Whom Do You Worship?
Elder Eldred G. Smith
- Patriarch to the Church
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the nature of God, our relationship as His spirit children, and the concept of resurrection, using scriptural references to support the belief in a living, resurrected God.
Paul tells us here that we are the offspring of God. Later in his epistle to the Hebrews he tells us, 'Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?'Heb. 12:9So we are the spirit children of God.
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord tells us:
'The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's, the Son also'D&C 130:22
Now John says, 'God is a Spirit: and th ... (continued)
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Why a Church?
Elder Albert E. Bowen
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
George Washington, upon retiring from the presidency, left a farewell message emphasizing the importance of religion and morality as indispensable supports to political prosperity, suggesting that national morality cannot be maintained without religious principles.
It was one hundred fifty-four years ago this very month, his second term of office as President of the United States drawing to a close, that George Washington announced to the country his determination to retire, and requested that he not be considered available for re-election to the office he was about to lay down. He made it the occasion for a farewell message which partook almost of the nature of a last testament, bequeathing to his countrymen the fruitage of his rich and varied experiences ... (continued)
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Why a Church?
Elder Albert E. Bowen
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A woman reflects on the stark contrast between the moral upbringing she and her college friend received, rooted in religious practices, and the behavior of her friend's children, who lacked such influences and exhibited moral bankruptcy.
There is one other vital consideration, namely, the effect on family life and succeeding generations of the neglect of participation in organized church practices. A few years ago I recited from this pulpit the story of a disturbed woman's perplexities. She had just visited a dear friend of her college days who by then had a well-grown daughter and a son. ... The truth was that these children by the neglect of their parents had been cut off from the very character-forming influences upon which h ... (continued)
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Why a Prophet?
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
A man who had been a minister for 30 years joined the Church and expressed a desire to share the fullness of the gospel with his friends, who were not receptive.
One man was brought into the Church who had been a minister for 30 years, and he sat in my office and said, "Brother Richards, when I think of how little I had to offer my people as a minister of the gospel compared with what I now have in the fullness of the gospel as it has been restored, I want to go back and tell all my friends what I have found. Now," he said, "they won't listen to me."
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Why a Prophet?
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
Wilford Woodruff was guided by the Spirit to move his team and wagon, saving himself and his wife from being crushed by a falling oak during a twister.
He was a man who really lived near the Lord. Now you've heard his story of how he was inspired to get up in the middle of the night and move his team that was tied to an oak that had stood on that spot for over a hundred years. Then along came a twister and picked up that oak and threw it right where his team and wagon in which he and his wife were sleeping had been standing. If he hadn't listened to the promptings of the Spirit, this might have cost him his life.
Forgiveness
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Why a Prophet?
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
Wilford Woodruff was prompted by the Spirit not to board a boat with his company, which later caught fire and resulted in no survivors.
He told about bringing a company of pioneers and Saints from Great Britain. When they landed in New Orleans, he was about to enter a boat, making arrangements, and something seemed to say, "Don't go on that boat, either you or your company." So he thanked the captain and decided to wait. Then he said the boat had no more than sailed up the river when it caught fire and not a soul was saved. He said, "If I hadn't listened to the promptings of the Spirit of the Lord, we wouldn't have had Brother S ... (continued)
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Why a Prophet?
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recalls the love and spiritual power of President Joseph F. Smith and how a personal expression of love from him felt rewarding after the speaker's missionary service.
How I loved President Joseph F. Smith, the father of our new President! He was one of the greatest prophets I have ever known. I have heard him speak in this tabernacle and bless the people, and I don't think there was a dry eye here because of the spiritual power that man had. When I had filled two missions and went in his office to report, he took me in his arms and said, "LeGrand, we love you." That paid or all the missionary work I had done up to that time.
Forgiveness
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Why a Prophet?
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
A businessman from the East expressed his desire to meet President David O. McKay and later remarked that McKay was the person who came closest to his image of the Redeemer of the world.
I was told the story of a businessman who came here from the East a few years ago, and in talking to the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, he said, "Do you know what I'd rather do than anything else while I'm here?" The secretary said, "What's that?" He said, "I would like to meet that man, David O. McKay, the President of the Mormon Church." "Well," the secretary said, "I think I can arrange it." And he did, and President McKay talked to him for about an hour. As he walked down the front st ... (continued)
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Why a Prophet?
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
In a discussion with a minister, the speaker defends the Church as the kingdom prepared for Christ's second coming, using scriptural references to support his claim.
Incidentally, when I was president of the Southern States Mission, one of our missionaries down in Florida preached on that particular passage of scripture one night. At the close of the meeting I stood at the door, and a man came up and introduced himself as a minister of the gospel. He said, "You don't expect us to believe that the Mormon church is that kingdom, do you?" And I said, "Yes, sir. Why not?" He said, "It couldn't be." I said, "Why couldn't it?" "Well," he said, "we can't have a kin ... (continued)
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Why Are We Members of the Only True Church?
Elder Enrique R. Falabella
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts his childhood poverty, his father's creative solution to his worn-out shoes, and learning that happiness does not depend on money.
Riches were not a part of my childhood. We were a family of five: my father and four siblings. My mother had passed away when I was five years old. My father"™s meager income was used to buy our food; the purchase of clothing was put off as long as possible.
One day, somewhat bothered, I came up to my father and said, "Daddy, why don"™t you buy me some shoes? Look at these; they"™re worn out, and you can see my big toe through the hole in the shoe."
"We"™ll fix that up," he replied a ... (continued)
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Why Are We Members of the Only True Church?
Elder Enrique R. Falabella
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker describes his family's difficult 15-day journey to the Mesa, Arizona temple, their joy upon arrival, and the peace they felt being sealed as an eternal family.
As time went by, a pair of missionaries taught us therichesof the restored gospel, of the doctrine of the plan of salvation, and of eternal families. We were baptized, and when my father began his calling as district president, his first objective was to journey to the temple and receive the blessings which would come because of that sacrifice. It was a 15-day journey covering 4,800 miles (7,725 km)"”a journey filled with difficulties and setbacks, highways in poor condition, uncomfortable bus ... (continued)
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Why Are We Members of the Only True Church?
Elder Enrique R. Falabella
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares how he has been able to use the priesthood to bless his children and ordain his sons, emphasizing the power of the priesthood in the home.
The Church of Jesus Christ is a church of priests, "a royal priesthood, an holy nation"1 Peter 2:9
The restored Church gives to each home a priesthood holder with the power of God to bless. How many times I have been able to hear the soft, sweet voice of a little child at home say, "Daddy, could you give me a blessing?" and put my hands upon his or her head in moments of pain and difficulty and pronounce blessings of comfort and healing and see the power of the priesthood exercise its influe ... (continued)
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Why Are We Members of the Only True Church?
Elder Enrique R. Falabella
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker's son Daniel advises him on what to teach about prayer, offering a simple yet profound understanding of communication with Heavenly Father.
When my son Daniel was six years old, he saw that I was worried because I had to attend a stake conference. I was unsure about what to teach the Saints. He came up to me and said, "Daddy, that"™s really easy." That"™s how children see everything.
"Let"™s see, Son," I told him. "Since it"™s easy, tell me what I can talk to them about."
"Talk to them about prayer," he told me.
"That"™s a good subject," I told him, "but they"™ve heard a lot of talk about prayer; what could I t ... (continued)
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Why Are We Members of the Only True Church?
Elder Enrique R. Falabella
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the love of Jesus Christ, His atoning sacrifice, and how the Holy Spirit has testified to him that Christ lives, which is the ultimate reason for his membership in the Church.
I am filled with wonder at the love my Savior Jesus Christ showed by descending from the heavenly mansions and coming to a world where the majority rejected His message, and even though they did not have the power to take His life, they condemned Him to death. Christ paid for my sins, for my illnesses, afflictions, and sorrows. His pain was indescribable; Luke only makes mention that "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood"Luke 22:44
Above all else, this is the reason for my membership ... (continued)
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Why Are We Members of the Only True Church?
Elder Enrique R. Falabella
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker expresses gratitude for the doctrines of the Church that comfort him after the death of his father, reinforcing his testimony of eternal families, the priesthood, and the living Christ.
A few weeks ago, my father also passed away, and now more than ever I feel thankfulness to my God for the richness and beauty of His doctrine.
Because family life can continue beyond the thresholds of death. Because the royal priesthood has been restored upon the earth. And because the Spirit has spoken to my spirit, giving me a testimony that my Savior Jesus Christ lives and that through His intercession I shall be able, in accordance to my faithfulness, to live with Him. For these reasons and ... (continued)
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Why Be Foolish?
Elder Joseph F. Merrill
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A non-Mormon doctor of medicine acknowledged the Word of Wisdom as the best brief statement for maintaining good health.
Years ago I was present in a meeting where a prominent non-Mormon doctor of medicine referred to the Word of Wisdom as the Lord's Law of Health and said so far as he knew it was the best brief statement in the English language of the conditions that must be observed if good health continued.
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Why Be Foolish?
Elder Joseph F. Merrill
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Dr. Raymond Pearl of Johns Hopkins University demonstrated through research that heavy smokers die significantly earlier than non-smokers.
The use of tobacco shortens life, This fact was satisfactorily demonstrated to the scientific world by Dr. Raymond Pearl of Johns Hopkins University, who published fifteen years ago a research paper in which he showed that on an average heavy smokers die about ten years sooner than non-smokers and moderate smokers from three to five years sooner.
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Why Be Foolish?
Elder Joseph F. Merrill
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Dr. Irving Fisher of Yale University wrote about the negative impact of tobacco on various aspects of human capability and performance.
Dr. Irving Fisher of Yale University, long noted as a writer on matters relative to human health, wrote, among other things in the preface to Dr. Frank L. Wood's book What You Should Know about Tobacco, the following: I have had unusual opportunities to become familiar with the many sided tobacco problem. The evidence now exists sufficient to show that no one who smokes can achieve the best of which he or she is capable. whether this be a foot race, a prize fight, a golf game, a rifle score, wri ... (continued)
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Why Be Foolish?
Elder Joseph F. Merrill
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Dr. Haven Emerson outlined several detrimental effects of alcohol on health, safety, and society.
Now relative to alcohol: Some of the facts relative to the injurious effects of consumed alcohol are briefly stated by the eminent authority, Dr, Haven Emerson, as follows: 1. We have learned that alcohol, as commonly used today, causes more diseases, disability, and death than any other cause of ill health which is wholly in the power of the individual to prevent and avoid. 2. Medical sciences have learned and found that alcohol is not a food, a stimulant, or harmful only in drunkenness. That w ... (continued)
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Why Be Foolish?
Elder Joseph F. Merrill
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Mrs. Marty Mann, a recovered alcoholic and executive director of the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism, described the pain and suffering associated with alcoholism.
There is a grave danger in alcohol of which the novice may not be aware"”the danger of becoming an alcoholic of becoming one who drinks to excess, unable to control his drinking. Mrs. Marty Mann, a recovered alcoholic, executive director, National Committee for Education on Alcoholism, said a few years ago in a national radio broadcast that the years of her acute chronic alcoholism were the most painful years of her life. 'I suffered constantly,' she said 'not just one kind of pain, but all ki ... (continued)
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