Right and Wrong

*Free 5x7 printable of this available HERE*


‘You can’t be right by doing wrong, and you can’t be wrong by doing right.’ 

 (Loved this from General Conference today. What did you like?)

Wonderful Things are In Store

"Wonderful, glorious things are in store for you, if only you will believe, obey and endure."

~Thomas S. Monson~

Happy conference weekend!

FREE printable from Lolly Jane Boutique (General YW session)

{image source Lolly Jane Boutique}

Similarities in Trials

“We need strength beyond ourselves to keep the commandments in whatever circumstance life brings to us. … The combination of trials and their duration are as varied as are the children of our Heavenly Father. No two are alike. But what is being tested is the same, at all times in our lives and for every person: will we do whatsoever the Lord our God will command us?” 

~Henry B. Eyring~

Life Can Be Beautiful

"As the teachings of the Savior are consistently obeyed, life will be beautiful, the future secure, and there will be capacity to overcome the challenges that cross our path."

Richard G. Scott - Ensign, Nov. 2001, 87

When Things Go Wrong

“To do well does not mean everything will always turn out well. The key is to remember that faith and obedience are still the answers, even when things go wrong, perhaps especially when things go wrong.”

–David E. Sorensen, “Faith Is the Answer,” Ensign, May 2005, 72

Small Miracles

“We do not know the future, but our Father in Heaven does, and He will lead and guide us if we let Him. When we are in tune with the Spirit, we will see many small miracles happen in our lives. I have found that having the ability to see and recognize these small... miracles is based upon my spiritual worthiness, my willingness to be obedient, and my desire to not allow myself to become complacent and caught up in worldly and personal pursuits.”

(Ronald T. Halverson, “Obeying the Whisperings of the Holy Ghost”)


***Thanks Alisha for the quote:)

Arabian Horses

"Arabian horses are to be used in the most important service. The horses must be smart and strong. But even more important, they must have self-discipline. They are trained from the time they are a few months old to come when they hear their master's whistle. As a final test to see if they have learned to obey, these horses are put in a corral without water for a long period of time. The horses' tongues become swollen from thirst. They do everything but jump the fence to get to the water. When the corral gate is finally opened, the horses make a break for the nearby pool of clear, cold water. But just as the horses are about to reach the water, the master blows his whistle. Some horses pay no attention to the master's whistle. Others take a quick drink and then go to the master. But some immediately turn and go the master, no matter how much they are suffering for water. These horses are accepted for the most important service. The others are called culls and must be used in less important work.

These horses are trained for a special purpose. They must come immediately without delay. Their master's life may depend upon their unquestioning obedience.

Heavenly Father has a special purpose for each one of us. But if we do not learn to be obedient, Heavenly Father will not be able to use us for the special purpose he has for us.

Our obedience is very important to our Heavenly Father. Sometimes we might not understand why, but we should learn to obey our Heavenly Father without question. If we learn to obey, we will fulfill our special purpose and be given greater opportunities to serve."
(YW Manual 3, Lesson 7)

David Did Win

"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, Ensign, November 1977

Seminary or Surfing

Never Lose Hope

“My message to you today, my brothers and sisters, is simply this: the Lord is in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He has given us adequate instruction that, if followed, will see us safely through any crisis. His purposes will be fulfilled, and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all of these events. Therefore, today we must be careful to not overreact, nor should we be caught up in extreme preparations; but what we must do is keep the commandments of God and never lose hope!”

M. Russell Ballard, “The Joy of Hope Fulfilled,” Ensign, Nov. 1992, 31

Come To Know Who They Really Are

"It is not sufficient to have a vague understanding of truth or the reality of the Father and His Son, our Savior. Each of us must come to know who They really are. You must feel how very much They love you. You must trust that as you consistently live the truth the best you can, They will help you realize the purpose of your earth life and strengthen you to qualify for the blessings promised. To be obedient to the commandments of God requires an understanding of them. It necessitates faith in them. That comprehension is best obtained through personal study of doctrine."

Richard G. Scott, "Truth Restored," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 80-81

The Time Has Come To......

"Now, my brethren and sisters, the time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow. It is a time to be found keeping the commandments. It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all of our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike"
Gordon B. Hinckley - Gen. Conf. 1995 Apr.

Power From on High

"When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, then God will endow us with power from on high."

Ezra Taft Benson - Ensign, May 1998, p.81

Fire for the Deed

Columbus, in a letter to the Spanish hierarchy, wrote:
'Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my emprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?'
(quoted in Mark E. Petersen, The Great Prologue, Deseret Book Co., 1975, p.26).

This reminded me of Nephi’s example:
1 Nephi 3:5 - 7
“And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.
“Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.
“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
-----------------------------------------
When we have confidence in God, we have that fire which drives us to accomplish His will, even against opposition – and that is how we build up the kingdom, and ourselves.

Personal Progress

"We are sanctifying ourselves one step at a time as we accept personal responsibility for our actions and honor the covenants we make... We progress by living worthy to receive the blessings available to us, responding to those promptings to serve others, by loving one another, and by trying to obey the prophet's voice in all things"

—Barbara W. Winder, Ensign, Nov. 1985-

Commanded in All Things

After Nephi receives the interpretation of Lehi’s dream he returns home, and his brothers are disputing about what their fathers dream meant.

Nephi said to them: “Have ye inquired of the Lord?” (1 Ne 15:8), and they replied: “We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.” (1 Ne 15:9).

This highlights the difference in attitude between the brothers. Nephi knew that the Lord would provide the way, and ‘went and did’, whilst Laman and Lemuel wanted things handed to them on a plate without any effort being put forth on their part. The Brother of Jared was the same as Nephi and when faced with the problem of being in complete darkness in the barges, he came up with a solution, the sixteen clear stones, (Ether 3) and asked the Lord to touch them to give them light – he didn’t say; “Lord we need light in the barges, make it happen”, but he did his part, and the Lord then did His.

It’s sometimes easy for us to justify inaction, saying that if the Lord wanted me to do this or that He would tell me, but I firmly believe the Lord will usually only guide us as our feet are moving. He has already told us so many things we need to be doing, that we don’t need to be “commanded in all things”, and receive confirmation after confirmation. Just as when Nephi was building the ship he said the Lord showed him “from time to time” (1 Ne. 18:1) so will He show us from “time to time” what we should do, but at all other times we need to remember what the Lord has said:

“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

“For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

(D&C 58:26 - 28).

How do You Come Out of Bed on Monday Mornings?

Elder L Tom Perry:
"Let's first look at Genesis 2:23.
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Six days of labor are to be followed by a day of rest. It seems to me that the judge should be how we come out of bed on Monday morning. If you just crawl out, feeling tired and weary from a heavy weekend, probably the Sabbath-day observance has not been appropriate. You see, I believe you should come up out of those covers on Monday morning more refreshed, more alive, and more enthused than on any other day of the week. If this is not the case, we had better examine what we are doing on the Sabbath day. Test yourself tomorrow morning and see how you come out of bed."
(BYU speeches – “Choose ye this day”)

Parental Teaching - Elder Eyring

"We cannot control what others choose to do, and so we cannot force our children to heaven, but we can determine what we will do. And we can decide that we will do all we can to bring down the powers of heaven into that family we want so much to have forever.

A key for us is in the proclamation: 'Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.'

What could make it more likely that people in family would love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and obey the law? It is not simply teaching them the gospel. It is in their hearing the word of God and then trying it in faith. If they do, their natures will be changed in a way that produces the happiness they seek."
(Elder Henry B. Eyring, "The Family," Ensign, Feb.1998, 18)

Where Obedience Springs From

"Obedience springs not from weakness, but from spiritual strength and from a reservoir of affirmative experience, which helps us to trust God for that which we do not yet know."

—Neal A. Maxwell, Wherefore, Ye Must Press Forward

Needing No Other Reason

"Blessed are those who need no reasons other than their love for the Saviour to keep his commandments."

James E. Faust, "The Lord's Day," Ensign, Nov. 1991