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(2/22/98)
"We are a covenant people. If there is a
distinguishing feature about members of the Church, it is
that we make covenants. We need to be known as a
covenant-keeping people as well. Making promises is easy,
but to follow through and do what we have promised is
another matter. That involves staying the course, being
constant and steadfast. It means keeping the faith and
being faithful to the end despite success or failure,
doubt or discouragement. It is drawing near to the Lord
with all our hearts. It is doing whatever we promise to
do with all our might--even when we might not feel like
it." — Elder F. Burton Howard, "Commitment,"
General Conference, April 1996
(2/23/98)
"What did we agree to before we came here? If to
anything, I suppose the very same things we agreed to
since we did come here, that are legitimate and proper.
The husband agreed to be a faithful servant of God, to do
his duty to all that were placed under his charge. The
wife, on her part, covenants that she will be a faithful
and devoted wife, and will obey her husband in the Lord
in all things. If this were so, it is all right; for it
is just as we are taught on the earth." — Orson
Hyde, "Journal of Discourses," Vol.7,
p.316
(2/24/98)
"The blessings flowing from the observance of
covenants are sufficiently great to recompense for all
mere inconveniences." — "Messages of the First
Presidency," Vol.6, p.288
(2/25/98)
Note: I find this a fascinating quote to ponder as it
relates to the verses in Malachi foretelling the coming
of Elijah the prophet in the last days to "turn the
hearts of the children to their fathers" and vice
versa.
"The world is reserved unto burning in the last
days. He shall send Elijah the prophet, and he shall
reveal the covenants of the fathers in relation to the
children, and the covenants of the children in relation
to the fathers." — "Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith," Section Six
1843-44, p.321
(2/26/98)
"Everyone who receives an ordinance must make a
covenant, else the ordinance is not fully satisfactory.
He who is baptized covenants to keep the law of the
Church; he who is administered to for sickness, and the
administrators, covenant to use their faith to secure the
desired healings; he who receives the temple endowment
covenants to use in his life that which he has been
taught; he who is ordained to the priesthood agrees to
honor it, and so on with every ordinance. That places
covenants high, as they should be. Knowledge of itself
has little saving power. Only as it is used does
knowledge become of value. The man who learns and
promises to use that knowledge is of value to society. To
accept the plan of salvation without promising to comply
with its requirements will result in something worse than
ignorance. The world moves forward by the efforts of
covenanted people -- who keep their
covenants." — John A. Widtsoe, "Evidences
and Reconciliations," p.197
(2/27/98)
"I bear witness that the Lord seeks to be in our
lives. He has so arranged our mortal situation that we
can have and know truth beyond the limits of our
mortality. We are not left alone. How thankful we should
be for covenants and ordinances, and priesthood power.
Ordinances and covenants are means whereby we link
ourselves beyond the veil and lay hold upon blessings in
this life and beyond this life. When we keep our
covenants and obey the ordinances, eternal consequences
inevitably follow. The Lord says he is bound when we do
what he says, and the Lord does not lie (see D&C
82:10)." — Richard G. Ellsworth, "Spiritual
Experience", "BYU Speeches of the Year
1984-85," 23 July 1985
(2/28/98)
"Dear brethren of the priesthood, we must never
forget for a moment that the covenants we have made to
keep, the promises we have made with the Lord and with
our Heavenly Father, are the most important decisions we
have made in our lives." — Elder Robert D. Hales,
April 1996 Conference (May Ensign) pg. 37
(1/1/02)
"I speak of the importance of keeping covenants because they protect us in
a world that is drifting from time-honored values that bring joy and happiness.
In the future this loosening of moral fiber may even increase. The basic decency
of society is decreasing. In the future our people, particularly our children
and grandchildren, can expect to be bombarded more and more by the evils of
Sodom and Gomorrah." — James E. Faust, "Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart," "Ensign," May 1998,
p. 18
(1/2/02)
"One of the great blessings of the restored gospel is the privilege of
entering into sacred covenants with our Father in Heaven--covenants made binding
by virtue of the holy priesthood. When we are baptized and confirmed, when
brethren are ordained to the priesthood, when we go to the temple and receive
our endowment, when we enter into the new and everlasting covenant of eternal
marriage--in all these sacred ordinances, we make solemn commitments to keep God's
commandments." — Joseph B. Wirthlin, "True to the Truth," "Ensign," May 1997,
p. 16
(1/3/02)
"Ordinances are outward manifestations of inner covenants, commitments, and
promises. Ordinances are not optional on the pathway to perfection. These
include baptism and confirmation (see John 3:5; 2 Ne. 31:5-12); ordination to
the Melchizedek Priesthood, for all males (see D&C 84:33-42); the temple
endowment and the sealing ordinance (see D&C 132:15-24)." — Spencer J. Condie, "Agency: The Gift of Choices," "Ensign," Sept. 1995,
p. 22
(1/4/02)
"One important aspect of a gospel covenant is that it commits the
individual to the work of the Lord. A person making and keeping a covenant with
God must sort out his values and actually work toward salvation, which is a much
more involving process than mere intellectual assent. Furthermore, because
gospel covenants are revealed from heaven, they are specific indicators of what
God would have us do. Without revelation, we would not know how to please
God--we would not know that we should be baptized, pay tithing, observe the
Sabbath and the Word of Wisdom, be ordained to the priesthood, fast, pray,
partake of the sacrament, or do ordinances for our dead. These are not the kinds
of things men and women would do naturally. They require conscious and
deliberate and willfull obedience. Divine covenants mark the path of duty and
commit us to walk in it. They more fully distinguish the way of the Lord from
the way of the world. They are the only way in which the saving ordinances of
the gospel are administered to man, and the most sacred of these can be received
only in the temple." — Robert J. Matthews, "Our Covenants with the Lord," "Ensign," Dec. 1980,
p. 35
(1/5/02)
"The Apostle Peter describes the process of building a Christ-centered life
as one of accepting the great and precious promises of the Lord in order to
become 'partakers of the divine nature' (2 Pet. 1:4). As one accepts and is
obedient to the covenants associated with our Heavenly Father's promises of a
Savior, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and eternal life, one's nature is changed as
virtue is added to faith, followed by knowledge (or testimony), temperance (or
self-discipline), patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (see 2
Pet. 1:5-8). King Benjamin describes the same process: one builds a
Christ-centered life by yielding 'to the enticings of the Holy Spirit' and
accepting the promises, both of which help one put off the natural man or woman
and become a Saint through the Atonement, and become as a little child,
submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, and willing to submit to all
things (see Mosiah 3:19)." — Merrill J. Bateman, "Living a Christ-Centered Life," "Ensign," Jan. 1999,
p. 7
(12/28/03)
"We are a covenant-making people. We make covenants at the waters of baptism. We
renew those covenants each week as we worthily partake of the sacrament. We take
upon ourselves the name of Christ; we promise to always remember Him and to keep
His commandments. And in return He promises us that His Spirit will always be
with us. We make covenants as we enter into the temple, and in return we receive
the promised blessings of eternal life--if we keep those sacred covenants." -
Sheldon F. Child, "As Good As Our
Bond," General Conference, April 1997
(6/22/05)
"We are a covenant people. If there is a
distinguishing feature about members of the Church, it is that we make
covenants. We need to be known as a covenant-keeping people as well. Making
promises is easy, but to follow through and do what we have promised is another
matter. That involves staying the course, being constant and steadfast. It means
keeping the faith and being faithful to the end despite success or failure,
doubt or discouragement. It is drawing near to the Lord with all our hearts. It
is doing whatever we promise to do with all our might—even when we might not
feel like it.
"I once attended a funeral service with Elder M. Russell Ballard. A statement he
made there has remained with me to this day. He said, 'Life isn't over for a
Latter-day Saint until he or she is safely dead, with their testimony still
burning brightly.' 'Safely dead'—what a challenging concept. Brothers and
sisters, we will not be safe until we have given our hearts to the Lord—until we
have learned to do what we have promised." - F. Burton Howard, "Commitment,"
Ensign, May 1996, 28
(8/16/05)
"Father in Heaven knows us as individuals. The covenants we
make with Him are performed one on one. President Howard W. Hunter noted: 'I
have always been impressed that the Lord deals with us personally, individually.
We do many things in groups in the Church,... but... the most important things
are done individually. We bless babies one at a time, even if they are twins or
triplets. We baptize and confirm children one at a time. We take the sacrament,
are ordained to the priesthood, or move through the ordinances of the temple as
individuals—as one person developing a [personal] relationship with our Father
in Heaven.... Heaven's emphasis is on each individual, on every single person'
('Eternal Investments,' address to CES religious educators, 10 Feb. 1989, p. 4).
These individual commitments made directly with our Heavenly Father are things
to celebrate. And to consecrate! Do you remember what happened when Alma invited
his people to make these covenants? They celebrated! They 'clapped their hands
with joy.' I wonder why our covenants so often feel more like obligations than
privileges." - Bonnie D. Parkin, "Celebrating
Covenants," Ensign, May 1995, 78
(9/26/05)
"We are a covenant people. I have had the feeling that if we
could just encourage our people to live by three or four covenants everything
else would take care of itself; we would not have to have anything else except
to go forward with our program.
"The first of these is the covenant of the sacrament, in which we take upon
ourselves the name of the Savior and agree to keep His commandments with the
promise in His covenant that He will bless us with His spirit. If our people
would go to sacrament meeting every week and reflect as they partake of the
sacrament on the meaning of the prayers which are offered, . . . if they would
listen to the language of those prayers, which were given by revelation, and
live by them, we would be a better people, all of us would be. That is the
importance of the sacrament meeting. The speakers are incidental. The great
thing is that we gather together and partake of the sacrament together...." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley" [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1997], p. 146
(9/27/05)
"Second, the covenant of tithing. It is a covenant. 'Why have
ye robbed me? Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse... and prove me now
herewith' (Mal.
3:10). The commandment to us is to pay our tithing. The promise on the other
side of that contract, that covenant, is that He will stay the destroyer and
open the windows of heaven and pour down blessings that there will not be room
enough to receive them. I am one who believes in the literalness of that
promise...." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley" [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], p. 147
4/20/06
"If you remember only one thing I say today, remember to hold on to
your covenants and celebrate them. My covenants are an expression of my faith;
they are why I stand before you today. Covenants help me focus on the big
picture and not just the immediate. As my sons have served missions, I have seen
covenants further the work of the Lord. Covenants help me make a difference in
the lives of others. My covenants are not negotiable. They make the choice of
righteousness easier. I humbly pray that our covenants might become a greater
source of celebration and strength in our lives; that we may walk uprightly and
steadfastly, that when we most need the Lord's hand, it will be there waiting
warmly. I treasure the covenants He has made with me and with all my heart hope
to live faithful to them." - Bonnie D. Parkin, "Celebrating
Covenants," Ensign (CR), May 1995, p.78
12/13/06
"The scope of our work can seem daunting, but as my recently baptized grandson
can quickly tell you, a covenant is a two-way promise. We all know the
scriptural teaching that where much is given much is required. (D&C
82:3.) Remember, though, that where much is required, much is also given.
When we covenant with God and keep those covenants, all things are made
possible. He gives us what we need to do His work." - Kathleen H. Hughes, "In
Covenant with Him," Ensign (CR), November 2003, p.108
9/22/07
"Covenants—or
binding promises between us and Heavenly Father—are essential for our eternal
progression. Step-by-step, He tutors us to become like Him by enlisting us in
His work. At baptism we covenant to love Him with all our hearts and love our
sisters and brothers as ourselves. In the temple we further covenant to be
obedient, selfless, faithful, honorable, charitable. We covenant to make
sacrifices and consecrate all that we have. Forged through priesthood authority,
our kept covenants bring blessings to fill our cups to overflowing. How often do
you reflect that your covenants reach beyond mortality and connect you to the
Divine? Making covenants is the expression of a willing heart; keeping
covenants, the expression of a faithful heart." - Bonnie D. Parkin, "With Holiness of Heart," Ensign
(CR), November 2002, p.103
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