The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(1/11/98)
"Elder Howard W. Hunter of the Council of the Twelve said that the Savior
defined His gospel, as He taught the Nephites. 'The gospel is often referred to
as the good news, or glad tidings of salvation,' Elder Hunter said. 'The plan of
salvation, therefore, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.'"—The
Church News, Conference Issues 1970-1987, p.14
(1/12/98)
"We note, from the scripture that I have read, that this gospel is eternal.
It is everlasting; it is unchangeable; it is today what it was yesterday, and
will always continue to be the same. There are many churches upon the face of
the earth; there are many systems that are called the gospel of Jesus Christ,
but I should like to analyze this morning, for a few brief moments, this word. I
shall refer you to the definition of the gospel as given by Paul in his epistle
to the Roman Saints. He says, 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for
it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.' So that we see in this gospel as established very
distinctly two things: it is eternal, and it is the power of God unto the
salvation of all men who will believe it. And the Savior said, 'He that believes
on me, the work that I do he will do also.' So that true brief implies, not a
lip confession, but works that will harmonize our lives with the principles, the
ordinances, the teachings of the gospel, and the commandments of our Father in
heaven. An article of our faith states. 'We believe that through the atonement
of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of
the gospel.'"—Rey L. Pratt, Conference Report,
October 1923, p.103
(1/13/98)
"I would recommend the companionship of the Holy Ghost to you because you
need to be sanctified, to be made pure or spotless, in order to get back into
the presence of our Heavenly Father. The shortest definition of the gospel in
all scripture is the one given by the resurrected Jesus Christ in the Book of
Mormon where He explains this role of the Holy Ghost:
'Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me
and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the
Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; . . . (3 Nephi 27:20-21.)'"—Dr.
Daniel H. Ludlow, BYU Speeches, November 12, 1963, p.9
(1/14/98)
"Now if it is essential to receive the gospel in order to receive the
Christ, what follows? To answer this we must understand and define the gospel.
Is the gospel itself anything more than the sum total of the Savior's divine
attributes and qualities? I think that all who give careful consideration to the
scriptures and the works of the Master will agree that it is."—Stephen L
Richards, Conference Report, April 1959, p.52
(1/15/98)
"The Book of Mormon and other Latter-day Saint scriptures define the term
gospel precisely as the way or means by which an individual can come to Christ.
In these scriptures the gospel or doctrine of Christ is the teaching that if
people will (1) believe in Christ, (2) repent of their sins, and (3) submit to
baptism in water as a witness of their willingness to take his name upon them
and keep his commandments, he will (4) pour out his Spirit upon them and cleanse
them of their sins. All who receive this baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost
and (5) endure to the end in faith, hope, and charity will (6) be found
guiltless at the last day and enter into the kingdom of God (Alma 7: 14-16,
24-25)."—Noel B. Reynolds; BYU Studies Vol. 31, No. 3,
pg.31
(1/16/98)
"President John Taylor, in his definition of Mormonism, said: 'The
everlasting Gospel, made known in the last days, is nothing more nor less than
the ancient religion restored. It is the commencement of the 'restitution of all
things' spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world was.'"—Hugh B.
Brown, The Abundant Life, p.94
(1/17/98)
"In the 133rd section of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord defined 'the
fulness of his gospel' as 'his everlasting covenant' (D&C 133:57). By
accepting membership in the Church, through baptism and the laying on of hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost, a person enters into a covenant with the Lord to
obey and live by all the requirements of the gospel. The Lord's promise,
conditioned upon such obedience, is the gift of eternal life."—Caring
For The Poor--A Covenantal Obligation, President Marion G. Romney,
General Conference, October 1978
(3/10/04)
"For anyone seeking the courage to repent and change, I remind you that the
Church is not a monastery for the isolation of perfect people. It is more like a
hospital provided for those who wish to get well. Do whatever you have to do to
come into the fold and be blessed. For some of you that is simply to live with
greater faith, to believe more. For some of you it does mean to repent-right
here. Today. For some of you it means to be baptized and come into the body and
fellowship of Christ. For virtually all of us it means to live more by the
promptings and promises of the Holy Ghost and to 'press forward with a
steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God
and of all men.' (2 Ne. 31:20)"
- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Come
unto Me," Ensign, Apr. 1998, pp. 18-19
(7/27/04)
"We must take a positive approach to our religion and literally make it a
way of life, a plan of daily action. We must reform ourselves day by day along
gospel lines, for this is the time of our probation and it is now that we must
prepare to meet our God. (See Alma
34:32.)" - Mark E. Petersen, "We
Believe in Being Honest," Ensign, May 1982, pp. 15-16
(12/26/04)
"We are engaged in the Lord's work; this is his church; he is the author of
the plan of salvation; it is his gospel which we have received by the opening of
the heavens in this day; and our desire and whole purpose in life should be to
believe the truths he has revealed and to conform our lives to them. No person
in or out of the Church should believe any doctrine, advocate any practice, or
support any cause that is not in harmony with the divine will. Our sole
objective where the truths of salvation are concerned should be to find out what
the Lord has revealed and then to believe and act accordingly." - Joseph
Fielding Smith, "Out
of the Darkness," Ensign, June 1971, p. 2
(12/27/04)
"If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and
frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are desperately
seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an 'iron rod'
as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life, amidst the
strange and devious roadways that would eventually lead to destruction and to
the ruin of all that is 'virtuous, lovely, or of good report.'" - Harold B.
Lee, "The
Iron Rod," Ensign, June 1971, p. 7
(2/3/05)
"Would you agree to send students to just any school, taking any variety of
courses, and then award them specialized degrees, anything they wanted-in
architecture, law, medicine? Such an attitude would suggest that a man would be
just as good a surgeon by not studying for it as he would by following the
prerequisite courses. No person who has given it real substantial thought would
take such a position, and neither you nor I would want to be under the knife of
a surgeon who had been trained, or maybe I should say 'untrained,' in such a
pattern.
"Isn't it strange, then, that so many are able to apply such a view toward
religion. They advocate: Go to any school, take any course, or go to no school
at all, and we'll all end up in the same place with the same heavenly diploma.
"That just isn't reasonable, nor is it true.
"The position that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the
only true church upon the face of the earth is fundamental. Perhaps it would be
more convenient and palatable and popular if we were to avoid it; nevertheless,
we are under a sacred obligation and a sacred trust to hold to it. It is not
merely an admission; it is a positive declaration. It is so fundamental that we
cannot yield on this point." - Boyd K. Packer, "The
Only True and Living Church," Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 40
(2/14/05)
"'...when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth
among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;
"But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn
their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.' (D&C
45:28-29.)
"The fulfillment of this prediction is painfully evident today. The large
majority to whom the gospel has been taken reject it. It is because of this
rejection, and not because there is no guiding light, that this generation has
been and, unless it reverses its course, will continue to be unable to avoid the
calamities foreseen and foretold by Jesus. For, said he, in that generation-that
is, in which the gospel is preached-'they perceive not the light' (the Gospel of
Jesus Christ) and 'turn their hearts from me.'" - Marion G. Romney, "The
Light Shineth," Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 75-76
(7/5/05)
"It is no easy matter to live the gospel as we
should. But unless we do, we cannot receive the blessings. It is no easy matter
to become perfect in anything. Perfection requires devotion, long-suffering,
persistence, willingness to sacrifice, and constant concentration. Imperfection
can produce only further imperfection.
"Could you sisters bake a good cake if you did not follow the recipe? Could you
brethren build a house or a highway, or make a clock, or send a man to the moon
if you ignored the formula provided for such achievements? Could you become a
doctor if you did not follow the prescribed course in a medical school? Could
you become an engineer if you ignored the principles of engineering?
"Then can we expect to achieve perfection like that of Almighty God if we fail
to follow the course He lays out for us?
"The gospel will do us little good if we do not live it." - Mark E. Petersen, "Believers
and Doers," Ensign, Nov. 1982, 18
(8/13/05)
"We can live in the kingdom of God and be stereotyped
'Mormons,' but to accomplish this, we have to live and increase in wisdom,
knowledge, patience, perseverance, and all the gifts and graces of the Gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ, for it will take all the perseverance, and all the faith
and patience that we can command to live the Gospel of Christ." - Ezra T.
Benson, "Journal of Discourses," 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book
Depot, 1854-1886], 3:76
(8/23/05)
"Almost like children, we fret over our fuel shortages and
other inconveniences. We resent restrictions upon our pleasure-seeking
activities. Why don’t we admit like grown men and women that a rejection of God
is at the very root of all of our troubles? Why do we refuse to wake up to the
facts in our situation? Why must we blindly plunge on into catastrophe?
"Should we not take right and proper steps to overcome our conflicts, our
crimes, and all of our corruptions?
"There is but one sure and certain way: return to God! And that must include a
sincere acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ, with full obedience to his
precepts." - Mark E. Petersen, “O
America, America,” Ensign, Nov. 1979, 14
(10/10/05)
"In the midst of the turmoil we presently face, how would you
like to have someone take you by the hand as it were and lift you up and guide
you? How would you like to hear a prophet's voice give continued heaven-inspired
guidance? How would you like to belong to a divinely organized church that
provides a family-oriented program to help you teach your family correctly?
Where is a family that could not use this kind of assistance today?" - A.
Theodore Tuttle, "Conference Report," April 1969, Third Day, Morning Meeting,
p.125
12/6/05
"Therefore we say to all the world, if you want health, live the
principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ; if you want wealth, if you want that
which is necessary to sustain life and to secure the necessary comforts of life,
obey the laws of the gospel, pay tithing to the Lord. If you would solve the
great problems of society, apply the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would
understand government, if you would create and train citizens who will make a
great government, live the gospel of Jesus Christ, for a good citizen in the
Church of God is a good citizen in any good government on the face of the earth.
If you want happiness, if you want that great joy that comes into the hearts of
those who know the truth, if you want contentment, peace of mind, opportunity
for service, live the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master." - Stephen L
Richards, "Conference Report," April 1920, Third Overflow Meeting, p.100
3/4/06
"Our religion is 'not weight, it is wings.' It can carry us through the dark
times, the bitter cup. It will be with us in the fiery furnace and the deep pit.
It will accompany us to the hospital room and to the place of bereavement. It
can guarantee us the presence of a Captain on the rough voyage. It is, in short,
not the path to easy disposition of problems, but the comforting assurance of
the eternal light, by which we may see, and the eternal warmth, which we may
feel. 'The Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.' (Ps.
34:8.)" - Marion D. Hanks, "Trust
in the Lord," Ensign (CR), May 1975, p.12
9/10/06
"There has never been such a dire day as this. Iniquity abounds; all the
perversions and evils of Sodom have their devotees. And the revealed word
assures us that conditions will get worse, not better, until the coming of the
Son of Man.
"It is because of the evils and ills which cover the earth, because men have
strayed from the Lord's ordinances and broken his everlasting covenant, because
many walk in the ways of the world and are carnal, sensual, and devilish that
the Lord has given us a message to deliver to our fellowmen.
"'Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the
inhabitants of the earth,' he said, 'called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun.,
and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments.' (D&C
1:17.)
"What then is our message for all men? It is the message of the Restoration. It
is the glad tidings that a gracious God had restored the fulness of his
everlasting gospel. It is the hallowed word that all men may be saved by
obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel." - Bruce R. McConkie, "Who
Hath Believed Our Report?," Ensign (CR), November 1981, p.46
11/27/06
"What the members of the Church possess is a pearl of great price, yet sometimes
this priceless gem is so familiar to us that we do not appreciate its true
value. While it is true that we should not cast our pearls before swine, this
does not mean we should not share them with people who will appreciate their
value. One of the greatest side benefits of missionary work is watching the
great value that others who have not previously heard about our beliefs attach
to them. There is a great benefit in seeing ones treasures through someone
else's eyes. My concern is that we often take for granted the unique and
valuable blessings that we have of membership in the Lords Church, and in such a
state of under appreciation we are more likely to be complacent about our Church
membership and are less valiant contributors to building a community of Saints."
- L. Tom Perry, "Building
a Community of Saints," Ensign (CR), May 2001, p.35
12/11/06
"I like to think of our lives as like a wagon wheel. We can divide our
activities into areas, such as the areas between the spokes. In one area we
devote our time to making a living; another area to our home; another area to
our political and civic life; another area might even be our recreational life.
I like to think of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Church of God
as the heart, the center, the hub of the wheel, and from that central source and
hub comes the strength and the power and the oil and the grease that smooth out
and make us joyous and happy, and integrate the whole life. Only so far, of
course, as we put these teachings of Christ into operation in our homes, into
our business and into all of our pursuits, are we doing our full duty and are we
growing. That is why we are so anxious to have the spirit of God with us at all
times. That is why we come together so frequently, to sing, to commune and to
pray, and partake of the sacrament, in order that we might always have those
influence near us, that the same may bless us in the work that is before us." -
Franklin L. West, "Conference Report," April 1945, Evening Meeting, p.117
2/21/07
"The present-day world is threatened
by agencies of destruction. Darkness of mind, hearts shaken by impulses of
selfishness, the prevalence of error, evil, ignorance of that which is the right
and the wrong, corruption, sin, and wickedness, all these and more, now, as in
the historic past, constitute the means by which human society could destroy
itself. That such may not come to pass is the ardent hope of all who seek
righteousness as their way of life. Their seeking will not be in vain if they
turn to '...the kingdom of God and his righteousness...' (Matt.
6:33.) for a realization of their aspirations. All that the kingdom
represents is opposed to the destructive forces which I have enumerated. The
righteous, we are told, will inherit the earth. That condition will only be
attained when the kingdom of God, through its saving power will triumph over
evil and wickedness." - Delbert L. Stapley, Conference Report, April 1964,
Afternoon Meeting, p.136
3/11/07
"We must take a positive approach to our religion and literally make it a way of
life, a plan of daily action. We must reform ourselves day by day along gospel
lines, for this is the time of our probation and it is now that we must prepare
to meet our God. (See Alma
34:32.)" - Mark E. Petersen, "We
Believe in Being Honest," Ensign (CR), May 1982, p.14
5/17/07
"Now Latter-day Saints, what shall we do, conditions being what they are? Shall
we compromise our principles and standards, give up the struggle against sin and
evil and let life move on more smoothly in this sinful world? No, never. Our
faith is immovably based upon truth and reality—a living, personal God, who
through Joseph Smith and his associates, set up his Church, gave it principles,
laws, standards, and his priesthood (authority to act for him), thus qualifying
it to work for him and his righteous ways for the good, benefit, and blessing of
his children. But we need more faith in these realities, more devotion to the
cause which we are privileged to represent, stronger wills to resist the
allurements of evil, and more persistent, unselfish efforts to live righteously
every day. I repeat, our religion is a very practical thing, for it must enter
into every phase of our daily lives if we would live in harmony with its
teachings and receive the rewards of obedience." - Joseph F. Merrill,
"Conference Report," April 1949, First Day—Morning Session, p.29
8/6/07
"We marvel at the
numerous and varied discoveries that are achieved in the laboratories of
industry, in universities of learning, and through private research. If man
would concentrate the same degree of research in the laboratory of his soul, he
would discover life's purpose and God's way to attain eternal life. This should
be man's greatest and most important goal." - Delbert L. Stapley, "Conference
Report," October 1966, Third Day—Morning Meeting, p.112
8/14/07
"This 'religion'—with
its powers, with the keys, with the ordinances and principles of salvation—has
been on this earth from the very beginning. Indeed, the plan was laid in the
heavens before the foundations of this earth were laid. It is an everlasting
covenant. It is the gospel which did not begin with the coming of the Savior
upon the earth, and we accept the challenge and ours is the proud and great
responsibility to teach this to the nations of the earth, that down through time
the priesthood—the power of God on earth—the saving ordinances of the gospel
have been on the earth. It is true that in the past dispensations of the gospel,
the organization of the Church in the completeness with which we have it today
has not been here upon the earth. Today in the dispensation of the fulness of
times we have all that has been given in any other dispensation plus things
which have been hidden from all other dispensations, revealed to us in this, the
dispensation of the fulness of times." - "The Teachings of Harold B. Lee,"
edited by Clyde J. Williams, p.374
9/5/07
"Let's imagine
that you are terribly hungry when you are ushered into a room full of banquet
tables spread with many kinds of food. You are allowed to choose which foods to
eat....
"What is on the Lord's table? Love, good fun, uplifting music,
peaceful prayer, scriptures, smiles, learning, happy talk, warm hugs, good
friends, and service to others. This is where eternal joy can be found. That's
why in Primary you repeat the motto, 'I Will Follow God's Plan for Me.' Although
you will have disappointing days, and discouragement and sorrow along with the
good, if you follow God's plan, you will be feasting at the table of the Lord
where the spiritual satisfaction is far greater and lasts longer than the
physical satisfaction of food." - Michaelene P. Grassli, "Follow Him," Ensign (CR), November
1989, p.92
9/17/07
"Men who by search and
research discover the truths of the kingdom of heaven may have to abandon many
of their cherished traditions and even their theories of imperfect philosophy
and science if they would possess the pearl of great price, God's kingdom which,
with its standards, principles, ideals, and holy ordinances is the gospel plan
of life, salvation, exaltation, and glory." - Delbert L. Stapley, "Conference
Report," October 1965, First Day—Morning Meeting, p.13
10/9/07
"Peace and good
tidings; good tidings and peace. These are among the ultimate blessings that the
gospel of Jesus Christ brings a troubled world and the troubled people who live
in it, solutions to personal struggles and human sinfulness, a source of
strength for days of weariness and hours of genuine despair. This entire general
conference and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which convenes it
declare that it is the Only Begotten Son of God Himself who gives us this help
and this hope. Such assurance is as 'firm as the mountains around us.' (See
“Carry On,” Hymns, no. 255.)" -
Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom," Ensign (CR), November 1996, p.82
1/18/08
"The cure for our ills, I say again, is
religion. The outstanding need of the hour is the unselfishness of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. Men must learn to love one another. I pray for that day when every
man shall know every other man for every man's name will be brother. Under such
conditions we shall unitedly support the weak, and all will live in accordance
with the words of the Master. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that
Jesus is the Christ and all the world will know that if those who lack wisdom
will ask of God it shall be given unto them. May this happy day come soon...."
- Richard R. Lyman, "Conference
Report," April 1933, Second Day—Morning
Meeting, p.55
1/26/08
"To me, and I am sure to you, God's plan
is like a superhighway. This superhighway is built on solid rock; it is built
well above the fog-shrouded valleys; and it is built well above the swamps of
infidelity, selfishness, and immorality. The Lord himself has said, 'I
am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life.' (John
8:12.)" - Robert L. Simpson, "Conference
Report," April 1965, Afternoon Meeting,
p.133