Daily LDS Wisdom

[DeepShadow]

Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
President Boyd K. Packer on Handcrafting a Shield of Faith
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"One thing is very clear: the safest place and the best protection against the moral and spiritual diseases is a stable home and family. This has always been true; it will be true forever. We must keep that foremost in our minds.

"The scriptures speak of 'the shield of faith wherewith,' the Lord said, 'ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked' (D&C 27:17).

"This shield of faith is best fabricated in a cottage industry. While the shield can be polished in classes in the Church and in activities, it is meant to be handcrafted in the home and fitted to each individual."

Topics: Home, family

("Do Not Fear," Ensign, May 2004, 79)

 

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GEMS-Youth: President James E. Faust on Temple Ordinances

"The Prophet Joseph Smith explained the terrible dilemma which would face God's children without temple work for our dead. Said he: 'One dies and is buried, having never heard the Gospel of reconciliation; to the other the message of salvation is sent, he hears and embraces it, and is made the heir of eternal life. Shall the one become the partaker of glory and the other be consigned to hopeless perdition? Is there no chance for his escape?' (History of the Church, 4:425-26). Fortunately our ancestors will have the opportunity to receive and accept the saving ordinances as we identify them and complete these sacred ordinances for them by proxy. We do for them what they cannot do for themselves. It is a very satisfying experience."

Topics: Temple work, family history work

( "The Phenomenon That Is You," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 55)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
President Gordon B. Hinckley on Cooperation without Compromise
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"We must do all that is required in moving forward the work of the Lord in building His kingdom in the earth. We can never compromise the doctrine which has come through revelation, but we can live and work with others, respecting their beliefs and admiring their virtues, joining hands in opposition to the sophistries, the quarrels, the hatred--those perils which have been with man from the beginning."

(Topic: respect)

( "The Dawning of a Brighter Day," Ensign, May 2004, 84 )

 

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GEMS-Family: Choosing Our Attitude and 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: Kindness, agency, attitude

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

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
An Attitude of Gratitude
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"This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

Topic: Gratitude

( Thomas S. Monson, "An Attitude of Gratitude," Ensign, Feb. 2000, 2)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
President Ezra Taft Benson on Expressions of Gratitude
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"The Prophet Joseph said at one time that one of the greatest sins of which the Latter-day Saints would be guilty is the sin of ingratitude. I presume most of us have not thought of that as a great sin. There is a great tendency for us in our prayers and in our pleadings with the Lord to ask for additional blessings. But sometimes I feel we need to devote more of our prayers to expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for blessings already received. We enjoy so much. (God, Family, Country, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p. 199)."

Topics: Gratitude, prayer

( Quoted in Henry B. Eyring, "Remembrance and Gratitude," Ensign, Nov. 1989, 12-13 )

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Gratitude Defines Noble Characters
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"Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. They tend to brighten all around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, more likable."

Topics: gratitude, character

( Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Live in Thanksgiving Daily," Ensign, Sept. 2001, 8)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Receive All Things with Thankfulness
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"We need to be more grateful. I think there's no true character without gratitude. It's one of the marks of a real strong character, to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings that are ours. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in church, everywhere. It doesn't cost anything. It's so easy to cultivate the spirit of appreciation and gratitude. And it's so easy, also, to be dissatisfied and to be envious of other people."

Topics: gratitude

( Ezra Taft Benson, "Receive All Things with Thankfulness," Tambuli, Feb. 1978, 15)

 

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GEMS-Youth: Sister Sydney S. Reynolds on Tithing

"Each of us who pays a full tithe can testify that the blessings of the Lord come to us personally and meet our individual needs. The Lord has promised that if we pay our tithing, He will open the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing so great that we will scarcely have room enough to receive it.

"Many years ago John Orth worked in a foundry in Australia, and in a terrible accident, hot molten lead splashed onto his face and body. He was administered to, and some of the vision was restored to his right eye, but he was completely blind in his left. Because he couldn't see well, he lost his job. He tried to get employment with his wife's family, but their business failed due to the depression. He was forced to go door-to-door seeking odd jobs and handouts to pay for food and rent.

"One year he did not pay any tithing and went to talk to the branch president. The branch president understood the situation but asked John to make it a matter of prayer and fasting so that he could find a way to pay his tithing. John and his wife, Alice, fasted and prayed and determined that the only thing of value they owned was her engagement ring--a beautiful ring bought in happier times. After much anguish they decided to take the ring to a pawnbroker and learned it was worth enough to pay their tithing and some other outstanding bills. That Sunday he went in to the branch president and paid his tithing. As he left the office, he happened to meet the mission president, who noticed his damaged eyes.

"Brother Orth's son, now serving as a bishop in Adelaide, later wrote: 'We believe that [the mission president] was an eye doctor, for he was commonly called President Dr. Rees. He spoke to Dad and was able to examine him and offer suggestions to help his eyesight. Dad followed his advice, . . . and in due course sight was restored--15 percent sight to his left eye and 95 percent sight to his right eye--and with the help of glasses he could see again.' With his vision restored, John was never unemployed again; redeemed the ring, which is now a family heirloom; and paid a full tithing for the rest of his life. The Lord knew John Orth, and He knew who could help him."

( "He Knows Us; He Loves Us," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 76-77)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Resolve to Be Grateful
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"My brothers and sisters, there is so much to be grateful for. I give my thanks to our Heavenly Father and to all of you. This is a time when we ponder our blessings and when we also prepare for the new year, for which we should make new resolves and set new personal goals. This partial inventory of our collective blessings should help us to be ever more grateful and ever more determined. Please do the same within your families. Count your blessings, and express your gratitude to your eternal partners, to your children, and to your parents for all that they do."

Topics: gratitude, resolutions

( Spencer W. Kimball, "A Gift of Gratitude," Tambuli, Dec. 1977, 2)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
President Gordon B. Hinckley on the Light of the Plan of Salvation
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"Perilous times? Yes. These are perilous times. But the human race has lived in peril from the time before the earth was created. Somehow, through all of the darkness, there has been a faint but beautiful light. And now with added luster it shines upon the world. It carries with it God's plan of happiness for His children. It carries with it the great and unfathomable wonders of the Atonement of the Redeemer.

"How grateful we are to the God of heaven for His beneficent care of His children in providing for them, through all of the perils of eternity, the opportunity of salvation and the blessing of exaltation in His kingdom, if only they will live in righteousness."

(Topic: plan of salvation)

( "The Dawning of a Brighter Day," Ensign, May 2004, 83 )

 

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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

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

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Our Faith in God
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"God-fearing believers, most notable of which were the Pilgrims, left Europe with its state religions and came to America to seek freedom of worship. As a consequence of this, the deepest taproots of the U.S. and Utah in the past have lain in the very essence of our humanity--our faith in God."

Topics: faith, heritage, freedom of religion

( James E. Faust, "A New Civil Religion," Ensign, Oct. 1992, 69)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
"Even as I Am"
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" 'Follow me,' the Savior said. And we realize that to follow him is not impossible. The miles which he traveled, each of us can travel, for he took them one step at a time, one journey at a time. You could walk from Jerusalem to Nazareth. You could walk to the Sea of Galilee from Nazareth. You could follow Joseph and Mary and Jesus to Egypt. You could walk to the Mount of Transfiguration and back and forth from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Bethany, the River Jordan. All these, you could do. But this is not the kind of following that he expected. He meant for us to follow his teachings and his example. Anyone with normal health can walk those miles and climb those hills and ford those streams. But it is quite another thing to be 'even as I am,' (3 Ne. 27:27) as he said to the Nephites."

Topics: Jesus Christ, discipleship, example, teachings

( Spencer W. Kimball, "A Gift of Gratitude," Tambuli, Dec. 1977, 2)

 

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GEMS-Family: Our Work Has a Higher Purpose

" 'Now, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.

" 'These things ought not to be, and must be done away from among them' (D&C 68:31-32).

"I have a special concern about the Lord's reference to our children. We see evidence of many parents who overindulge their children without adding sufficient training about the value of work.

"In any community of Saints, we all work to serve each other in the best way we know how. Our work has a higher purpose because it is work to bless others and to build the kingdom of God."

Topics: work, worldliness

( Elder L. Tom Perry, "Building a Community of Saints," Ensign, May 2001, 37)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Elder Robert D. Hales on Allowing the Holy Ghost to Fill Our Hearts
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"What a joy and blessing to have the Spirit in our homes! And what a blessing it is to invite it through prayer, studying the scriptures, speaking kindly, and showing appreciation to one another! Let us prepare our teaching moments by praying as Alma prayed for his son, 'with much faith' (Mosiah 27:14) and all the energy of our souls; by fasting, searching the scriptures, repenting of our sins, and allowing the Holy Ghost to fill our hearts with love, forgiveness, and compassion. And then it will fill our homes. Then, let us trust the Good Shepherd."

(Topic: spirituality)

( "With All the Feelings of a Tender Parent: A Message of Hope to Families," Ensign, May 2004,
90-91)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Elder Robert D. Hales on Salvation through Jesus Christ
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"I bear my special witness that Jesus Christ gave His life, making possible the salvation and exaltation of all the families of the earth. With all the feeling of a tender parent, I express my love and the love of our Heavenly Father to you and your family.

"May we gather our loved ones around us, 'gird up [our] loins; [and] fresh courage take. Our God will never us forsake.' With faith, courage, and love, families will truly be together forever."

Topics: family, Atonement

( "With All the Feeling of a Tender Parent: A Message of Hope to Families," Ensign, May 2004, 91)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Go About Doing Good
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"At this sacred season, we reaffirm the reality of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We testify that He was the only perfect man ever to walk the earth. He 'went about doing good' (Acts 10:38) and beckons to all, 'Come, follow me' (Luke 18:22).

"It is His holy influence that stirs mankind to acts of mercy and kindness. He who has 'borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows' (Isa. 53:4) inspires each of us to reach out with love to the poor, the lonely, and the downtrodden.

"May this Christmas season remind us that the Prince of Peace, who stilled the tempest on the Sea of Galilee, has the power to calm the storms in our personal lives. May His peace fill our hearts and homes throughout the coming year as we strive to walk in His ways."

Topics: Jesus Christ, Christmas, peace

( "First Presidency Christmas Message," Liahona, Dec. 2003, 1)

 

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GEMS-Youth: Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin on Gratitude and Prayer

"Will prayers that do not demand much of your thought merit much attention from our Heavenly Father? When you find yourself getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think. Meditate for a while on the things for which you really are grateful. Look for them. They don't have to be grand or glorious. Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one's voice.

"Thinking of things we are grateful for is a healing balm. It helps us get outside ourselves. It changes our focus from our pains and our trials to the abundance of this beautiful world we live in."

Topics: gratitude, prayer

( "Improving Our Prayers," Liahona, Aug. 2004, 18)

 

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Gems from the Teachings of Church Leaders
Words of Joseph Smith "Truth is 'Mormonism.'"
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March 25, 1839
Liberty, Missouri
Joseph Smith

"Truth is 'Mormonism.' God is the author of it. He is our shield. It is by Him we received our birth. It was by His voice that we were called to a dispensation of His Gospel in the beginning of the fullness of times. It was by Him we received the Book of Mormon; and it is by Him that we remain unto this day; and by Him we shall remain, if it shall be for our glory; and in His Almighty name we are determined to endure tribulation as good soldiers unto the end."

Topics: Truth, gospel, adversity

( History of the Church, 3:297)