Practicum-Teachings of the Living Prophets-
This past semester I've been taking a wonderful religious course called Teachings of the Living Prophets. We learned about the lives of our modern prophets and their teachings from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have spent many hours trying to find these quotes. I wanted to share them with you guys so that you have an idea of what I believe in! Enjoy!
This past semester I've been taking a wonderful religious course called Teachings of the Living Prophets. We learned about the lives of our modern prophets and their teachings from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have spent many hours trying to find these quotes. I wanted to share them with you guys so that you have an idea of what I believe in! Enjoy!
Family
1. “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.”- The Family: A Proclamation to the World, The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, read and announced September 23rd, 1995.
2. “Kristina’s difficulties are completely ordinary for a young woman learning how to be a mom and a wife—yet the prevailing attitude among her generation is that life’s difficulties are a threat to one’s well-being and should be refused. Do she and her husband argue at times? Then she should leave him, they say. Are her children annoying her? Then she should send them to day care.
“Kristina worries that her friends don’t grasp that trials, and even suffering, are a normal part of life—and maybe even part of a good life, if that suffering teaches us how to be patient, kind and loving....” -The Doctrine of Belonging, D. Todd Christofferson, October 2022
1. “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.”- The Family: A Proclamation to the World, The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, read and announced September 23rd, 1995.
2. “Kristina’s difficulties are completely ordinary for a young woman learning how to be a mom and a wife—yet the prevailing attitude among her generation is that life’s difficulties are a threat to one’s well-being and should be refused. Do she and her husband argue at times? Then she should leave him, they say. Are her children annoying her? Then she should send them to day care.
“Kristina worries that her friends don’t grasp that trials, and even suffering, are a normal part of life—and maybe even part of a good life, if that suffering teaches us how to be patient, kind and loving....” -The Doctrine of Belonging, D. Todd Christofferson, October 2022
3. “A crucial element of the parental duty to warn is to paint not only the demoralizing consequences of sin but also the joy of walking in obedience to the commandments.” - The Voice of Warning, D. Todd Christofferson, April 2017
4. “But loving them, He could not let them go on in sin without clearly correcting them. One observer noted, “Jesus taught his followers to do as he did: to welcome everyone but also to teach about sin, since love demands warning people about what can hurt them.” (Chris Stenfanick)” -The Voice of Warning, D. Todd Christofferson, April 2014
5. “Please make up your mind that regardless of whether your parents did or did not abuse you, you will not physically or verbally or emotionally abuse your spouse or children.”-Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
6. “ “Happy and forever” are not the imaginary stuff of fairy tales. True, enduring joy and eternity with those we love are the very essence of God’s plan of happiness. His lovingly prepared way can make our eternal journey happy and forever.”- Happy and Forever, Gerrit W. Gong, October 2022
7. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”- 1 Corinthians 15:22
8. “...The importance of the principle of full partnership in a marital relationship and how its application could help my wife and me to be of one heart and one mind.”- In Partnership with the Lord, Ulisses Soares, October 2022
9. “According to gospel doctrine, the difference between woman and man does not override the eternal promises that God has for His sons and daughters. One has no greater possibilities for celestial glory than the other in the eternities. The Savior Himself invites all of us, God’s children, “to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him.” (2 Nephi 26:33) Therefore, in this context, we are all considered equal before Him.” - In Partnership with the Lord, Ulisses Soares, October 2022
10. “They (husbands and wives) walk side by side, as equals, the divine offspring of God. They become one in thought, desire, and purpose with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ,9 leading and guiding the family unit together.” -In Partnership with the Lord, Ulisses Soares, October 2022
Agency
1. “But when you earnestly seek the truth—eternal, unchanging truth—your choices become much clearer. Yes, you still have temptation and trials. Bad things still happen. Puzzling things. Tragic things. But you can manage when you know who you are, why you are here, and when you trust God.” -Jesus Christ is the Strength of Youth, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2022, Liahona
2. “Enduring adversity is not the only thing you must do to experience a happy life. Let me repeat: how you react to adversity and temptation is a critical factor in whether or not you arrive at your own “happily ever after.””- Your Happily Ever After, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2010, Ensign
3. “The commandments and covenants He offers you are not tests to control you. They are a gift to lift you toward receiving all the gifts of God and returning home to your Heavenly Father and the Lord, who love you.” -Legacy of Encouragement, Henry B. Eyring, October 2022, Liahona
4. “Agency is at the heart of the personal growth and experience that bless us as we follow the Savior.”-Personal Peace in Challenging Times, Quentin L. Cook, October 2021, Liahona
5. “Agency allows us to choose to get on the path, or not. Just as we cannot be forced to obey, we cannot be forced to disobey. No one can, without our cooperation, take us off the path.”- Choose You This Day, Dale G. Renlund, October 2018
6. “...with this agency, our Heavenly Father allowed for “opposition in all things.” (2 Nephi 2:11) We “Taste the bitter, that [we] may know to prize the good.” (Moses 6:55) Opposition should not surprise us. We learn to distinguish good from evil.” -Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022, Liahona
7. “If we are determined to live by Heavenly Father’s plan, we will use our God-given moral agency to make decisions based on revealed truth, not on the opinions of others or on the current thinking of the world.”- Answers to Life’s Questions, M. Russell Ballard, April 1995, Ensign
8. “...individuals choose whether to accept offered ordinances.” -Covenant Belonging, Gerrit W. Gong, October 2019, Liahona
9. “The battle over man’s God-given agency continues today. Satan and his minions have their lures all around us, hoping that we will falter and take his flies so he can reel us in with counterfeit means. He uses addiction to steal away agency. According to the dictionary, addiction of any kind means to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent on some life-destroying substance or behavior.”- O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One, M. Russell Ballard, October 2010, Ensign
10. “A major reason for your mortal existence, therefore, is to test how you will exercise your agency. (See 2 Ne. 2:15,25)” -Choices, Russell M. Nelson, October 1990, Ensign
Atonement of Jesus Christ
1. “Because of His atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal, and strengthen all men and women everywhere, but I believe He does so only for those who seek Him and ask for His help. The Apostle James taught, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). We qualify for that blessing when we believe in Him and pray for His help.”- Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2015, Ensign
2. “There is hope to overcome our mistakes, our sorrows, our struggles, and our trials and our troubles. There is hope in repentance and being forgiven and in forgiving others.”- Follow Jesus Christ with Footsteps of Faith, M. Russell Ballard, November 2022, Liahona
3. “The king’s judgment of the man is not based primarily upon the lack of a wedding garment—but that “he was, in fact, determined not to wear one. The man … desired the honor of attending the wedding feast, but … did not want to follow the custom of the king. He wanted to do things his own way. His lack of proper dress revealed his inner rebellion against the king and his instructions.” (Jesus is the Christ)”- Put on Thy Strength O Zion, David A. Bednar, October 2022, Liahona
4. “To obtain such blessings, may we follow Him—unfailingly, never faltering nor fleeing, never flinching at the task, not when our crosses may be heavy and not when, for a time, the path may grow dark. For your strength, your loyalty, and your love, I give deep personal thanks.”- Lifted Up upon the Cross, Jeffery R. Holland, October 2022
5. “We can “hear Him” because of the blessing of the Savior’s incomparable Atonement.”- Spiritually Defining Memories, Neil L. Andersen, April 2020
6. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” - Philippians 1:29
7. “26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” - Ezekiel 36:26–28
8. “Consider Jesus Christ’s submission to His Father’s will, His victory over death, His taking upon Himself your sins and mistakes, His receiving power from the Father to make intercession for you, and His ultimate redemption of you.15 Are these things not sufficient to draw you to Him? They are for me.”- Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God, Dale G. Renlund, April 2020
9. “For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.” - Alma 34:10
10. “He (President Nelson) could give them so many things wrapped in ribbons that might sit on a table or desk or in cabinets as a reminder of his visit. Instead, he gives what is most precious to him, far beyond rubies and diamonds, as the tribal king described.”-This Day, Ronald A. Rasband, October 2022
Addiction
1. “Relating this question to ourselves in our day, the Lord may be asking us about how busy we are and about the many positive and negative influences competing for our attention and our time. He may be asking each of us if we love Him more than the things of this world. This may be a question about what we really value in life, who we follow, and how we view our relationships with family members and neighbors. Or maybe He is asking what really brings us joy and happiness.” -Lovest Thou Me More Than These?, M. Russell Ballard, November 2021
2. “In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited. In the growth we all have to experience in mortality, the spiritual equivalent of this boy’s affliction or this parent’s desperation is going to come to all of us. When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”- Lord I Believe, Jeffery R. Holland, April 2013
3. “My young brothers and sisters, how we love you, admire you, and pray for you. Don’t let the whirlwinds drag you down. These are your days—to stand strong as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Helman 7:9)” Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
4. “Embrace more deeply His love, His mercy and grace, and the powerful gifts of His Atonement.” -Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
5. “We cannot obtain the celestial kingdom and live with God the Father on borrowed light; we need our own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel.” -Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
6. “If thou canst do any thing,” spoken by the father, comes back to him “If thou canst believe,” spoken by the Master. (Mark 9:22, 23)” -Lord I Believe, Jeffery R. Holland, April 2013
7. “A true Christian cannot follow the Master only in those matters with which he or she agrees. No. We follow Him everywhere, including, if necessary, into arenas filled with tears and trouble, where sometimes we may stand very much alone.”-Lifted Up upon the Cross, Jeffery R. Holland, October 2022
8. “When personal difficulty, doubt, or discouragement darken our path, or when world conditions beyond our control lead us to wonder about the future, the spiritually defining memories from our book of life are like luminous stones that help brighten the road ahead, assuring us that God knows us, loves us, and has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to help us return home.”- Spiritually Defining Memories, Neil L. Andersen, April 2020
9. “A bent branch does not mean a bad tree. How we come into this world is less important than who we are when we leave it.” - Happy and Forever by Gerrit W. Gong
10. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”- Revelation 22:14
LGBTQIA+
1. “We are a light to the world, and when necessary, we willingly choose to be different from others.” -Drawing Closer to the Savior, Neil L. Andersen, October 2022
2. “The Savior taught us to love not only our friends but also those who disagree with us—and even those who repudiate us.” -Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
3. “They (everyone in the world) need(s) to know of the covenant path laid out before them and the Lord’s abiding love for them. It’s all here in the Book of Mormon.” -This Day, Ronald A. Rasband, October 2022
4. “In our day one of the most significant challenges is contention and verbal abuse related to societal issues. In many cases anger and abusive language have replaced reason, discussion, and civility. Many have abandoned the admonition of the Savior’s senior Apostle, Peter, to seek Christlike qualities such as temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. They have also abandoned the Christlike quality of humility.” -Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
5. “Unity is enhanced when people are treated with dignity and respect, even though they are different in outward characteristics.”- Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity, Quentin L. Cook, October 2020
6. “If we are to follow President Nelson’s admonition to gather scattered Israel, we will find we are as different as the Jews and Gentiles were in Paul’s time. Yet we can be united in our love of and faith in Jesus Christ. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans establishes the principle that we follow the culture and doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the model for us even today. The ordinances of the temple unite us in special ways and allow us to be one in every eternally significant way.” -Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity, Quentin L. Cook, October 2020
7. “By the shield of our faith in Jesus Christ, we become peacemakers, quenching—meaning to calm, cool, or extinguish—all the fiery darts of the adversary.”- Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022
8. “How does a peacemaker calm and cool the fiery darts? Certainly not by shrinking before those who disparage us. Rather, we remain confident in our faith, sharing our beliefs with conviction but always void of anger or malice.”- Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022
9. “What gives us the inner strength to cool, calm, and quench the fiery darts aimed toward the truths we love? The strength comes from our faith in Jesus Christ and our faith in His words.”-Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022
10. “The compassionate and personalized ministering of Jesus in this account demonstrates a perfect model of how we should interact with our neighbor. The scriptures have countless examples of how the Savior, moved by His deep and abiding compassion, interacted with people of His day and helped those who were suffering and those who had “fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”6 He extended His merciful hand to those who needed relief from their burdens, both physically and spiritually.”-The Savior’s Abiding Compassion, Ulisses Soares, October 2021
Loving Your Enemies
1. “Love your enemies, bless the that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.”- Matthew 5:44
2. “We will always have differences over proposed candidates and policies. However, as followers of Christ we must forgo the anger and hatred with which political choices are debated or denounced in many settings.”- Love Your Enemies, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2020, Liahona
3. “On the cross of Calvary, where Jesus died for our sins, He practiced what He taught when He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Sincerely praying for those who may be considered our enemies demonstrates our belief that God can change our hearts and the hearts of others. Such prayers should strengthen our resolve to make whatever changes are necessary in our own lives, families, and communities.
No matter where you live, what language you speak, or the challenges you face, God hears and answers you in His own way and in His own time. Because we are His children, we can approach Him to seek help, solace, and a renewed desire to make a positive difference in the world.”- Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always, M. Russell Ballard, November 2020, Liahona
4. “When adversity and affliction are brought upon us by critical, negative, even mean-spirited acts, we can choose to hope in Christ. This hope comes from His invitation and promise to “be of good cheer, for I will lead you along” (Doctrine and Covenants 78:18) and that He will consecrate your afflictions for your gain. (2 Nephi 2:2)” -Hearts Knit Together, Gary E. Stevenson May 2021, Liahona
5. “When our hearts are filled with the love of God, we become “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving [each other], even as God for Christ’s sake [forgave us].”11
The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each other.”-The Merciful Obtain Mercy, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, May 2012, Ensign
6. “Jesus taught people how to live with one another. He declared the two great commandments: first, to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” (Matt. 22:37) and the second, to “love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22: 39, Luke 10:27 & Doctrine and Covenants 59:5-6)- “Blessed Are the Peacemakers”, Russell M. Nelson, November 2002, Ensign
7. “Why is it so difficult to have Christlike love for one another? It is difficult because we must live among those who do not share our beliefs and values and covenant obligations. In His great Intercessory Prayer, offered just before His Crucifixion, Jesus prayed for His followers: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14). Then, to the Father He pleaded, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (verse 15).
We are to live in the world but not be of the world. We must live in the world because, as Jesus taught in a parable, His kingdom is “like leaven,” whose function is to raise the whole mass by its influence (see Luke 13:21; Matthew 13:33; see also 1 Corinthians 5:6–8). His followers cannot do that if they associate only with those who share their beliefs and practices. But the Savior also taught that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (see John 14:15).”- Loving Others and Living with Different Lives, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2014, Ensign
8. “... God’s greater blessings are conditioned on obedience. President Russell M. Nelson explained: “The resplendent bouquet of God’s love—including eternal life—includes blessings for which we must qualify, not entitlements to be expected unworthily. Sinners cannot bend His will to theirs and require Him to bless them in sin [see Alma 11:37]. If they desire to enjoy every bloom in His beautiful bouquet, they must repent.” (Divine Love, Russell M. Nelson, Feb. 2003)” -Abide in My Love, D. Todd Christenson, November 2016, Ensign
9. “...anger is “Satan’s tool,” for “to be angry is to yield to the influence of Satan. No one can make us angry. It is our choice. (School Thy Feelings, O My Brother, Thomas S. Monson, Oct. 2009, Ensign)” -Love Your Enemies, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2020, Liahona
10. “My dear friends, I testify that as we strive to incorporate the Savior’s compassionate example into our lives, our capacity to compliment the virtues of our neighbors will increase and our natural instinct to judge their imperfections will decrease. Our communion with God will grow, and certainly our lives will become sweeter, our feelings more tender, and we will find a never-ending source of happiness. We will be known as peacemakers,19 whose words are as gentle as the dew of a spring morning.”-The Savior’s Abiding Compassion, Ulisses Soares, October 2021
Dare to Stand Alone
1. “Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not.” -Doctrine & Covenants 6:36
2. “Fear not little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they can not prevail.”- Doctrine & Covenants 6:34
3. “We can truly become disciples of the Lord, standing up and speaking up for Him wherever we are.” -Closing Remarks, Russell M. Nelson, April 2019
4. “When we stand close together and lift where we stand, when we care more for the glory of the kingdom of God than for our own prestige or pleasure, we can accomplish so much more.”-Lift Where You Stand, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, November 2008, Ensign
5. “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion.” -Isaiah 52:1
6. “We separate ourselves from the world through covenants with God, being distinct, uncommon, and special, as we honor Him and His teachings without isolating ourselves from others who believe differently.”- Drawing Closer to the Savior, Neil L. Andersen, October 2022
7. “It is a wondrous journey to be wheat among the tares, sometimes fraught with heartache but always calmed by the maturing and assuring settling of our faith. As you allow your love for the Savior and His love for you to sink deep into your heart, I promise you added confidence, peace, and joy in meeting the challenges of your life.” -Drawing Closer to the Savior, Neil L. Andersen, October 2022
8. “Build more firmly your foundation upon the rock of your Redeemer.” -Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
9. “And as you live righteously year after year, I assure you that your experiences will confirm to you again and again that Jesus is the Christ.”- Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
10. “Because of His incomparable love and concern for others and their happiness, Jesus was not hesitant to warn. At the outset of His ministry, “Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)”- The Voice of Warning, D. Todd Christofferson, April 2014
Law of Chasity
1. “(Referring to sex) They are not a conquest to be achieved or simply an act to be performed. Rather, they are in mortality one of the ultimate expressions of our divine nature and potential and a way of strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife.” -We Believe in Being Chaste, David A. Bednar, April 2013, Ensign
2. “His law of chastity is clear: sexual relations are proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”- Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
3. “We all need to seek our own testimony of Jesus Christ, bridle our passions, repent of our sins, and be true to God and His work.” -Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
4. “Anyone with eyes to see the signs of the times and ears to hear the words of prophets knows that is true. The perils of greatest danger come to us from the forces of wickedness. Those forces are increasing. And so it will become more difficult, not easier, to honor the covenants we must make and keep to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.”- Steady in the Storms, Henry B. Eyring, April 2022
5. “The misery and endless woe of which he spoke are the terrible effects of sins should we not fully repent of them. The growing storms are the temptations and the increasing attacks of Satan.”-Steady in the Storms, Henry B. Eyring, April 2022
6. “The Pharisee’s holier-than-thou attitude led him to judge unjustly both Jesus and the woman. But in His omniscience, the Savior knew Simon’s mind and, in great wisdom, challenged Simon’s condescending attitude, as well as admonished him for his lack of courtesy in receiving a special guest like the Savior into his home. In fact, Jesus’s direct rebuke of the Pharisee served as a witness that Jesus indeed possessed the gift of prophecy and that this woman, with a humble and contrite heart, was repentant and forgiven for her sins.”-The Savior’s Abiding Compassion, Ulisses Soares, October 2021
7. “Our Heavenly Father loves us profoundly and perfectly.1 In His love, He created a plan, a plan of redemption and happiness to open to us all the opportunities and joys we are willing to receive, up to and including all that He has and is.”- The Love of God, D. Todd Christofferson, October 2021
8. “Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven”- Doctrine and Covenants 1:32
9. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” - Isaiah 53:5
10. “27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance; 29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.” - Alma 13:27,29
4. “But loving them, He could not let them go on in sin without clearly correcting them. One observer noted, “Jesus taught his followers to do as he did: to welcome everyone but also to teach about sin, since love demands warning people about what can hurt them.” (Chris Stenfanick)” -The Voice of Warning, D. Todd Christofferson, April 2014
5. “Please make up your mind that regardless of whether your parents did or did not abuse you, you will not physically or verbally or emotionally abuse your spouse or children.”-Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
6. “ “Happy and forever” are not the imaginary stuff of fairy tales. True, enduring joy and eternity with those we love are the very essence of God’s plan of happiness. His lovingly prepared way can make our eternal journey happy and forever.”- Happy and Forever, Gerrit W. Gong, October 2022
7. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”- 1 Corinthians 15:22
8. “...The importance of the principle of full partnership in a marital relationship and how its application could help my wife and me to be of one heart and one mind.”- In Partnership with the Lord, Ulisses Soares, October 2022
9. “According to gospel doctrine, the difference between woman and man does not override the eternal promises that God has for His sons and daughters. One has no greater possibilities for celestial glory than the other in the eternities. The Savior Himself invites all of us, God’s children, “to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him.” (2 Nephi 26:33) Therefore, in this context, we are all considered equal before Him.” - In Partnership with the Lord, Ulisses Soares, October 2022
10. “They (husbands and wives) walk side by side, as equals, the divine offspring of God. They become one in thought, desire, and purpose with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ,9 leading and guiding the family unit together.” -In Partnership with the Lord, Ulisses Soares, October 2022
Agency
1. “But when you earnestly seek the truth—eternal, unchanging truth—your choices become much clearer. Yes, you still have temptation and trials. Bad things still happen. Puzzling things. Tragic things. But you can manage when you know who you are, why you are here, and when you trust God.” -Jesus Christ is the Strength of Youth, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2022, Liahona
2. “Enduring adversity is not the only thing you must do to experience a happy life. Let me repeat: how you react to adversity and temptation is a critical factor in whether or not you arrive at your own “happily ever after.””- Your Happily Ever After, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2010, Ensign
3. “The commandments and covenants He offers you are not tests to control you. They are a gift to lift you toward receiving all the gifts of God and returning home to your Heavenly Father and the Lord, who love you.” -Legacy of Encouragement, Henry B. Eyring, October 2022, Liahona
4. “Agency is at the heart of the personal growth and experience that bless us as we follow the Savior.”-Personal Peace in Challenging Times, Quentin L. Cook, October 2021, Liahona
5. “Agency allows us to choose to get on the path, or not. Just as we cannot be forced to obey, we cannot be forced to disobey. No one can, without our cooperation, take us off the path.”- Choose You This Day, Dale G. Renlund, October 2018
6. “...with this agency, our Heavenly Father allowed for “opposition in all things.” (2 Nephi 2:11) We “Taste the bitter, that [we] may know to prize the good.” (Moses 6:55) Opposition should not surprise us. We learn to distinguish good from evil.” -Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022, Liahona
7. “If we are determined to live by Heavenly Father’s plan, we will use our God-given moral agency to make decisions based on revealed truth, not on the opinions of others or on the current thinking of the world.”- Answers to Life’s Questions, M. Russell Ballard, April 1995, Ensign
8. “...individuals choose whether to accept offered ordinances.” -Covenant Belonging, Gerrit W. Gong, October 2019, Liahona
9. “The battle over man’s God-given agency continues today. Satan and his minions have their lures all around us, hoping that we will falter and take his flies so he can reel us in with counterfeit means. He uses addiction to steal away agency. According to the dictionary, addiction of any kind means to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent on some life-destroying substance or behavior.”- O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One, M. Russell Ballard, October 2010, Ensign
10. “A major reason for your mortal existence, therefore, is to test how you will exercise your agency. (See 2 Ne. 2:15,25)” -Choices, Russell M. Nelson, October 1990, Ensign
Atonement of Jesus Christ
1. “Because of His atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal, and strengthen all men and women everywhere, but I believe He does so only for those who seek Him and ask for His help. The Apostle James taught, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). We qualify for that blessing when we believe in Him and pray for His help.”- Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2015, Ensign
2. “There is hope to overcome our mistakes, our sorrows, our struggles, and our trials and our troubles. There is hope in repentance and being forgiven and in forgiving others.”- Follow Jesus Christ with Footsteps of Faith, M. Russell Ballard, November 2022, Liahona
3. “The king’s judgment of the man is not based primarily upon the lack of a wedding garment—but that “he was, in fact, determined not to wear one. The man … desired the honor of attending the wedding feast, but … did not want to follow the custom of the king. He wanted to do things his own way. His lack of proper dress revealed his inner rebellion against the king and his instructions.” (Jesus is the Christ)”- Put on Thy Strength O Zion, David A. Bednar, October 2022, Liahona
4. “To obtain such blessings, may we follow Him—unfailingly, never faltering nor fleeing, never flinching at the task, not when our crosses may be heavy and not when, for a time, the path may grow dark. For your strength, your loyalty, and your love, I give deep personal thanks.”- Lifted Up upon the Cross, Jeffery R. Holland, October 2022
5. “We can “hear Him” because of the blessing of the Savior’s incomparable Atonement.”- Spiritually Defining Memories, Neil L. Andersen, April 2020
6. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” - Philippians 1:29
7. “26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” - Ezekiel 36:26–28
8. “Consider Jesus Christ’s submission to His Father’s will, His victory over death, His taking upon Himself your sins and mistakes, His receiving power from the Father to make intercession for you, and His ultimate redemption of you.15 Are these things not sufficient to draw you to Him? They are for me.”- Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God, Dale G. Renlund, April 2020
9. “For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.” - Alma 34:10
10. “He (President Nelson) could give them so many things wrapped in ribbons that might sit on a table or desk or in cabinets as a reminder of his visit. Instead, he gives what is most precious to him, far beyond rubies and diamonds, as the tribal king described.”-This Day, Ronald A. Rasband, October 2022
Addiction
1. “Relating this question to ourselves in our day, the Lord may be asking us about how busy we are and about the many positive and negative influences competing for our attention and our time. He may be asking each of us if we love Him more than the things of this world. This may be a question about what we really value in life, who we follow, and how we view our relationships with family members and neighbors. Or maybe He is asking what really brings us joy and happiness.” -Lovest Thou Me More Than These?, M. Russell Ballard, November 2021
2. “In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited. In the growth we all have to experience in mortality, the spiritual equivalent of this boy’s affliction or this parent’s desperation is going to come to all of us. When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”- Lord I Believe, Jeffery R. Holland, April 2013
3. “My young brothers and sisters, how we love you, admire you, and pray for you. Don’t let the whirlwinds drag you down. These are your days—to stand strong as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Helman 7:9)” Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
4. “Embrace more deeply His love, His mercy and grace, and the powerful gifts of His Atonement.” -Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
5. “We cannot obtain the celestial kingdom and live with God the Father on borrowed light; we need our own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel.” -Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
6. “If thou canst do any thing,” spoken by the father, comes back to him “If thou canst believe,” spoken by the Master. (Mark 9:22, 23)” -Lord I Believe, Jeffery R. Holland, April 2013
7. “A true Christian cannot follow the Master only in those matters with which he or she agrees. No. We follow Him everywhere, including, if necessary, into arenas filled with tears and trouble, where sometimes we may stand very much alone.”-Lifted Up upon the Cross, Jeffery R. Holland, October 2022
8. “When personal difficulty, doubt, or discouragement darken our path, or when world conditions beyond our control lead us to wonder about the future, the spiritually defining memories from our book of life are like luminous stones that help brighten the road ahead, assuring us that God knows us, loves us, and has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to help us return home.”- Spiritually Defining Memories, Neil L. Andersen, April 2020
9. “A bent branch does not mean a bad tree. How we come into this world is less important than who we are when we leave it.” - Happy and Forever by Gerrit W. Gong
10. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”- Revelation 22:14
LGBTQIA+
1. “We are a light to the world, and when necessary, we willingly choose to be different from others.” -Drawing Closer to the Savior, Neil L. Andersen, October 2022
2. “The Savior taught us to love not only our friends but also those who disagree with us—and even those who repudiate us.” -Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
3. “They (everyone in the world) need(s) to know of the covenant path laid out before them and the Lord’s abiding love for them. It’s all here in the Book of Mormon.” -This Day, Ronald A. Rasband, October 2022
4. “In our day one of the most significant challenges is contention and verbal abuse related to societal issues. In many cases anger and abusive language have replaced reason, discussion, and civility. Many have abandoned the admonition of the Savior’s senior Apostle, Peter, to seek Christlike qualities such as temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. They have also abandoned the Christlike quality of humility.” -Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
5. “Unity is enhanced when people are treated with dignity and respect, even though they are different in outward characteristics.”- Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity, Quentin L. Cook, October 2020
6. “If we are to follow President Nelson’s admonition to gather scattered Israel, we will find we are as different as the Jews and Gentiles were in Paul’s time. Yet we can be united in our love of and faith in Jesus Christ. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans establishes the principle that we follow the culture and doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the model for us even today. The ordinances of the temple unite us in special ways and allow us to be one in every eternally significant way.” -Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity, Quentin L. Cook, October 2020
7. “By the shield of our faith in Jesus Christ, we become peacemakers, quenching—meaning to calm, cool, or extinguish—all the fiery darts of the adversary.”- Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022
8. “How does a peacemaker calm and cool the fiery darts? Certainly not by shrinking before those who disparage us. Rather, we remain confident in our faith, sharing our beliefs with conviction but always void of anger or malice.”- Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022
9. “What gives us the inner strength to cool, calm, and quench the fiery darts aimed toward the truths we love? The strength comes from our faith in Jesus Christ and our faith in His words.”-Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker, Neil L. Andersen, April 2022
10. “The compassionate and personalized ministering of Jesus in this account demonstrates a perfect model of how we should interact with our neighbor. The scriptures have countless examples of how the Savior, moved by His deep and abiding compassion, interacted with people of His day and helped those who were suffering and those who had “fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”6 He extended His merciful hand to those who needed relief from their burdens, both physically and spiritually.”-The Savior’s Abiding Compassion, Ulisses Soares, October 2021
Loving Your Enemies
1. “Love your enemies, bless the that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.”- Matthew 5:44
2. “We will always have differences over proposed candidates and policies. However, as followers of Christ we must forgo the anger and hatred with which political choices are debated or denounced in many settings.”- Love Your Enemies, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2020, Liahona
3. “On the cross of Calvary, where Jesus died for our sins, He practiced what He taught when He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Sincerely praying for those who may be considered our enemies demonstrates our belief that God can change our hearts and the hearts of others. Such prayers should strengthen our resolve to make whatever changes are necessary in our own lives, families, and communities.
No matter where you live, what language you speak, or the challenges you face, God hears and answers you in His own way and in His own time. Because we are His children, we can approach Him to seek help, solace, and a renewed desire to make a positive difference in the world.”- Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always, M. Russell Ballard, November 2020, Liahona
4. “When adversity and affliction are brought upon us by critical, negative, even mean-spirited acts, we can choose to hope in Christ. This hope comes from His invitation and promise to “be of good cheer, for I will lead you along” (Doctrine and Covenants 78:18) and that He will consecrate your afflictions for your gain. (2 Nephi 2:2)” -Hearts Knit Together, Gary E. Stevenson May 2021, Liahona
5. “When our hearts are filled with the love of God, we become “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving [each other], even as God for Christ’s sake [forgave us].”11
The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each other.”-The Merciful Obtain Mercy, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, May 2012, Ensign
6. “Jesus taught people how to live with one another. He declared the two great commandments: first, to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” (Matt. 22:37) and the second, to “love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22: 39, Luke 10:27 & Doctrine and Covenants 59:5-6)- “Blessed Are the Peacemakers”, Russell M. Nelson, November 2002, Ensign
7. “Why is it so difficult to have Christlike love for one another? It is difficult because we must live among those who do not share our beliefs and values and covenant obligations. In His great Intercessory Prayer, offered just before His Crucifixion, Jesus prayed for His followers: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14). Then, to the Father He pleaded, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (verse 15).
We are to live in the world but not be of the world. We must live in the world because, as Jesus taught in a parable, His kingdom is “like leaven,” whose function is to raise the whole mass by its influence (see Luke 13:21; Matthew 13:33; see also 1 Corinthians 5:6–8). His followers cannot do that if they associate only with those who share their beliefs and practices. But the Savior also taught that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (see John 14:15).”- Loving Others and Living with Different Lives, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2014, Ensign
8. “... God’s greater blessings are conditioned on obedience. President Russell M. Nelson explained: “The resplendent bouquet of God’s love—including eternal life—includes blessings for which we must qualify, not entitlements to be expected unworthily. Sinners cannot bend His will to theirs and require Him to bless them in sin [see Alma 11:37]. If they desire to enjoy every bloom in His beautiful bouquet, they must repent.” (Divine Love, Russell M. Nelson, Feb. 2003)” -Abide in My Love, D. Todd Christenson, November 2016, Ensign
9. “...anger is “Satan’s tool,” for “to be angry is to yield to the influence of Satan. No one can make us angry. It is our choice. (School Thy Feelings, O My Brother, Thomas S. Monson, Oct. 2009, Ensign)” -Love Your Enemies, Dallin H. Oaks, November 2020, Liahona
10. “My dear friends, I testify that as we strive to incorporate the Savior’s compassionate example into our lives, our capacity to compliment the virtues of our neighbors will increase and our natural instinct to judge their imperfections will decrease. Our communion with God will grow, and certainly our lives will become sweeter, our feelings more tender, and we will find a never-ending source of happiness. We will be known as peacemakers,19 whose words are as gentle as the dew of a spring morning.”-The Savior’s Abiding Compassion, Ulisses Soares, October 2021
Dare to Stand Alone
1. “Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not.” -Doctrine & Covenants 6:36
2. “Fear not little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they can not prevail.”- Doctrine & Covenants 6:34
3. “We can truly become disciples of the Lord, standing up and speaking up for Him wherever we are.” -Closing Remarks, Russell M. Nelson, April 2019
4. “When we stand close together and lift where we stand, when we care more for the glory of the kingdom of God than for our own prestige or pleasure, we can accomplish so much more.”-Lift Where You Stand, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, November 2008, Ensign
5. “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion.” -Isaiah 52:1
6. “We separate ourselves from the world through covenants with God, being distinct, uncommon, and special, as we honor Him and His teachings without isolating ourselves from others who believe differently.”- Drawing Closer to the Savior, Neil L. Andersen, October 2022
7. “It is a wondrous journey to be wheat among the tares, sometimes fraught with heartache but always calmed by the maturing and assuring settling of our faith. As you allow your love for the Savior and His love for you to sink deep into your heart, I promise you added confidence, peace, and joy in meeting the challenges of your life.” -Drawing Closer to the Savior, Neil L. Andersen, October 2022
8. “Build more firmly your foundation upon the rock of your Redeemer.” -Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
9. “And as you live righteously year after year, I assure you that your experiences will confirm to you again and again that Jesus is the Christ.”- Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
10. “Because of His incomparable love and concern for others and their happiness, Jesus was not hesitant to warn. At the outset of His ministry, “Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)”- The Voice of Warning, D. Todd Christofferson, April 2014
Law of Chasity
1. “(Referring to sex) They are not a conquest to be achieved or simply an act to be performed. Rather, they are in mortality one of the ultimate expressions of our divine nature and potential and a way of strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife.” -We Believe in Being Chaste, David A. Bednar, April 2013, Ensign
2. “His law of chastity is clear: sexual relations are proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”- Spiritual Whirlwinds, Neil L. Andersen, April 2014
3. “We all need to seek our own testimony of Jesus Christ, bridle our passions, repent of our sins, and be true to God and His work.” -Be True to God and His Work, Quentin L. Cook, October 2022
4. “Anyone with eyes to see the signs of the times and ears to hear the words of prophets knows that is true. The perils of greatest danger come to us from the forces of wickedness. Those forces are increasing. And so it will become more difficult, not easier, to honor the covenants we must make and keep to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.”- Steady in the Storms, Henry B. Eyring, April 2022
5. “The misery and endless woe of which he spoke are the terrible effects of sins should we not fully repent of them. The growing storms are the temptations and the increasing attacks of Satan.”-Steady in the Storms, Henry B. Eyring, April 2022
6. “The Pharisee’s holier-than-thou attitude led him to judge unjustly both Jesus and the woman. But in His omniscience, the Savior knew Simon’s mind and, in great wisdom, challenged Simon’s condescending attitude, as well as admonished him for his lack of courtesy in receiving a special guest like the Savior into his home. In fact, Jesus’s direct rebuke of the Pharisee served as a witness that Jesus indeed possessed the gift of prophecy and that this woman, with a humble and contrite heart, was repentant and forgiven for her sins.”-The Savior’s Abiding Compassion, Ulisses Soares, October 2021
7. “Our Heavenly Father loves us profoundly and perfectly.1 In His love, He created a plan, a plan of redemption and happiness to open to us all the opportunities and joys we are willing to receive, up to and including all that He has and is.”- The Love of God, D. Todd Christofferson, October 2021
8. “Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven”- Doctrine and Covenants 1:32
9. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” - Isaiah 53:5
10. “27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance; 29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.” - Alma 13:27,29