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Daily LDS Wisdom

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
So That We Might Live
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"When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when the deepest depths of the human mind have been explored, nothing is so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace when the Son of the Almighty, the Prince of His Father's royal household, He who had once spoken as Jehovah, He who had condescended to come to earth as a babe born in Bethlehem, gave His life in ignominy and pain so that all of the sons and daughters of God of all generations of time, every one of whom must die, might walk again and live eternally. He did for us what none of us could do for ourselves."

Topics: Jesus Christ, Atonement

( Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Wondrous and True Story of Christmas," Liahona, Dec. 2000, 4)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Bring Blessings to Others
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"Brothers and sisters, boys and girls, we can all be a little kinder, a little more patient, a little more helpful. We can all reach out to the very many who are in distress for any number of reasons. We can replace anger with love. We can put selfishness out of our lives. We can get on our knees and pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, and then stand on our feet and reach out to bless the destitute, the poor, the oppressed, and those in trouble. . . .

"May each of you have some selfless, long-to-be-remembered experience in bringing blessings to others."

Topics: Christmas, kindness, service

( Gordon B. Hinckley, "News of the Church," Ensign, Feb. 2002, 75)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Teachings of Joseph Smith---Jesus, the Son of God
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Joseph Smith
May 16, 1841
Nauvoo, Illinois

"Where is the man that is free from vanity? None ever were perfect but Jesus; and why was He perfect? Because He was the Son of God, and had the fullness of the Spirit, and greater power than any man."

Topics: Jesus Christ

( History of the Church, 4:358)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
We Too Have an Important Part to Play in This Great Work
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"We are all the beneficiaries of [Joseph Smith's] faith, courage, and steadfast desire to obey God. He had received an answer to his humble prayer. He had seen the Father and His Beloved Son. . . . Heavenly Father not only knew Joseph Smith by name, but He also knows each of us by name. And just as Joseph Smith had an important part to play in this great and marvelous work, we too have an important part to play in these latter days."

Topics: responsibility, individual worth, Church growth

( Elaine S. Dalton, "He Knows You by Name," Ensign, May 2005, 109 )
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Testimony Is as Powerful as Any Force on Earth
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"You have been reserved to come forth at this particular time when the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. Speaking of the gospel and of testimony, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: '[The] thing which we call testimony . . . is as real and powerful as any force on the earth. . . . It is found in young and old. . . It brings with it the assurance that life is purposeful, that some things are of far greater importance than others, that we are on an eternal journey, that we are answerable unto God' ("Testimony," Ensign, May 1998, 69-70)."

Topics: testimony, power, eternity

( President Thomas S. Monson, "Be Thou an Example," Ensign, May 2005, 114)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
GEMS-Youth: President Thomas S. Monson on Praying

"We learn to pray by praying. One can devote countless hours to examining the experiences of others, but nothing penetrates the human heart as does a personal, fervent prayer and its heaven-sent response."

Topic: prayer

( "Teaching Our Children," Ensign, Oct. 2004, 4)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
An Inner Assurance That Transcends This Life
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"Yes, my beloved brothers and sisters, life is good if we live in such a way to make it so. Believing, desiring, deciding, and choosing correctly are the simple actions that define an increase in happiness and an increase in the inner assurance that transcends this life."

Topics: happiness, choices, peace of conscience

( Benjamin De Hoyos, "True Happiness: A Conscious Decision," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 32)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Fulfilling the Promise Made to Abraham
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"My beloved brethren, you and I, today and always, are to bless all peoples in all the nations of the earth. You and I, today and always, are to bear witness of Jesus Christ and declare the message of the Restoration. You and I, today and always, are to invite all to receive the ordinances of salvation. Proclaiming the gospel is not a part-time priesthood obligation. It is not simply an activity in which we engage for a limited time or an assignment we must complete as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Rather, missionary work is a manifestation of our spiritual identity and heritage. We were foreordained in the premortal existence and born into mortality to fulfill the covenant and promise God made to Abraham. We are here upon the earth at this time to magnify the priesthood and to preach the gospel. That is who we are, and that is why we are here--today and always."

Topics: gospel of Jesus Christ, restoration, missionary work

( David A. Bednar, "Becoming a Missionary," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 47)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
GEMS-Family: Our Actions Determine Our Character

"In today's fast-paced world there seems to be a greater tendency for people to act aggressively toward each other. Some are quick to take offense and respond angrily to real or imagined affronts, and we've all experienced or heard reports of road rage or other examples of rude, insensitive behavior.

"Unfortunately, some of this spills over into our homes, creating friction and tension among family members.

"It may seem natural to react to a situation by giving back what is given to us. But it doesn't have to be that way. Reflecting on his horrendous wartime experiences, Viktor Frankl recalled: 'We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way' (Man's Search for Meaning [1985], 86)."

Topics: character, contention

( Elder Wayne S. Peterson, "Our Actions Determine Our Character," Ensign, Nov. 2001, 83)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Heavenly Healing in the Lord's Way and Time
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"I recognize that, on occasion, some of our most fervent prayers may seem to go unanswered. We wonder, 'Why?' I know that feeling! I know the fears and tears of such moments. But I also know that our prayers are never ignored. Our faith is never unappreciated. I know that an all-wise Heavenly Father's perspective is much broader than is ours. While we know of our mortal problems and pain, He knows of our immortal progress and potential. If we pray to know His will and submit ourselves to it with patience and courage, heavenly healing can take place in His own way and time."

Topics: Prayer, faith, patience, courage

( Russell M. Nelson, "Jesus Christ--the Master Healer," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 86)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Casual Prayers Lose Closeness of the Spirit
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"Daily fervent prayers seeking forgiveness and special help and direction are essential to our lives and the nourishment of our testimonies. When we become hurried, repetitive, casual, or forgetful in our prayers, we tend to lose the closeness of the Spirit, which is so essential in the continual direction we need to successfully manage the challenges of our everyday lives. Family prayer every morning and night adds additional blessings and power to our individual prayers and to our testimonies."

Topics: prayer, diligence, spirituality

( Donald L. Staheli, "Securing Our Testimonies," Ensign, Nov. 2004, 39)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Act and the Lord Will Open the Way
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"The work of reactivation is no task for the idler or daydreamer. Children grow, parents age, and time waits for no man. Do not postpone a prompting; rather, act on it, and the Lord will open the way."

Topics: reactivation, inspiration, guidance

( Thomas S. Monson, "The Sacred Call of Service," Ensign, May 2005, 55)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
GEMS-Youth: President Boyd K. Packer on Moral Purity

"You should be attracted to one another and to marry. Then, and only then, may you worthily respond to the strong and good and constant desire to express that love through which children will bless your lives. By commandment of God our Father, that must happen only between husband and wife--man and woman--committed to one another in the covenant of marriage (see 1 Cor. 7:2; D&C 42:22). To do otherwise is forbidden and will bring sorrow."

Topics: marriage, chastity

( "Ye Are the Temple of God," Ensign, Nov. 2000, 73)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Christ's Love Knows No Barriers
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"Jesus Christ was filled with unfathomable love as He endured incomprehensible pain, cruelty, and injustice for us. Through His love for us, He rose above otherwise insurmountable barriers. His love knows no barriers. He invites us to follow Him and partake of His unlimited love so we too may rise above the pain and cruelty and injustice of this world and help and forgive and bless."

Topics: love, Jesus Christ, endurance

( John H. Groberg, "The Power of God's Love," Ensign, Nov. 2004, 11)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
GEMS-Family: A Soft Answer Turneth Away Wrath

"It is in the home that our behavior is most significant. It is the place where our actions have the greatest impact, for good or ill. Sometimes we are so much 'at home' that we no longer guard our words. We forget simple civility. If we are not on guard, we can fall into the habit of criticizing one another, losing our tempers, or behaving selfishly. Because they love us, our spouses and children may be quick to forgive, but they often carry away in silence unseen injuries and unspoken heartache. . . .

"When we feel anger or contention in our homes, we should immediately recognize what power has taken control of our lives and what Satan is endeavoring to accomplish. Solomon provided us this wise formula: 'A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger' (Prov. 15:1).

"Our home should ideally be a refuge where each member feels safe, secure, loved, and insulated from harsh criticism and contention that we so often encounter in the world."

Topics: contention, home, love

( Wayne S. Peterson, "Our Actions Determine Our Character," Ensign, Nov. 2001, 84)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Unshakable Faith
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"The great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God's commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home. . . .

"It will take unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to choose the way to eternal life. It is by using that faith we can know the will of God. It is by acting on that faith we build the strength to do the will of God. And it is by exercising that faith in Jesus Christ that we can resist temptation and gain forgiveness through the Atonement."

Topics: purpose of life, trials, faith

( Henry B. Eyring, "Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 38)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
The Tender Mercies of the Lord
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"I have reflected repeatedly upon the phrase 'the tender mercies of the Lord.' Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits 'his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men' (D&C 46:15)."

Topics: Love of God, mercy

( David A. Bednar, "The Tender Mercies of the Lord," Ensign, May 2005, 99)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
The Battle for the Souls of Men
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"When armies are formed, battles are generally fought on vast battlefields. But this battle for souls is quite different. The conflict goes on each day in individual lives and pits the Lord's troops against Satan's forces of greed, selfishness, and lust. . . .

". . . The weapons of choice are not spears and swords wielded on a chaotic field of battle.

"Rather, the weapons of eternal worth reflecting the whole armor of God are truth, righteousness, faith, prayer, and the word of God (see Ephesians 6:13-18). These weapons are wielded in our minds, mouths, and movements. Every righteous thought, word, and deed is a victory for the Lord. . . .

"The stakes are extremely high. The prizes are the very souls of the sons and daughters of God, their eternal salvation. And these souls will be won or lost on the basis of virtue and cleanliness, on the basis of charity and service, and on the basis of faith and hope."

Topics: evil, virtue, salvation

( Robert C. Oaks, "Who's on the Lord's Side? Who?" Ensign, May 2005, 49-50)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Elder Neal A. Maxwell on Challenges in the Last Days

"The last days will certainly be more challenging to young disciples than simply coping with sharp economic downturns. In these, your days, 'the love of many shall wax cold,' resulting in various and serious social consequences (Matthew 24:12). Widespread despair caused by iniquity is prophesied too (see Moroni 10:22). Hence, you need to keep the two great commandments so that those two lamentable conditions do not characterize you.

"If your humility is 'because of the word,' it will not be fleeting! In contrast, compelled humility often fades quickly (see Alma 32:13-16)."

Topics: last days, humility

( "These Are Your Days," Ensign, Oct. 2004, 26-27)
 

DeepShadow

White Crow
Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Take Time Alone to Gain Your Own Testimony
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"Gain your own testimony of the Savior. Pray passionately. Read the Book of Mormon when no one is watching. Take time alone to think about who Jesus really is and how His life and sacrifice are important to you.


"Remember the example of the young Joseph Smith. When he lit the candle at night to read the Bible, it was because he wanted to. When he went into the grove to pray, he went alone (see Joseph Smith--History 1:11-20)."

Topics:
testimony, prayer, scripture study

( Neil L. Andersen, "Beware of the Evil behind the Smiling Eyes," Ensign, May 2005, 47-48)
 
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