Endure to the End

Enduring to the end is sometimes a forgotten principle because it lasts forever and can never really be perfected in this life. I hope these quotes stir in your mind the importance of enduring to the end. I truly believe the Lord "will help us do more" as we look to Him in an effort to be a little better. That is what enduring to the end means to me, trying a little harder each day to become better, till one day the Savior is able to make up the difference and we can be perfected in him.
                - Sara

“None of us will become perfect in a day or a month or a year. We will not accomplish it in lifetime, but we can begin now, starting with our more obvious weaknesses and gradually converting them to strengths as we go forward with our lives. this quest may be a long one: in fact, it will be lifelong. It may be fraught with many mistakes, with falling down and getting back up again. And it will take much effort. But we must not sell ourselves short. We must make a little extra effort. We would be wise to kneel before our God in supplication. He will help us. He will bless us. He will comfort and sustain us. He will help us to do more, and be more, than we can ever accomplish or be on our own.”

                -Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Quest for Excellence” Ensign, September 1999

“The attributes by which we shall be judged one day are all spiritual. These include love, virtue, integrity, compassion, and service to others. Your spirit, coupled with and housed in your body, is able to develop and manifest these attributes in ways that are vital to your eternal progression. Spiritual progress is attained through the steps of faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, including the endowment and sealing ordinances of the holy temple.”

                -Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Thanks Be to God,” Ensign, May 2012

“We need strong Christians who can persevere against hardship, who can sustain hope through tragedy, who can lift others by their example and their compassion, and who can consistently overcome temptations. We need strong Christians who can make important things happen by their faith and who can defend the truth of Jesus Christ against moral relativism and militant atheism”

                -Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants” Ensign, May 2009

“We are living in the latter days, brothers and sisters, in the fulness of times. We must remember that we have control over who we are no matter how difficult the world becomes. Like those in 1 Nephi, the true and faithful will be able to withstand the fiery darts of the adversary when he is loosed upon this earth (see 1 Nephi 15:24). Despite all the turmoil in the world, when the Savior comes to His temple, as He did in the Book of Mormon, those who are true and faithful will be there. May we be among them.”

                -Elder Robert D. Hales, “Holy Scriptures: The Power of God unto Our Salvation,” Ensign, November 2006

“The challenges you face, the growth experiences you encounter, are intended to be temporary scenes played out on the stage of a life of continuing peace and happiness. Sadness, heartache, and disappointment are events in life. It is not intended that they be the substance of life. I do not minimize how hard some of these events can be. When the lesson you are to learn is very important, trials can extend over a long period of time, but they should not be allowed to become the confining focus of everything you do. Your life can and should be wondrously rewarding. It is your understanding and application of the laws of God that will give your life glorious purpose as you ascend and conquer the difficulties of life. That perspective keeps challenges confined to their proper place–stepping-stones to further growth and attainment.”

                -Elder Richard G. Scott, “The Atonement Can Secure Your Peace and Happiness,” Ensign, November 2006

“My purpose today is to assure you that our Heavenly Father and the Savior live and that They love all humanity. The very opportunity for us to face adversity and affliction is part of the evidence of Their infinite love. God gave us the gift of living in mortality so that we could be prepared to receive the greatest of all the gifts of God, which is eternal life. Then our spirits will be changed. We will become able to want what God wants, to think as He thinks, and thus be prepared for the trust of an endless posterity to teach and to lead through tests to be raised up to qualify to live forever in eternal life.”

                -President Henry B. Eyring, “Adversity,” Ensign, May 2009

“Life is to be enjoyed not, just endured.”

                -Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stand True and Faithful,” Ensign, May 1996

“We see the love God the Father has for His son, Jesus Christ, because He endured to the end, when He said, “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” May each of us endure to the end and be greeted by our maker, “Well done thou good and faithful servant,” is my prayer.”

                -Elder Robert D. Hales, “Lessons from the Atonement That Help Us to Endure to the End,” Ensign, November 1985

“We live in a troubled world, a world of many challenges. We are here on this earth to deal with our individual challenges to the best of our ability, to learn from them, and to overcome them. Endure to the end we must, for our goal is eternal life in the presence of our Father in Heaven. He loves us and wants nothing more than for us to succeed in this goal. He will help us and bless us as we call upon Him in our prayers, as we study His words, and as we obey His commandments. Therein is found safety; therein is found peace.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, “Till We Meet Again,” Ensign, November 2010

“Enduring to the end requires faithfulness to the end, as in the case of Paul, who told Timothy, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Obviously, this is not an easy task. It is intended to be difficult, challenging, and, ultimately, refining as we prepare to return to live with our Father in Heaven and receive eternal blessings.”

                -Elder L. Tom Perry, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 2008

Faith

Faith is a principle of action and power. There is a difference in believing something, and having faith. Faith moves us to act, to change, to repent, and to become better. Believing wont necessarily compel us to do anything. Belief doesn't require us to act, but is a mere statement of belief. Faith is founded on belief in the Savior Jesus Christ and His atonement, belief comes faith when we act. For faith without works is only a belief. By the the very definition faith cannot be faith without works. Like Elder Scott says, "Faith can transform an individual's life."
               -Sara

“As we are faithful to the promises we have made, we will feel our love for Him.”

                -President Henry B. Eyring, “Come Unto Me,” April 2013 General Conference

“Truly understood and properly practiced, faith is one of the grand and glorious powers of eternity. It is a force powerful beyond our comprehension. “Through faith … the worlds were framed by the word of God.” Through faith, waters are parted, the sick healed, the wicked silenced, and salvation made possible. Our faith is the foundation upon which all our spiritual lives rest. It should be the most important resource of our lives. Faith is not so much something we believe; faith is something we live.”

                -Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Shall He Find Faith on the Earth,” Ensign, November 2002

“May we all be faithful in doing the day to day ordinary things that prove our worthiness, for they will lead us to and qualify us for great things.”

                -James E. Faust, “Some Great Thing,” Ensign, November 2001

“One thing is very clear: the safest place and the best protection against the moral and spiritual diseases is a stable home and family. This has always been true; it will be true forever. We must keep that foremost in our minds. The scriptures speak of ‘the shield of faith wherewith,’ the Lord said, ‘ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked’ (D&C 27:17). This shield of faith is best fabricated in a cottage industry. While the shield can be polished in classes in the Church and in activities, it is meant to be handcrafted in the home and fitted to each individual.”

                -Elder Boyd K. Packer, “Do Not Fear,” Ensign, May 2004

“We acknowledge that there are members who are less interested and less faithful to some of the Savior’s teachings. Our desire is for these members to awaken fully to faith and increase their activity and commitment. God loves all His children. He wants all of them to return to Him. He desires everyone to be in tune with the sacred music of faith. The Savior’s Atonement is a gift for everyone.”

                -Elder Quentin L. Cook, “In Tune with the Music of Faith,” Ensign, May 2012

“As we appropriately seek for and receive the spiritual gift of faith in the Redeemer, we then turn to and rely upon the merits, the mercy, and the grace of the Holy Messiah. Repentance is the sweet fruit that comes from faith in the Savior and involves turning toward God and away from sin.”

                -Elder David A. Bednar, “Clean Hands and a Pure Heart,” Ensign, November 2007

“When faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual’s life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness. The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. But true faith, faith unto salvation, is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, faith in His doctrines and teachings, faith in the prophetic guidance of the Lord’s anointed, faith in the capacity to discover hidden characteristics and traits that can transform life. Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power.”

                -Elder Richard G. Scott, “The Transforming Power of Faith and Character,” Ensign, November 2010

“There is no obstacle to great, no challenge too difficult, if we have faith.”

                -Gordon B. Hinckley, “Words of the Prophet: God Will Make a Way,” New Era, January 2002

“The future is as bright as your faith”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, “Be of Good Cheer,” Ensign, May 2009

“Faith in God is not developed by having all the answers.”

                -Elder Richard G. Scott, “The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty and Testing,” Ensign, May 2003

Hope

I've always had an attachment to the word hope and the principle behind it because it is my middle name. Hope and trust are closely intertwined in terms of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we have hope in the Saviors plan we press forward no matter our circumstance with a deep abiding trust that all will work out. When we have hope we do not fear. When we have hope we don't stress about things that are unfair. If we have a "perfect brightness of hope" we truly are able to find joy in this life in spite of the mortal trials that will inevitably pass before all of us. Like Neal A Maxwell shared, "hope spurs us on" no matter the level of adversity.
                - Sara

“We turn with hope…to Him who walked the dusty paths of villages we now reverently call the Holy Land, to Him who caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, and the dead to live. To Him who tenderly and lovingly assured us, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’(John 14:6).”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, “Mrs. Patton, Arthur Lives,” Ensign, May 1991

“Don’t be discouraged at seemingly overwhelming odds in your desire to live and to help others live God’s commandments. At times it may seem like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember, David did win.”

                -David B. Haight, “Young Women-Real Guardians,” Ensign, November 1977

“Our task is to become our best selves. One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, “Never Give Up” New Era, September 1994

“Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities.”

                -Gordon B. Hinckley, “How Can I Become the Woman Of Whom I dream?” Ensign, May 2001

“Daily hope is vital, since the ‘Winter Quarters’ of our lives are not immediately adjacent to our promised land either. An arduous trek still awaits, but hope spurs weary disciples on.”

                -Neal A. Maxwell, “Brightness of Hope,” Ensign, November 1994

“Faith fuels hope… As it flows freely, our perspective changes; our vision becomes clearer. We begin to look for the best, not the worst, in life and in others. We gain a deeper sense of life’s purpose and meaning. Despair gives way to joy.”

                -David S. Baxter, “Faith, Service, Constancy,” Ensign, November 2006

“If you are lonely, please know you can find comfort. If you are discouraged, please know you can find hope. If you are poor in spirit, please know you can be strengthened. If you feel you are broken, please know you can be mended.”

                -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Broken Things to Mend,” Ensign, May 2006

“When we hear the transcendent truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hope and faith begin to blossom inside of us.”

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

“We can and in due time certainly will influence all of humanity. It will be known who we are and why we are. It might seem hopeless; it is monumentally difficult; but it is not only possible but certain that we will win the battle against Satan.”

                -Elder Boyd K. Packer, “The Power of the Priesthood,” Ensign, May 2010

“There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness, and times of plenty as well as scarcity. When our lives turn in an unanticipated and undesirable direction, sometimes we experience stress and anxiety. One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us,to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic. Perhaps when difficulties and challenges strike, we should have these hopeful words of Robert Browning etched in our minds: ‘The best is yet to be’ (“Rabbi Ben Ezra,” in Charles W. Eliot, ed., The Harvard Classics, 50 vols. [1909-10], 42:1103)”

                -Elder L. Tom Perry, “Let Him Do It with Simplicity,” Ensign, November 2008

Obedience

Obedience is a principle that resonates with me. There was a story several conferences ago in which which Mervyn B. Arnold shares a story of a cow who breaks through the face to eat some wheat. The cows stomach expands and ultimately dies because of it's unwillingness to stay with in the parameters of the fence. The laws and commandments of the gospel are no different to us than the fence was for that cow. If we obey the commandments and keep the laws we are protected, when we break them we are vulnerable to spiritual death. Truly complete obedience brings happiness.
              -Sara

“One must be ever mentally and physically clean and have purity of intent so that the Lord can inspire. One who is obedient to His commandments is trusted of the Lord. That individual has access to His inspiration to know what to do and, as needed, the divine power to do it.”

                -Elder Richard G. Scott, “How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life,” Ensign, May 2012

“Just as order gave life and beauty to the earth when it was dark and void, so it does to us. Obedience helps us develop the full potential Heavenly Father desires for us in becoming celestial beings worthy some day to live in His presence.”

                -James E. Faust, “Obedience: The Path to Freedom,” Ensign, May 1999

“The greatest single lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and a man obeys, that man will always be right.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, “The Call of Duty,” Ensign, May 1986

“However much faith to obey God we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep it refreshed constantly. We can do that by deciding now to be more quick to obey and more determined to endure. Learning to start early and to be steady are the keys to spiritual preparation. Procrastination and inconsistency are its mortal enemies.”

                -President Henry B. Eyring, “Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady,” Ensign, November 2005

“I too believe that God will always make a way where there is no way.  I believe that if we will walk in obedience to the commandments of God, if we will follow the counsel of the priesthood, he will open a way even where there appears to be no way.”

                -Gordon B. Hinkley, “If Ye Be Willing and Obedient,” Ensign, November 1971

“Knowledge encourages obedience. Obedience enhances knowledge.”

                -Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Testimony,” Ensign, May 2008

“Our love for our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be reflected in our daily choices and actions. They have promised peace, joy, and happiness to those who keep Their commandments.”

                -Elder M. Russell Ballard, “O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One,”  Ensign, November 2010

“Let us resolve to follow the Savior and work with diligence to become the person we were designed to become. Let us listen to and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we do so, Heavenly Father will reveal to us things we never knew about ourselves. He will illuminate the path ahead and open our eyes to see our unknown and perhaps unimagined talents.”

                -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Of Regrets and Resolutions,” Ensign, November 2012

“We should, as a people, be awake to the fact that our Father in Heaven has done all he could for the salvation of the human family. He has made known the laws necessary for the exaltation and glory of man and has done all that can be done by law. . . . Jesus has died to redeem all men; but in order that they may be benefitted by His death, and that His blood may cleanse them from all actual sin committed in the flesh, they must abide the law of the gospel. The sins done through Adam we have been redeemed from by the blood of Christ; and in order to obtain salvation we must be obedient and faithful to the precepts of the gospel.”

                -Wilford Woodruff, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff [2004], 70-71

“Obedience leads to true freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated.”

                -James E. Faust, “Obedience: The Path to Freedom,” Ensign, May 1999

Gratitude

I believe that gratitude compels us to be humble. Expressing gratitude to others ans most importantly to the Savior allows us to eliminate pride, a grateful heart is always focused outward, not inward. When we express gratitude we find and are enabled to see the hand of the Lord in our life and the many blessings which are ever present in the lives of those who choose to follow the Savior. The more we express gratitude the more profitable we are to the Lord.
                 - Sara

“My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love… to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.”

                 – President Thomas S. Monson, October 2010, Sunday Morning Session

“We can determine to pray daily for someone called by God to serve us. We can thank someone who has blessed us by his or her service. We can decide to step forward when someone we have sustained asks for volunteers. Those who uphold the Lord’s servants in His kingdom will be sustained by His matchless power. We all need that blessing.”

                -President Henry B. Eyring, “Called of God and Sustained by the People”, June 2012

“No matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it.”

                -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Of Regrets and Resolutions", Ensign, November 2012

“We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, “Divine Gift of Gratitude”, October 2010

"It’s so easy in life for us to receive blessings, many of them almost uncounted, and have things happen in our lives that can help change our lives, improve our lives, and bring the Spirit into our lives. But we sometimes take them for granted. How grateful we should be for the blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings into our hearts and souls. I would remind all of you that if we’re ever going to show gratitude properly to our Heavenly Father, we should do it with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—because it was He who gave us life and breath"

                -David B. Haight, “Were There Not Ten Cleansed?” Ensign, November 2002

"Our society is afflicted by a spirit of thoughtless arrogance unbecoming those who have been so magnificently blessed. How grateful we should be for the bounties we enjoy. Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief… "Where there is appreciation, there is courtesy, there is concern for the rights and property of others. Without appreciation, there is arrogance and evil. "Where there is gratitude, there is humility, as opposed to pride"

-Gordon B. Hinckley, "'With All Thy Getting Get Understanding'," Ensign, August 1988

"As with all commandments, gratitude is a description of a successful mode of living. The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us. President J. Reuben Clark, formerly a First Counselor in the First Presidency, said: 'Hold fast to the blessings which God has provided for you. Yours is not the task to gain them, they are here; yours is the part of cherishing them”

-James E. Faust, "Gratitude As a Saving Principle," Ensign, Dec 1996

"Prayer is an essential part of conveying appreciation to our Heavenly Father. He awaits our expressions of gratefulness each morning and night in sincere, simple prayer from our hearts for our many blessings, gifts, and talents. Through expression of prayerful gratitude and thanksgiving, we show our dependence upon a higher source of wisdom and knowledge—God the Father and his Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (Robert D. Hales, "Gratitude for the Goodness of God," Ensign, May 1992, 63).

                -Elder Robert D. Hales, “Gratitude for the Goodness of God”, Ensign, May 1992

"The Prophet Joseph said at one time that one of the greatest sins of which the Latter-day Saints would be guilty is the sin of ingratitude. I presume most of us have not thought of that as a great sin. There is a great tendency for us in our prayers and in our pleadings with the Lord to ask for additional blessings. But sometimes I feel we need to devote more of our prayers to expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for blessings already received. We enjoy so much (God, Family, Country, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p. 199)"

-Ezra Taft Benson, quoted in Henry B. Eyring, "Remembrance and Gratitude," Ensign, Nov. 1989

"This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help. We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues"

-President Thomas S. Monson, "An Attitude of Gratitude," Ensign, May 1992

Adversity

Adversity comes upon all in this life. I heard a story once about a mule who fell in a well. Upon finding the mule, the farmer decided the effort to get the mule out wasn't worth the well, so the farmer decided to bury both the mule and the well. Upon feeling the earth come down, the mule decided that rather than letting the dirty bury it, it would shake off the dirt and step up. After some time the mule is able to step out and over the ledge of the well. While the the story is fictional, the principle it teaches about adversity is invaluable. The only way the mule had out of the well was the dirt. It truly is our choices and how we handle adversity that enables us to become better. Without it would not be able to progress.
               -Sara

“On many days, doing what matters most will not be easy. It is not supposed to be. God’s purpose in creation was to let us prove ourselves. The plan was explained to us in the spirit world before we were born. We were valiant enough there to qualify for the opportunity to choose against temptation here to prepare for eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God. We rejoiced to know the test would be one of faithful obedience even when it would not be easy.”

                – President Henry B. Eyring, April 2007, General Conference: Sunday Afternoon Session

“When you take the path that climbs, that harder path of the Savior, there are rewards along the way. When you do something right, when you resist temptation, when you meet a goal, you will feel very good about it. It is a very different kind of feeling than you have when you violate commandments–an altogether different feeling. It brings a measure of peace and comfort and provides encouragement to press on.”

                -Elder Richard G. Scott "Finding the Way Back", Ensign, May 1990

“Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it’s a cinch. Each of us can be true for just one day–and then one more and then one more after that–until we’ve lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, "Believe, Obey, and Endure", Ensign, May 2012

“The purpose of mortality is to learn and to grow to be more like our Father, and it is often during the difficult times that we learn the most, as painful as the lessons may be. Our lives can also be filled with joy as we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

– President Thomas S. Monson, October 2012, General Conference: Sunday Afternoon Session

“By definition, trials will be trying. There may be anguish, confusion, sleepless nights, and pillows wet with tears. But our trials need not be spiritually fatal. They need not take us from our covenants or from the household of God.”

                -Elder Neil L. Anderson "Trial of Your Faith" Ensign, October 2012

“If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.”

                -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf "Of Things That Matter Most", General Conference, October 2010

“I have found that, rather than dwelling on the negative, if we will take a step back and consider the blessings in our lives, including seemingly small, sometimes overlooked blessings, we can find greater happiness.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson "Consider the Blessings", Ensign, November 2012

“Like the intense fire that transforms iron into steel, as we remain faithful during the fiery trial of our faith, we are spiritually refined and strengthened.”

                -Elder Neil L. Anderson "Trial of Your Faith", Ensign, October 2012

“My dear young friends, when the captain of a long-range jet passes the point of safe return, and the headwinds are too strong or the cruising altitudes too low, he might be forced to divert to an airport other than his planned destination. This is not so in our journey through life back to our heavenly home. Wherever you find yourselves on this journey through life, whatever trials you may face, there is always a point of safe return; there is always hope. You are the captain of your life, and God has prepared a plan to bring you safely back to Him, to your divine destination.”

                -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf "Is There a Point of No Return?" New Era, June 2010

“Jesus suffered deeply because He loves us deeply! He wants us to repent and be converted so that He can fully heal us. When sore trials come upon, it’s time to deepen our faith in God, to work hard, and to serve others. Then He will heal our broken hearts. He will bestow upon us personal peace and comfort. Those great gifts will not be destroyed, even by death.”

                -Elder Russell M. Nelson "Jesus Christ, the Master Healer," Ensign, Nov. 2005

Agency

Whenever I hear the word agency I am reminded of the Young Women's value "Choice and accountability." I feel that sometimes we think of agency as the gift that enables us to have choice, but that is only half of the principle. In order to have true agency we must have the ability to choose and then must be required to have responsibility for those choices. If we are not accountable to the choices we make we are unable to learn from the mistakes we make. In effect with out accountability we wouldn't be able to become like Him.
                - Sara

“There is an unlimited supply of good music in the world. Thus our biggest challenge is to choose wisely what we listen to and what we watch”

                -Elder M. Russell Ballard, “Let Our Voices Be Heard”, Ensign, October 2003

“It’s not so much what happens to us but how we deal with what happens to us.”

                -James E. Faust, “Where Do I Make My Stand?”, Ensign, October 2004

“We have implanted in our souls a desire to be free. The Lord understood this when He granted us our mortal probation. With that freedom, however, comes accountability. We are instructed not to idle away our time nor bury our talents and not use them. We are expected to make our lives better through our own initiatives and efforts.”

                -Elder L. Tom Perry, "Youth of the Noble Birthright", Ensign, November 1998

“Our love for our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be reflected in our daily choices and actions. They have promised peace, joy, and happiness to those who keep their commandments.”

                -Elder M. Russell Ballard, "O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One", Ensign, November 2010

“So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson, "Living the Abundance Life", Ensign, January 2012

“You live in a time of great challenges and opportunities. As spirit sons of heavenly parents, you are free to make the right choices. This requires hard work, self-discipline, and an optimistic outlook, which will bring joy and freedom into your life now and in the future.”

                -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "See the End from the Beginning," Ensign, May 2006

“We were given our agency. We must use it wisely and remain close to the Spirit; otherwise, we foolishly find ourselves yielding to the enticements of the adversary. We know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ our mistakes can be washed clean, and our mortal body will be restored to its perfect frame.”

                -Elder Boyd K. Packer, "Prayer and Promptings" Ensign, November 2009

“We tend to think of agency as a personal matter. If we ask someone to define ‘moral agency,’ the answer will probably be something like this: ‘Moral agency means I am free to make choices for myself.’ Often overlooked is the fact that choices have consequences; we forget also that agency offers the same privilege of choice to others. At times we will be affected adversely by the way other people choose to exercise their agency. Our Heavenly Father feels so strongly about protecting our agency that he allows his children to exercise it, either for good or for evil.”

                -Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Answers to Life's Questions," Ensign, May 1995

“If pain and sorrow and total punishment immediately followed the doing of evil, no soul would repeat a misdeed. If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil–all would do good and not because of the rightness of doing good. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency. . . . There would also be an absence of joy, success, resurrection, eternal life, and godhood.”

                -Spencer W. Kimball,  The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (1982), 77

“Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.”

                -Elder David A. Bednar, "And Nothing Shall Offend Them," Ensign, Nov. 2006 

Atonement

The atonement is the means by which all of God's children are enabled to return back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. The atonement is more inclusive that we realize. It makes up for the unfairness in life, it allows us to become clean, it enables us to be strong in moments of weakness, and helps us to know and understand our Savior better. I feel I could study the atonement my whole life and never fully come to understand it. The atonement is the greatest evidence of our fathers mercy and infinite wisdom. It shows how pure His love is for us.
              - Sara

“Unless there is a mediator, unless we have a friend, the full weight of justice untempered, unsympathetic, must, positively must fall on us. The full recompense for every transgression, however minor or however deep, will be exacted from us to the uttermost farthing. But know this: Truth, glorious truth, proclaims there is such a Mediator.”

               -Elder Boyd K. Packer, April 1977, General Conference: Sunday Morning Session

“Partaking of a bitter cup without becoming bitter is part of the emulation of Jesus.”

                -Elder Neal Maxwell “Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ”, Ensign, October 1997

“To all of you who think you are lost or without hope, or who think you have done too much that was too wrong for too long, to every one of you who worry that you are stranded somewhere on the wintry plains of life and have wrecked your handcart in the process, this conference calls out Jehovah’s unrelenting refrain, “[My] hand is stretched out still.” “I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them,” He said, “[and even if they] deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, … if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts.” His mercy endureth forever, and His hand is stretched out still. His is the pure love of Christ, the charity that never faileth, that compassion which endures even when all other strength disappears.”

                -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Prophets in the Land Again”, Ensign, October 2006

“Now, the atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and it is the least understood of all our revealed truths. Many of us have a superficial knowledge and rely upon the Lord and his goodness to see us through the trials and perils of life. May I invite you to join with me in gaining a sound and sure knowledge of the Atonement. We must cast aside the philosophies of men and the wisdom of the wise and hearken to that Spirit which is given to us to guide us into all truth. We must search the scriptures, accepting them as the mind and will and voice of the Lord and the very power of God unto salvation. As we read, ponder, and pray, there will come into our minds a view of the three gardens of God—the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Garden of the Empty Tomb where Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene.”

                -Bruce R. McConkie, “Purifying Power of Gethsemane”, Ensign, April 1985

“[Jesus Christ] made salvation available to every repentant soul. His Atonement conquered death, and He permits the worthy deceased to receive all ordinances of salvation vicariously.”

                -Elder Richard G. Scott "The Joy of Redeeming the Dead", Ensign, November 2012

“I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable [of the laborers in the vineyard], but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.”

                -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland "The Laborers in the Vineyard", Ensign, May 2012

“The enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.”

                -Elder David A. Bednar "The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality", Ensign, April 2012

“No matter what our transgressions have been, no matter how much our actions may have hurt others, that guilt can all be wiped out. To me, perhaps the most beautiful phrase in all scripture is when the Lord said, ‘Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.’”

                -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland "The Atonement", Ensign, November 2012

“We should, as a people, be awake to the fact that our Father in Heaven has done all he could for the salvation of the human family. He has made known the laws necessary for the exaltation and glory of man and has done all that can be done by law. . . . Jesus has died to redeem all men; but in order that they may be benefitted by His death, and that His blood may cleanse them from all actual sin committed in the flesh, they must abide the law of the gospel. The sins done through Adam we have been redeemed from by the blood of Christ; and in order to obtain salvation we must be obedient and faithful to the precepts of the gospel.”

                -Wilford Woodruff Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff [2004], 70-71

“It is through our Savior’s sacrifice that we can gain exaltation and eternal life. As we accept His ways and overcome our pride by softening our hearts, we can bring reconciliation and forgiveness into our families and our personal lives. God will help us to be more forgiving, to be more willing to walk the second mile, to be first to apologize even if something wasn’t our fault, to lay aside old grudges and nurture them no more.”

                -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf "One Key to a Happy Family", Ensign, October 2012

Family

The Family Proclamation to the World  is source of truth and light in finding happiness in the family. It is evidence that God truly does speak to men today and that His prophets, just as the prophets of old, lead us to follow Christ. While the family is under attack, there have never been greater blessings available to God's children as the live the principles of the gospel. The family was divinely instituted to help us all to one day return to him. The protection of the family is of the greatest importance and we must all actively seek to strengthen the family or the world will inevitably tare it apart.
               -Sara

“The onslaught of wickedness against our children is more subtle and brazen than it has ever been. Building a strong family culture adds another layer of protection for our children, insulating them from worldly influences.”

                -Elder L. Tom Perry "Becoming Goodly Parents", Ensign, November 2012

“Your habits of family prayer and scripture reading will create more lasting memories and greater changes of heart than you may realize now. Even apparently temporal activities, such as attending an athletic event or watching a movie, can shape a child’s heart. What matters is not the activity but the feelings that come as you do it.”

                -President Henry B. Eyring "Help Them Aim High", Ensign, November 2012

“When children see their parents faithfully performing Church callings, it strengthens their family relationships. When families are strong, the Church is strong. The two run parallel.”

               -Elder Dallin H. Oaks "Prophet, Apostles Speak at MTC Mission Presidents' Seminar", Church News and Events, June 29, 2012

“The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children.”

                -Elder Boyd K. Packer "And a Little Child Shall Lead Them", Ensign, May 2012

“We need to protect our families and be at the forefront together with all people of goodwill in doing everything we can to preserve light, hope, and morality in our communities.”

                -Elder Quentin L. Cook "Let There Be Light!", Ensign, November 2010

“So frequently we mistakenly believe that our children need more things, when in reality their silent pleadings are simply for more of our time.”

                -President Thomas S. Monson “Finding Peace”, Ensign, March 2004

“We need to greatly increase religious observance in the home. Weekly family home evening and daily family prayer and scripture study are essential. We need to introduce into our homes content that is ‘virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.’ If we make of our homes holy places that shelter us from evil, we will be protected from the adverse consequences that the scriptures have foretold.”

                -Elder Quentin L. Cook, "Let There Be Light!", Ensign, November 2010

“Under the plan of heaven, the husband and the wife walk side by side as companions, neither one ahead of the other, but a daughter of God and a son of God walking side by side. Let your families be families of love and peace and happiness. Gather your children around you and have your family home evenings, teach your children the ways of the Lord, read to them from the scriptures, and let them come to know the great truths of the eternal gospel as set forth in these words of the Almighty.”

                 -President Gordon B. Hinkley “Selections from Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley,” Ensign, March 2001

“The prophets have warned us that the home is the place to save society. A proper home, of course, is not created automatically when a boy and girl fall in love and marry. It takes those same virtues that were taught in pioneer homes—faith, courage, discipline, and dedication—to make a marriage successful.”

                -Elder L. Tom Perry "The Strength of Our Heritage", Ensign, July 2012

“The family is the foundation for love and for maintaining spirituality. The family promotes an atmosphere where religious observance can flourish. There is indeed ‘beauty all around when there’s love at home.’”

                -Elder Quentin L. Cook "Can Ye Feel So Now?", Ensign, November 2012