Good article on women

Woman-of Infinite Worth

Very much worth reading.

Truths of the gospel

“When we hear the transcendent truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hope and faith begin to blossom inside of us. The more we fill our hearts and minds with the message of the risen Christ, the greater our desire is to follow Him and live His teachings. This, in turn, causes our faith to grow and allows the light of Christ to illuminate our hearts. As it does, we recognize the imperfections in our lives, and we desire to be cleansed of the depressing burdens of sin. We yearn for freedom from guilt, and this inspires us to repent.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Way of the Disciple,” Ensign, May 2009

A Spiritual Adventure

Well today has been an eventful day in the ways of missionaries for my ward and friends.  Ward member and friend, Skylar Halford, and friend, Andrew Bowns, had their farewells today and ward member and friend, Ryan Christiansen, announced his call at the pulpit.  Anyway along with the events of today I was also talking to Ryan recently who mentioned that he was nervous.  So here is a quote for all of those missionaries.

"President Spencer W. Kimball said, "There is a spiritual adventure in doing missionary work" (Ensighn, Oct. 1977, 7).  To embark on a mission, as so many know, involves many of the same emotions as embarking on some high adventure: excitement, some anxiety, perhaps a touch of fear.  In missionary work, we take a step into the unknown.  Perhaps we go to a faraway land with a strange culture.  We are required to live continually with a companion we have never met before.  And the essence of missionary work is meeting and talking to new people, bearing testimony of marvelous and wondrous things that they may find odd.  In publicly taking such a stance, we place ourselves at risk of being mocked or scorned.  Such is the nature of an adventure, and like many others adventures, we will talk fondly of it the rest of our lives."

-David B. Haight, "A Spiritual Adventure," New Era, June 2000

Righteous Priesthood Holders

Well today in Sunday School we had a lesson on the priesthood so here's a quote about the priesthood.

"How blessed we are to be among the very few men on earth trusted to be authorized to act in the name of the Savior to bless others through the righteous use of His priesthood.

I wonder, brethren, how many of us seriously ponder the inestimable value of holding the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods.  When we consider how few men who have lived on earth have received the priesthood and how Jesus Christ has empowered those individuals to act in His name, we should feel deeply humble and profoundly grateful for the priesthood we hold.

The priesthood is the authority  to act in the name of God.  That authority  is essential to the fulfillment of His work on earth.  The priesthood we hold is a delegated portion of the eternal authority of God.  As we are true and faithful, our ordination to the priesthood will be eternal.

God will hold us accountable for how we treat His precious daughters.  Therefore, let us treat them as He would wish to have them treated.  I pray that the Lord will guide us to be more inspired, sensitive, and productive with the priesthood we hold, especially with His daughters.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

-Richard G. Scott, "Honor the Priesthood and Use It Well," Ensign, Nov 2008

This Life is the Time

A time to repent

"A man may receive the priesthood and all its privileges and blessings, but until he learns to overcome the flesh, his temper, his tongue, his disposition to indulge in the things God has forbidden, he cannot come into the celestial kingdom of God - he must overcome either in this life or the life to come.  But this life is the time in which men are to repent. Do not let any of us imagine that we can go down to the grave not having overcome the corruptions of the flesh and then lose in the grave all our sins and evil tendencies. They will be with us. They will be with the spirit when separated from the body.

"It is my judgment that any man or woman can do more to conform to the laws of God in one year in this life than they could in then years when they are dead.  The spirit only can repent and change and then the battle has to go forward with the flesh afterwards.  It is much easier to overcome and serve the Lord when both flesh and spirit are combined as one.  This is the time when men are more pliable and susceptible.  We will find when we are dead every desire, every feeling will be greatly intensified.  When clay is pliable, it is much easier to change than when it gets hard and sets.

"This life is the time to repent.  That is why I presume it will take a thousand years after the first resurrection until the last group will be prepared to come forth.  It will take a thousand years to do what it would have taken them but three score years and ten to accomplish in this life."

-Elder Melvin J. Ballard, The Three Degrees of Glory, pp. 11-13. (Emphasis added)

Happiness, Your Heritage

Well we had a lesson in Relief Society on this talk a few weeks ago and I really like it so I'm posting it here along with my comments in orange.  I did have more thoughts back when we had the lesson and when I heard the talk, but I've put this off and I'm tired... Anyway...

While this talk was given in the General Relief Society Meeting it still has applications to all children of God regardless of gender.

Happiness, Your Heritage
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Ensign, Nov 2008, 117–20

Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness.

My dear sisters, I am grateful for this, my first opportunity to speak to the women of the Church gathered together in all parts of the world. We are especially honored today with the presence of President Monson and President Eyring. The choir has touched our hearts. We have been inspired by the messages of Sister Thompson, Sister Allred, and Sister Beck.

Since learning that I would be with you today, I have thought about the many women who have shaped my life: my wonderful wife, Harriet; my mother; my mother-in-law; my sister; my daughter; my daughter-in-law; and many friends. All my life I have been surrounded by women who inspired, taught, and encouraged me. I am who I am today in large part because of these singular women. Each time I meet with the sisters of the Church, I sense that I am in the midst of similar remarkable souls. I am grateful to be here, grateful for your talents, compassion, and service. Most of all, I am grateful for who you are: treasured daughters of our Heavenly Father with infinite worth.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise, but the differences between men and women can often be quite striking—physically and mentally, as well as emotionally. One of the best ways I can think of to illustrate this is in the way my wife and I cook a meal.

When Harriet prepares a meal, it’s a masterpiece. Her cuisine is as wide-ranging as the world, and she frequently prepares dishes from countries we have visited. The presentation of the food is awe inspiring. In fact, it often looks so beautiful that it seems a crime to eat it. It’s as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the sense of taste.

But sure enough, no matter how perfect everything is, looks, and tastes, Harriet will apologize for something she thinks is imperfect. “I’m afraid I used a touch too much ginger,” she will say, or, “Next time, I think it would be better if I used a little more curry and one additional bay leaf.”  Don't we all do this as women?  We work so hard on something trying so hard to make everything perfect, but naturally, as humans, we can't be perfect, and we focus on that and beat ourselves up over it.

Let me contrast that with the way I cook. For the purpose of this talk, I asked Harriet to tell me what I cook best.

Her answer: fried eggs.

Sunny-side up.

But that isn’t all. I have a specialty dish called Knusperchen. The name may sound like a delicacy you might find at an exclusive restaurant. Let me share with you how to make it. You cut French bread into small slices and toast them twice.

That is the recipe!

So, between fried eggs, even when they are greasy, and Knusperchen, even when they are burned, when I cook, I feel pretty heroic.

Perhaps this contrast between my wife and me is a slight exaggeration, but it illustrates something that may extend beyond preparing meals.

To me it appears that our splendid sisters sometimes undervalue their abilities—they focus on what is lacking or imperfect rather than what has been accomplished and who they really are.

Perhaps you recognize this trait in someone you know really well.  Me... :)

The good news is that this also points to an admirable quality: the innate desire to please the Lord to the best of your ability. Unfortunately, it can also lead to frustration, exhaustion, and unhappiness.

To All Who Are Weary

Today I would like to speak to those who have ever felt inadequate, discouraged, or weary—in short, I would like to speak to all of us.

I also pray that the Holy Ghost will amplify my words and bestow upon them additional meaning, insight, and inspiration.

We know that sometimes it can be difficult to keep our heads above water. In fact, in our world of change, challenges, and checklists, sometimes it can seem nearly impossible to avoid feeling overwhelmed by emotions of suffering and sorrow.

I am not suggesting that we can simply flip a switch and stop the negative feelings that distress us. This isn’t a pep talk or an attempt to encourage those sinking in quicksand to imagine instead they are relaxing on a beach. I recognize that in all of our lives there are real concerns. I know there are hearts here today that harbor deep sorrows. Others wrestle with fears that trouble the soul. For some, loneliness is their secret trial.

These things are not insignificant.

However, I would like to speak about two principles that may help you find a path to peace, hope, and joy—even during times of trial and distress. I want to speak about God’s happiness and how each one of us can taste of it in spite of the burdens that beset us.

God’s Happiness

Let me first pose a question: What do you suppose is the greatest kind of happiness possible? For me, the answer to this question is, God’s happiness.

This leads to another question: What is our Heavenly Father’s happiness?

This may be impossible to answer because His ways are not our ways. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts [higher] than [our] thoughts.”1

Though we cannot understand “the meaning of all things,” we do “know that [God] loveth his children”2 because He has said, “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”3

Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.

The Work of Creation

The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—and I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children.

You might say, “I’m not the creative type. When I sing, I’m always half a tone above or below the note. I cannot draw a line without a ruler. And the only practical use for my homemade bread is as a paperweight or as a doorstop.”

If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.  Whenever I find that thoughts of self-judgement have crept into my mind I try to remember that nothing's wrong with me.  I'm exactly how I'm supposed to be and exactly how God created me and that is beautiful.

But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy.4 Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things.

If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next.

You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us.5 The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.

What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.

If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it.  Writing letters of appreciation is something that gives me immense satisfaction and self-worth.

Nearly a century and a half ago, President Brigham Young spoke to the Saints of his day. “There is a great work for the Saints to do,” he said. “Progress, and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds. Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations. In the mean time continually seek to adorn your minds with all the graces of the Spirit of Christ.”6

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.

Being Compassionate

Being compassionate is another great work of our Heavenly Father and a fundamental characteristic of who we are as a people. We are commanded to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”7 Disciples of Christ throughout all ages of the world have been distinguished by their compassion. Those who follow the Savior “mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”8

When we reach out to bless the lives of others, our lives are blessed as well. Service and sacrifice open the windows of heaven, allowing choice blessings to descend upon us. Surely our beloved Heavenly Father smiles upon those who care for the least of His children.

As we lift others, we rise a little higher ourselves. President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls.”9

President Gordon B. Hinckley believed in the healing power of service. After the death of his wife, he provided a great example to the Church in the way he immersed himself in work and in serving others. It is told that President Hinckley remarked to one woman who had recently lost her husband, “Work will cure your grief. Serve others.”  Whenever I lose myself in service of others, whether that's working for them, or just listening when they need a friend, I see the good in me and the good in those I love.  I see God's love for me and those I serve.

These are profound words. As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.

President Lorenzo Snow expressed a similar thought: “When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.”10  Service is the best way to free yourself from your troubles.  I have a testimony of that.

In today’s world of pop psychology, junk TV, and feel-good self-help manuals, this advice may seem counterintuitive. We are sometimes told that the answer to our ills is to look inward, to indulge ourselves, to spend first and pay later, and to satisfy our own desires even at the expense of those around us. While there are times when it is prudent to look first to our own needs, in the long run it doesn’t lead to lasting happiness.

An Instrument in the Hands of the Lord

I believe that the women of the Church, regardless of age or family status, understand and apply best the words of James Barrie, the author of Peter Pan: “Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”11 Often I have witnessed quiet acts of kindness and compassion by noble women who extended themselves in unselfish charity. My heart swells when I hear stories of the sisters of the Church and how they rush to the aid of those in need.

There are those in the Church—both men and women—who wonder how they can contribute to the kingdom. Sometimes women who are single, divorced, or widowed wonder if there is a place for them. Every sister in the Church is of critical importance—not only to our Heavenly Father but also to the building of the kingdom of God as well. There is a great work to do.

One year ago in this meeting, President Monson taught that “you are … surrounded by opportunities for service. … Often small acts of service are all that is required to lift and bless another.”12 Look around you. There at sacrament meeting is a young mother with several children—offer to sit with her and help. There in your neighborhood is a young man who seems discouraged—tell him you enjoy being in his presence, that you feel his goodness. True words of encouragement require only a loving and caring heart but may have an eternal impact on the life of those around you.

You wonderful sisters render compassionate service to others for reasons that supersede desires for personal benefits. In this you emulate the Savior, who, though a king, did not seek position, nor was He concerned about whether others noticed Him. He did not bother to compete with others. His thoughts were always tuned to help others. He taught, healed, conversed, and listened to others. He knew that greatness had little to do with outward signs of prosperity or position. He taught and lived by this doctrine: “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”13

In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers.  Be the answer to the prayers you give for others.

Conclusion

My dear sisters, I have a simple faith. I believe that as you are faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, as you draw closer to Him in faith, hope, and charity, things will work together for your good.14 I believe that as you immerse yourselves in the work of our Father—as you create beauty and as you are compassionate to others—God will encircle you in the arms of His love.15 Discouragement, inadequacy, and weariness will give way to a life of meaning, grace, and fulfillment.

As spirit daughters of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage.

You are choice daughters of our Heavenly Father, and through the things you create and by your compassionate service, you are a great power for good. You will make the world a better place. Lift up your chin; walk tall. God loves you. We love and admire you.  Walk tall, you're a daughter, a child of God.

Of this I testify, and leave you my blessing as an Apostle of the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. Isaiah 55:9.

2. 1 Nephi 11:17.

3. Moses 1:39.

4. See 2 Nephi 2:25.

5. See D&C 46:11–12.

6. Brigham Young, Deseret News, Aug. 8, 1860, 177.

7. D&C 81:5.

8. Mosiah 18:9.

9. The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (1982), 254.

10. Lorenzo Snow, in Conference Report, Apr. 1899, 2–3.

11. J. M. Barrie, A Window in Thrums (1917), 137.

12. Thomas S. Monson, “Three Goals to Guide You,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 120.

13. Matthew 23:11.

14. See D&C 90:24.

15. See D&C 6:20.

Mothers

Seeing as it's Mother's Day I figured that mothers would be excellent people to blog about.  We'll start off with a quote by Elder Russel M. Nelson:

Many years ago the First Presidency issued a statement that has had a profound and lasting influence upon me. “Motherhood,” they wrote, “is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels."

Mothers are next to angels.  Now I don't have firsthand experience, but being a mother seems hard. Here's a quote by Elder M. Russel Ballard for those mothers who are feeling discouraged and inadequate:

There is no perfect way to be a good mother.  Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children.  The choice is different and unique for each mother and family.  Many are able to be 'full-time moms,' at least during the more formative years of their children's lives, and many other would like to be.  Some may have to work part- or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.

Along with placing God and her husband and children above all else mothers have other responsibilities outlined in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" given by the First Presidency and he Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.

Motherhood is one of the noblest professions in the world.  Many "independent" women would scoff at motherhood and look down on mothers as slaves to their husbands, children, and housework.  Those women are wrong.  They rob themselves of the blessings of the selfless service that is motherhood.  Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there.

Pray, He is listening.

"Don't worry about your clumsily expressed feelings.  Just talk to you compassionate, understanding Father.  You are His precious child whom he loves perfectly and wants to help.  As you pray, recognize that Father is Heaven is near and He is listening."

-Elder Richard G. Scott

Experience

"More testimonies are gained on the feet than on the knees."

-Brigham Young

Seek after it

"Pray for the Lord to inspire your hearts. Ask for wisdom and for knowledge. It is our duty to seek after it. Let us seek, and we shall find; but as for His coming down here to pour His Spirit upon you, while you are aiming after the vain and frivolous things of the world; indulging in all the vanity, nonsense, and foolery which surrounds you; drinking in all the filthy abominations which should be spurned from every community on the earth—so long as you continue this course, rest assured—he will not come near you."

-Brigham Young

We shall find rest

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

-Matthew 11:28-30

to know thee

"...if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day..."

-Alma 22:18

Stake Conference

"Thou has also made our words powerful and great, even that we cannot write them; wherefore when we write we behold our weakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words."

-Ether 12:25

Stake Conference was amazing!  I love feeling the spirit and feeling God's love for me.  Here is what I wrote during the talks when we were asked how we would respond to the question: Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Love heals. Christ loves me and has healed my bruised and broken spirit and soothed my weeping heart.  I am eternally grateful for the atonement.  My Savior is my best friend.  He will not desert me.  He has plucked my out of my misery and made me whole.  The chains of my sin were lightened and my soul is free.  He is my Savior and friend.  He is my best friend.  He is my brother.  He loves me and died for me.  He suffered all of my pains, afflictions, and miseries because he loves me.  He has freed my soul from the prison I had created for myself.  I cried out to God seeking only his forgiveness and he granted it unto me.  I have been awakened to the spirit to which I was once numb. He comforts me when I am weak and afraid. Christ is my everything. I love my Savior.

Free from sin

"For he that is dead is freed from sin."

-Romans 6:7

No don't go kill yourself. Read the foot notes first:

dead: JST Romans 6:7 ...dead to sin...

freed: GR acquitted, cleared.

Love from God

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

-1 Corinthians 2:9

Godly sorrow vs. Worldly sorrow

"Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing."

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

-2 Corinthians 7:9-10

Hmmm... Salvation vs. Death?  Which one?

Word of God

"Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked-"

-Helaman 3:29

Your Own Strength

"And because of this great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands."

-Helaman 4:13

If you boast of your own strength then that's all you'll have.  God will not give his strength to you and you can't make it alone.

Perfection

Our perfect Father does not expect us to be perfect children yet. He had only one such Child. Meanwhile, therefore, sometimes with smudges on our cheeks, dirt on our hands, and shoes untied, stammeringly but smilingly we present God with a dandelion-as if it were an orchid or a rose! If for now the dandelion is the best we have to offer, He receives it, knowing what we may later place on the altar. It is good to remember how young we are spiritually. 

-Neal A. Maxwell, That Ye May Believe, p. 100.

Submit

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

-Mosiah 3:19

Adversity

"Into each of our lives come golden moments of adversity. This painful friend breaks our hearts, drops us to our knees, and makes us realize we are nothing without our Lord and Savior. This friend makes us plead all the night long for reassurance and into the next day and sometimes for weeks and months. But, ultimately, just as surely as the day follows the night, as we remain true and faithful, this strange friend, adversity, leads us straight into the outstretched arms of the Savior. I have tried to understand why we must experience tribulation before we can experience the ultimate communication. It seems there is an intense concentration which must be obtained before our pleadings reach our Father in Heaven and, perhaps even more importantly, before He can get through to us. Sometimes we must be straining very hard to hear the still small voice. Before we can be taught thingshidden from the world, we must be on a spiritual frequency which is out of this world. Adversity can help fine-tune this frequency." 

-Glenn L. Pace, “Spiritual Revival,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 11 

Love of God

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,"

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

-Romans 8:35,37-39

Who can be against us?

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us who can be against us?"

-Romans 8:31

For our good

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our educatio, to the development of such qualitites as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds us our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called children of God... and it is through sorrow and sufferings, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven."
-Orson F. Whitney, in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle (Salt Lake City: Desert Book, 1972), 98.

We have to earn it

"How can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, "Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certianly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then, let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!"
-Neal A. Maxwell, "Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds," Ensign, May 1991, 88.

God cannot desert us

"No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character. He is an unchangeable being; the same yesterday, the same today, and He will be the same throughout the ages to come. We have found that God. We have made Him our friend, by obeying His Gospel; and He will stand by us. We may pass through deep waters; but we shall not be consumed or overwhelmed. We shall emerge from all these trials and difficulties the better and purer for them, if we only trust in our God and keep His commandments."
-George Q. Cannon, in Neal A. Maxwell, If Thou Endure It Well (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996), 121.

Questions to trials

"When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held peronal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, "Please let me know Thy will" and "Mau Thy will be done," you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father."
-Richard G. Scott, "Trust in the Lord," Ensign, 16 November 1995.

Weapons

"I can't think of any more powerful weapons than faith and a knowledge of the scriptures in the which are contained the Word of God. One so armoured and one so prepared with those weapons is prepared to go out against the enemy [and] is to be more feared than the enemies of light."
-Harold B. Lee, BYU Speeches of the Year, 9 November 1954

Endure

"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;"

"And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."

"Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands."

"Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job."

-Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-11

On death

"Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God."

-Doctrine and Covenants 101:16

God before man

"For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words-"
"Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble."
"Behold, thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall."
"But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen and art again called to the work;"

-Doctrine and Covenants 3:7-10

Paradise - This is what I want

"And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow."
-Alma 40:12

Look and Live

"Oh my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us.  The was is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever."

-Alma the younger, Alma 37:46

Women

*sigh* I hate being wrong... Looks like it's time for a change... I'll try to be a woman...

"You were not created to be the same as men.  Your natural attributes, affections, and personalities are entirely different from those of a man.  They consist of faithfulness, benevolence, kindness, and charity.  They give you the personality of a woman.  They also balance the more aggressive and competitive nature of a man.

"The business world is competitive and sometimes ruthless.  We do not doubt that women have both the brainpower and the skills - and in some instances superior abilities -  to compete with men.  But by competing they must, of necessity, become aggressive and competitive.  This their godly attributes are diminished and they acquire a quality of sameness with man.

"The conventional wisdom of the day would have you be equal with men.  We say, we would not have you descend to that level.  More often than not the demand for equality means the destruction of the inspired arrangement that God has decreed for man, woman, and the family.  Equality should not be confused with equivalence. 

"It is well to remember the inspired counsel of President David O. McKay: 'Woe to that home where the mother abandons her holy mission or neglects the divine instruction, influence, and example - while she bows, a devotee at the shrine of social pleasure; or neglects the essential duties of her own household, in her enthusiasm to promote public reform.' (Conference Report, October 1907, p. 63)"

-President Ezra Taft Benson, Women, Deseret Book, 1980, p. 71

"May you understand the great potential for good you inherited from your Heavenly home.  You, as women, must nourish your gentleness, your nurturing nature, your innate spirituality and sensitivity, and your bright minds.  Celebrate the fact that girls are different than boys. Be thankful for the passion you have in God's grand plan. And always remember what President Hinkley said: 'Woman is God's supreme creation.  Only after the earth had been formed, after the day had been separated from the night, after the waters had been divided from the land, after vegetation and animal life had been created; and after man had been placed on the earth, was woman created; and only then was the work pronounced complete and good.'"

-Northridge 7th ward Young Woman's Camp 2006

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." 
-Margaret Nadauld

Missionaries

"Give me a young man who has kept himself morally clean and has faithfully attended his Church meetings.  Give me a young man who has magnified his priesthood and earned his Duty to God Award and is an Eagle Scout.  Give me a young man who is a seminary graduate and has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon.  Give me such a young man and I will give you a young man who can perform miracles for the Lord in the mission field and throughout his life."

-President Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.197.

Infinite and eternal sacrifice

The doctrine that Jesus created and atoned for other worlds is outlined in the Prophet Joseph Smith's poetic version of Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24:

And I heard a great voice bearing record from heav'n

He's the Saviour, and only begotten of God;

By him, of him, and through him, the worlds were all made,

Even all that career in the heavens so broad.

Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last, 

Are sav'd by the very same Saviour of ours;

And, of course, are begotten God's daughters and sons

By the vary same truths and very same powers.

-Quoted by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Christ and the Creation Ensign, June 1982, pp. 10, 11.