General Conference.

8.      “How our Father in Heaven must have rejoiced that sacred day when His totally obedient, completely worthy Son shattered the chains of death. What eternal purpose would our Father’s plan of happiness have had except it be made alive through the infinite and eternal Atonement of His gloriously obedient Son? What eternal purpose would have come from the Creation of the earth, where intelligences tabernacled with spirits would receive a body, if death were the end of existence and none would be resurrected? What a glorious moment that morning was for all who understood its significance.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, He Lives! All Glory to His Name! April 2010 General Conference.

9.      “This Easter, as you remember the Resurrection and the price paid and the gift given through the Atonement, ponder what the scriptures teach of those sacred events. Your personal witness of their reality will be strengthened. They must be more than principles you memorize. They must be woven into the very fiber of your being as a powerful bulwark against the rising tide of abomination that infects our world.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, He Lives! All Glory to His Name! April 2010 General Conference.

10.  “Jesus Christ lives. He is our Savior, our Redeemer. He is a glorious, resurrected being. He has the capacity to communicate love that is so powerful, so overwhelming as to surpass the capacity of the human tongue to express adequately. He gave His life to break the bonds of death. His Atonement made fully active the plan of happiness of His Father in Heaven.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, He Lives! All Glory to His Name! April 2010 General Conference.

C.    Agency.

1.      If I could now turn back the years,

If that were mine to choose,

I would not barter age for youth,

I’d have too much to lose.

I am quite content to move ahead,

To yield my youth, however grand.

The thing I’d lose if I went back

Is what I understand.

President Boyd K. Packer, “These Things I Know”, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression of belief.”

President Boyd K. Packer, These Things I Know, April 2013 General Conference.

3.      “If you judge your actions and the standards of the Church on the basis of where the world is and where it’s going, you will find that you are not where you should be.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference.

4.      “As we press forward along the strait and narrow path, we build progressive spiritual strength—strength in using our agency to act for ourselves.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference.

5.      “In addition, use your agency to develop yourself personally.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference.

6.      “The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue—it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lord, I Believe”, April 2013 General Conference.

7.      “Agency is essential to the plan of happiness. It allows for the love, sacrifice, personal growth, and experience necessary for our eternal progression. This agency also allows for all the pain and suffering we experience inmortality, even when caused by things we do not understand and the devastating evil choices of others. The very War in Heaven was waged over our moral agency and is essential to understanding the Savior’s earthly ministry.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness, April 2013 General Conference.

8.      “Agency is to act with accountability and responsibility for our actions.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life, October 2010 General Conference.

9.      “Before we came to this earth, Heavenly Father presented His plan of salvation—a plan to come to earth and receive a body, choose to act between good and evil, and progress to become like Him and live with Him forever.

“Our agency—our ability to choose and act for ourselves—was an essential element of this plan. Without agency we would be unable to make right choices and progress. Yet with agency we could make wrong choices, commit sin, and lose the opportunity to be with Heavenly Father again. For this reason a Savior would be provided to suffer for our sins and redeem us if we would repent. By His infinite Atonement, He brought about “the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice.””

Elder Robert D. Hales, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life, October 2010 General Conference.

10.  “Today the only power Satan and his followers have is the power to tempt and try us. Their only joy is to make us “miserable like unto [themselves].” Their only happiness comes when we are disobedient to the Lord’s commandments.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life, October 2010 General Conference.

11.  “To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.”

Elder David A. Bednar, And Nothing Shall Offend Them, October 2006 General Conference.

12.  “Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.”

Elder David A. Bednar, And Nothing Shall Offend Them, October 2006 General Conference.

D.    Pornography.

1.      “I pray that we may be aware of the needs of those around us. There are some, particularly among the young, who are tragically involved in drugs, immorality, pornography, and so on. There are those who are lonely, including widows and widowers, who long for the company and concern of others. May we ever be ready to extend to them a helping hand and a loving heart.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Until We Meet Again, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “Alma and the Saints of his day prayed for his son and the sons of King Mosiah. An angel came. Your prayers and the prayers of those who exercise their faith will bring the Lord’s servants to help y our family members. They will help them choose the way home to God, even as they are attacked by Satan and his followers, whose purpose it is to destroy families in this life and in eternity.”

President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference.

3.      “My fellow holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and also our young men, I wish to speak to you today about pornography. I know that many of you are exposed to this and that many of you are being stained by it.

“In concentrating my talk on this subject I feel like the prophet Jacob, who told the men of his day that it grieved him to speak so boldly in front of their sensitive wives and children. But notwithstanding the difficulty of the task, he said he had to speak to the men about this subject because God had commanded him (see Jacob 2:7–11). I do so for the same reason.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, May 2005, Ensign.

4.      “More than 30 years ago, I urged BYU students to avoid the “promotional literature of illicit sexual relations” in what they read and viewed. I gave this analogy:

““Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick but do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature records them in this marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t vomit back filth. Once recorded, it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in life.””

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, May 2005, Ensign.

5.      “Patrons of pornography also lose the companionship of the Spirit. Pornography produces fantasies that destroy spirituality. “To be carnally minded is death”—spiritual death (Rom. 8:6; see also 2 Ne. 9:39).”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, May 2005, Ensign.

6.      “My brethren who are caught in this addiction or troubled by this temptation, there is a way.

“First, acknowledge the evil. Don’t defend it or try to justify yourself. For at least a quarter century our leaders have pleaded with men, and also with women and children, to avoid this evil. 2 Our current Church magazines are full of warnings, information, and helps on this subject—with more than a score of articles published or to be published this year and last year alone. 

“Second, seek the help of the Lord and His servants. Hear and heed President Hinckley’s words:

““Plead with the Lord out of the depths of your soul that He will remove from you the addiction which enslaves you. And may you have the courage to seek the loving guidance of your bishop and, if necessary, the counsel of caring professionals” (Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2004, 62).

“Third, do all that you can to avoid pornography. If you ever find yourself in its presence—which can happen to anyone in the world in which we live—follow the example of Joseph of Egypt. When temptation caught him in her grip, he left temptation and “got him out” (Gen. 39:12).

“Don’t accommodate any degree of temptation. Prevent sin and avoid having to deal with its inevitable destruction. So, turn it off! Look away! Avoid it at all costs. Direct your thoughts in wholesome paths. "Remember your covenants and be faithful in temple attendance. The wise bishop I quoted earlier reported that “an endowed priesthood bearer’s fall into pornography never occurs during periods of regular worship in the temple; it happens when he has become casual in his temple worship” (letter of Mar. 13, 2005).

““We must also act to protect those we love. Parents install alarms to warn if their household is threatened by smoke or carbon monoxide. We should also install protections against spiritual threats, protections like filters on Internet connections and locating access so others can see what is being viewed. And we should build the spiritual strength of our families by loving relationships, family prayer, and scripture study.

“Finally, do not patronize pornography. Do not use your purchasing power to support moral degradation. And young women, please understand that if you dress immodestly, you are magnifying this problem by becoming pornography to some of the men who see you.

“Please heed these warnings. Let us all improve our personal behavior and redouble our efforts to protect our loved ones and our environment from the onslaught of pornography that threatens our spirituality, our marriages, and our children.

“I testify that this is what we should do to enjoy the blessings of Him whom we worship. I testify of Jesus Christ, the Light and Life of the World, whose Church this is, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, May 2005, Ensign.

7.      “Pornography, the carrier, is big business. It is evil. It is contagious. It is addicting. It is estimated that in recent years Americans alone spent $8–10 billion per year on hard-core pornography 1 —a fortune siphoned away from noble use and diverted to a devilish purpose!

“Apathy toward pornography stems mostly from a widespread public attitude that it is a victimless crime and that police resources are better used in other areas. Many state and local ordinances are ineffective, sentences are light, and the huge financial rewards far outweigh the risks.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Pornography, the Deadly Carrier, July 2001 First Presidency Message, Ensign.

8.      “We have the capacity and the responsibility to stand as a bulwark between all we hold dear and the fatal contamination of the pornography beetle. May I suggest three specific steps in our battle plan:

“First, a return to righteousness. An understanding of who we are and what God expects us to become will prompt us to pray—as individuals and as families. Such a return reveals the constant truth: “Wickedness never was happiness.” Let not the evil one dissuade. We can yet be guided by that still, small voice—unerring in its direction and all-powerful in its influence.

“Second, a quest for the good life. I speak not of the fun life, the sophisticated life, the popular life. Rather, I urge each to seek eternal life—life everlasting with mother, father, brothers, sisters, husband, wife, sons, and daughters, forever and forever together.

“Third, a pledge to wage and win the war against pernicious permissiveness. As we encounter that evil carrier, the pornography beetle, let our battle standard and that of our communities be taken from that famous ensign of early America, “Don’t tread on me.”

“Let us join in the fervent declaration of Joshua: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Let our hearts be pure. Let our lives be clean. Let our voices be heard. Let our actions be felt.

“Then the beetle of pornography will be halted in its deadly course. Pernicious permissiveness will have met its match. And we, with Joshua, will safely cross over Jordan into the promised land—even to eternal life in the celestial kingdom of our God.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Pornography, the Deadly Carrier, July 2001 First Presidency Message, Ensign.

9.      “So many of our sisters are disheartened, even discouraged, and disillusioned. Others are in serious trouble because of the choices they make. Satan has unleashed a seductive campaign to undermine the sanctity of womanhood, to deceive the daughters of God and divert them from their divine destiny. He well knows women are the compassionate, self-sacrificing, loving power that binds together the human family. He would focus their interests solely on their physical attributes and rob them of their exalting roles as wives and mothers. He has convinced many of the lie that they are third-class citizens in the kingdom of God. That falsehood has led some to trade their divinely given femininity for male coarseness.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, The Sanctity of Womanhood, May 2000 Ensign.

10.  “So many of our own young women sacrifice their God-given endowment of femininity, deep spirituality, and a caring interest in others on the altar of popular, worldly opinion. Young men, let such young women know that you will not seek an eternal companion from those that are overcome by worldly trends. Many dress and act immodestly because they are told that is what you want. In sensitive ways, communicate how distasteful revealing attire is to you, a worthy young man, and how it stimulates unwanted emotions from what you see against your will.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, The Sanctity of Womanhood, May 2000 Ensign.

11.  “I extend that warning to all: please be vigilant in your entertainment choices. Some of the things that are being shown in our theaters and broadcast to our homes via television and videos and over the Internet are insidious and dangerous. Rather than falling within the definition of things that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” (A of F 1:13), they are more clearly described in the seventh chapter of Moroni, where the prophet Mormon teaches that “whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God … is of the devil” (Moro. 7:17).

“I’m aware that some members think they know better than members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles do about this subject. And some will argue their case based on artistic merit, or on the fact that “everyone is seeing it,” or will insist they are not one of those people who will be influenced one way or the other by on-screen sex or violence. To them I have only one question: Are you going to follow the true and living prophets or not? It really isn’t any more complicated than that. The standard of the Church with regard to morality is clearly outlined in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet (1990), which even adults do not outgrow, even though they are no longer in Young Men and Young Women. Those who choose to read anything that contains material that is contrary to the moral standards of the Church are placing themselves and their own wisdom above the counsel of God’s prophets—a course of action that would indeed be very unwise. As soon as people begin to think that they know better than God or His oracles, or that counsel given doesn’t apply to themselves, they are stepping onto a slippery slope that has claimed far too many victims already. It takes faith—real faith, unequivocal and unreserved—to accept and attempt to live prophetic counsel even when it’s not completely understood. Such profound and basic faith has the power to guide us safely through every challenge we may face in life.

“Of course, Satan doesn’t want us to feel or exhibit that kind of faith, and so he makes us feel uncomfortable with obedience. He plants defiance in our hearts with justification and rationalization, subtly convincing us that it is possible to live the spirit of the law even if we are in violation of its letter. Eventually he can make it seem wrong—or at least politically incorrect—to obey, branding it with derogatory labels like “blind faith.” But we must never forget this about Satan: he is a liar. He is the father of all lies, and has been from the beginning. He was cast out of Heavenly Father’s presence because of his disobedience, and now he has one goal, one eternal commitment that has never changed from the time of the War in Heaven until the present day. His sole purpose is to make you and me as miserable as he is, and the best way for him to accomplish that is to entice us into disobedience. Although there are all kinds of misery in this world, the only kind that is eternal is misery of the soul. And that kind of misery is centered in sin and transgression. Be careful; stay morally clean in mind and body. Do not compromise the standards of chastity.

“When we are not doing what we know we ought to be doing, and when we are not living the way we know we ought to live, we have a tendency to be unhappy. And make no mistake about it—we know when we are not doing what we ought to do, because every one of us has a conscience. We are born with the Spirit of Christ, and we know instinctively what is right and what is wrong when it comes to our personal behavior (see Moro. 7:16). It offends that Spirit when we allow ourselves and our values and standards to be manipulated by aesthetic propaganda in behalf of Satan’s lies.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard, “When Shall These Things Be?” December 1996 Ensign.

Additional Quote Topics (6):

E.     Education for the life (personal proposed).

1.      “Lift up your soul in prayer and ex plain to your Heavenly Father what you are feeling. Acknowledge y our shortcomings. Pour out your heart and express y our gratitude. Let Him know of the trials you are facing. Plead with Him in Christ’s name for strength and support. Ask that y our ears may be opened, that you may hear His voice. Ask that y our eyes may be opened, that you may see His light.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “A true friend strengthens us to stay on the strait and narrow path.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference.

3.      “Set goals, overcome mistakes, gain experience, and finish what you begin.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference.

4.      “We are not authorized to negotiate the conditions of that eternal plan.” Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference.

5.      “…standing strong sometimes means avoiding and even fleeing from the world.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference.

6.      “Our physical bodies make possible a breadth, a depth, and an intensity of experience that simply could not be obtained in our premortal existence.” Elder David A. Bednar, We Believe in Being Chaste, April 2013 General Conference.

7.      “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality : intimate relations are proper only between a man and a woman in the marriage relationship prescribed in God’s plan.”

Elder David A. Bednar, We Believe in Being Chaste, April 2013 General Conference.

8.      “Satan relentlessly works to distort the most important elements of the Father’s plan. He does not have a body, and his eternal progress has been halted.”

Elder David A. Bednar, We Believe in Being Chaste, April 2013 General Conference.

9.      “Because a physical body is so central to the Father’s plan of happiness and our spiritual development, Lucifer seeks to frustrate our progression by tempting us to use our bodies improperly.”

Elder David A. Bednar, We Believe in Being Chaste, April 2013 General Conference.

10.  “The heavenly aspiration of good people everywhere has and always will be for peace in the world. We must never give up on achieving this goal. But, President Joseph F. Smith taught, “There never can come to the world that spirit of peace and love… until mankind will receive God’s truth and God’s message…, and acknowledge his power and authority which is divine.”

“We earnestly hope and pray for universal peace, but it is as individuals and families that we achieve the kind of peace that is the promised reward of righteousness. This peace is a promised gift of the Savior’s mission and atoning sacrifice.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness, April 2013 General Conference.

   

F.     Mastering the content of the scriptures (personal proposed).

1.      “The scriptures testify of God and contain the words of eternal life. They become the foundation of our message.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Come, All Ye Sons of God, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “First, study diligently. Every holder of the priesthood should participate in daily scripture study. Crash courses are not nearly so effective as the day-to-day reading and application of the scriptures in our lives. Become acquainted with the lessons the scriptures teach. Learn the background and setting of the Master’s parables and the prophets’ admonitions. Study them as though they were speaking to you, for such is the truth.

President Thomas S. Monson, Be Your Best Self, May 2009 Ensign.

3.      “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.”

 Elder Robert D. Hales, Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation, November 2006 Ensign.

4.      “The fate of these civilizations, as recorded in scripture, is a testimony to all the world: if we don’t have the word of God or don’t cling to and heed the word of God, we will wander off in strange paths and be lost as individuals, as families, and as nations.

“As with voices from the dust, the prophets of the Lord cry out to us on earth today: 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.

“If the Savior were among us in the flesh today, He would teach us from the scriptures as He taught when He walked upon the earth. In the synagogue at Nazareth, “there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. … And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Later when the Sadducees and Pharisees posed a difficult question, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” And after His Resurrection, on the road to Emmaus, His disciples “said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” To His disciples then and now, His words ring out: “Search the scriptures; for … they are they which testify of me” —a testimony borne by the Holy Ghost, for “by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

“Brothers and sisters, I testify that the scriptures have been “kept and preserved [for us] by the hand of the Lord … for a wise purpose in him.” Lehi prophesied, “These plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time.” The Lord covenanted with Enos to preserve and bring forth the scriptures “in his … due time.” Of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni recorded, it was “written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed.” The scriptures which we have give prophecies and promises, and they have been fulfilled in our day.

“What a glorious blessing! For when we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation, November 2006 Ensign.

5.      “At the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni figuratively looks out over the last remnant of his people. He knew their extinction could have been avoided if they had not forgotten God’s holy word and lost the Spirit of the Lord. Is it any wonder that Moroni writes personally to us, to you and to me, pleading for us to claim the blessings of the scriptures?

““And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

““And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.””

Elder Robert D. Hales, Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation, November 2006 Ensign.

6.      “The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, and we learn about Him in its pages. We know that it has great power. It has the power to change lives. It has the power to convert. If you read it with an open heart, you will know that it is the word of God and that it is true.

“Through the Book of Mormon the Lord can also teach us about being with and serving people. This book reveals the will of the Lord for family life in a way that the other scriptures don’t even approach. I believe that is largely because of its interesting structure. It’s about families; it’s about people’s relationships. It starts with families, it ends with families, and we come to love these families.”

Elder Henry B. Eyring, A Discussion on Scripture Study, July 2005 Ensign.

7.      “The only way you can be sure that a busy schedule doesn’t crowd out scripture study is to establish a regular time to study the scriptures. I have found that the beginning of the day and the end of the day are mine. Those are times I can usually control.”

Elder Henry B. Eyring, A Discussion on Scripture Study, July 2005 Ensign.

8.      “We need to approach a fast by asking to be taught; we should be humble and eager like a child. That’s how we fast if we do it right. If we just miss meals, it’s not the same.

“Likewise, we need to go to the scriptures humbly and eagerly, as we do when we fast. When I go to the scriptures asking to be taught, then adding fasting helps tremendously.

“For instance, just before general conference, I fast to find out what the Lord wants me to speak about. I can’t prepare a conference talk until I know what He wants. Fasting helps me focus on the one thing the Lord needs me to know. That same focus carries over as I read the scriptures. Fasting and prayer work together with scripture study, making it easier for the Lord to teach us.”

Elder Henry B. Eyring, A Discussion on Scripture Study, July 2005 Ensign.

9.      The Holy Ghost confirms to us the word of God when we read it. That confirmation, repeated often, strengthens our faith. And it is by faith that we overcome obstacles and resist temptation.

Elder Henry B. Eyring, A Discussion on Scripture Study, July 2005 Ensign.

10.  “In time, if you truly begin to feast upon the scriptures, you will find that they become a part of you. I remember that with Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who was as familiar with the scriptures as anyone I know. I would sometimes listen to him and say to myself, “Now is he quoting the scriptures, or are those his own words?”

“President Gordon B. Hinckley is the same way. His ordinary speech is scriptural prose, and even in his pleasant, easy moments, that prose is a part of him. I think he has a great literary gift, in part because of his knowledge of the scriptures. I was with him just the other day when he very casually pulled a scripture into the conversation and it fit perfectly. Obviously the scriptures are in him; they’re part of him.

“We all can have the dream of someday having the word of God be so much a part of us that the Lord can draw upon it and we can learn to think as He does. And in the process we can come unto Him.”

Elder Henry B. Eyring, A Discussion on Scripture Study, July 2005 Ensign.

11.  “I suggest that you memorize scriptures that touch your heart and fill your soul with understanding. When scriptures are used as the Lord has caused them to be recorded, they have intrinsic power that is not communicated when paraphrased.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, He Lives, November 1999 Ensign.

12.  “Keep your eyes riveted on the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. We will not lead you astray. We cannot. Let me tell you why. Every week that I am in town, I attend a meeting of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve on the fourth floor of the Salt Lake Temple. If you could see the process by which decision and direction comes from that meeting, you would have a deep sense of confidence and comfort that the will of the Lord is being taught by the leaders of the Church.

“So keep your eyes riveted on the leadership of the Church. While individuals may falter, the body of general Church leadership will remain steadfast and true. If someone tells you that they have received revelation that the First Presidency and the Twelve have not received, run away from them”.

Elder M. Russell Ballard, “When Shall These Things Be?” December 1996 Ensign.

G.    Hope (chosen).

1.      “…even though we may feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hope of His light—He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way out of darkness.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “Profound sadness and anger threatened to destroy the wonderful light she had found in the gospel. She realized that if she allowed that darkness to consume her, her tormentor would have a final victory.” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

3.      “Jane learned that healing comes when we move away from the darkness and walk toward the hope of a brighter light. It was in the practical application of faith, hope, and charity that she not only transformed her own life but forever blessed the lives of many , many others.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

4.      “There may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you. You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

5.      “This is “the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” which gives “light to every man that cometh into the world.”

“Nevertheless, spiritual light rarely comes to those who merely sit in darkness waiting for someone to flip a switch. It takes an act of faith to open our eyes to the Light of Christ. Spiritual light cannot be discerned by carnal eyes. Jesus Christ Himself taught, “I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” For “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

“So how do we open our eyes to the hope of God’s light?”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

6.      “Isn’t it wonderful to know that we don’t have to be perfect to experience the blessings and gifts of our Heavenly Father? We don’t have to wait to cross the finish line to receive God’s blessings. In fact, the heavens begin to part and the blessings of heaven begin to distill upon us with the very first steps we take toward the light.

“The perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now. It doesn’t matter how unqualified you may think you are or how far behind others you may feel. The very moment you begin to seek your Heavenly Father, in that moment, the hope of His light will begin to awaken, enliven, and ennoble y our soul. The darkness may not dissipate all at once, but as surely as night always gives way to dawn, the light will come.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

7.      “Your Heavenly Father knows that you will make mistakes. He knows that you will stumble—perhaps many times. This saddens Him, but He loves you. He does not wish to break y our spirit. On the contrary, He desires that you rise up and become the person you were designed to be.

“To that end, He sent His Son to this earth to illuminate the way and show us how to safely cross the stumbling blocks placed in our path. He has given us the gospel, which teaches the way of the disciple. It teaches us the things we must know, do, and be to walk in His light, following in the footsteps of His Beloved Son, our Savior.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

8.      “I testify that with Christ, darkness cannot succeed. Darkness will not gain victory over the light of Christ.

“I bear witness that darkness cannot stand before the brilliant light of the Son of the living God!”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope of God’s Light, April 2013 General Conference.

9.      “Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time. The scriptures are clear and certain about the importance of hope. The Apostle Paul taught that the scriptures were written to the end that we “might have hope.”

““Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. 2 Its absence—when this desire of our heart is delayed—can make “the heart sick.””

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Infinite Power of Hope, October 2008 General Conference.

10.  “The scriptures say that there must be “an opposition in all things.” So it is with faith, hope, and charity. Doubt, despair, and failure to care for our fellowmen lead us into temptation, which can cause us to forfeit choice and precious blessings.

“The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Infinite Power of Hope, October 2008 General Conference.

11.  “Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God’s laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Infinite Power of Hope, October 2008 General Conference.

12.  “We learn to cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk, one step at a time. As we study the scriptures, speak with our Heavenly Father daily, commit to keep the commandments of God, like the Word of Wisdom, and to pay a full tithing, we attain hope. We grow in our ability to “abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost,” as we more perfectly live the gospel.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Infinite Power of Hope, October 2008 General Conference.

H.    The role as father (chosen).

1.      “The Lord has been very explicit in talking to us fathers, indicating that we have a responsibility to love our wives with all of our hearts and to provide for them and for our children. He has indicated that the greatest work we parents can do is performed in our homes, and our homes can be heaven, particularly when our marriages are sealed in the house of God.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Blessings of the Temple, October 2010 Ensign.

2.      “May each of us renew our determination to teach true principles within the sanctity of our homes. As we do that, we will provide the greatest opportunity for happiness for the spirits entrusted to our care. Use the Church as a righteous tool to strengthen the home, but recognize that as parents we have the fundamental responsibility and privilege to be guided by the Lord in the upbringing of the spirit children He has entrusted to our care.

“The vital importance of teaching truth in the home is fundamental. The Church is important, but it is in the home where parents provide the required understanding and direction for children. It is truly said that the most important callings in time and eternity are those of father and mother. In time we will be released from all other assignments we receive but not from that of father and mother.

“As you ponder—not just read but ponder and meditate—on scriptural passages, the power of the Holy Ghost will distill truths in your mind and heart as a secure foundation in this uncertain time in which we live. As parents, prepare your children for the challenges they will encounter. Teach them truth, encourage them to live it, and they will be all right no matter how severely the world is shaken.

“This Easter, resolve to make the Lord Jesus Christ the living center of your home. Be sure that every decision you make, whether it be of a spiritual or physical nature, be guided by the thought “What would the Lord Jesus Christ have me do?” When the Savior is the center of your home, it is filled with peace and serenity. There is a spirit of calm assurance that pervades the home that is felt by the children and adults alike.

“The best way to make a permanent change for good is to make Jesus Christ your model and His teachings your guide for life”.

Elder Richard G. Scott, He Lives! All Glory to His Name! April 2010 General Conference.

3.      “The prophet Lehi pled with his rebellious sons, saying, “Arise from the dust, my sons, and be men” (2 Nephi 1:21; emphasis added). By age, Laman and Lemuel were men, but in terms of character and spiritual maturity they were still as children. They murmured and complained if asked to do anything hard. They didn’t accept anyone’s authority to correct them. They didn’t value spiritual things. They easily resorted to violence, and they were good at playing the victim.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Let Us Be Men, October 2006 General Conference.

4.      “We who hold the priesthood of God cannot afford to drift. We have work to do (see Moroni 9:6). We must arise from the dust of self-indulgence and be men! It is a wonderful aspiration for a boy to become a man—strong and capable; someone who can build and create things, run things; someone who makes a difference in the world. It is a wonderful aspiration for those of us who are older to make the vision of true manhood a reality in our lives and be models for those who look to us for an example.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Let Us Be Men, October 2006 General Conference.

5.      “As we take a long, hard look at the world today, it is becoming increasingly evident that Satan is working overtime to enslave the souls of men. His main target is the fundamental unit of society—the family.

“During the past few decades, Satan has waged a vigorous campaign to belittle and demean this basic and most important of all organizations. His success is becoming increasingly evident—the grim facts are seen, reported, and heard about daily and involve the collapse of many family units. With the decay of the family, we see the terrible effects on our society—increased crime, behavior disorders, poverty, drug abuse, and the list continues to grow and grow.

“It appears to me that the crosshairs of Satan’s scope are centered on husbands and fathers. Today’s media, for example, have been relentless in their attacks—ridiculing and demeaning husbands and fathers in their God-given roles.”

Elder L. Tom Perry, Fatherhood, an Eternal Calling, April 2004 General Conference.

6.      “Satan, in his carefully devised plan to destroy the family, seeks to diminish the role of fathers. Increased youth violence, youth crime, greater poverty and economic insecurity, and the failure of increasing numbers of children in our schools offer clear evidence of lack of a positive influence of fathers in the homes. 5 A family needs a father to anchor it.”

Elder L. Tom Perry, Fatherhood, an Eternal Calling, April 2004 General Conference.

7.      Once a family has been established, the father’s roles include the following:

“1. The father is the head in his family.

““Fatherhood is leadership, the most important kind of leadership. It has always been so; it always will be so. Father, with the assistance and counsel and encouragement of your eternal companion, you preside in the home. It is not a matter of whether you are most worthy or best qualified, but it is a matter of [divine] appointment.” 

“Your leadership in the home must include leading in family worship.

…

“2. The father is a teacher.

“President Joseph F. Smith’s counsel applies today: “Do not let your children out to specialists … , but teach them by your own precept and example, by your own fireside. Be a specialist yourself in the truth.”

…

“3. The father is the temporal provider.

 “President Ezra Taft Benson expressed it clearly: “The Lord has charged men with the responsibility to provide for their families in such a way that the wife is allowed to fulfill her role as mother in the home. … Sometimes the mother works outside of the home at the encouragement, or even insistence, of her husband … [for the] convenience[s] that the extra income can buy. Not only will the family suffer in such instances, brethren, but your own spiritual growth and progression will be hampered.”"

Elder L. Tom Perry, Fatherhood, an Eternal Calling, April 2004 General Conference.

8.      “After generations of prophets had tried to teach the family of man the will and the way of the Father, usually with little success, God in His ultimate effort to have us know Him, sent to earth His Only Begotten and perfect Son, created in His very likeness and image, to live and serve among mortals in the everyday rigors of life.

“To come to earth with such a responsibility, to stand in place of Elohim—speaking as He would speak, judging and serving, loving and warning, forbearing and forgiving as He would do—this is a duty of such staggering proportions that you and I cannot comprehend such a thing. But in the loyalty and determination that would be characteristic of a divine child, Jesus could comprehend it and He did it. Then, when the praise and honor began to come, He humbly directed all adulation to the Father.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, The Grandeur of God, November 2003, Ensign.

9.      “I bear personal witness this day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers prayers, and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. I testify that amidst the wondrously complex tasks inherent in the universe, He seeks our individual happiness and safety above all other godly concerns. We are created in His very image and likeness, and Jesus of Nazareth, His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, came to earth as the perfect mortal manifestation of His grandeur. In addition to the witness of the ancients we also have the modern miracle of Palmyra, the appearance of God the Father and His Beloved Son, the Savior of the world, to the boy prophet Joseph Smith. I testify of that appearance, and in the words of that prophet I, too, declare: “Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive. … God does not look on sin with [the least degree of] allowance, but … the nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs.””

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, The Grandeur of God, November 2003, Ensign.

10.  “Be a wise father who showers attention on each daughter. It will bring joy to you and fulfillment to her. When a daughter feels the warmth and approval of her father, she will not likely seek attention in inappropriate ways. As a father, acknowledge her good behavior. Listen to her and praise her for her strengths. You will greatly enrich her life. She will model the behavior she observes. Let her see you treat your wife and other women with admiration and honest respect.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, The Sanctity of Womanhood, May 2000 Ensign.

11.  “Christ taught us to be “perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48), to take on His attributes, to follow the pattern of our parentage.”

Elder Boyd K. Packer, The Pattern of Our Parentage, November 1984 Ensign.

12.  “No lesson is more manifest in nature than that all living things do as the Lord commanded in the Creation. They reproduce “after their own kind.” (See Moses 2:12, 24.) They follow the pattern of their parentage. Everyone knows that; every four-year-old knows that! A bird will not become an animal nor a fish. A mammal will not beget reptiles, nor “do men gather … figs of thistles.” (Matt. 7:16.)

“In the countless billions of opportunities in the reproduction of living things, one kind does not beget another. If a species ever does cross, the offspring cannot reproduce. The pattern for all life is the pattern of the parentage.

“This is demonstrated in so many obvious ways, even an ordinary mind should understand it. Surely no one with reverence for God could believe that His children evolved from slime or from reptiles. (Although one can easily imagine that those who accept the theory of evolution don’t show much enthusiasm for genealogical research!) The theory of evolution, and it is a theory, will have an entirely different dimension when the workings of God in creation are fully revealed.

“Since every living thing follows the pattern of its parentage, are we to suppose that God had some other strange pattern in mind for Hisoffspring? Surely we, His children, are not, in the language of science, a different species than He is?”

Elder Boyd K. Packer, The Pattern of Our Parentage, November 1984 Ensign.

13.  “HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.”

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, The Family: A Proclamation to the World, this proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I.       Discipleship (chosen).

1.      “At best, missionary work necessitates drastic adjustment to one’s pattern of living. It requires long hours and great devotion, selfless sacrifice and fervent prayer. As a result, dedicated missionary service returns a dividend of eternal joy which extends throughout mortality and into eternity.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Come, All Ye Sons of God, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “The final point in our formula is to serve the Lord with love. There is no substitute for love. Successful missionaries love their companions, their mission leaders, and the precious persons whom they teach. In the fourth section of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord established the qualifications for the labors of the ministry….”

President Thomas S. Monson, Come, All Ye Sons of God, April 2013 General Conference.

3.      “The Savior demonstrated genuine love of God by living the perfect life, by honoring the sacred mission that was His. Never was He haughty. Never was He puffed up with pride. Never was He disloyal. Ever was He humble. Ever was He sincere. Ever was He obedient.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Obedience Bring Blessings, April 2013 General Conference.

4.      “Since you know that the Lord always prepares a way to keep His commandments, you can expect that He will do that for each of you.” President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference.

5.      “…there is one way in which we are one in our charge in the priesthood. We sanctify ourselves and fulfill our individual duties to the commandment to take the gospel to all of our Heavenly Father’s children.”

President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference.

6.      “When it was announced in 2002 that missionary work would become the responsibility of the bishops, I marveled. I’d been one. It seemed to me they were already carrying a load close to their limits in ministering to the members and directing the organizations in the ward.

“One bishop I knew saw it not as an added duty but as an opportunity to draw the ward together in a great cause where every member became a missionary.”

President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference.

7.      “The priest will invite others to join with him in the tiny group of Saints where he has felt the love of God and the blessed peace of the Atonement.

“If he continues faithful in his priesthood duty, he will see the group become a branch, and then a stake of Zion will come to his city. There will be a ward with a caring bishop. It could be one of his sons or grandsons who will someday take a servant of God to a nearby hill and say, “This would be a wonderful place for a temple.””

President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference.

8.      “I experienced the joy of coming closer to the Savior and of His coming closer to me most often through simple acts of obedience to the commandments.”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

9.      “I felt the Savior’s love and closeness that ev ening. And I felt the comfort of the Holy Ghost.”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

10.  “The Savior’s words are true as well for us as they were for His disciples then. We are witnesses of these things. And the glorious charge we accepted as we were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was made plain for us by the prophet Alma centuries ago at the waters of Mormon:”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

11.  “We are under covenant both to lift up those in need and to be witnesses of the Savior as long as we live.

“We will be able to do it without fail only as we feel love for the Savior and His love for us. As we are faithful to the promises we have made, we will feel our love for Him. It will increase because we will feel His power and His drawing near to us in His service.”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

12.  “There is another way you and I have felt Him grow closer to us. As we give devoted service to Him, He draws closer to those we love in our families.”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

13.  “Every covenant servant of His within His kingdom on earth and in the spirit world will receive His guidance by the Spirit as they bless and serve others for Him. And they will feel His love and find joy in being drawn closer to Him.”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

14.  “I am a witness of the Resurrection of the Lord as surely as if I had been there in the evening with the two disciples in the house on Emmaus road. I know that He lives as surely as did Joseph Smith when he saw the Father and the Son in the light of a brilliant morning in a grov e of trees in Palmyra.”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

15.  “We will on the Day of Judgment stand before the Savior, face to face. It will be a time of joy for those who have drawn close to Him in His service in this life. It will be a joy to hear the words: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

President Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference.

16.  “…all who strive earnestly to follow the Christ are called His disciples. Although we recognize that none of us are perfect, we do not use that fact as an excuse to lower our expectations, to live beneath our privileges, to delay the day of our repentance, or to refuse to grow into better, more perfect, more refined followers of our Master and King.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

17.  “With every step we take following the Son of God, we may be reminded that we are not perfect yet. But let us be steadfast and constant disciples. Let us not give up. Let us be true to our covenants. Let us never lose sight of our Advocate and Redeemer as we walk toward Him, one imperfect step after another.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf “Four Titles”, April 2013 General Conference.

18.  “We who have been ordained to the priesthood of God are called to practice “the healer’s art.”

“It is our job to build up, repair, strengthen, uplift, and make whole…”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

19.  “As home teachers, we are healers. As priesthood leaders, we are healers. As fathers, sons, brothers, and husbands, we should be committed and dedicated healers. We carry in one hand a vial of consecrated oil for blessing the sick; in the other we carry a loaf of bread to feed the hungry ; and in our hearts we carry the peaceable word of God, “which healeth the wounded soul.””

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

20.  “The restored gospel of Jesus Christ blesses lives not just when we believe it—but much more when we liv e it. It is in the application of gospel principles that individuals are uplifted and families are strengthened. It is our privilege and responsibility not just to talk the talk but also to walk the walk.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

21.  “Do we desire to see the heavens open and witness the promptings of the Holy Spirit showing us the way? Then let’s take up our sickle and put our back into this great work—a cause much greater than ourselves!

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

22.  “Serving God and our fellowmen will challenge us and transform us into something greater than we ever thought possible.

“Perhaps you might think that you are not needed, that you are overlooked or unwanted, that you are nobody.

“I am sincerely sorry if any priesthood holder feels this way. Certainly you are not overlooked or unwanted by your Heavenly Father. He loves you. And I tell you with certainty that you are needed by y our Church.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference,

23.  “Perhaps it is true that we are weak. Perhaps we are not wise or mighty. But when God works through us, no one and nothing can stand against us.

“This is why you are needed. You have your own special contribution to make, and God can magnify that contribution in a mighty way. Y our ability to contribute is not dependent upon your calling in the Church. Y our opportunities for service are endless. If you are waiting on the sidelines, I encourage you to get in the game.

“Don’t wait for a particular calling before you become fully engaged in building the kingdom of God. As a priesthood holder, you are already called to the work. Study the word of God daily, pray to Heavenly Father every day, internalize the principles of the restored gospel, give thanks to God, and ask for His guidance. Then live what you learn, first in your family but also in all situations of y our life.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

24.  “My dear brethren, my dear friends, you are important. You are loved. You are needed. This work is true. The priesthood you are privileged to bear is indeed of God.

“I pray that as you ponder the many titles of a worthy priesthood holder, you will discover a divine wind at y our back, lifting you ever upward toward the great inheritance y our Heavenly Father has reserved for you. I leave you this blessing and my testimony in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference.

25.  “The incidents of the armed service do not permit our keeping in constant personal touch with you, either directly or by personal representation. Our next best course is to put in your hands such portions of modern revelation and of explanations of the principles of the Gospel as shall bring to you, wherever you may be, renewed hope and faith, as likewise comfort, consolation, and peace of spirit.”

Elder L. Tom Perry, Obedience to Law Is Liberty, April 2013 General Conference.

26.  “Today we find ourselves in another war. This is not a war of armaments. It is a war of thoughts, words, and deeds. It is a war with sin, and more than ever we need to be reminded of the commandments.”

Elder L. Tom Perry, Obedience to Law Is Liberty, April 2013 General Conference.

27.  “You parents, teachers, and others, catch the wave as you prepare our rising generation to be worthy of missionary service. Meanwhile, your exemplary lives will attract the interest of your friends and neighbors. Be ready to give an answer to those who ask why you live as you do. Be ready to give a reason for the hope and joy that they see in you. When such questions come, you might respond by saying, “Let’s ask the missionaries! They can help us! And if you desire, I will be at your side as the missionaries respond and teach you.”

“You adults, catch the wave with help for the spiritual, physical, and financial preparation of future missionaries. Pinching pennies for piggy banks becomes part of your practice. You senior couples, you plan for the day when you can go on your mission. We will be most grateful for your service. Until then, perhaps some of you could send your dollars on missions by contributing to the General Missionary Fund, as suggested by President Monson again this morning.”

Elder Russell M. Nelson, Catch the Wave, April 2013 General Conference.

28.  “Stake presidents and bishops catch the wave as they spend more and more hours interviewing prospective missionaries. These priesthood leaders hold keys of responsibility for missionary work in their units, and they inspire members to participate.”

Elder Russell M. Nelson, Catch the Wave, April 2013 General Conference.

29.  “As Jesus taught, those who love Him will keep His commandments. They will be obedient, as President Thomas S. Monson taught this morning. Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places. The Savior taught this principle and how we should be reminded and strengthened to follow it when He instituted the ordinance of thesacrament (communion, as others call it). We know from modern revelation that He commanded His followers to partake of the emblems in remembrance of Him (see Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 26:22 [in Matthew 26:26, footnote c], 24 [in the Bible appendix]; Joseph SmithTranslation, Mark 14:21–24 [in the Bible appendix]). Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints follow that commandment each week by attending a worship service in which we partake of the bread and water and covenant that we will always remember Him and keep His commandments.

“Jesus taught that “men ought always to pray” (Luke 18:1). He also set that example, such as when He “continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12) before He called His Twelve Apostles. Like other Christians, we pray in all our worship services. We also pray for guidance, and we teach that we should have frequent personal prayers and daily kneeling prayers as a family. Like Jesus, we pray to our Father in Heaven, and we do so in the sacred name of Jesus Christ.

“The Savior called Twelve Apostles to assist in His Church and gave them the keys and authority to carry on after His death (see Matthew 16:18–19;Mark 3:14–15; 6:7; Luke 6:13). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the restored Church of Jesus Christ, follows this example in its organization and in its conferral of keys and authority on Apostles.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Followers of Christ, April 2013 General Conference.

30.  Most Christians give to the poor and the needy, as Jesus taught (seeMatthew 25:31–46; Mark 14:7). In following this teaching of our Savior, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members excel. Our members make generous contributions to charities and give personal service and other gifts to the poor and needy. In addition, our members fast for two meals each month and donate at least the cost of these meals as a fast offering, which our bishops and branch presidents use to help our needy members. Our fasting to help the hungry is an act of charity and, when done with pure intent, is a spiritual feast.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Followers of Christ, April 2013 General Conference.

31.  “The power of the priesthood is a sacred and essential gift of God. It is different from priesthood authority, which is the authorization to act in God’s name. The authorization or ordination is given by the laying on of hands. The power of the priesthood comes only when those who exercise it are worthy and acting in accordance with God’s will.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard, This Is My Work and Glory, April 2013 General Conference.

32.  “As you center your home on the Savior, it will naturally become a refuge not only to your own family but also to friends who live in more difficult circumstances.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference.

33.  “We take most seriously the Savior’s mandate…, ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’”

President Monson words quoted by Elder Neil L. Andersen, It’s a Miracle”, April 2013 General Conference.

34.  “We are witnessing the miracles of the Lord as His gospel is spreading across the world.

“Brothers and sisters, as surely as the Lord has inspired more missionaries to serve, He is also awakening the minds and opening the hearts of more good and honest people to receive His missionaries. You already know them or will know them. They are in y our family and live in y our neighborhood. They walk past you on the street, sit by you in school, and connect with you online. You too are an important part of this unfolding miracle.

“If you’re not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on y our coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart—painted, as Paul said, “not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.”  And returned missionaries, find y our old missionary tag. Don’t wear it, but put it where you can see it. The Lord needs you now more than ever to be an instrument in His hands. All of us have a contribution to make to this miracle.”

Elder Neil L. Andersen, “It’s a Miracle”, April 2013 General Conference.

35.  “We also pray for our own opportunities to share the gospel. The Apostle Peter said, “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh … a reason [for] the hope that is in you.””

Elder Neil L. Andersen, “It’s a Miracle”, April 2013 General Conference.

36.  “We respect each person’s choice and timing. The Lord said, “Let every man choose for himself.” A person’s lack of interest need not diminish our bonds of friendship and love. Whether or not the invitation is accepted as you invite others to “come and see,” you will feel the approval of the Lord and, with that approval, an added measure of faith to share your beliefs again and again.”

Elder Neil L. Andersen, “It’s a Miracle”, April 2013 General Conference.

37.  “Bishops, encourage each young woman to ponder last Saturday’s inspiring Young Women meeting. It will give her a vision of who she is and help her in her quest to fulfill her divine destiny. It will help her see how essential it is to stand valiantly against the destructive tide of the world and to bear her testimony of Jesus Christ.

“Brethren, as we honor womanhood, each daughter of God will be encouraged to do likewise.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, The Sanctity of Womanhood, May 2000 Ensign.

J.      Temple (chosen).

1.      “I was relieved that they were safe but not surprised at their location.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness, April 2013 General Conference.

2.      “Temple and family history work is one work divided into two parts. They are connected together like the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some members may not be able to do both works because of health or distances to temples.

“President Howard W. Hunter taught:

““We must accomplish the priesthood temple ordinance work necessary for our own exaltation; then we must do the necessary work for those who did not have the opportunity to accept the gospel in life. Doing work for others is accomplished in two steps: first, by family history research to ascertain our progenitors; and second, by performing the temple ordinances to give them the same opportunities afforded to the living.

““Yet there are many members of the Church who have only limited access to the temples. They do the best they can. They pursue family history research and have the temple ordinance work done by others. Conversely, there are some members who engage in temple work but fail to do family history research on their own family lines. Although they perform a divine service in assisting others, they lose a blessing by not seeking their own kindred dead as divinely directed by latter-day prophets. …

““I have learned that those who engage in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both halves of the blessing.”

“Father in Heaven wants each of us to receive both parts of the blessing of this vital vicarious work. He has led others to show us how to qualify. It is up to you and me to claim those blessings.

“Any work you do in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received. The First Presidency has declared, “Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors.””

Elder Richard G. Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, October 2012 General Conference.

3.      “Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.

“In the Russia Rostov-na-Donu Mission the youth were invited to each index 2,000 names and then qualify at least one name from their own families for temple ordinances. Those who accomplished this goal were invited to go on a long journey to the new Kyiv Ukraine Temple. One young man shared his experience: “I was spending a lot of time playing computer games. When I started indexing, I didn’t have time to play games. At first I thought, ‘Oh no! How can that be!’ When this project was over, I even lost interest in gaming. … Genealogical work is something that we can do here on earth, and it will remain in heaven.””

Elder Richard G. Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, October 2012 General Conference.

4.      We encourage those of you who have a large reservation of names to share them so that members of your extended family or ward and stake can help you in completing that work. You can do this by distributing temple cards to ward and stake members willing to help or by using the FamilySearch computer system to submit the names directly to the temple. 

Elder Richard G. Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, October 2012 General Conference.

5.      “I think there is no place in the world where I feel closer to the Lord than in one of His holy temples. To paraphrase a poem:

How far is heaven?

It’s not very far.

In temples of God,

It’s right where we are.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Blessings of the Temple, October 2010 Ensign.

6.      “All that occurs within the walls of the temple is uplifting and ennobling.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Blessings of the Temple, October 2010 Ensign.

7.      “The temple is for families, one of the greatest treasures we have in mortality.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Blessings of the Temple, October 2010 Ensign.

8.      “I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?

“Now I share some additional suggestions of how to gain more benefit from temple attendance.

·         Understand the doctrine related to temple ordinances, especially the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

·         While participating in temple ordinances, consider your relationship to Jesus Christ and His relationship to our Heavenly Father. This simple act will lead to greater understanding of the supernal nature of the temple ordinances.

·         Always prayerfully express gratitude for the incomparable blessings that flow from temple ordinances. Live each day so as to give evidence to Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son of how very much those blessings mean to you.

·         Schedule regular visits to the temple.

·         Leave sufficient time to be unhurried within the temple walls.

·         Rotate activities so that you can participate in all of the ordinances of the temple.

·         Remove your watch when you enter a house of the Lord.

·         Listen carefully to the presentation of each element of the ordinance with an open mind and heart.

·         Be mindful of the individual for whom you are performing the vicarious ordinance. At times pray that he or she will recognize the vital importance of the ordinances and be worthy or prepare to be worthy to benefit from them.

·         Recognize that much of the majesty of the sealing ordinance cannot be understood and remembered with one live experience. Substantial subsequent vicarious work permits one to understand much more of what is communicated in the live ordinances.

·         Realize that a sealing ordinance is not enduring until after it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Both individuals must be worthy and want the sealing to be eternal.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need, April 2009 General Conference.

9.      “Fourteen years ago the Lord decided it was not necessary for my wife to live any longer on the earth, and He took her to the other side of the veil. I confess that there are times when it is difficult not to be able to turn and talk to her, but I do not complain. The Lord has allowed me, at important moments in my life, to feel her influence through the veil.

“What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent.

“I know that I will have the privilege of being with that beautiful wife, whom I love with all my heart, and with those children who are with her on the other side of the veil because of the ordinances that are performed in the temple. What a blessing to have once again on the earth the sealing authority, not only for this mortal life but for the eternities. I am grateful that the Lord has restored His gospel in its fulness, including the ordinances that are required for us to be happy in the world and to live everlastingly happy lives in the hereafter.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need, April 2009 General Conference.

10.  “One of the most beautiful, comforting doctrines of the Lord—one that brings immense peace, happiness, and unbounded joy—is that principle called eternal marriage. This doctrine means that a man and woman who love each other deeply, who have grown together through the trials, joys, sorrows, and happiness of a shared lifetime, can live beyond the veil together forever with their family who earn that blessing. That is not just an immensely satisfying dream; it is a reality. Any husband and wife who have shared the joys of marriage here on earth would want that blessing. But only those who meet the requirements established by the Lord will receive that supernal gift. I bear witness that all those things that have and will bring me the greatest happiness in life have roots in the temple ordinances. Decide now to receive the ordinances of the temple at the appropriate time. Don’t let anything overcome that resolve.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, Receive the Temple Blessings, April 1999 General Conference.

11.  “There is more to a foundation of eternal marriage than a pretty face or an attractive figure. There is more to consider than popularity or charisma. As you seek an eternal companion, look for someone who is developing the essential attributes that bring happiness: a deep love of the Lord and of His commandments, a determination to live them, one that is kindly understanding, forgiving of others, and willing to give of self, with the desire to have a family crowned with beautiful children and a commitment to teach them the principles of truth in the home. An essential priority of a prospective wife is the desire to be a wife and mother. She should be developing the sacred qualities that God has given His daughters to excel as a wife and mother: patience, kindliness, a love of children, and a desire to care for them rather than seeking professional pursuits. She should be acquiring a good education to prepare for the demands of motherhood. A prospective husband should also honor his priesthood and use it in service to others. Seek a man who accepts his role as provider of the necessities of life, has the capacity to do it, and is making concerted efforts to prepare himself to fulfill those responsibilities.

“I suggest that you not ignore many possible candidates who are still developing these attributes, seeking the one who is perfected in them. You will likely not find that perfect person, and if you did, there would certainly be no interest in you. These attributes are best polished together as husband and wife.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, Receive the Temple Blessings, April 1999 General Conference.

12.  “Arrange to participate for deceased ancestors in the sealing and other ordinances as well as the endowment. I find it helpful when receiving ordinances for another, to try and relate to that person specifically. I think of him and pray that he will accept the ordinance and benefit from it. Do these things with a prayer in your heart that the Holy Spirit will enhance your understanding and enrich your life. Those worthy prayers will be answered.”

Elder Richard G. Scott, Receive the Temple Blessings, April 1999 General Conference.