Worship through Music
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker is surprised to see that about a third of the congregation is not singing during a sacrament meeting he attended, prompting reflection on the importance of participating in hymn singing.
When a congregation worships through singing, all present should participate. Here I share another experience. I had finished a special assignment on a Sunday morning in Salt Lake City and desired to attend a sacrament meeting. I stopped at a convenient ward meetinghouse and slipped unnoticed into the overflow area just as the congregation was beginning to sing these sacred words of the sacrament song: (Hymns,1985, no. 177) My heart swelled as we sang this worshipful hymn and contemplated renewi ... (continued)
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Worship through Music
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker describes a unique musical performance at a conference for the deaf, where the congregation sang with their hands to 'The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!' and the Spirit of the Lord was felt despite the absence of sound.
Our hymns can work their miraculous effect even when the chorus of voices is few and even when hardly a sound can be heard. I felt this a few months ago as I participated in a musical performance that was unique in my church experience. I had been invited to speak at the Great Basin LDS Deaf Conference, hosted by the Salt Lake Valley (Deaf) Ward of the Salt Lake Park Stake. Over three hundred deaf brothers and sisters were in attendance. The members of the stake presidency and I were almost the ... (continued)
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Worthiness Is Not Flawlessness
By Bradley R. Wilcox
- Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts a miscommunication with his daughter and son-in-law due to a voice-to-text error, which transformed a loving message into an offensive one.
I once sent a message to my daughter and son-in-law using the voice-to-text feature on my phone. I said, "Hey, you two. Sure love you." They received, "Hate you two. Should love you." Isn"™t it amazing how easily a positive and well-intentioned message can be misunderstood? This is what sometimes happens with God"™s messages of repentance and worthiness.
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Worthiness Is Not Flawlessness
By Bradley R. Wilcox
- Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young man named Damon struggled with pornography, felt unworthy of grace, and considered stopping church attendance, but his leader offered a perspective of mercy and discipleship.
One young man I"™ll call Damon wrote: "Growing up, I struggled with pornography. I always felt so ashamed that I could not get things right." Each time Damon slipped, the pain of regret became so intense, he harshly judged himself to be unworthy of any kind of grace, forgiveness, or additional chances from God. He said: "I decided I just deserved to feel terrible all the time. I figured God probably hated me because I wasn"™t willing to work harder and get on top of this once and for all. ... (continued)
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Enos knew his father was just because he taught him in the language of his people and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, which he valued greatly.
Enos said he knew his father was a just man, "for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord"”and blessed be the name of my God for it."Enos 1:1
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Lehi taught his son Jacob about the sacrifice of the Messiah and the importance of choosing between liberty and eternal life through the Lord or captivity and death through the devil.
Lehi taught his son Jacob about the sacrifice of the Messiah and the need for "a broken heart and a contrite spirit." He told his son that there is "opposition in all things" and that men are "free to choose liberty and eternal life" through the Lord or "captivity and death" through the devil, who desires all men to "be miserable like unto himself."2 Ne. 2:7, 11, 27
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Alma taught his son Helaman about the prophecies of Helaman's grandfather, emphasizing the importance of family legacies and the transmission of testimony and knowledge.
Great family legacies are kept alive in the Book of Mormon. Alma taught Helaman about how he had heard Helaman"™s grandfather prophesy. (SeeAlma 36:17
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
King Benjamin ensured his sons were taught the language of their fathers to understand the scriptures, contrasting with the Mulekites who lost their language and faith due to lack of scriptures.
King Benjamin caused that his three sons "should be taught in all the language of his fathers."Mosiah 1:2They needed to understand and use the language of holy writ. If they didn"™t know the right words, they wouldn"™t know the plan. The Mulekites had no scriptures, and their language and faith became corrupted. (SeeOmni 1:17
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Alma complimented his son Shiblon for looking to the Lord in his youth, and Mormon recommended his son Moroni to God, showing that loving fathers commend their sons for their righteous endeavors.
In the Book of Mormon, loving fathers commended their sons when they deserved it. Alma complimented Shiblon, saying, "You have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord."Alma 38:2Mormon told his son Moroni, "I recommend thee unto God."Moro. 9:22Our sons need to be encouraged in their righteous endeavors.
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Lehi exhorted his wayward sons with deep parental feeling, urging them to hearken to his words and keep God's commandments.
If their sons strayed, stalwart Book of Mormon fathers still continued to teach them. Lehi exhorted two wayward sons with "all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words."1 Ne. 8:37He preached to them and bade them keep the commandments of God. (See1 Ne. 8:37"“38
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Alma reproved his son Corianton for immoral behavior, teaching him that wickedness never leads to happiness and that his actions could lead others away from believing Alma's words.
Alma reproved his son Corianton for his immoral behavior. This loving father said that it was no excuse that many others were also guilty. (SeeAlma 39:4Alma told Corianton frankly that his conduct made it so that some people would not believe Alma"™s words. (SeeAlma 39:11Alma then taught him the principle that "wickedness never was happiness."Alma 41:10
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Lehi, Nephi's father, exemplified righteous living and invited his family to partake of the fruit of the tree of life after he himself did, demonstrating the pattern of leading by example and then teaching by word.
Lehi, Nephi"™s father, lived an exemplary life. He had a vision in which he "beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy."1 Ne. 8:10This tree represented the love of God. (See1 Ne. 11:25Lehi partook of its fruit, which "filled [his] soul with exceedingly great joy."1 Ne. 8:12After he had a personal testimony of its goodness, he took the next step of inviting his family to also partake.
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Worthy Fathers, Worthy Sons
President Ezra Taft Benson
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Nephi desired to know the truths his father Lehi taught through personal revelation, so he sought the Lord diligently and received confirmation of his father's teachings.
What then was Nephi"™s responsibility after receiving this kind of direction from his father? The Book of Mormon states that Nephi, having heard all the words of his father concerning the things which he saw in vision, was desirous that he might "know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him."1 Ne. 10:17 Nephi had listened to his father, had believed his father, but he wanted to know through the same source his father kn ... (continued)
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Worthy of Our Promised Blessings
Linda S. Reeves
- Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts a conversation with a friend who has suffered through two divorces and questions why she has faced so many trials despite living righteously.
Recently I talked to an old friend who has gone through two divorces due to the addictions and unfaithfulness of her husbands. She and her three children have suffered greatly. She pleaded, "I have tried so hard to live righteously. Why have I had so many trials? What have I done wrong? What does Heavenly Father want me to do? I pray and read my scriptures, help my children, and go to the temple often."
As I listened to this sister, I felt like shouting out, "You are doing it! You are doing al ... (continued)
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Worthy of Proper Recommendation
President N. Eldon Tanner
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Elder David Haight was denied entry into Mexico for a stake conference because he lacked the necessary papers.
Not long ago Elder David Haight of the Council of the Twelve had been assigned to a stake conference in Mexico. As he reached the border, he found that he did not have with him the necessary papers which would allow him to enter the country. In spite of his plea and the urgency of his mission, the officials had no authority to admit him without proper credentials. Therefore, he could not attend the conference.
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Worthy of Proper Recommendation
President N. Eldon Tanner
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recalls giving recommendations for individuals based on their positive traits or withholding recommendations due to undesirable traits.
Throughout my life in government, in industry, and in the Church, I have had many people ask me for letters of recommendation or reference to assist them in obtaining employment or a promotion. I also have had heads of industry or government ask for my recommendation regarding certain individuals whom they may be considering for employment.
It is always with a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction when I can respond that the individual is worthy of their consideration, that he is honest, dependab ... (continued)
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Worthy of Proper Recommendation
President N. Eldon Tanner
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a story about two different newsboys, one successful and the other not, to illustrate the importance of being prompt, dependable, and courteous.
As a child matures and starts working for money, whether for his parents or his neighbors, he will deal honestly and give honest labor for the returns he gets. Often the earliest employment for a young man is as a newsboy. Countless numbers of our successful businessmen today got their start in this occupation. They learned to be prompt and dependable. I knew a newsboy who always had his papers delivered on time regardless of the weather, and he handled his collections in a pleasant, courteous, ... (continued)
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Worthy of Proper Recommendation
President N. Eldon Tanner
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker compares two office boys at TransCanada Pipelines, one who was passive and remained in his position, and another who was proactive and quickly advanced.
When I was president of TransCanada Pipelines, we had an office boy who did only what we asked him to do. He would wait until called to run an errand, or stand around waiting for instructions, never offering to be helpful. As the company grew and the job became more than he could handle, we hired another lad, even younger, who was alert and always looking for extra things to do to be helpful. He would finish an errand and then see or ask for something else to do. In just a few months one of the ... (continued)
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Worthy of Proper Recommendation
President N. Eldon Tanner
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts his experience as a Scoutmaster, observing the differences between Scouts who were eager to learn and those who were not.
I remember, too, serving as a Scoutmaster, and noticing the differences in the boys. Some were alert and anxious to learn, to keep the Scout Oath and Promise, to be of service, and to learn all they could about taking care of themselves under all conditions. There would be many stories to tell about Scouts who had saved their own lives and the lives of others through the training which they received as they took advantage of their opportunities. There were other Scouts who did as little as they ... (continued)
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Worthy of Proper Recommendation
President N. Eldon Tanner
- First Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker tells of a chief Scout in England who trusted former Scouts in the army based on their adherence to the Scout Law and Promise.
I remember so well one of the chief Scouts in England, who, when he was in the army during the war, had the responsibility of selecting soldiers for highly confidential missions. He was always happy, he said, when he found a man who had been a good Scout and could put his arm to the square with his three fingers extended and say that he kept the Scout Law and the Scout Promise. He said he did not hesitate to recommend a man under those conditions because he knew that he could depend on him, and ... (continued)
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