1 This is a collection of quotes from our Living Prophet and Apostles about several different Gospel Principles, with an explanation of what I learned from my study, and the results of a project when I put one of these principles to the test in my own life.
.
Hope
1. “Those
who will repent and forsake sin will find that His merciful arm is outstretched
still. Those who listen to and heed His words and the words of His chosen
servants will find peace and understanding even in the midst of great heartache
and sorrow. The result of His sacrifice is to fee us from the effects of sin,
that all may have guilt erased and feel hope.”
Elder
Boyd K. Packer, “The Reason for Our Hope,” Ensign, November 2014, pg. 6-8
2. “Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool,
together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of
the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time. The scriptures are
clear and certain about the importance of hope. The Apostle Paul taught that
the scriptures were written to the end that we “might have hope.”
3. “Hope is a gift of the Spirit. It
is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and
the power of His Resurrection,
we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the
Savior. This
kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment and as
with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of
our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our Heavenly
Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace, mercy
rejoicing, and gladness. The hope of salvation is like a
protective helmet; it is the foundation of our faith and an anchor to our
souls.”
4. “Faith
and hope are constantly interactive and are not always easily or precisely
distinguished. Nevertheless, ultimate hope’s expectations are ‘with surety’
true. Yet in the geometry of the restored theology, hope corresponds to faith
but sometimes has a greater circumference. Faith, in turn, constitutes ‘the
assurance of things hoped for’ and the proof of ‘things not seen’. Thus hope
sometimes reconnoiters beyond the present boundaries of faith, but it always
radiates from Jesus.”
7. My
declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus
Christ offers
us, especially in times of need. There is help.
There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is
the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the “light that is
endless, that can never be darkened.” It is the very Son of God Himself. In
loving praise far beyond Romeo’s reach, we say, “What light through yonder
window breaks?” It is the return of hope,
and Jesus is the Sun. To any who may be struggling to
see that light and find that hope, I
say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to
you in His “more excellent ministry” with a future of “better promises.” He is
your “high priest of good things to come.”
8. “As
we put our faith and trust to work, hope is born. Hope grows out of faith and
gives meaning and purpose to all that we do. It can even give us the peaceful
assurance we need to live happily in a world that is ripe with iniquity,
calamity, and injustice.”
9. “One
of those who traveled the Mormon Trail in 1847 referred to it as the “trail
of hope.” I love that title: “trail of hope.” It speaks of the
universal yearning of each person to find a safe haven, a community of Saints
where hearts are united and hope prevails.”
10. “The
gospel is the good news of Christ. It is the revelation that the Son of God
came to earth, lived a perfect life, atoned for our sins, and conquered death.
It is the path of salvation, the way of hope and joy, and the
assurance that God has a plan of redemption and happiness for His children.”
Position Statement for
HOPE
Hope
is more than a feeling of expectation. It is intricately connected to faith,
charity, repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Hope is not only a gift
of the Spirit but is a commandment. We have the responsibility to actively
pursue hope and keep it alive in our hearts. Hope can sometimes have a farther
reach than even our faith, and if we allow ourselves to hope in Christ, we will
be led to Him and feel of His love for each of us. As we hold on to our hope and
keep trying to do those things we have been commanded to do, we will receive
the peaceful assurance of the Holy Ghost and find the safe haven of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is hope of things to come and a reassurance of the
purpose of life. I learned how powerful hope can be and that it is more than
wishing things were a certain way. It should move us to action to do our part
so that the Lord can do His part for us.
2.
Magnifying
our callings
1. “All of us in the Priesthood (or other
auxiliary) have an obligation to help the Lord prepare others. There are some
things we can do that could matter most. Even more powerful than using words in
our teaching the doctrine will be our examples of living the doctrine.”
President
Henry B. Eyring, “The Preparatory Priesthood,” Ensign, November 2014, pg.
59-62.
2. “Your
call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come,
thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here.
They will be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life
because of something you said or did, or even what you were. If someone rejects
the Savior’s invitation because you did not do all you could have done, their
sorrow will be yours. You see, there are no small callings to represent the
Lord. Your call caries grave responsibility. But you need not fear, because
with your call come great promises.”
3. “Ofttimes
the wisdom of god appears as foolishness to men, but the greatest single lesson
we can learn in mortality is that, when god speaks and a man obeys, man will
always be right. President John Taylor cautioned us, “If you do not magnify
your calling, god will hold you responsible for those you might have saved, had
you done your duty.””
4. “What
does it mean to magnify a calling? It means to build it up in dignity and
importance, to make it honorable and commendable in the eyes of all men, to
enlarge and strengthen it, to let the light of heaven shine through it to the
view of other men.” Thomas S. Monson, “The Sacred Call of Service,” April 2005
General Conference, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-sacred-call-of-service?lang=eng
5. “Miracles are everywhere to be found when priesthood callings
are magnified. When faith replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates
selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass His purposes.”
6. “Repentance,
prayer, and pondering over the scriptures are essential parts of our qualifying
for the gifts of the Spirit in our priesthood service. Further magnification of
our power to serve will come as we respond with faith to go forward in our
callings with the Holy Ghost to help us.”
7. “When
I think of the word duty and how performing our duty can enrich our
lives and the lives of others, I recall the words penned by a renowned poet and
author:
I
slept and dreamt
That
life was joy
I
awoke and saw
That
life was duty
I
acted and behold
Duty
was joy.”
8. “To
magnify is to honor, to exalt and glorify, and cause to be held in greater
esteem or respect. It also means to increase the importance of, to enlarge and
make greater.”
The
Prophet Joseph Smith was once asked, “Brother Joseph, you frequently urge that
we magnify our callings. What does this mean?” He is said to have replied, “To
magnify a calling is to hold it up in dignity and importance that the light of
heaven may shine through one’s performance to the gaze of other men. An elder
magnifies his calling when he learns what his duties as an elder are and then
performs them.”
9. “Miracles
are everywhere to be found when priesthood callings are magnified. When faith
replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of
God brings to pass His purposes.”
10. “Twenty
years ago, President Ezra Taft Benson shared reports from bishops and stake
presidents that some members “are turning down calls to serve claiming they are
‘too busy’ or they ‘haven’t got time.’ Others accept such callings, but refuse
to magnify those callings.”
President
Benson went on to say, “The Lord expects each of us to have a calling in His
Church so that others may be blessed by our talents and influence.”
Position Statement
for Magnifying our Callings
When we magnify our calling we are not doing anything to
make ourselves look good, we are helping to prepare others. There are eternal
consequences for how we perform in our callings. If we don’t do our part we
might miss the opportunity to touch a life and lift another, and then we will be
responsible for those we don’t save. As we make our callings honorable and
commendable there will be miracles found and our power to serve will increase.
We will find that our duties will bring joy into our lives as we sacrifice and
work hard to magnify these callings no matter how great or small they may seem.
Magnification can be as simple as learning your duty and then performing it.
Sometimes the benefit of a calling is for ourselves, but we can truly bless the
lives of others through our talents and influence as we try to rise to the call
of our Heavenly Father.
3.
Being
grateful/gratitude
1. “We
have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our
blessings. Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, “He is a wise man who does not
grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”
Gratitude is a divine principle…Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has
much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our
blessings.”
2. “King
Benjamin’s teaching had a miraculous effect. Gratitude for what they had led to
faith unto repentance. That led to forgiveness. That produced new gratitude.
And then King Benjamin taught that, if we can remember and so remain grateful,
we will retain a remission of our sins through all the losses and the gains of
life.”
3. “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. We are taught to ‘live in thanksgiving
daily.’”
4. “Could
I suggest that we see gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands
independent of our current situation? In other words, I’m suggesting that
instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our
circumstances—whatever they may be.”
Deter
F. Uchtdorf, “Grateful in Any Circumstances,” Ensign, May 2014, pgs. 70-77.
5. “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.”
6. “Mormon
teaches us that there will always be suffering and sorrow in sin, but to repent
only because we feel bad or because we have suffered or because we are
sorrowful does not show that we understand the goodness of God. The point I would
like to make is that when we express thankfulness to God and to his Son, Jesus
Christ, we base our faith and repentance upon their forgiveness
and their goodness.”
7. “Our
family learned from that experience a great lesson about the power of
thankfulness in meaningful prayer. Because of and through that prayer, our
family was blessed with inspiration about a number of issues that were pressing
upon our minds and stirring in our hearts. We learned that our gratefulness for
the plan of happiness and for the Savior’s mission of salvation provided needed
reassurance and strengthened our confidence that all would be well with our
dear friends. We also received insights concerning the things about which we
should pray and appropriately ask in faith.”
8. “Through
divine intervention, those who were lepers were spared from a cruel, lingering
death and given a new lease on life. The gratitude expressed by one
merited the Master’s blessing, the ingratitude by the nine His disappointment.”
9. “How
much better it would be if all could be more aware of God’s providence and love
and express that gratitude to Him. Ammon taught, “Let us give thanks to
[God], for he doth work righteousness forever.” Our degree of gratitude is
a measure of our love for Him.”
10. “Said
the Lord in a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith,
“In nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save
those who confess not his hand in all things.” May we be found among those
who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If ingratitude be numbered among
the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of
virtues.”
Position Statement
for Gratitude
As
we acknowledge God’s hand in all things we show gratitude. Gratitude leads to
repentance with leads to forgiveness which leads to more gratitude. This is a
divine principle, but it is important to remember not to be only grateful for
things, but to be grateful in our circumstances even when those circumstances
are less than optimal. Prayer is essential in expressing our gratitude to God,
and as we do so we will merit the blessings that Heavenly Father is waiting to
pour on our heads. President Monson has said that gratitude is the noblest of
virtues. I can see the joy that comes to me when I express my heartfelt
gratitude to Heavenly Father for the blessings in my life. I am constantly amazed
at the love he shows me through the small and simple tender mercies of every
day.
4.
Listening
to and following the Spirit
1. “He will speak to them in dreams, visions,
thoughts, and feelings. He will speak in a way that is unmistakable and that
transcends human experience. He will give them divine direction and answers for
their personal lives.”
President
Deter F. Uchtdorf, “Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth,” Ensign, November
2014, pg. 20-23.
2. “We cannot be deceived by those who would lead
us astray, those clever pied pipers of sin beckoning here or there. Instead, we
pause to pray; we listen to that still, small voice which speaks to the depths
of our souls the Master’s gentle invitation, ‘Come follow me.’”
President
Thomas S. Monson, “Guided Safely Home,” Ensign, November 2014, pg. 67-69.
3. “We all know that human judgment and logical
thinking will not be enough to get answers to the questions that matter most in
life. We need revelation from God. And we will need not just one revelation in
a time of stress, but we need a constantly renewed stream.”
President
Henry B. Eyring, “Continuing Revelation,” Ensign, November 2014, pg. 70-73.
4. “Spiritual
communication can be enhanced by good health practices. Exercise, reasonable
amounts of sleep, and good eating habits increase our capacity to receive and
understand revelation. We will live for our appointed life span. However, we
can improve both the quality of our service and our well-being by making
careful, appropriate choices.”
5. “I
know the reality of the promptings of the Holy Ghost. In times of urgent need,
after meditation and prayer to receive confirmation of a selected course of
action, those promptings have given the comforted feeling that it was right.
Other times, without beckoning, counsel and instruction and assurance have come
through the power of the Holy Ghost; and then, at times, there have flooded
into my mind and heart warnings of impending danger that would have otherwise
overtaken me.”
6. “If
you are carrying some burden, forget it, let it alone. Do a lot of forgiving
and a little repenting, and you will be visited by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost
and confirmed by the testimony that you did not know existed. You will be
watched over and blessed—you and yours. This is an invitation to come unto Him.”
7. “Following
our baptism, each of us had hands placed upon our head by those with priesthood
authority and was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, and the Holy Ghost was conferred upon us (see D&C 49:14).
The statement “receive the Holy Ghost” in our confirmation was a directive to
strive for the baptism of the Spirit.”
8. “Father
in Heaven knew that you would face challenges and be required to make some
decisions that would be beyond your own ability to decide correctly. In His
plan of happiness, He included a provision for you to receive help with such
challenges and decisions during your mortal life. That assistance will come to
you through the Holy Ghost as spiritual guidance. It is a power, beyond your
own capability, that a loving Heavenly Father wants you to use consistently for
your peace and happiness.”
9. “The
direct, personal channel of communication to our Heavenly Father through the
Holy Ghost is based on worthiness and is so essential that we are commanded to
renew our covenants by partaking of the sacrament each
Sabbath day. In this way we qualify for the promise that we may always have His
Spirit to be with us, to guide us.”
10. “Can
you imagine how dark and empty mortality would be if there were no priesthood?
If the power of the priesthood were not upon the earth, the adversary would
have freedom to roam and reign without restraint. There would be no gift of
the Holy Ghost to
direct and enlighten us; no prophets to speak in the name of the Lord; no
temples where we could make sacred, eternal covenants; no authority to bless or
baptize, to heal or comfort. Without the power of the priesthood, “the whole
earth would be utterly wasted” (see D&C 2:1–3; D&C 2:1–3).
There would be no light, no hope—only darkness.”
Position Statement
for Following the Holy Ghost
The
one thing that really struck a chord with me during my study of this topic was
that our ability to hear the promptings of the Holy Ghost can be enhanced by
healthy living. I had never connected these two things. Receiving personal
revelation can be transcendent to our human experience, and it can offer us
power beyond our own capacity. We received this gift after we were baptized and
we have the extraordinary opportunity to renew those covenants and remain
worthy of that gift every week as we partake of the sacrament. The Holy Ghost
can bring us comfort, counsel, and warnings if we are ready to listen. We need
more than just a one-time revelation in stressful times, but a constant stream
of communication with our Heavenly Father. As we learn to recognize His voice,
we will be able to avoid being led astray by the voice of sin.
5.
Family
1. “In
recent meetings with the First Presidency, they have expressed concern about
the deterioration of the family. Their mandate to the Priesthood Executive
Council was to concentrate on the family in our assignments.”
2. “Today
I call upon members of the Church and on committed parents, grandparents, and
extended family members everywhere to hold fast to this great proclamation, to
make it a banner not unlike General Moroni’s “tile of liberty,” and to commit
ourselves to live by its percepts. As we are all part of a family, the
proclamation applies to everyone.”
3. “In
our theology and in our practice, the family and the church have a mutually
reinforcing relationship. The family is dependent upon the church for doctrine,
ordinances, and priesthood keys. The church provides the teachings, authority,
and ordinances necessary to perpetuate family relationships to the eternities.”
4. “While
the family is under attack throughout the world, The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints proclaims, promotes, and protects the truth that the family
is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. “The
Family: a Proclamation to the World” and our vast family history efforts are
but two evidences of how this church brings hope and help to the sacred
institution of the family.” Russell M. Nelson, “Generations Linked in Love,”
April 2010 General Conference. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/generations-linked-in-love?lang=eng&query=family
5. “To
receive the blessings of the sealing that our Heavenly Father has given to us,
we have to keep the commandments and conduct ourselves in such a way that our
families will want to live with us in the eternities.
The family relationships we have here on this earth are important,
but they are much more important for their effect on our families for
generations in mortality and throughout all eternity.”
6. “The
key to strengthening our families is having the Spirit of the Lord come into
our homes. The goal of our families is to be on the strait and narrow path.”
7. “One
of the great messages of the gospel is the doctrine of the eternal nature of
the family unit.
We declare to the world the value and importance of family life,
but much of the confusion and difficulty we find existing in the world today is
being traced to the deterioration of the family.”
8. “One
hundred years ago, President Joseph F. Smith connected happiness directly
to the family and admonished us to focus our efforts there. He said:
“There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the home. … There is
no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which
converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and
preserves family life. … The home is what needs reforming” (Teachings
of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 382, 384).”
9. “Faithful
attendance at Church, together with careful attention to the needs of
the family, is a near-perfect combination. In Church we are taught the
Great Plan of Happiness. At home we apply what we have learned. Every
call, every service in the Church brings experience and valuable insights which
carry over into family life.”
10. “With
that, natural affection between generations began to be enriched. This
restoration was accompanied by what is sometimes called the Spirit of Elijah—a
manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing
witness of the divine nature of the family. Hence, people throughout
the world, regardless of religious affiliation, are gathering records of
deceased relatives at an ever-increasing rate.”
Position Statement for
Family
The
family is central to the plan of Salvation. This centrality shows me that it is
the most important unit in creation, and that as a mother it should be my main
priority. The Brethren have a profound concern for the safety of the family
that is evidenced in the Proclamation on the Family. If we can hold to the
Proclamation our families will be stronger and better able to handle the storms
that may come. We should always strive to be worthy of our sealing covenants
and to keep the spirit in our homes. The Church and our families are there to
reinforce each other and can be a near-perfect combination when we faithfully
attend our meetings and pay close attention to the needs of our families. Our
focus should be on the home, and if that is right everything else will come
into place.
6.
Atonement
1. “Christ died not to save indiscriminately but
to offer repentance. We rely ‘wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to
save’ in the process of repentance, but acting to repent is a self-willed
change. So by making repentance a condition for receiving the gift of grace,
God enables us to retain responsibility for ourselves.”
Elder
D. Todd Christofferson, “Free Forever, to Act for Themselves,” Ensign, Nov.
2014, pg. 16-19.
2. “Had He not accomplished the Atonement, there
would be no redemption. It would be a difficult world to live in if we could
never be forgiven for our mistakes, if we could never purify ourselves and move
on.”
Boyd
K. Packer, “The Reason for Our Hope”, Ensign, November 2014, pg. 6-8
3.
“An atonement was made. Ever and always it offers
amnesty from transgression and from death if we will but repent. Repentance is
the escape clause in it all. Repentance is the key with which we can unlock the
prison from inside. We hold that key within our hands, and agency is ours to
use it. How supernally precious freedom is; how consummately valuable is the
agency of man. Lucifer in clever ways manipulates our choices, deceiving us
about sin and consequences. He, and his angels with him, tempt us to be
unworthy, even wicked. But he cannot, in all eternity he cannot, with all his
power he cannot completely destroy us; not without our own consent. Had agency
come to man without the Atonement, it would have been a fatal gift.”
4. “We
are not and never need be alone. We can press forward in our daily live with
heavenly help. Through the Savior’s Atonement we can receive capacity and
strength beyond our own.”
David
A. Bednar, “Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Ensign, May 2014, pgs. 87-90.
5. “Before
we can comprehend the Atonement of Christ, however, we must first
understand the Fall of Adam. And before we can understand the Fall of Adam, we
must first understand the Creation. These three crucial components of the plan
of salvation relate to each other.”
6. “The
Savior later endured the agony of inquisition, cruel beatings, and death by
crucifixion on the cross at Calvary. Recently, there has been a great deal of
commentary about this, none of which has made clear the singular point that no
one had the power to take the Savior’s life from Him. He gave it as a ransom
for us all. As the Son of God, He had the power to alter the situation. Yet the
scriptures clearly state that He yielded Himself to scourging, humiliation,
suffering, and finally crucifixion because of His great love towards the
children of men (see 1 Ne. 19:9–10).”
7. “How
our Father in Heaven must have rejoiced that sacred day when His totally
obedient, completely worthy Son shattered the chains of death. What eternal
purpose would our Father’s plan of happiness have had except it be made alive
through the infinite and eternal Atonement of His gloriously obedient Son?
What eternal purpose would have come from the Creation of the earth, where
intelligences tabernacled with spirits would receive a body, if death were the
end of existence and none would be resurrected? What a glorious moment that
morning was for all who understood its significance.”
8. “The
Atonement of Jesus Christ provides the cleanser necessary to be made pure and
clean, the soothing salve to heal spiritual wounds and remove guilt, and the
protection that enables us to be faithful in times both good and bad.”
Elder
David A. Bednar, “Come and See,” Ensign, November 2014, 107.
9. “Many
of us have allowed weakness to develop in our character. Through
the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we, like the Ammonites, can build
spiritual fortifications between ourselves and any past mistakes that Satan
attempts to exploit. The spiritual protections built around the Ammonite
fathers blessed and strengthened themselves, their families, their country, and
future generations. The same can be true with us.”
10. “If
you have made no mistakes, then you do not need the Atonement. If you have
made mistakes, and all of us have, whether minor or serious, then you have an
enormous need to find out how they can be erased so that you are no longer in
darkness.”
Position
Statement for Atonement
Learning about the Atonement is
inexhaustible. There are so many facets to explore and try to understand.
Without the Atonement there would be no redemption and everything would end
with death. Through the Savior’s infinite gift we will be redeemed and through
our repentance we can be cleansed from sin and receive soothing comfort for our
distress. The Atonement provides a fortification between us and past sins that
Satan would try to exploit. It provides us with capacity and strength beyond
our own to overcome and face challenges. Through His wisdom Heavenly Father
provided us with agency and with that the responsibility of our own repentance
remains with us. He does not force us to repent, but gives us the blessing of
forgiveness and salvation if we choose to take part in this glorious gift. We
are all in need of the Atonement whether our mistakes are big or small, and it
is there for each of us.
7.
Agency
1. “Latter-day
Saints are not obedient because they are compelled to be obedient. They are
obedient because they know certain spiritual truths and have decided, as an
expression of their own individual agency, to obey the commandments of
God…Those who talk of blind obedience may appear to know many things, but they
do not understand the doctrines of the gospel. There is an obedience that comes
from a knowledge of the truth that transcends any external form of control. We
are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see.”
2. “When
we came to the earth, we brought with us that great gift from God—even our
agency. In thousands of ways we are privileged to choose for ourselves. Here we
learn from the hard taskmaster of experience. We discern between good and evil.
We differentiate as to the bitter and the sweet. We learn that decisions
determine destiny.” Thomas S. Monson, “Ponder the Path of Thy Feet,” Ensign,
November 2014, pgs. 86-88.
3. “As
we understand the challenge of repenting, we appreciate the blessings of the
Holy Ghost to guide our agency and Heavenly father, who gives us commandments
and strengthens and sustains us in keeping them. We also understand how
obedience to the commandments ultimately protects our agency.”
4. “Agency
is strengthened by our faith and obedience. Agency leads us to act: to seek
that we may find, to ask that we may receive guidance from the spirit, to knock
on that door that leads to spiritual light and ultimately salvation.”
5. “ Each
choice you and I make is a test of our agency—whether we choose to be
obedient or disobedient to the commandments of God is actually a choice between
“liberty and eternal life” and “captivity and death.”
6. “President
Faust recognized that we all possess the God-given gift of
moral agency—the right to make choices and the obligation to account for
those choices (see D&C 101:78).
He also understood and demonstrated that, for positive outcomes,
moral agency must be accompanied by moral discipline. By “moral
discipline,” I mean self-discipline based on moral standards. Moral discipline
is the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right because it
is right, even when it is hard. It rejects the self-absorbed life in favor of
developing character worthy of respect and true greatness through Christlike
service (see Mark 10:42–45).”
7. “Simply
stated, one must use his agency to obey truth…Please understand that
no one can change truth. Rationalization, overpowering self-interest, all of
the arguments of men, anger, or self-will cannot change truth. Satan knows
that, so he tries to create an atmosphere where one unwittingly begins to feel
that he can not only choose what to do, but can determine what is right to do.
Satan strives to persuade us to live outside truth by rationalizing our actions
as the right of choice.”
8. “We
have been given agency, we have been given the blessings of the
priesthood, and we have been given the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost for
a reason. That reason is our growth and happiness in this world and
eternal life in the world to come. Today I ask, have we received that Spirit?
Are we following on the strait and narrow path that leads to God and eternal
life? Are we holding onto the iron rod, or are we going another way? I testify
that how we choose to feel and think and act every day
is the way we get on the path, and stay on it, until we reach our eternal
destination.”
9. “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.”
10. “Using
our agency to obey means choosing to “do what is right [and letting]
the consequence follow.” It requires self-mastery and brings confidence,
eternal happiness, and a sense of fulfillment to us and, by example, to those
around us; and it always includes a deep personal commitment to sustain
priesthood leaders and follow their teachings and counsel.”
Robert
D. Hales, “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments,” Ensign, May 2014, 35.
Position Statement for
Agency
Many
gospel principles are inter-related, like agency. It is connected with
repentance, the Atonement, faith, and I’m sure many others. Obedience for
example can protect our agency, and it can be strengthened by faith. Some would
say that members of the church are obedient because we are blind, but as
President Packer says, we are obedient because we can see. As we use our agency
we are able to see how our decisions determine our destiny. Each little choice
we make sends us in a certain direction, either for good or bad. It is through
moral discipline that we can keep our course in an upward direction. Agency is
given to us for our growth and happiness. We also need to remember that our agency
doesn’t only affect us, it affects others, just as other’s choices can affect
us. As we continue to practice our agency and using moral discipline we will
start to achieve self-mastery and be able to better withstand the temptations
of sin and poor choices.
8.
Pornography
1. “The
brain won’t vomit back filth. Once recorded, it will always s remain subject to
recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind and drawing you away
from the wholesome things in life.”
2. “The
beetle of pornography is doing his deadly task—undercutting our will,
destroying our immunity, and stifling that upward reach within each of us.”
3. “Satan
has become a master at using the addictive power of pornography to limit
individual capacity to be led by the Spirit. The onslaught of pornography in
all of its vicious, corroding, destructive forms has caused great grief,
suffering, heartache, and destroyed marriages. It is one of the most damning
influences on earth. Whether it be through the printed page, movies,
television, obscene lyrics, vulgarities on the telephone, or flickering
personal computer screen, pornography is overpoweringly addictive and severely
damaging.”
4. “In
our day the dreadful influence of pornography is like unto a plague sweeping
across the world, infecting one here and one there, relentlessly trying to
invade every home, most frequently through the husband and father. The effect
of this plague can be, unfortunately often is, spiritually fatal. Lucifer seeks
to disrupt the great plan of redemption, the great plan of happiness.”
5. “Sexual
immorality and impure thoughts violate the standard established by the
Savior. We were warned at the beginning of this dispensation that sexual
immorality would be perhaps the greatest challenge. Such conduct will, without
repentance, cause a spiritual drought and loss of commitment.”
6. “Avoid
any semblance of pornography. It will desensitize the spirit and erode the
conscience. We are told in the Doctrine and
Covenants, “That which doth not edify is not of God, and is
darkness.” Such is pornography.”
7. “Most
days we all find ourselves assaulted by immoral messages of some kind flooding
in on us from every angle. The darker sides of the movie, television, and music
industry step further and further into offensive language and sexual
misconduct. Tragically, the same computer and Internet service that allows me
to do my family history
and prepare those names for temple work could, without filters and controls,
allow my children or grandchildren access to a global cesspool of perceptions
that could blast a crater in their brains forever.”
8. “My
beloved friends, under no circumstances allow yourselves to become trapped in
the viewing of pornography, one of the most effective of Satan’s enticements.
And if you have allowed yourself to become involved in this behavior, cease
now. Seek the help you need to overcome and to change the direction of your
life. Take the steps necessary to get back on the strait and narrow, and then
stay there.”
9. “Jesus
healed many from physical diseases, but He did not withhold healing from those
who sought to be “made whole” from other ailments. Matthew writes that He
healed every sickness and every disease among the people (see Matthew 4:23; 9:35).
Great multitudes followed Him, and He “healed them all” (Matthew 12:15).
Surely these healings included those whose sicknesses were emotional, mental,
or spiritual. He healed them all.”
10. “Pornography is
especially dangerous and addictive. Curious exploration
of pornography can become a controlling habit, leading to coarser
material and to sexual transgression. Avoid pornography at
all costs.
Don’t
be afraid to walk out of a movie, turn off a television set, or change a radio
station if what’s being presented does not meet your Heavenly Father’s
standards. In short, if you have any question about whether a particular movie,
book, or other form of entertainment is appropriate, don’t see it, don’t read
it, don’t participate.”
Position Statement on
Pornography
I
have to admit that even the study of this subject in this context makes me very
uncomfortable, and I have to say that I am grateful for the discomfort. I know
that it is the Holy Ghost telling me to stay as far away from pornography as
possible. Through this study I have learned that participating in pornography
can limit our capacity to be led by the spirit, and can desensitize the spirit.
It is one of Satan’s most effective tools to destroy the family. Pornography
violates the standard set by the Savior, it is deadly to our will, and our
progression. Once we see it, it never leaves our minds and can pop up when
least expected. The technology of our day can be so useful in our gospel study
and missionary work, as well as genealogy, but it can also be used to easily
access any type of pornography. We must be careful to keep this dangerous and
addictive material out of our homes. If we have been affected by pornography,
we can be healed through the powerful effects of the Atonement.
My
Application Project
I was challenged to put one of these principles to the
test in my own life. I chose to focus on the principle of listening to and following
the Spirit. I know how important it is to know and follow the will of God if we
want to be profitable servants in His vineyard. To know what that will is, we
have to listen and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I have always had a
desire to be guided in the right direction and in my Patriarchal Blessing it
says that I should let my spirit guide my physical body, so when I had to make
a choice of which principle to test I knew it should be this one.
I started to pray about knowing more about this
subject and being led to talks that would teach me. One day, I had a thought
that we should look into buying a house. We moved from Ohio three years ago and
have been renting a home. This thought was completely unexpected. We didn't even know if we could qualify for a loan at this time, and didn't know where we
even wanted to settle. I decided that since Heavenly Father had prompted me to
ask the question I would turn it over to Him and submit myself to His will in
this matter.
We started to look around at homes, and we applied for
a pre-approval. Things were looking good as we continued to pray to be guided to
the right location, and whether we should build or buy existing construction.
About four weeks into my project we received a call from our management
company. The owner of our home is liquidating all of his rental properties and
they will be selling our house at the termination of our lease. I was so
grateful that the Lord had prepared me mentally and emotionally for this news.
If we had gotten the call without knowing we could qualify for a mortgage I
would have been frantic and really stressed. However, through the guidance and reassurance
of the Holy Ghost, I knew that everything was going to work out for the best.
We are building a home in a wonderful area, and we are continually being guided
by the promptings of the Spirit. Most of my time on this project was spent in
prayer and listening, as well as studying the scriptures and talks. This has
had a huge impact on my life and on my family. I continue to try to live in a
manner that will be inviting to the spirit so I can always walk in the path I
should go.
