Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker describes the ideal of Zion achieved by Enoch's people, where there was no poverty and everyone lived in righteousness.
As I recounted their contributions and the Church"™s splendid growth in Welfare Services, I encountered this question: Do our people today and more particularly do our regional, stake, and ward leaders todayhave the same grasp of welfare principles and the same commitment to welfare services workas did those of this previous generation? Of Enoch"™s generation we are told that "the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. "An ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the teachings of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon, emphasizing the importance of caring for the poor and needy.
All through the Book of Mormon we see leaders teaching and generations learning this truth as spoken by that benevolent king, Benjamin: "And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you"”that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God"”I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and a ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker illustrates the blessings of the Nephites who lived in righteousness for four generations, creating an ideal society with no poor among them.
In Fourth Nephi we witness the blessings of the Nephites as they subdue selfishness and prosper in perfect righteousness for four generations. Who does not thrill to this picture of the ideal of Zion? "And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift. "¦ "And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; an ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
President Joseph F. Smith foreshadowed the reestablishment of welfare work, emphasizing the blend of temporal and spiritual aspects in the gospel.
President Joseph F. Smith foreshadowed the reestablishment of welfare work in 1900 when he reminded us: "You must continue to bear in mind that the temporal and the spiritual are blended. They are not separate. One cannot be carried on without the other, so long as we are here in mortality. "The Latter-day Saints believe not only in the gospel of spiritual salvation, but also in the gospel of temporal salvation. "¦ We do not feel that it is possible for men to be really good and faithful Christ ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the First Presidency's purpose in 1936 to establish a system to eliminate idleness, abolish the dole, and promote independence, industry, thrift, and self-respect.
Thus you can see that when in 1936 the First Presidency re-enunciated these precepts in the form of the present-day welfare plan, they were merely extending to that generation a more complete opportunity for establishing the ideal of Zion. In this generation their words may have even deeper meaning. "Our primary purpose," said the First Presidency, "was to set up, in so far as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolishe ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the words of President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., emphasizing that the Welfare Plan's long-term objective is to build character in Church members.
There is no mistaking their intent; and while often seen as temporal in nature, clearly we must understand that this work is spiritual at heart! It is people-centered and God-inspired and, as President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., put it, "The real long term objective of the Welfare Plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action
President Spencer W. Kimball
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📖 general conference
The speaker shares a vision of Welfare Services as the essence of the gospel, where members learn to live the law of consecration and achieve both temporal and spiritual salvation.
As we travel and visit the people throughout the world, we recognize the great temporal needs of our people. And as we long to help them, we realize the vital importance of their learning this great lesson: that the highest achievement of spirituality comes as we conquer the flesh. We build character as we encourage people to care for their own needs. As givers gain control of their desires and properly see other needs in light of their own wants, then the powers of the gospel are released in th ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Savior"™s Program
President Marion G. Romney
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts Elder Melvin J. Ballard's assurance that one cannot give to the Lord without receiving more in return, as experienced personally by the speaker.
Fourth and finally,may I remind you that you cannot give yourself poor in this work; you can only give yourself rich.I have satisfied myself regarding the truthfulness of the statement made to me by Elder Melvin J. Ballard as he set me apart for my mission in 1920: "A person cannot give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return."
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Savior"™s Program
President Marion G. Romney
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
President J. Reuben Clark concluded that the Savior had two great missions on Earth: atonement and relieving human suffering, leaving a heritage of these missions for future generations.
All who are acquainted with the Lord"™s earthly ministry seem to conclude, as President J. Reuben Clark did, that "when the Savior came upon the earth he had two great missions; one was to work out theMessiahship,the atonement for the fall, and "¦ the other was the work which he did among his brethren and sisters in the flesh by way ofrelieving their sufferings."¦ He left as a heritage to those who should come after him "¦ the carrying on of those two great things"”work for the relief of ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Welfare Services: The Savior"™s Program
President Marion G. Romney
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
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📖 general conference
The speaker emphasizes the importance of personal involvement in welfare service, sharing an anecdote about the spiritual uplift that comes from working together in unity.
First,we must be personally involved!We often receive reports that some of our people, and even some of our leaders, would rather contribute their money than take their time and talents and devote thempersonally.May I remind each of us that we need the spiritual uplift that comes from giving of ourselves and working shoulder to shoulder. It is healthy and sanctifying for the barber, the merchant, the lawyer, the doctor, the teacher, and the mechanic toget together;to hoe the same row"”together ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Wells of Living Water
Elder Harold B. Lee
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
The pioneers settled on mountain streams, organized irrigation companies, and worked together to distribute water, safeguarding it from pollution and building infrastructure to ensure its purity and availability.
When our Pioneer fathers came to this semi-arid country they settled on the mountain streams without the benefits of which they could not have made their homes or established communities. They organized themselves into irrigation companies in order that the water so vital to their welfare might be properly distributed, each man receiving shares according to his need. They builded ditches and canals; they constructed reservoirs to hold back the spring run-off for late summer use. They gave specia ... (continued)
Faith
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Wells of Living Water
Elder Harold B. Lee
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
A young Latter-day Saint army doctor in an army camp near Corvallis, Oregon, shared an experience of administering to wounded soldiers, contrasting the requests of two Mormon soldiers, one for a blessing and the other initially for a cigarette.
Last June I was in an army camp, up near Corvallis, Oregon, I listened to a young Latter-day Saint army doctor tell of an experience he had down in one of the islands just off the raging battle of Guadalcanal. He said they had established a hospital base back away from the front line where they were receiving the wounded that were now coming from that area. Because of their limited facilities and the great need of medical attention by so many wounded, it was necessary that someone look carefully ... (continued)
Baptism
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Wells of Living Water
Elder Harold B. Lee
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
A young girl, after speaking to a group of girls in Salt Lake City, shared with the speaker her commitment to temple marriage and the story of her non-member boyfriend who, after she left him, joined the Church and prepared to be sealed to her in the temple.
I met a young girl over at the Lion House last summer where I had been speaking to a group of a hundred and fifty or two hundred girls who had come to Salt Lake City from outside of the city for work here. After the meeting, this young girl came up to me, with a sparkle in her eyes, and showed me a picture of a handsome soldier boy down in Australia. From behind his picture she took out and unfolded a paper that proved to be his baptismal certificate. She said, as she filled with emotion, 'I lef ... (continued)
Charity
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Were There Not Ten Cleansed?
Elder David B. Haight
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
The speaker expresses gratitude for his ancestors who joined the Church in its early days, moved to Nauvoo, and participated in the exodus to the West.
I have gratitude for my ancestors who joined the Church back in the early days of the Church, who moved from upstate New York to join with the Saints in Nauvoo and became involved with the Nauvoo Temple and then with the exodus into the West. For all of these blessings, I’m grateful on this day, as I pronounce them to you.
Forgiveness
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Were There Not Ten Cleansed?
Elder David B. Haight
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
The speaker recalls being called to serve as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1970, feeling surprised and humbled, and silently praying for acceptance by the Savior during the choir's performance.
When President Thomas S. Monson asked those new members of the Seventy and the Young Women general presidency to come up and take their places on the stand, I remembered vividly April 1970, when I was called to be an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve—which was a surprise to me. I’d only known about it for just a few hours. As I was invited to sit in one of the red chairs in the old Tabernacle, the choir started to sing “O Divine Redeemer.†As I listened to that plea ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Were There Not Ten Cleansed?
Elder David B. Haight
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the biblical story of Jesus healing ten lepers, but only one returns to express gratitude, emphasizing the importance of being thankful for blessings received.
As recorded in Luke, one day the Savior entered a village where there were 10 lepers. Now, those of us who have grown up in the last few years know very little about lepers. Leprosy was a terrible, dreaded disease anciently. These 10 lepers came to the Savior and said, “Master, have mercy upon us; have mercy upon us who have that terrible ailment of leprosy.†And He said to the 10 lepers, “Go visit your priest, and he will take care of youâ€â€”which they did. They wen ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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What About the Man?
Sterling W. Sill
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on Rudyard Kipling's poem 'M'Andrew's Hymn,' which describes the thoughts of a steamship captain marveling at the power of his primitive engines and contemplating the future of machines and the moral state of man.
As a kind of text I would like to borrow a little from the philosophy of Rudyard Kipling. Kipling was an English writer born in 1865. He lived in that period when England was the world's leading naval power. He saw much of the change-over from the old sailing ship to the use of steam as a means of ocean navigation. Kipling preserved for us some interesting ideas about this transition in his poem entitled, 'M'Andrew's Hymn.'
The dictionary says that a hymn is a song of praise or adoration, having ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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What About the Man?
Sterling W. Sill
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the advancements in machinery from the time of the Suez Canal construction, where dirt was removed by humans, to the use of modern earth-moving machines, and the development of electronic brains, emphasizing the contrast between human and machine power.
Our machines not only carry us across the oceans and take us under the polar icecap, but they plow our ground, cook our food, refrigerate our homes, make our clothes, balance our books, carry our messages, build our roads, and move our mountains. Some pictures were recently published showing the construction of the Suez Canal in the 1860's. They showed the dirt being removed in baskets, strapped to the backs of human beings. Then less than a hundred years later a single giant earth-moving machin ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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What About the Man?
Sterling W. Sill
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles
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📖 general conference
The speaker urges personal improvement, comparing it to a financial investment that doubles over time, and questions whether we have made similar progress in our personal lives, especially in our closeness to God.
We just hope that when man finally does arrive on the moon, he will not create the sorry state of affairs there that presently trouble the earth. But whether here or on the moon, our most serious question will always be, 'What about the man?' What about his honor, what about his faith, what about his future? How much personal improvement will we make this year? An investment that pays five percent interest will more than double itself in fifteen years. How much personal doubling have we done in ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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What About the Man?
Sterling W. Sill
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the concept of perfection in life and how it is achievable in certain aspects, such as living gospel principles, and emphasizes the importance of practice in becoming godly, moral, and obedient.
In an absolute sense, perfection in this life may be an impossibility. But in many ways a state of near perfection is a reasonable goal for us; for example, we can all be perfect in abstaining from tea and coffee. We can be perfect in freeing ourselves from the use of tobacco and alcohol. We can be perfect in the payment of our tithing. We can be perfect in our attendance at Sacrament meeting. We can be perfectly honest and perfectly dependable and perfectly moral, and this with much less effort ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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