Yielding to the Enticings of the Holy Spirit
Elder Kenneth Johnson
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
As a child, the speaker would peek through a fence at a beautiful property guarded by a vigilant bulldog and owned by a schoolteacher couple, Mr. and Mrs. Lyons. The speaker imagined being caught by Mr. Lyons, who had a steel hook for a hand.
Close to the home where I lived as a child was a large house. It was located on beautiful grounds enclosed by what was to me a towering fence made of wood paneling, probably six feet in height. I recall peeping through holes in the panels where knots of wood had dropped out. It was like looking through a telescope into a different world. The beautifully manicured lawns, the well-kept flower gardens, and a small orchard provided an idyllic setting for the distinctive dwelling. Unfortunately, the ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Yielding to the Enticings of the Holy Spirit
Elder Kenneth Johnson
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
After a windy night, the speaker and his friends discovered that the fence around the Lyonses' property had fallen, giving them access to the apple trees. They entered the property, stole apples, and later suffered stomach cramps and remorse for their actions.
I recall an August morning when I was 10 or 11 years old, following a night of unusually strong winds, being greeted by friends as I left my home. They were obviously excited by something and inquired, "Did you hear the wind last night?"
When I said that I had, they proceeded to tell me what they had discovered"”the wind had blown down sections of the fencing surrounding the Lyonses"™ home. I could not understand why this would cause so much excitement and asked them to explain the signifi ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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Yielding to the Enticings of the Holy Spirit
Elder Kenneth Johnson
- Of the Seventy
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker declined an invitation to smoke cigarettes with his friends, feeling good about his decision despite not being raised with knowledge of the restored gospel or the Word of Wisdom.
Several weeks after the experience with the apples I set out to join my friends in the wooded area close to home, anticipating that we would devise some activity or game to play. As I approached them, they were huddled together. I saw smoke rising in the air above them and recognized the aroma of burning tobacco. One of them had obtained a packet of cigarettes, and they were smoking. They invited me to join them, but I declined. They persisted, suggesting that my reluctance to participate was a ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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You Are a Child of God
President Gordon B. Hinckley
📅 0
📖 general conference
Aurelia Spencer Rogers felt that little boys should have their own organization to be trained to make better men, leading to the establishment of the Primary for both boys and girls 125 years ago.
There was not always a Primary in the Church. During the first 48 years of its history, boys and girls did not have their own organization. Then a very dear woman whose name was Aurelia Spencer Rogers thought that the little boys ought to have their own organization where they could be "trained to make better men." Her suggestion was taken to the President of the Church, who at that time was John Taylor. He thought that if an organization would be good for little boys, it would also be good fo ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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You Are a Child of God
President Gordon B. Hinckley
📅 0
📖 general conference
Artel Ricks shares a story from his childhood about learning to pay tithing through an inspired Primary teacher after unsuccessfully trying to give his tithing directly to the Lord.
Brother Artel Ricks tells an interesting story of an inspired Primary teacher. Artel was a little boy five or six years old. One night his family sat around the dinner table and talked about tithing. They told him "that tithing is one-tenth of all we earn and that it is paid to the Lord by those who love Him." He loved the Lord, and so he wanted to give the Lord his tithing. He went and got his savings and took one-tenth of his small savings. He says: "I "¦ went to the only room in the house ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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You Are All Heaven Sent
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares his gratitude for his wife Ruth's support throughout his various callings and acknowledges the strength a supportive wife can provide.
No one knows more than I what strength a supportive wife can be. Since our marriage, my Ruth has sustained and encouraged me in the many callings I have had for almost 60 years. I could not have served one day without her loving support. I am most grateful to her and love her deeply.
Forgiveness
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You Are All Heaven Sent
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young lady enjoys attending Relief Society with her mother and grandmother, forming new friendships and gaining insights from the experiences of older sisters.
A young lady who is very close to me made the following observation: 'I am 18 and the youngest member of the Relief Society in our ward. I enjoy going to Relief Society with my mother and grandmother because it is so nice to spend time with them as friends. I like to listen to my mom talk to her friends because it gives me an opportunity to get to know the sisters who are her age. There are several ladies who like to give me a hug and ask me where I am working and what I am doing during the summ ... (continued)
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You Are All Heaven Sent
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
A son reflects on his mother's sacrifices as a suddenly single parent, working full-time while nurturing her children in the gospel.
I recently received a letter from the son of a sister in this circumstance, and I quote a paragraph from it: 'Mom was able to be a full-time homemaker while our family was young. This is where she wanted to be, but some 28 years ago, with four children ages 5 to 14, she was forced to take on employment outside the home in order to provide for us as a suddenly single parent. While we know this is not the ideal situation for raising a family, Mom worked diligently to continue nurturing us in the g ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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You Are All Heaven Sent
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Sister Margaret Anderson, a single sister, has lived a life of service, caring for family members, teaching children, and continuing to serve her community and church.
Sister Margaret Anderson of Centerville, Utah, is a wonderful example of a single sister who has lived an exemplary and fulfilling life in the service of others. For many years, she lovingly cared for her aged mother, her aunt, and her disabled sister. She guided and influenced hundreds of children as an elementary school teacher. Now retired, she continues to volunteer each week, helping children learn to read. Her acts of service have been a special blessing to the members of her ward. One you ... (continued)
Forgiveness
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You Are All Heaven Sent
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on the dedication of the new Nauvoo temple and the conversation with Sister Parkin, Sister Hughes, Sister Pingree, and their husbands about the Relief Society's history.
Following the dedication of the magnificent new temple in Nauvoo, we rode home on the airplane with Sister Parkin, Sister Hughes, Sister Pingree, and their noble husbands. I asked the sisters if they had gone to the red brick store in Nauvoo where the Prophet Joseph established the Relief Society on March 17, 1842, with only 20 members present. Sister Parkin responded that they indeed had.
Forgiveness
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You Are All Heaven Sent
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Elder Dieter Uchtdorf shares his connection with the Saints of Nauvoo and their journey to Zion, despite not having family lines through Nauvoo.
I recently heard Elder Dieter Uchtdorf make the following insightful statement: 'None of my family lines come through Nauvoo. I cannot trace my lineage to the pioneers. But like the majority of Church members around the world, I can deeply connect with all my heart to the Saints of Nauvoo and their journey to Zion. The continuing effort of blazing my own religious trail to a Zion of ‘the pure in heart’ makes me feel close to the 19th-century pioneers. They are my spiritual ancestry, ... (continued)
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You Are All Heaven Sent
President James E. Faust
- Second Counselor in the First Presidency
📅 0
📖 general conference
Sister Effie Dean Bowman Rich, a widow and businesswoman, humorously remarks on the need for support in managing her multiple roles, saying, 'What I need is a wife!'
The widow of one of my missionary associates, Sister Effie Dean Bowman Rich, is very busy with her family and with two businesses. In addition, she is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother of a large family. Some time ago, as she was struggling to meet the demands of these multiple roles, she said, 'What I need is a wife!' Of course, what she meant was that she felt the need for support from someone who would take care of the countless details a righteous, caring wife handles so well.
Forgiveness
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You Are Different
Elder David B. Haight
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
A BYU student wrote to the editor questioning why they must always follow worldly trends as closely as their religion allows, suggesting that having 'a style of our own' is significant.
A Brigham Young University student wrote the editor of theDaily Universefollowing President Oaks"™ recent address to the students on standards of dress and conduct: "Why must we always tag along behind the rest of the world, trying to get as close as our religion will let us? "˜A style of our own"™ is not an empty phrase."
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You Are Different
Elder David B. Haight
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
During a stake conference, the speaker met with young people who were the only Latter-day Saints in their high schools and were trying to set a good example for other students.
Recently, while attending a stake conference and having the added blessing of meeting with the young people, some of whom had driven long hours, I learned that several of them were the only Latter-day Saints in their high schools. When I asked, "You set the right example for the rest of the students, don"™t you?" they replied, "We really try." As they said "we really try," I could see the light of belief and conviction in those youthful faces. I could begin to understand what Peter meant ... (continued)
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You Are Different
Elder David B. Haight
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
A teenage girl in Scotland resisted peer pressure to drink alcohol because she remembered her goal of reaching the celestial kingdom.
(c) You partake of the sacrament at our meetings, symbolic of the torn flesh and spilled blood of our Savior, giving you an opportunity to renew your covenant to keep the Lord"™s commandments that his spirit may continue to be with you as it did with a teenage girl in Scotland who told of being with nonmember friends. She wanted to be part of the group and thought, "Surely one little drink wouldn"™t hurt"”why not?" Then she realized her celestial kingdom goal. After that, she said, the r ... (continued)
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You Are Different
Elder David B. Haight
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young man in the Navy stationed on a small island formed a group with six other LDS boys to hold regular Church services, recognizing and using their priesthood authority.
Just this week we received a letter from a mother telling of her Navy son, now stationed on a small island 1,200 miles south of India out in the Indian Ocean. It has only the military base and a small coconut plantation. This young man has located six other LDS boys and they are now holding regular Church services. He wrote his mother telling of his opportunity now to prepare lessons for their priesthood meetings"”young men on a tiny speck of land in a vast ocean recognizing and using their pr ... (continued)
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You Are Different
Elder David B. Haight
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
Debbi Brown, the only Mormon in her high school senior class, shared the importance of living Church standards and recounted how a friend assured her that no drinking would be allowed at a party because he knew she was a Mormon.
Debbi Brown, theonlyMormon in her Roanoke, Virginia, high school senior class, said: "It issoimportant for us to live the standards of the Church. Most people who know anything about our Church know that it maintains the highest moral standards. "There is never a need to apologize. We are so lucky to have the true gospel. By making the Church standardsourstandards, we can share this gospel with others." She continues: "A good friend (not a member of our church) invited me to a party celebratin ... (continued)
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You Are Different
Elder David B. Haight
- Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young military chaplain, a former missionary, impressed his superior officer with his spirit and love, leading to positive spiritual and social benefits for many at the base.
We have a young military chaplain, a former missionary who is happily married, who lives the gospel as he should. His superior officer at his first duty assignment was so impressed with his spirit that he wrote: "I want you to know how much we chaplains and the thousands of men have appreciated his presence. To describe him like a breath of fresh, clean air would be poetic and not intended to demean other chaplains who labor at our large base. He has a special charisma that radiates love." The ... (continued)
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You Are Not Alone
President Janette C. Hales
- Young Women General President
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young woman shares how she didn't initially feel good about praying and reading scriptures, but after persisting for two months, she began to feel happy and more loving toward her family.
In the words of a young woman of Beehive age: "At first when I would say my prayers and read scriptures, I would never get a good feeling about it. But after about two months of my scriptures and prayer, I began to feel very happy, and I loved my family, and I felt like being nice to everyone."
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You Are Not Alone
President Janette C. Hales
- Young Women General President
📅 0
📖 general conference
A father reassures his daughter that she is cared for, even if not always by the people she expects, and that there will always be someone who is there for her.
A father said to his daughter: "Somebody does care about you. It may not always be the people you want to have caring about you, but there is always someone who is there and who cares. In fact, you probably already know who they are because they are the ones you have always been able to count on. That won"™t change." (Joseph Walker, "ValueSpeak,"Chicago Tribune,3 June 1991.)
Forgiveness
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