Eyes on the Prize

"What young musician, after years of agonizing rehearsal was finally scheduled to debut in a capacity concert hall, would, while en route to the performance, stop to join a long line forming at the latest hit movie, forgetting the thousands of people waiting to hear her?

"What world-class runner, after training for well over a decade, would find himself in the Olympic finals, only to stop running halfway through his race to watch the high-jump finals taking place on the other side of the field?

"These examples may seem preposterous—but how much more tragic it is for someone who, equipped with a testimony of the truth and a knowledge of the purpose of life, becomes more absorbed in life today than in life forever. Who’s just a little more concerned about his or her status and standing in mortality than in eternity. Whose focus is not directed to God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, with whom it is possible to have a glorious connection and bond...

"When we have a yearning and don’t know what it is for, perhaps it’s our soul longing for its heartland, longing to be no longer alienated from the Lord and the pursuit of something much higher, better, and more fulfilling than anything this earth has to offer."

Marvin J. Ashton, "A Yearning for Home," General Conference, October 1992.

Laman and Lemuel's biggest sin, in my opinion, is how quick they were to forget.  And I definitely don't excuse myself of the same.  It's no wonder the commandment given more than any other in the Book of Mormon comes in the form of one word: REMEMBER. 

As I've seen it, one of the adversary's craftiest tools for those who have a testimony and are to at least some degree living the gospel, is to put distractions in the way to take our focus off the goal to return home, and more importantly to do so prepared for our Father's very purpose in sending us here. 

I chuckled at Elder Ashton's examples as I realized that while i'd like to think I wouldn't do something so foolish, I think to some degree that those times when I let the conditions of the moment completely cloud over the eternal perspective, I am in fact dropping my cross and sitting awhile just to watch the squirrel chasing his tail. 

Flooded with Light

"We see such a limited part of the eternal plan He has fashioned for each one of us. Trust Him, even when in eternal perspective it temporarily hurts very much. Have patience when you are asked to wait when you want immediate action. He may ask you to do things which are powerfully against your will. Exercise faith and say, Let Thy will be done. Such experiences, honorably met, prepare you and condition you for yet greater blessings. As your Father, His purpose is your eternal happiness, your continuing development, your increasing capacity. His desire is to share with you all that He has. The path you are to walk through life may be very different from others. You may not always know why He does what He does, but you can know that He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. He would have you suffer no consequence, no challenge, endure no burden that is superfluous to your good.

"To gain unshakable faith in Jesus Christ is to flood your life with brilliant light. You are no longer alone to struggle with challenges you know you cannot resolve or control yourself..."

Richard G. Scott, "Obtaining Help from the Lord," General Conference, October 1991.

Last night I was talking with one of the Elders serving in our ward.  He was just weighed down by some of the struggles which tend to accompany the work.  He asked me for guidance, and I think even just a word of encouragement may gave done the trick.  Unfortunately, being in a place where I'm struggling to find something positive in the same  things and people that are weighing him down, all I could say was, "while I wish I could say something to lift you up, there's not a whole lot of light at the end of my current tunnel, and I really have nothing to offer."  What a terrible way to feel, and what an awful place to be when you are so consumed by your perceived darkness, that you can't offer even a single lumen of light to someone else in need of it.

How opposite that is from Elder Scott's point that when we are living a life full of faith in Christ, we are flooded with light.  It's that light that illuminates the reality of what the Atonement was designed to do: to apply mercy to our burdens, to change us, to make us what we were designed to become, to help us see the hand that is always stretched out to take from us what He paid the price in Gethsemane to take from us.  There is no darkness in that truth.

Eternal Emotions

"One of the greatest of all God’s revelations is Father Lehi’s teaching that “men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Ne. 2:25.) Joy is more than happiness. Joy is the ultimate sensation of well-being. It comes from being complete and in harmony with our Creator and his eternal laws.

"The opposite of joy is misery. Misery is more than unhappiness, sorrow, or suffering. Misery is the ultimate state of disharmony with God and his laws.

"Joy and misery are eternal emotions whose ultimate extent we are not likely to experience in mortality...'

Dallin H. Oaks, "Joy and Mercy," General Conference, October 1991.

The finite perspective a lot of times can cause a person to beat themself up... For me, it actually gets me more frustrated when I feel unhappy. It's definitely cyclical in its nature.  Elder Oaks' point that while joy is the ultimate object of our existence, it is not even a fully accomplishable goal in mortality. It's both disappointing and encouraging at the same time, because while we can know what it is to be happy in this life, the condition is only a shadow of what that ETERNAL fullness of JOY has the potential to be.

On Revelation

'We do not always receive inspiration or revelation when we request it. Sometimes we are delayed in the receipt of revelation, and sometimes we are left to our own judgment. We cannot force spiritual things. It must be so. Our life’s purpose to obtain experience and to develop faith would be frustrated if our Heavenly Father directed us in every act, even in every important act. We must make decisions and experience the consequences in order to develop self-reliance and faith."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Revelation," Brigham Young University Devotional Address, Septemer 29, 1981.

About Forgiveness

"There are those among us who torture themselves through their inability to show mercy and to forgive others some supposed offense or slight, however small it may be... Such an attitude is destructive to an individual’s well-being. It can canker the soul and ruin one’s life. In other instances, an individual can forgive another but cannot forgive himself. Such a situation is even more destructive...

President Thomas S. Monson, "Mercy, the Divine Gift," General Conference, April 1995.

Once Again, On Hope

"We mortals have a limited view of life from the eternal perspective. But if we know and understand Heavenly Father’s plan, we realize that dealing with adversity is one of the chief ways we are tested. Our faith in our Heavenly Father and his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, is the source of inner strength. Through faith we can find peace, comfort, and the courage to endure. As we trust in God and his plan for our happiness with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding (see Prov. 3:5), hope is born. Hope grows out of faith and gives meaning and purpose to all we do. It can give us comfort in the face of adversity, strength in times of trial, and peace when we have reason for doubt or anguish."

M. Russell Ballard, "Answers to Life's Questions," General Conference, April 1995.

Joy in Trusting

"Your joy in life depends upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His holy Son, your conviction that their plan of happiness truly can bring you joy. Pondering their doctrine will let you enjoy the beauties of this earth and enrich your relationships with others. It will lead you to the comforting, strengthening experiences that flow from prayer to Father in Heaven and the answers He gives in return."

Richard G. Scott, "Finding Joy in Life," General Conference, April 1996.

Being Still

"...acknowledging God’s hand includes, in the words of the Prophet Joseph, trusting that God has made “ample provision” beforehand to achieve all His purposes, including His purposes in our lives (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 220). Sometimes He clearly directs; other times it seems He merely permits some things to happen. Therefore, we will not always understand the role of God’s hand, but we know enough of his heart and mind to be submissive. Thus when we are perplexed and stressed, explanatory help is not always immediately forthcoming, but compensatory help will be. Thus our process of cognition gives way to our personal submission, as we experience those moments when we learn to “be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10)."

Neal A. Maxwell, "Swallowed up in the Will of the Father," General Conference, October 1995.

Setting the Pace for Qualifying for Exhaltation

"The Lord’s plan is to exalt you to live with Him and be greatly blessed. The rate at which you qualify is generally set by your capacity to mature, to grow, to love, and to give of yourself."

Richard G. Scott, "Trust in the Lord," General Conference. October 1995.

He Wants Your Happiness Even More Than You do

"Our Father in Heaven has invited you to express your needs, hopes, and desires unto Him. That should not be done in a spirit of negotiation, but rather as a willingness to obey His will no matter what direction that takes. His invitation, “Ask, and ye shall receive” (3 Ne. 27:29) does not assure that you will get what you want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, you will get what you need, as judged by a Father that loves you perfectly, who wants your eternal happiness even more than do you."

Richard G. Scott, "Trust in the Lord," General Conference,October 1995.

The Purpose of Agency

"Your agency, the right to make choices, is not given so that you can get what you want. This divine gift is provided so that you will choose what your Father in Heaven wants for you. That way He can lead you to become all that He intends you to be. That path leads to glorious joy and happiness."

Richard G. Scott, "Finding Joy in Life," General Conference, April 1996.

The Fruit of Keeping Covenants

"The fruit of keeping covenants is the companionship of the Holy Ghost and an increase in the power to love. That happens because of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to change our very natures."

Henry B. Eyring, "Witnesses for God," General Conference, October 1996.

The Doctrine of Desire

"Desire denotes a real longing or craving. Hence righteous desires are much more than passive preferences or fleeting feelings. Of course our genes, circumstances, and environments matter very much, and they shape us significantly. Yet there remains an inner zone in which we are sovereign, unless we abdicate. In this zone lies the essence of our individuality and our personal accountability.

"Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity...

"Whenever spiritually significant things are under way, righteous desires are present..." (Emphasis added)

Neal A. Maxwell, "According to the Desire of our Hearts," General Conference, October 1996.

Beware the Pattern

"If we are not careful, today’s secret combinations can obtain power and influence just as quickly and just as completely as they did in Book of Mormon times. Do you remember the pattern? The secret combinations began among the “more wicked part” of society, but eventually “seduced the more part of the righteous” until the whole society was polluted."

M. Russell Ballard, "Standing for Truth and Right," General Priesthood Meeting, October 1997.

Hobbies can aid Spiritual Development

"Hobbies can aid in spiritual development. Worthy music, dance, art, and writing are among the creative activities that can enrich the soul. A good hobby can dispel heartache and give zest to life."

Russell M. Nelson, "Spiritual Capacity," General Conference, October 1997.

The Quest for Excellence

"All of us cannot be geniuses, but we can strive for excellence. This quest may be a long one. It may be fraught with much of repentance, and it will take much of effort. Do not sell yourselves short. You are sons and daughters of God, children with a divine potential."

President Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Quest for Excellence," Brigham Young University Devotional Address, November 10, 1998.

Clean Hands and Pure Hearts

"All of our worthy desires and good works, as necessary as they are, can never produce clean hands and a pure heart. It is the Atonement of Jesus Christ that provides both a cleansing and redeeming power that helps us to overcome sin and a sanctifying and strengthening power that helps us to become better than we ever could by relying only upon our own strength. The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and for the saint in each of us."

David A. Bednar, "Clean Hands and a Pure Heart," General Conference, October 2007.

Ultimate Hope

"Because God wants us to come home after having become more like Him and His Son, part of this developmental process, of necessity, consists of showing unto us our weaknesses. Hence, if we have ultimate hope we will be submissive, because, with His help, those weaknesses can even become strengths (see Ether 12:27).

"It is not an easy thing, however, to be shown one’s weaknesses, as these are regularly demonstrated by life’s circumstances. Nevertheless, this is part of coming unto Christ, and it is a vital, if painful, part of God’s plan of happiness."

Neal A. Maxwell, "Hope Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ," General Conference, October 1999.

Ask Not Why

"I have come to understand how useless it is to dwell on the whys, what ifs, and if onlys for which there likely will be given no answers in mortality. To receive the Lord’s comfort, we must exercise faith. The questions Why me? Why our family? Why now? are usually unanswerable questions. These questions detract from our spirituality and can destroy our faith. We need to spend our time and energy building our faith by turning to the Lord and asking for strength to overcome the pains and trials of this world and to endure to the end for greater understanding."

Robert D. Hales, "Healing Soul and Body," General Conference, October 1998.

The Moral Shift and Rising Casualties

"...Lucifer is waging a vicious war for the souls of young and old alike, and the casualty count is climbing. The standards of the world have shifted like the sands of a windblown desert. That which was once unheard of or unacceptable is now commonplace. The world’s perspective has been so dramatically altered that those who choose to adhere to traditional standards of morality are viewed as strange, almost as though they must justify their desire to keep the commandments of God.
"But one thing is certain: the commandments have not changed. Let there be no mistake about that. Right is still right. Wrong is still wrong, no matter how cleverly cloaked in respectability or political correctness."

M. Russell Ballard, "Like a Flame Unquenchable," General Conference, April 1999

The Enabling Power of the Atonement

"If I were to emphasize one overarching point this morning, it would be this: I suspect that you and I are much more familiar with the nature of the redeeming power of the Atonement than we are with the enabling power of the Atonement. It is one thing to know that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for us. That is fundamental and foundational to the doctrine of Christ. But we also need to appreciate that the Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to live in us--not only to direct us but also to empower us. I think most of us know that when we do things wrong, when we need help to overcome the effects of sin in our lives, the Savior has paid the price and made it possible for us to be made clean through His redeeming power. Most of us clearly understand that the Atonement is for sinners. I am not so sure, however, that we know and understand that the Atonement is also for saints--for good men and women who are obedient and worthy and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully. I frankly do not think many of us "get it" concerning this enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement, and I wonder if we mistakenly believe we must make the journey from good to better and become a saint all by ourselves through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline, and with our obviously limited capacities...

"There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, "No one understands. No one knows." No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, and succor--literally run to us--and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do through relying only upon our own power."

David A. Bednar, "In the Strength of the Lord," Brigham Young University Devotional Address, October 23, 2001.

What of His Father

"I am a father, inadequate to be sure, but I cannot comprehend the burden it must have been for God in His heaven to witness the deep suffering and Crucifixion of His Beloved Son in such a manner. His every impulse and instinct must have been to stop it, to send angels to intervene—but He did not intervene. He endured what He saw because it was the only way that a saving, vicarious payment could be made for the sins of all His other children from Adam and Eve to the end of the world. I am eternally grateful for a perfect Father and His perfect Son, neither of whom shrank from the bitter cup nor forsook the rest of us who are imperfect, who fall short and stumble, who too often miss the mark...

"In that most burdensome moment of all human history, with blood appearing at every pore and an anguished cry upon His lips, Christ sought Him whom He had always sought—His Father. “Abba,” He cried, “Papa,” or from the lips of a younger child, “Daddy.”

"This is such a personal moment it almost seems a sacrilege to cite it. A Son in unrelieved pain, a Father His only true source of strength, both of them staying the course, making it through the night—together."

Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Hands of the Fathers," General Conference, April 1999.

Hope is the Anchor

"Hope is the anchor of our souls. I know of no one who is not in need of hope—young or old, strong or weak, rich or poor...

"Everybody in this life has their challenges and difficulties. That is part of our mortal test. The reason for some of these trials cannot be readily understood except on the basis of faith and hope because there is often a larger purpose which we do not always understand. Peace comes through hope."

President James E. Faust, "Hope, An Anchor of the Soul," General Conference, October 1999.

What the Mind Desires Not to Believe

"The thought of what the Lord's words might mean, even in its faintest outline, was terrifying to those devoted men (the original Twelve); and their failure to comprehend was in part due to the fact that the human mind is loath to search deeply into anything it desires not to believe."

James E. Talmage, "Jesus the Christ", p. 355.

Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence

"I wish to encourage every one of you today regarding opposition that so often comes after enlightened decisions have been made, after moments of revelation and conviction have given us a peace and an assurance we thought we would never lose. In his letter to the Hebrews, the Apostle Paul was trying to encourage new members who had just joined the Church, who undoubtedly had had spiritual experiences and had received the pure light of testimony, only to discover that not only had their troubles not ended, but that some of them had only begun...


"...After you have gotten the message, after you have paid the price to feel his love and hear the word of the Lord, "go forward." Don't fear, don't vacillate, don't quibble, don't whine. You may, like Alma going to Ammonihah, have to find a route that leads an unusual way, but that is exactly what the Lord was doing here for the children of Israel. Nobody had ever crossed the Red Sea this way, but so what? There's always a first time. With the spirit of revelation, dismiss your fears and wade in with both feet. In the words of Joseph Smith, "Brethren [and, I would add, sisters], shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!" (D&C 128:22)."


Jeffrey R. Holland, "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence," Brigham Young University Devotional Address, March 2, 1999.

The Next, New Big Thing

"We live in a time when many worry about their livelihood. They are concerned about the future and doubt their ability to resolve the challenges that confront them. Many have experienced personal misfortune and sadness. They hunger for meaning and purpose in life.

"Because there is such great interest in these issues, the world is not bashful in offering numerous new answers to every problem we face. People run from one new idea to the next, hoping to find something that will answer the burning questions of their souls. They attend seminars and buy books, CDs, and other products. They get caught up in the excitement of looking for something new. But inevitably, the flame of each new theory fades, only to be replaced by another “new and improved” solution that promises to do what the others before could not.

"It’s not that these worldly options don’t contain elements of truth—many of them do. Nevertheless, they all fall short of the lasting change we seek in our lives. After the excitement wears off, the hollowness remains as we look for the next new idea to unlock the secrets of happiness.

"In contrast, the gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to all of our problems. The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone’s theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success."

Dieter F. Uchdorf, "The Way of the Disciple," General Conference, April 2009.

Waiting for Help

"My purpose today is to assure you that our Heavenly Father and the Savior live and that They love all humanity. The very opportunity for us to face adversity and affliction is part of the evidence of Their infinite love. God gave us the gift of living in mortality so that we could be prepared to receive the greatest of all the gifts of God, which is eternal life. Then our spirits will be changed. We will become able to want what God wants, to think as He thinks, and thus be prepared for the trust of an endless posterity to teach and to lead through tests to be raised up to qualify to live forever in eternal life.

"It is clear that for us to have that gift and to be given that trust, we must be transformed through making righteous choices where that is hard to do. We are prepared for so great a trust by passing through trying and testing experiences in mortality. That education can come only as we are subject to trials while serving God and others for Him.

"In this education we experience misery and happiness, sickness and health, the sadness from sin and the joy of forgiveness. That forgiveness can come only through the infinite Atonement of the Savior, which He worked out through pain we could not bear and which we can only faintly comprehend.

"It will comfort us when we must wait in distress for the Savior’s promised relief that He knows, from experience, how to heal and help us. The Book of Mormon gives us the certain assurance of His power to comfort. And faith in that power will give us patience as we pray and work and wait for help. He could have known how to succor us simply by revelation, but He chose to learn by His own personal experience."

President Henry B. Eyring, "Adversity," General Conference, April 2009

Habits are the Vehicle which Mold Character

"Man becomes ultimately what he thinks and does. Habits become the vehicle molding his character. What kind of character and destiny are you after? Our acts are the outgrowth of our beliefs and our thoughts. Good habits are not acquired by just resolves, but are developed in the workshop of our daily lives. They are fashioned in often uneventful, commonplace routines of life, and acquired by practice."

L. Tom Perry, "On Staying Power," Brigham Young University Devotional, March 17, 1987.

Hard Work

"For the child of God who has enough faith in the plan of salvation to treat it as reality, hard work is the only reasonable option. Life at its longest is short. What we do here determines the rest of our condition for eternity. God our Father has offered us everything he has and asks only that we give him all we have to give. That is an exchange so imbalanced in our favor that no effort would be too much and no hours too long in service to him, to the Savior, and to our Father's children. Hard work is the natural result of simply knowing and believing what it means to be a child of God."

Henry B. Eyring, "A Child of God," Brigham Young University Devotional Address, October 21, 1997.

The Tugs and Pulls

"For true believers, the tugs and pulls of the world—including its pleasures, power, praise, money, and preeminence—have always been there. Now, however, many once-helpful support systems are bent or broken. Furthermore, the harmful things of the world are marketed by pervasive technology and hyped by a media barrage, potentially reaching almost every home and hamlet. All this when many are already tuned out of spiritual things, saying, “I am rich, … increased with goods, and have need of nothing “ (Rev. 3:17).

"Contrastingly, the perks of discipleship are such that if we see a stretch limousine pulling up, we know it is not calling for us. God’s plan is not the plan of pleasure; it is the 'plan of happiness.'...

"God is infinitely more interested in our having a place in His kingdom than with our spot on a mortal organizational chart. We may brood over our personal span of control, but He is concerned with our capacity for self-control. Father wants us to come home, bringing our real résumés, ourselves!"

Neal A. Maxwell, "The Tugs and Pulls of the World," General Conference, October 2000.

Walking the Joyful Road

"When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden."

Dieter F. Uchdorf, "The Love of God," General Conference, October 2009.

The Shield of Faith

"Faith intensifies and magnifies our gifts and abilities. There is no greater source of knowledge than the inspiration that comes from the Godhead, who have all understanding and knowledge of that which has been, is now, and will be in the future."

James E. Faust, "The Shield of Faith," General Conference, April 2000.

First Things First

"Are there so many fascinating, exciting things to do or so many challenges pressing down upon you that it is hard to keep focused on that which is essential? When things of the world crowd in, all too often the wrong things take highest priority. Then it is easy to forget the fundamental purpose of life. Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. It is distraction. He would have good people fill life with “good things” so there is no room for the essential ones. Have you unconsciously been caught in that trap?

"Why has your moral agency been given to you? Only to live a pleasurable life and to make choices to do the things you want to do? Or is there a more fundamental reason—to be able to make the choices that will lead you to fully implement your purpose for being here on earth and to establish priorities in your life that will assure the development and happiness the Lord wants you to receive."

Richard G. Scott, "First Things First,"  General Conference, April 2001.

The whole talk can be found here: http://lds.org/ensign/2001/05/first-things-first?lang=eng

Wise Use of Information

"We have thousands of times more available information than Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln. Yet which of us would think ourselves a thousand times more educated or more serviceable to our fellowmen than they? The sublime quality of what these two men gave to us—including the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address—was not attributable to their great resources of information, for their libraries were comparatively small by our standards. Theirs was the wise and inspired use of a limited amount of information.

"Available information wisely used is far more valuable than multiplied information allowed to lie fallow...

" Overarching all of this is the importance of what the Spirit whispered to us last night or this morning about our own specific needs. Each of us should be careful that the current flood of information does not occupy our time so completely that we cannot focus on and hear and heed the still, small voice that is available to guide each of us with our own challenges today."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Focus and Priorities," General Conference, April 2001.

Being Constant

"Some of us who would not chastise a neighbor for his frailties have a field day with our own. Some of us stand before no more harsh a judge than ourselves, a judge who stubbornly refuses to admit much happy evidence and who cares nothing for due process. Fortunately, the Lord loves us more than we love ourselves. A constructive critic truly cares for that which he criticizes, including himself, whereas self-pity is the most condescending form of pity; it soon cannibalizes all other concerns...

"Yes, brothers and sisters, this is a gospel of grand expectations, but God’s grace is sufficient for each of us. Discouragement is not the absence of adequacy but the absence of courage, and our personal progress should be yet another way we witness to the wonder of it all!

"True, there are no instant Christians, but there are constant Christians!"

Neal A. Maxwell, "Notwithstanding My Weakness," General Conference, October 1976.

Submitting the Will

This is the final testimony -  at least in a general gathering of the church - that we have from one of my heroes, Elder Maxwell.  Just found this testimony extra poignant today.
"Brethren, as you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don’t wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your wills upon it! No need to wait for a receipt; the Lord has His own special ways of acknowledging.
"I testify to you that God has known you individually, brethren, for a long, long time (see D&C 93:23). He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars (see Ps. 147:4; Isa. 40:26); He knows your names and all your heartaches and your joys! By the way, you have never seen an immortal star; they finally expire. But seated by you tonight are immortal individuals—imperfect but who are, nevertheless, “trying to be like Jesus”!
Neal A. Maxwell. "Remember How Merciful The Lord Hath Been" General Priesthood Meeting, April 2004

The Comparison Lie

"Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this—it is the father of all lies. It is Lucifer, our common enemy, whose cry down through the corridors of time is always and to everyone, 'Give me thine honor.'...

"How does this happen, especially when we wish so much that it would not? I think one of the reasons is that every day we see allurements of one kind or another that tell us what we have is not enough. Someone or something is forever telling us we need to be more handsome or more wealthy, more applauded or more admired than we see ourselves as being...

"Brothers and sisters, I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other."

Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Other Prodigal" General Conference, April 2002.

Being Content with our Allotment

"Being content means acceptance without self-pity. Meekly borne, however, deprivations such as these can end up being like excavations that make room for greatly enlarged souls.

"Some undergo searing developments that cut suddenly into mortality’s status quo. Some have trials to pass through, while still others have allotments they are to live with. Paul lived with his 'thorn in the flesh.'

"Suffice it to say, such mortal allotments will be changed in the world to come. The exception is unrepented sin that shapes our status in the next world.

"Thus, developing greater contentment within certain of our existing constraints and opportunities is one of our challenges. Otherwise we may feel underused, underwhelmed, and underappreciated—while, ironically, within our givens are unused opportunities for service all about us. Neither should we pine away, therefore, for certain things outside God’s givens, such as for the powerful voice of an angel, because there is so much to do within what has been allotted to us (see Alma 29:3–4). Furthermore, varied as our allotted circumstances may be, we can still keep the commandments of God!"

Neal A. Maxwell, "Content With the Things Allotted unto Us," General Conference, April 2000.

How Service Cleanses

"The Holy Ghost is a comforter and a guide. But it is also a cleansing agent. That is why service in the kingdom is so crucial to enduring. When we are called to serve, we can pray for the Holy Ghost to be our companion with assurance it will come. When we ask in faith, a change can come in our natures both for the welfare of our souls and to strengthen us for the tests we all must face."

Henry B. Eyring, "True Friends", General Conference, April 2002

Employ Both Heart and Mind

"As we live in but not of the world, our growth will require taking risks dealing with difficult issues such as our own passions or yearnings, our preoccupations or fears. But as we strive to employ both heart and mind, keeping them connected--equally yoked--we can remain open to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. And rather than enduring passively or suffering in unproductive silence, we can remain connected to our creativity and our ability to change and repent, to improvise, to be spontaneous, to make the most and do the most with what we have been given."


Dr. Ronald Staheli, "The Comprehending Soul: Open Minds and Hearts", BYU Devotional Address, June 18, 1996.

Fighting Spiritual Bankruptcy

"A person is poor when he loses self-dignity, self-respect, and self-pride. How sad, how long the day when we become low on ourselves! The worst form of defeat is to be conquered by self. Defeat is not pleasant, but nothing is so painful and devastating as self-defeat. When we lose our self-dignity and self-respect, it is the worst form of poverty. When trust in friends and self are both lost, there is not much left in life. We should teach, particularly ourselves, that nobody is a nobody. We are someone, and with God's help we can accomplish all things. It is a sad day when a person finds it easier to be true to friends than to himself.How unwise, how unfair to sell ourselves short when God is our partner! Personal bankruptcy is impossible for a person of self-pride. A person is poor when he places despair over hope. A person is poor when he fails to remember who he really is and forgets his relationship to God, family, and self."


Marvin J. Ashton, "It's No Fun Being Poor," Brigham Young University Devotional Address, March 30, 1982.

Making Things Happen the Lord's Way

'Expect the Lord to perform according to his holy will and your faith. The Lord will perform. The Lord’s arm will be revealed. He will take care of his Saints. He has great desire to see you cause other people to learn how to exercise faith by your own example.

"He desires you to be one who causes things to happen. He desires you to draw upon the all-powerful arm of God and the power which resides in you to do things in God’s own way. He desires you not be deeply involved or absorbed by worldly, temporal, superficial, or secondary things. These things must be dealt with, but even they must be handled spiritually.

"To enrich and accelerate the growth of your faith, you may wish to measure it by the number of your predetermined righteous desires that are fulfilled. However, you must always remember that, when you pray and exercise faith in something that does not occur the way you hoped it would, your only object in view must then be to redouble your faith the next time.

"Prayers that appear on the surface not to be answered, my brothers and sisters, are often the very ones that are answered most meaningfully. One must double one’s faith in these apparent trials lest it be lost."

Gene R. Cook, "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Fireside at Brigham Young University, November 8, 1981.

Making Things Happen, continued still.

"The Lord will never tempt you, but he will try you. Tribulations and problems are what this earthly school is made of. Life is all upstream—all uphill. You may at times desire to remove yourself from the swift current to rest a while, but you must go on. If you are on a plateau, you need to be on your way. You are not praying fervently and receiving trials in the right spirit.

"Challenges and difficulties that many of us resist are the very elements which refine us and make godly men and women. The Lord will try you in every attribute possessed by man and at all stages of development in your life. He will try you again and again until you know that you are able and will serve him at all costs"

Gene R. Cook, "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Fireside at Brigham Young University, November 8, 1981.

Making Things Happen, continued

"Many people go through life allowing life to serve up the menu. They seem to be subject to every wind of doctrine and mood of the world. They seem to go forth lost in the world with only a vague idea of what they would have from life.

"Some decide what they want, commit themselves to obtain it, and, in righteousness, exercise their faith until they obtain. They keep spiritual priorities ever present in their minds and hearts until they have received that which they righteously desire...

"Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is fully sustaining. You can pay the price by disciplining yourself and then causing things to happen. Hold your word as sacred to God, to others, and to yourself. Be truly committed, and you will see the hand of the Lord revealed in your behalf."

Gene R. Cook, "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Fireside at Brigham Young University, November 8, 1981.

See the entire discourse here

Faith in Christ, continued

"Some people try to answer these difficult questions on their own and hope for the best but still end up making wrong choices. Well might the Lord say to them: "How long will you kick against the pricks? How long will you go along your own way?"

Faithful Latter-day Saints will want to know how to use their faith to cause all things to work for their good (see D&C 90:24), to act and not be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:13, 14, 16–27), and to righteously prevail over self and others and situations (see 3 Nephi 7:17–18). They will want to know the specific will of the Lord concerning themselves and then, in faith, discipline themselves to submit to his will."

Gene R. Cook, "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Fireside at Brigham Young University, November 8, 1981.

See the entire discourse here

Faith in The Lord Jesus Christ

"Someone said long ago, when great events occur, there are three types of persons manifested: First, the one who doesn't realize that anything great is happening; second, the one who realizes something is going on but doesn't know what it is; and third, the one behind the scenes making it all happen.

"How does a person make things happen? How can someone be effective as a young man or woman, as a father, a mother, as a leader in the Church, in schoolwork, in life? I submit that it is by doing things 'the Lord's way.'...

1. Be believing with desire single to the glory of God. Be believing...

2. Commit and discipline yourself totally in word and deed...

3. Do all in your power to fulfill your part...

4. Pray as if all depended upon the Lord...

5. Prepare for constant and intense trials of your faith...

6. Expect the Lord to perform according to his holy will and your faith. The Lord will perform...

"My brothers and sisters, today is a day of miracles. We believe in miracles. The Latter-day Saints may expect miracles according to their faith. As a member of this Church, you have an authorization to take a leading part in the development of the kingdom of God on earth within your respective responsibilities. Pray fervently. Actively seek to increase your faith, and with that great gift from God, you can cause great things to occur in your life and in the lives of others."

Gene R. Cook, "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Fireside at Brigham Young University, November 8, 1981. 

See the entire discourse here

Promises of Prayer

"No Father would send His children off to a distant, dangerous land for a lifetime of testing where Lucifer was known to roam free without first providing them with a personal power of protection. He would also supply them with means to communicate with Him from Father to child and from child to Father. Every child of our Father sent to earth is provided with the Spirit of Christ, or the Light of Christ. We are, none of us, left here alone without hope of guidance and redemption."

Boyd K. Packer, "Prayer and Promptings" General Conference,
October 2009