Monday, May 31, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 31, 2010

“We should learn to be patient with ourselves. Recognizing our strengths and our weaknesses, we should strive to use good judgment in all of our choices and decisions, make good use of every opportunity, and do our best in every task we undertake. We should not be unduly discouraged nor in despair at any time when we are doing the best we can. Rather, we should be satisfied with our progress even though it may come slowly at times.”

Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Patience, a Key to Happiness,” Ensign, May 1987, 30

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 30, 2010

"In Doctrine and Covenants section 25, the Lord counsels each of His beloved daughters, you and me, to 'walk in the paths of virtue' (v.2). You are not common. You are not ordinary. You are daughters of God. You carry within yourselves the sacred power to create life. It is one of God's greatest gifts to His precious daughters, and you must safeguard that power by living the standards and remaining virtuous. You must safeguard your power through purity of thought and action. By so doing, you, your family, and the generations that follow will be strengthened and blessed. President Brigham Young taught that 'the strength of Zion is in the virtue of her sons and daughters' (Letters of Brigham Young to His Sons, ed. Dean C. Jesse [1974], 221)."You must guard your own virtue and help others rise to the divinity that is within. In every sense, you are a guardian of virtue. President David O. McKay taught that 'a woman should be queen of her own body' (in Conference Report, Apr. 1952, 86). 'Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?' (1 Corinthians 3:16). My question to each of you is, If we don't stand for virtue, who will?"

Elaine S. Dalton, "Come Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of the Lord," Ensign, May 2009, 121

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 29, 2010

"It is during the family home evening and in other family settings that we prepare our children to receive the blessings of the Lord. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve said: 'Ours is the responsibility to ensure that we have family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Ours is the responsibility to prepare our children to receive the ordinances of salvation and exaltation' ("Our Sacred Duty to Honor Women," Ensign, May 1999, 40)."Family home evening is a very special time for us to strengthen ourselves and each family member. It is important to include the whole family in assignments for family home evening. A child could share the Primary lesson that he or she had last Sunday. Family home evening strengthened the faith and testimony of my own family."

Claudio R. M. Costa, "Priesthood Responsibilities," Ensign, May 2009, 56

Friday, May 28, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 28, 2010

“The more we know of Jesus, the more we will love Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will trust Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will want to be like Him and to be with Him by becoming the manner of men and women that He wishes us to be (see 3 Ne. 27:27), while living now ‘after the manner of happiness’ (2 Ne. 5:27).”

Neal A. Maxwell, "Plow in Hope," Liahona, July 2001, 7

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 27, 2010

"Some people may be surprised to learn that we look like God. One prominent religious scholar has even taught that imagining God in the form of man is creating a graven image and is idolatrous and blasphemous. But God Himself said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness' (Genesis 1:26; Moses 2:26)."

Robert D. Hales, "Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 30

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

New Mormon Message for Memorial Day

Daily Thought -- May 26, 2010

"True love requires action. We can speak
of love all day long, we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing
songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it but until we
manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but sounding brass, or
a tinkling cymbal." Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 25, 2010

One of the most trying times in the history of the Church, both in terms of its impact on the Church generally and in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith personally, occurred during the winter of 1838–39. The Prophet, who bore the brunt of the persecution in that period, had been imprisoned in the ironically named Liberty Jail. . . ."In one way or another, great or small, dramatic or incidental, every one of us is going to spend a little time in Liberty Jail—spiritually speaking. We will face things we do not want to face for reasons that may not be our fault. Indeed, we may face difficult circumstances for reasons that were absolutely right and proper, reasons that came because we were trying to keep the commandments of the Lord. We may face persecution, we may endure heartache and separation from loved ones, we may be hungry and cold and forlorn. Yes, before our lives are over we may all be given a little taste of what the prophets faced often in their lives."But the lessons of the winter of 1838–39 teach us that every experience can become a redemptive experience if we remain bonded to our Father in Heaven through it. These difficult lessons teach us that man's extremity is God's opportunity, and if we will be humble and faithful, if we will be believing and not curse God for our problems, He can turn the unfair and inhumane and debilitating prisons of our lives into temples—or at least into a circumstance that can bring comfort and revelation, divine companionship and peace."

Jeffrey R. Holland, "Lessons from Liberty Jail," Ensign, Sept. 2009, 26, 28

Monday, May 24, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 24, 2010

"The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to 're-turn' toward God. It is the beckoning of a loving Father and His Only Begotten Son to be more than we are, to reach up to a higher way of life, to change, and to feel the happiness of keeping the commandments. Being disciples of Christ, we rejoice in the blessing of repenting and the joy of being forgiven. They become part of us, shaping the way we think and feel."

Neil L. Andersen, "Repent . . . That I May Heal You," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 40

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 23, 2010

“Each of us already knows we should tell the people we love that we love them. But what we know is not always reflected in what we do. We may feel unsure, awkward, or even perhaps a bit embarrassed. “As disciples of the Savior, we are not merely striving to know more; rather, we need to consistently do more of what we know is right and become better. “We should remember that saying ‘I love you’ is only a beginning. We need to say it, we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to show it. We need to both express and demonstrate love.”

David A. Bednar, “More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 17–18

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 22, 2010

"When you put your trust in your dad, he will feel the responsibility of that trust and try harder than ever to understand and to help. As your father, he is entitled to inspiration on your behalf. His advice to you will be the heartfelt expressions of someone who knows and loves you. Your dad wants more than anything for you to be happy and successful, so why would you not want to trust someone like that? Boys, trust your dad."

M. Russell Ballard, "Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 47

Friday, May 21, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 21, 2010

“Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Patience, a Heavenly Virtue,” Ensign, Sept. 2002, 2

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 20, 2010

"Millions of people have become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But to each true believer there must ultimately and finally come a conviction that Joseph Smith was a revealer of truth, a prophet of God. Each must be convinced that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ did appear to Joseph Smith and did commission him to reestablish the church of Christ upon the face of the earth."I have such a conviction, and it is my humble desire to share with you some of the things which verify my testimony of Joseph Smith and his work. My own witness is a spiritual one more than a scientific or historical one. I doubt that the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored to earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith and as taught by all the prophets who have succeeded him will ever be completely provable by the scientific method alone. It must be accepted by faith and understood by the gift and power of God."

James E. Faust,, "The Expanding Inheritance from Joseph Smith," Ensign, Nov. 1981, 76

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 18, 2010

"There are many benevolent groups of women who do great good. There are many who have overpowering feelings of sympathy for the unfortunate, the sick, and the needy. But [the Relief Society] is unique and has been from its start."In the foundation they created, those great sisters set 'charity never faileth' (1 Corinthians 13:8; Moroni 7:46) at the center. It served them at the beginning, it served them in the great period that followed, it serves them now in a new time, and it will serve the Relief Society in all the periods ahead."
Henry B. Eyring, "The Enduring Legacy of Relief Society," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 121

Friday, May 14, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 14, 2010

“We don’t acquire eternal life in a sprint—this is a race of endurance. We have to apply and reapply the divine gospel principles. Day after day we need to make them part of our normal life.”
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Way of the Disciple,” Ensign, May 2009, 75

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 13, 2010

"Faith is not a theological platitude. It is a fact of life. Faith can become the very wellspring of purposeful living. There is no more compelling motivation to worthwhile endeavor than the knowledge that we are children of God, the Creator of the universe, our all-wise Heavenly Father! God expects us to do something with our lives, and he will give us help when help is sought." -Gordon B. Hinckley

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Daily Thought -- May 12, 2010

"Then the morning came when from out that last wagon floated the la-la of the newborn babe, and mother love made a shrine, and Father bowed in reverence before it. But the train must move on. So out into the dust and dirt the last wagon moved again, swaying and jolting, while Mother eased as best she could each pain-giving jolt so no harm might be done her, that she might be strong to feed the little one, bone of her bone, flesh of her flesh. Who will dare to say that angels did not cluster round and guard her and ease her rude bed, for she had given another choice spirit its mortal body that it might work out its God-given destiny?"

J. Reuben Clark Jr, "Classic Discourses from the General Authorities: To Them of the Last Wagon," New Era, July 1975, 10