1/13/04
"Good Samaritanism starts in the home as parents teach children by example and precept. Acts of assistance, kindness, and concern among family members reinforce the desire to 'go, and do thou likewise.' (Luke 10:37)" - H. David Burton, "Go, and Do Thou Likewise," General Conference, April 1997

3/25/04
"President Wilford Woodruff recalled a meeting at which the Prophet Joseph Smith said to Brigham Young, 'Brother Brigham I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the written oracles and the written word of God.' Brigham Young is reported to have laid the scriptures, one by one, before him and then indicated he felt the words of the living prophet were more important than the writings before him because the words of the living oracles convey the word of God to us in our day. President Woodruff went on to say, 'When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation: Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth' (in Conference Report, Oct. 1897, pp. 22-23)." - H. David Burton, "I Will Go," Ensign, Nov. 1995, p. 43

8/17/05
"A successful baseball pitcher is able to hurl the ball with velocity and accuracy. His pitches are disguised in order to deceive the batter. A pitcher, by changing his grip on the ball or the way he releases it from his hand, makes the ball curve, slide, drop, wobble, or slow down as it approaches the batter. In baseball, good pitchers, like Nolan Ryan, are masters at deceiving batters.

"In life, he who is the greatest deceiver of all has tremendous influence. He has many names but is best known as Satan, or the devil. And he knows that 'ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.' (1 Pet. 2:9.)

"Make no mistake about it, my young brethren, Satan is the commander in chief of deception. He is not satisfied with just taking prisoners; he wants the souls of men. One of his insidious strategies is to progressively soften our senses regarding what is right and wrong. Satan would have us convinced it is fashionable to lie and cheat. He encourages us to view pornography by suggesting that it prepares us for the real world. He would have us believe immorality is an attractive way of life and that obedience to the commandments of our Father in Heaven is old-fashioned. Satan constantly bombards us with deceptive propaganda desirably packaged and carefully disguised. Satan creates false heroes which, if emulated, will lead us to the depths of sin." - H. David Burton, "Heroes," Ensign, May 1993, 46

8/18/05
"The season of opportunity that awaits us today, in temple service, is different from that of the past. We are not expected to pound nails, carve stone, mill lumber, pour concrete, or physically participate in the construction of temples. We are, however, extended a marvelous opportunity to faithfully pay our tithes so temple construction and the work of the Lord may go forward. We are also challenged to be worthy to offer ourselves in the service of providing sacred saving ordinances for those who have preceded us. Very simply stated, the great opportunity of Latter-day Saint families is to see that the lights of our temples burn early and late in the day. Perhaps we could create the need for them to burn all night as they do presently on weekends in several temples." - H. David Burton, "A Season of Opportunity," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 11

12/26/05
"In a recent training meeting for stake and ward councils held as a part of a stake conference I attended, well-prepared presentations centered on the opportunities to be inclusive rather than exclusive in reaching out and touching new and less-active individuals, as well as those not members of our church. Sister Laura Chipman, a stake Young Women president, suggested five Is to help us to be inclusive in our outreach. They are: (1) Introspection—Are we inadvertently communicating an exclusionary attitude? (2) Identify—Do we know the recently baptized, the less-active, or nonmembers who reside in our neighborhoods and communities? (3) Individualize—Do we seek to know the interests, talents, and skills of those we wish to fellowship? (4) Invite—Do we include neighbors and friends in appropriate activities? (5) Involve—Are there ways we can utilize the skills, talents, and abilities of those we wish to include?" - H. David Burton, "A Season of Opportunity," Ensign (CR), November 1998, p.9