Refer your friends to join The LDS Daily WOOL (Words Of Our Leaders)
(6/1/99)
"Freedom and liberty are precious gifts that come to us when we are
obedient to the laws of God and the whisperings of the Spirit. If we are to
avoid destruction, which was the fate of President McKay's horse Dandy and his
companion, fences or guardrails must be built beyond which we cannot go. The
fences which we must stay within are the principles of revealed truth. Obedience
to them makes us truly free to reach the potential and the glory which our
Heavenly Father has in store for us." — "Obedience: the Path to
Freedom," General Conference, April 1999
(7/23/99)
"In hard times we have a chance to reevaluate and reorder our priorities in
life. We learn what is most important to us. The way is open to strengthen faith
and testimony." — James E. Faust, "Reach Up For The Light," p.
80
(11/12/99)
"It is always appropriate in all family relationships to ask, 'What would
Jesus do?'" — "Happiness Is Having a Father Who Cares," General
Conference, October 1973
(11/13/99)
"I strongly counsel all who have membership in this church to follow the
teachings and counsel of those who now have the keys as prophets, seers, and
revelators. They are the ones who will inspire us to deal with the vicissitudes
of our time." — "The Keys That Never Rust," General Conference,
October 1994
(11/14/99)
"Many who think that life is unfair do not see things within the larger
vision of what the Savior did for us through the Atonement and the Resurrection.
Each of us has times of agony, heart-break, and despair when we must, like Job,
reach deep down inside to the bedrock of our faith. The depth of our belief in
the Resurrection and the Atonement of the Savior will, I believe, determine the
measure of courage and purpose with which we meet life's challenges." —
"Woman Why Weepest Thou," General Conference, October 1996
(11/15/99)
"Many years of listening to the tribulations of man have persuaded me that
the satisfaction of all desires is completely counterproductive to happiness.
Instant and unrestrained gratification is the shortest and most direct route to
unhappiness." — "Brigham Young University Speeches of the
Year," 1974, p. 319
(11/16/99)
"The dispensation of divine truth in which we now live, in distinction from
previous dispensations, will not be destroyed by apostasy." — "The
Prophetic Voice," General Conference, April 1996
(11/17/99)
"The best counsel I ever received about staying away from the edge came
when, as a young married man, President Harold B. Lee called me to be a member
of a bishopric. He said, 'From now on, you must not only avoid evil, but also
the appearance of evil.' He did not interpret that counsel. That was left to my
conscience." — "Acting for Ourselves and Not Being Acted Upon,"
General Conference, October 1995
(11/23/00)
"One of the advantages of having lived a long time is that you can often
remember when you had it worse. I am grateful to have lived long enough to have
known some of the blessings of adversity. My memory goes back to the Great
Depression, when we had certain values burned into our souls. One of these
values was gratitude for what we had because we had so little. We had to learn
provident living in order to survive. Rather than create in us a spirit of envy
or anger for what we did not have, it developed in many a spirit of gratitude
for the meager, simple things with which we were blessed, like hot homemade
bread and oatmeal cereal and many other things." — James E. Faust, "Gratitude
As a Saving Principle," Ensign, Dec. 1996, p. 2
(4/17/01)
"Believing involves faith and good works. We cannot be passive; we must
actively avoid evil. This means that we do not trifle with sacred things.
Families in this day and time should not only avoid evil but avoid the very
appearance of evil. To combat these influences families must have family prayer,
family home evening, and family scripture study." — James E. Faust, "Pioneers
of the Future: 'Be Not Afraid, Only Believe,'" Ensign, Nov. 1997, p. 45
(11/24/01)
"I have some fear, however, that some members consider guidelines and
procedures to be as important as the timeless, immutable laws of the gospel,
such as 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Rather than some legalistic definition
of adultery, the Savior's more enlightened direction is that the thought is
father to the deed: he that 'looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed
adultery with her already in his heart.'" — James
E. Faust, "The
Weightier Matters of the Law: Judgment, Mercy, and Faith," "Ensign,"
Nov. 1997, p. 53-54
(2/13/02)
"In my lifetime, there have been very few occasions when I questioned the
wisdom and inspiration given by key priesthood leaders. I have always tried to
follow their counsel, whether I agreed with it or not. I have come to know that
most of the time they were in tune with the Spirit and I was not. The safe
course is to sustain our priesthood leaders and let God judge their
actions." — James E.
Faust, "Power
of the Priesthood," Ensign, May 1997, p. 42
(3/16/02)
"A very encouraging portion of the ninth article of faith we have been
considering is its conclusion, 'We believe that He will yet reveal many great
and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.' Elder Boyd K. Packer,
now Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stated: 'Revelation
is a continuous principle in the Church. In one sense the Church is still being
organized. As light and knowledge are given, as prophecies are fulfilled and
more intelligence is received, another step forward can be taken' (The Holy
Temple [1980], 137)." — James E.
Faust, "Continuing
Revelation," Ensign, Aug. 1996, p. 6
(3/30/03)
"I warn you of a pervasive false doctrine. For want of a better name, I
call it 'premeditated repentance,' by which I mean consciously sinning with the
forethought that afterward repentance will permit the enjoyment of the full
blessings of the gospel, such as temple marriage or a mission. In an
increasingly wicked society, it is harder to toy with evil without becoming
contaminated." — James E. Faust,
"Finding Light in a Dark World," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1995], p. 105-106
(10/13/03)
"In my opinion, members of the Church have the most effective cure for our
decaying family life. It is for men, women, and children to honor and respect
the divine roles of both fathers and mothers in the home. In so doing, mutual
respect and appreciation among the members of the Church will be fostered by the
righteousness found there. In this way the great sealing keys restored by
Elijah, spoken of by Malachi, might operate 'to turn the hearts of the fathers
to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be
smitten with a curse.' (D&C
110:15; see also Mal. 4:6.)"
- James
E. Faust, "General Conference Reports," April 1993
(10/20/03)
"We can have a certain testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and Redeemer of mankind, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet commissioned to
restore the Church in our day and time without having a complete understanding
of all gospel principles. But when you pick up a stick you pick up both ends.
And so it is with the gospel. As members of the Church we need to accept all of
it. Even limited spiritual assurance of some of the aspects of the gospel is a
blessing, and in time the other elements of which you are uncertain can come
through faith and obedience." - James E. Faust, "Lord,
I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief," General Conference, 4 October 2003
(10/30/03)
"The process of finding our ancestors one by one can be challenging but
also exciting and rewarding. We often feel spiritual guidance as we go to the
sources which identify them. Because this is a very spiritual work, we can
expect help from the other side of the veil. We feel a pull from our relatives
who are waiting for us to find them so their ordinance work can be done. This is
a Christlike service because we are doing something for them that they cannot do
for themselves." - James E. Faust, "The
Phenomenon That Is You," General Conference, 4 October 2003
(12/19/03)
"What is the significance of the words of the Prophet Joseph that we will
'build temples to the Most High'? Why were all of these temples built at such
cost and sacrifice? Why are they still being built at an ever-increasing pace?
It is because the deepest questions of our existence are answered in the temple.
These answers tell us where we came from, why we are here, where we may go, and
how we may cope with the matter of death. This life makes no logical sense
unless we think in terms of the eternities. The transcendent blessings of life
and eternity are received within the sacred walls of the temple. The Savior's
supernal gift to mankind gave us the opportunity for eternal life, but eternal
life without our loved ones would be bleak." - James E. Faust, "Eternity
Lies Before Us," General Conference, April 1997
(12/22/03)
"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference
between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves-giving of
the riches of the heart and mind-and therefore more enduring and of far greater
worth than presents bought at the store.... The message of this season that is
applicable throughout the year lies not in the receiving of earthly presents and
treasures but in the forsaking of selfishness and greed and in going forward,
seeking and enjoying the gifts of the Spirit, which Paul said are 'love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law' (Gal. 5:22-23)." - James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, December
2001
(12/24/03)
"At the heart of the message of the Savior of the world is a single,
glorious, wonderful, still largely untried concept. In its simplest terms the
message is that we should seek to overcome the selfishness we all seem to be
born with, that we should overcome human nature and think of others before self.
We should think of God and serve Him, and think of others and serve them."
- James E. Faust, "A
Pattern of Love," Ensign, December 1999
(1/3/04)
"Brethren, we must never let the great powers of the holy priesthood of God
lie dormant in us. We are bound together in the greatest cause and the most
sacred work in all the world. To exercise these great powers, we must be clean
in thought and action. We must do nothing which would impair the full exercise
of this transcendent power." - James E. Faust, "Power
of the Priesthood," General Conference, April 1997
(2/5/04)
"We need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan's power. He can have no
power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm,
he will retreat. The Apostle James counseled: 'Submit yourselves therefore to
God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.' (James 4:7.) And Nephi states
that 'he hath no power over the hearts' of people who are righteous. (1 Ne. 22:26.)" - James
E. Faust, "Serving
the Lord and Resisting the Devil," Ensign, Sept. 1995, p. 6
(3/17/04)
"The first part of the ninth article of faith states, 'We believe all that
God has revealed.' Through the ages, God's messages to His children generally
have been revealed through prophets. Amos tells us, 'Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets' (Amos 3:7). These are the
prophetic oracles who have tuned in over the centuries to the 'celestial
transmitting station,' with a responsibility to relay the Lord's word to others.
The principal qualifications of a prophet in any age are not wealth, title,
position, physical stature, scholarship, or intellectual attainment. The two
qualifications are, first, a prophet must be called as such by God and ordained
by one known to have legal and spiritual authority (see D&C 42:11), and second, he
must receive and declare revelation from God. No man knows the ways of God
except they be revealed unto him (see Jacob 4:8)." - James E.
Faust, "Continuing
Revelation," Ensign, Aug. 1996, p. 4
(3/20/04)
"All scriptures are one in that they testify of Jesus. Jacob, a Book of
Mormon prophet, reminds us that 'none of the prophets have written, nor
prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ.' (Jacob 7:11.) Speaking of the
scriptures, the Psalmist said, 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light
unto my path.' (Ps. 119:105.)"
- James E. Faust, "The
Keystone of Our Religion," Ensign, Nov. 1983, pp. 10-11
(3/25/04)
"Why is it so necessary to follow those who have the keys of the
priesthood? That principle has guided this church and its people since the
beginning, and it is a principle of revelation. Among the members of the Church
have been the living oracles of God, who have held the keys to direct this holy
work. Without prophets, seers, and revelators, the Church and the kingdom of God
cannot grow and prosper." - James E. Faust, "The
Keys That Never Rust," Ensign, Nov. 1994, p. 73
(4/17/04)
"In one of the most classic confrontations in the Bible, the Lord asked
Cain, 'Where is Abel thy brother?' Cain answered, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' (Gen. 4:9). I put to each of us
that same query: Are we our brother's keeper? King Benjamin taught, 'Ye will
teach them to love one another, and to serve one another' (Mosiah 4:15). One of the
great transcending principles that we teach in the Church is that we're trying
to meet the needs of others. We talk frequently about service. Why? The needs of
the Saints aren't any different from those of anyone else, because we're just
people, and our needs are, above all else, primarily spiritual. Elder Marion D.
Hanks once said to a celebrated psychiatrist, 'In a word, tell me what you do
for people.' The psychiatrist said, 'In a word, what I do for people is to try
to convince them that God loves them.' Love is the first great need. How do we
know that? Because the Lord said so. The first commandment is to love God and
serve him, and the second is like unto it: love our fellowmen and serve them
(see Matt. 22:37-39).
So we know that one of the first principles of the gospel has to be
service." - James E. Faust, "Go
Bring Them In from the Plains," Ensign, July 1997, p. 2
(5/14/04)
"In this life we have to make many choices. Some are very important
choices. Some are not. Many of our choices are between good and evil. The
choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness or our
unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our choices.
Making perfect choices all of the time is not possible. It just doesn't happen.
But it is possible to make good choices we can live with and grow from. When
God's children live worthy of divine guidance they can become 'free forever,
knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon.' (2 Ne. 2:26)" - James E.
Faust, "Choices,"
General Conference, April 2004
(5/17/04)
"My first radio was a crystal set. It was hard to tune to the frequency of
a particular radio station. I had to literally scratch the receiving wire
whisker over the top of the rough crystal to find the right pinpoint, a little
valley or peak on the crystal where the signal was received. Just a millimeter
off on either side of that point and I would lose the signal and get scratchy
static. Over time, with patience and perseverance, good eyesight, and a steady
hand, I learned to find the signal point on the crystal without too much
difficulty. So it is with inspiration. We must attune ourselves to the
inspiration from God and tune out the scratchy static. We have to work at being
tuned in. Most of us need a long time to become tuned in. When I was a newly
called General Authority, President Marion G. Romney, who was in his 70s at the
time, told us, 'I know when I am working under the Spirit and when I am not.' To
be able to recognize when one is being guided by the Spirit is a supernal
gift." - James E. Faust, "Did
You Get the Right Message?" General Conference, April 2004
(6/26/04)
"The unfailing source of our hope is that we are sons and daughters of God
and that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, saved us from death. How can we know
that Jesus truly is our Savior and Redeemer? In human terms His reality is
almost undefinable, but His presence can be known unequivocally by the Spirit if
we continually seek to live under the shadow of His influence. In the Book of
Mormon we read the account of Aaron expounding the gospel to Lamoni's father. He
told him, 'If thou wilt bow down before God . and call on his name in faith,
believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou
desirest.' (Alma 22:16.)
The old king followed this to the letter and received a witness of the truth
that Aaron had imparted. As a result, he and all his household were converted
and came to know the Lord." - James E. Faust, "Hope,
an Anchor of the Soul," Ensign, November 1999, p. 60
(8/6/04)
"The fact that some members do not have functioning traditional families is
no reason to move in a direction that would diminish or abandon family
activities among those who can and should foster them. With the increased
onslaught of forces that cause families to disintegrate, we ought to dig in our
heels to preserve all that is great and good in the family. We are reminded that
in times of tribulations, the Nephites were not fighting for a political cause,
such as monarchy or power; rather, they 'were inspired by a better cause.' For
'they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their
children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.' (Alma 43:45.)" - James E.
Faust, "Where
Is the Church?" Ensign, August 1990, p. 66
(8/15/04)
"Generally, those children who make the decision and have the resolve to
abstain from drugs, alcohol, and illicit sex are those who have adopted and
internalized the strong values of their homes as lived by their parents. In
times of difficult decisions they are most likely to follow the teachings of
their parents rather than the example of their peers or the sophistries of the
media which glamorize alcohol consumption, illicit sex, infidelity, dishonesty,
and other vices. They are like Helaman's two thousand young men who "had
been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver
them" from death. 'And they rehearsed... the words of their mothers,
saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.' (Alma 56:47-48.)" -
James E. Faust, "The
Greatest Challenge in the World-Good Parenting," Ensign, November 1990,
p. 34
(9/10/04)
"Someone once said, 'If you come to a fork in the road, take it.' But it
doesn't work that way. The Savior said, 'No man can serve two masters: for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the
one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.' (Matt
6:24.) Today many of us are trying to serve two masters-the Lord and our own
selfish interests-without offending the devil. The influence of God, our Eternal
Father, urges us, pleads us, and inspires us to follow him. In contrast the
power of Satan urges us to disbelieve and disregard God's commandments." -
James E. Faust, "Serving
the Lord and Resisting the Devil," Ensign, September 1995, p. 2
(9/20/04)
"If performed in the right spirit, there is no higher worship than the
unpurchased service to another soul of whatever faith, belief, or social
stratum. The Savior of the world said it simply, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me' (Matt.
25:40)." - James E. Faust, "A
Second Birth," Ensign, June 1998, p. 5
(10/6/04)
"True disciples are those who go beyond simply believing. They act out
their belief. Said the Savior, 'If any man will do his will, he shall know of
the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself' (John
7:17). Disciples follow the Divine Master. Their actions speak in symphonic
harmony with their beliefs. They know who they are. They know what God expects
of them. They mirror inner peace and certainty concerning the mission and
resurrection of Christ. They hunger and thirst after righteousness. They know
they are here on this earth for a purpose. They understand life after death.
They believe that the transcendent event in the ministry of the Christ was the
Atonement, culminating in the Resurrection." - James E. Faust, "In the
Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust," [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1999], p. 290-291
(12/3/04)
"Joseph Smith has given us not only the message
of the divine Restoration but also the practical how-to steps to obtain personal
and divine communication. The young Joseph tells us of the confusion in his
life. Said he, 'I was laboring under... extreme difficulties' (JS-H
1:11
(3/1/05)
"How do revelation and inspiration operate? Each person has a built-in
'receiving set' which, when fine-tuned, can be a receiver of divine
communications. Said Job, 'There is a spirit in man: and... the Almighty giveth
them understanding' (Job 32:8).
It is possible, like Nephi, to be led completely by the Spirit, 'not knowing
beforehand' that which should be done (see 1
Ne. 4:6).
"How is inspiration received? Enos stated, 'And while I was thus struggling
in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind' (Enos
1:10). One does not necessarily hear an audible voice. The spirit of
revelation comes by divine confirmation. 'I will tell you in your mind and in
your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell
in your heart,' says the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C
8:2)." - James E. Faust, "Communion
with the Holy Spirit," Ensign, May 1980, p. 14
(3/18/05)
"In the Talmud we read that he who saves one life is as if he had saved an
entire world. Since the beginning of man, God has taught of an absolute respect
for human life. From the very first moment of one's being until the last breath
of his life, there is a veneration for life, which includes those in being but
not yet born. One wise teacher tells us, 'One human life is as precious as a
million lives, for each is infinite in value.' (Rabbi Immanuel Jacobovits.)"
- James E. Faust, "To Reach Even unto You" [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1980], p. 68
(4/22/05)
"Success is usually earned by persevering and not becoming discouraged when
we encounter challenges. Paul Harvey, the famous news analyst and author, once
said: 'Someday I hope to enjoy enough of what the world calls success so that
someone will ask me, "What's the secret of it?" I shall say simply
this: "I get up when I fall down." (Quoted in Marvin J. Ashton, in Conference
Report, Oct. 1981, p. 126)" - James E. Faust, "Perseverance,"
General Conference, April 2005
(4/24/05)
"We unavoidably stand in so many unholy places and are subjected to so much
that is vulgar, profane, and destructive of the Spirit of the Lord that I
encourage our Saints all over the world, wherever possible, to strive to stand
more often in holy places. Our most holy places are our sacred temples. Within
them is a feeling of sacred comfort. We should seek to be worthy to take our
families to the temple to be sealed together for eternity. We should also search
for the records of our kindred dead so that they too can be sealed to us in one
of the temples. We must strive for holiness by being 'an example of the
believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in
purity.' (1 Timothy 4:12.)
In this way we can maintain and strengthen our own individual relationship with
our God." - James E. Faust, "Standing
in Holy Places," General Conference, April 2005
(6/6/05)
"Great temporal and spiritual strength flows from following
those who have the keys of the kingdom of God in our time. Personal strength and
power result from obedience to eternal principles taught by the living legates
of the Lord. May the Spirit of God rest upon us as we follow the living
oracles." - James
E. Faust, "The
Keys That Never Rust," Ensign, Nov. 1994, 74
(6/15/05)
"I was born with partial color-blindness. I have learned to
love all of the people in the countries where I have been as a missionary,
soldier, or General Authority, regardless of the color of their skins. I hope to
be a disciple after the manner and example of President Kimball and the others
in their love for all, and especially for the humble, the downtrodden, the poor,
the afflicted, the needy, and the poor in spirit. I am mindful that if we forget
these, we can in no way be his disciples." - James E. Faust, "Response to the
Call," Ensign, Nov. 1978, 20
(8/7/05)
"Some time ago I
held in my hand my mother's copy of her favorite book. It was a timeworn copy of
the Book of Mormon. Almost every page was marked; in spite of tender handling,
some of the leaves were dog-eared, and the cover was worn thin. No one had to
tell her that one can get closer to God by reading the Book of Mormon than by
any other book. She was already there. She had read it, studied it, prayed over
it, and taught from it. As a young man I held her book in my hands and tried to
see, through her eyes, the great truths of the Book of Mormon to which she so
readily testified and which she so greatly loved....
"However, the Book of Mormon did not yield its profound message to me as an
unearned legacy. I question whether one can acquire an understanding of this
great book except through singleness of mind and strong purpose of heart. We
must ask not only if it is true, but also do it in the name of Christ.
"I can now see more clearly through the eyes of my own understanding what my
mother could see in her precious old worn-out copy of the Book of Mormon. I pray
that we may live in such a way as to merit and gain a testimony of and abide by
the great truths of the Book of Mormon. I testify that the keystone of our
religion is solidly in place, bearing the weight of truth as it moves through
all the earth." - James E. Faust, "We
Add Our Witness," Ensign, Mar. 1989, 7
(8/14/05)
"Many who think that life is unfair do not see things within
the larger vision of what the Savior did for us through the Atonement and the
Resurrection. Each of us has at times agony, heartbreak, and despair when we
must, like Job, reach deep down inside to the bedrock of our own faith. The
depth of our belief in the Resurrection and the Atonement of the Savior will, I
believe, determine the measure of courage and purpose with which we meet life’s
challenges." - James E. Faust, "Woman,
Why Weepest Thou?" Ensign, Nov. 1996, 52
(9/14/05)
"The requirements for temple attendance do not change from
place to place. Where a temple is available, priesthood authority gives no
greater or lesser blessings in one place than another. Temple worship is a
perfect example of our unity as Church members. All of us answer the same
questions of worthiness to enter the temple. In the temple, all the men dress
alike. All the women dress alike. We leave the cares of the world behind us as
we enter the temple. Everyone receives the same blessings. All make the same
covenants. All are equal before the Lord. Yet within our spiritual unity there
is wide room for everyone's individuality and expression. In that setting, all
are heirs to the kingdom of God. President Howard W. Hunter said it well: 'The
key to a unified church is a unified soul, one that is at peace with itself and
not given to inner conflicts and tensions.' ("That We Might Have Joy" (Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1994), p. 50.)" - James E. Faust, "Finding Light in a
Dark World" [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], p. 36-37
11/19/05
"As societies as a whole have decayed and lost
their moral identity and so many homes are broken, the best hope is to turn
greater attention and effort to the teaching of the next generation—our
children. In order to do this, we must first reinforce the primary teachers of
children. Chief among these are the parents and other family members, and the
best environment should be in the home. Somehow, some way, we must try harder to
make our homes stronger so that they will stand as sanctuaries against the
unwholesome, pervasive moral dry rot around us. Harmony, happiness, peace, and
love in the home can help give children the required inner strength to cope with
life's challenges." - James E. Faust, "The
Greatest Challenge in the World—Good Parenting," Ensign (CR), November 1990,
p.32
1/2/06
"The most difficult of all challenges given to us is, 'I would that ye should be
perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.' (3
Ne. 12:48.) Perfection is an eternal goal. While we cannot be perfect in
mortality, striving for it is a commandment, which ultimately, through the
Atonement, we can keep." - James E. Faust, "This
Is Our Day," Ensign (CR), May 1999, p.17
1/3/06
"In our desire to be broad-minded, to be
accepted, to be liked and admired, let us not trifle with the doctrines and the
covenants which have been revealed to us, nor with the pronouncements of those
who have been given the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. For all of us, the
words of Joshua ring with increasing relevance. 'Choose you this day whom ye
will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord' (Josh.
24:15)." - James E. Faust, "Keeping
Covenants and Honoring the Priesthood," Ensign (CR), November 1993, p.36
1/18/06
"To stay on the right track, we must honor
and sustain those who hold the presiding priesthood keys. We are reminded that
many are 'called, but few are chosen.' (D&C
121:34.) When are we chosen? We are chosen by the Lord only when we have
done our best to move this holy work forward through our consecrated efforts and
talents. Our efforts must always be guided by the righteous principles set forth
by the Lord in the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants..." - James E.
Faust, "I
Believe I Can, I Knew I Could," Ensign (CR), November 2002, p.49
1/19/06
"Many prayers are spoken while we are on
our knees. The Savior knelt as He prayed to the Father in the Garden of
Gethsemane. (See Luke 22:41.)
But silent prayers of the heart also reach to heaven. We sing, 'Prayer is the
souls sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed.' (Hymns, no. 145.) Sincere prayers
come from the heart. Indeed, sincerity requires that we draw from the earnest
feelings of our hearts when we pray rather than using vain repetitions or
pretentious affectations such as those condemned by the Savior in the parable of
the Pharisee and the publican. (See
Luke 18:10-14.) Our
prayers then truly become the 'song of the heart' and a 'prayer,' (D&C
25:12.) not only reaching God but touching the hearts of others as well." -
James E. Faust, "The
Lifeline of Prayer," Ensign (CR), May 2002, p.59
2/27/06
"We are told that 'many are called, but few
are chosen.' (D&C 121:40.)
One who is chosen is one who is the object of divine favor.... [H]ow may we be
chosen? We may be chosen only when we are chosen by God. 'Ye have not chosen me,
but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth
fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name, he may give it [to] you.' (John
15:16.) This happens only when the heart and soul are transformed, when we
have striven with all our heart, might, mind, and soul to keep all of the
commandments of God." - James E. Faust, "Power
of the Priesthood," Ensign (CR), May 1997, p.41
2/28/06
"We must try harder to be a holy people. We live in the fulness of times. So
much has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. This places upon us a
special relationship to the Lord. We are the beneficiaries, guardians, and
caretakers of these responsibilities under the delegation, authority, and
direction of President Hinckley, who holds all the keys. As children of the Lord
we should strive every day to rise to a higher level of personal righteousness
in all of our actions. We need to guard constantly against all of Satan's
influences." - James E. Faust, "Standing
in Holy Places," Ensign (CR), April 2005
3/9/06
"Through the ages, God's messages to his children generally have been revealed
through prophets. Amos tells us, 'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he
revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.' (Amos
3:7.) These are the prophetic oracles who have tuned in over the centuries
to the 'celestial transmitting station,' with a responsibility to relay the
Lord's word to others. The principal qualifications of a prophet in any age are
not wealth, title, position, physical stature, scholarship, or intellectual
attainment. The two qualifications are that a prophet must be called as such by
God, by open prophecy, and ordained by one known to have legal and spiritual
authority, and he must receive and declare revelation from God. (See
D&C 42:11.) No man knows the
ways of God except they be revealed unto him. (See
Jacob 4:8.)" - James E.
Faust, "Continuous
Revelation," Ensign (CR), November 1989, p.8
4/9/06
"In the celestial glory, we are told, 'God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain.' (Rev.
21:4.) Then faith and hope will replace heartache, disappointment, torment,
anguish, and despair, and the Lord will give us strength, as Alma says, 'that we
should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of
Christ.' (Alma 31:38.) Of
this I have a testimony, and I so declare it in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
- James E. Faust, "Spiritual
Healing," Ensign (CR), May 1992, p.6
5/9/06
"How should those who bear the priesthood treat their wives and the other women
in their family? Our wives need to be cherished. They need to hear their
husbands call them blessed, and the children need to hear their fathers
generously praise their mothers (see
Prov. 31:28). The Lord
values his daughters just as much as he does his sons. In marriage, neither is
superior; each has a different primary and divine responsibility. Chief among
these different responsibilities for wives is the calling of motherhood. I
firmly believe that our dear faithful sisters enjoy a special spiritual
enrichment which is inherent in their natures." - James E. Faust, "Keeping
Covenants and Honoring the Priesthood," Ensign (CR), November 1993, p.36
5/29/06
"The gift of the Holy Ghost comes after one repents and becomes worthy. It is
received after baptism by the laying on of hands by those who have the
authority. On the day of Pentecost, Peter instructed those who had previously
been touched spiritually by the Holy Ghost, 'Repent, and be baptized every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' (Acts
2:38.) Those possessing the gift of the Holy Ghost can come to a greater
light and testimony. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth and impresses
upon the soul the reality of God the Father and the son Jesus Christ so deeply
that no earthly power or authority can separate him from that knowledge. (See
2 Ne. 31:18.)" - James E.
Faust, "The
Gift of the Holy Ghost—A Sure Compass," Ensign (CR), May 1989, p.31
9/22/06
"I believe that earthly crowns such as power, the love of money, the
preoccupation with material things, the honors of men are a crown of thorns
because they are based upon obtaining and receiving rather than giving. So
selfishness can make what we think is a noble crown into a crown of thorns
beyond our power to endure. When I first started my professional career, one of
the senior members in our office asked another senior member for some help on a
legal matter. The other man who was asked to help was gifted and able but also
selfish. He replied, 'What's in it for me.' The 'what's in it for me?'
philosophy is basically what's wrong with the world. It is surely one of the
sharpest points in a crown of thorns." - James E. Faust, "A
Crown of Thorns, a Crown of Glory," Ensign (CR), May 1991, p.68
10/14/06
"What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior. Discipleship
includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is family home evening.
It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking anything that is not good
for us. Everything in life has a price. Considering the Savior's great promise
for peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come, discipleship is a
price worth paying. It is a price we cannot afford not to pay. By measure, the
requirements of discipleship are much, much less than the promised blessings." -
James E. Faust, "Discipleship,"
Ensign, November 2006
10/25/06
"Our most important spiritual nutrient is a testimony that God is our Eternal
Father, that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, and that the Holy Ghost is our
Comforter. This testimony is confirmed to us by the gift of the Holy Ghost. From
this testimony we derive the spiritual nutrients of faith and trust in God,
which bring forth the blessings of heaven. Spiritual nutrients come to us from
various sources..." - James E. Faust, "Spiritual
Nutrients," Ensign, November 2006
11/19/06
"There is a defense mechanism to discern between good and evil. It is called
conscience. It is our spirits natural response to the pain of sin, just like
pain in our flesh is our body's natural response to a wound—even a small sliver.
Conscience strengthens through use. Paul told the Hebrews, 'But strong meat
belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have
their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.' (Heb.
5:14.) Those who have not exercised their conscience have their conscience
'seared with a hot iron.' (1
Tim. 4:2.) A sensitive conscience is a sign of a healthy spirit." - James E.
Faust, "A
Crown of Thorns, a Crown of Glory," Ensign (CR), May 1991, p.68
4/17/07
"We are all accountable for our
actions. My experience as a lawyer taught me that those who follow a life of
crime frequently blame their father or mother or society when they are
imprisoned. Yet they willfully chose to act 'contrary to the nature of God' and
consequently are 'in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.' (Alma
41:11.) Some of them even claim, 'The devil made me do it!' The truth in
that statement is that the devil entices us to do evil.(See
Moroni 7:12.) The falsehood
is because we have agency. The devil can't make us do anything we choose not to
do. (See James 1:12–15;
4:7.)
"Snares and pitfalls can come to all of us, whether in our youth, middle age, or
old age. As someone once observed, 'In youth we run into difficulties; in old
age difficulties run into us.' (Josh Billings, in Evan Esar, ed., Dictionary of
Humorous Quotations (1962), 36.) The increased permissiveness of our society
will require us to hold very tightly to the iron rod of righteousness in order
to receive the blessings and protection of the Lord. There is great danger in
trifling with Satan's temptations. We will need to guard against all forms of
evil all of the days of our lives." - James E. Faust, "Message
to My Grandsons," General Conference, April 2007
4/20/07
"Let us remember that we need to
forgive to be forgiven. In the words of one of my favorite hymns, 'Oh, forgive
as thou wouldst be e'en forgiven now by me.' ("Reverently
and Meekly Now," Hymns, no. 185.) With all my heart and soul, I believe in
the healing power that can come to us as we follow the counsel of the Savior "to
forgive all men.' (D&C 64:10.)"
- James E. Faust, "The
Healing Power of Forgiveness," General Conference, April 2007
6/5/07
"We also need to prepare our own
seedbed of faith. To do this we need to plow the soil through daily humble
prayer, asking for strength and forgiveness. We need to harrow the soil by
overcoming our feelings of pride. We need to prepare the seedbed by keeping the
commandments to the best of our ability. We need to be honest with the Lord in
the payment of our tithing and our other offerings. We need to be worthy and
able to call forth the great powers of the priesthood to bless ourselves, our
families, and others for whom we have responsibility. There is no better place
for the spiritual seeds of our faith to be nurtured than within the hallowed
sanctuaries of our temples and in our homes." - James E. Faust, "Of Seeds and
Soils," Ensign (CR), November 1999, p.46
8/10/07 (on the day of
his passing)
"My beloved brothers and sisters and friends, I
have lived a long time. As I look back over my life, I recognize one source of
singular strength and blessing. It is my testimony and knowledge that Jesus is
the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind. I am profoundly grateful
that all of my life I have had a simple faith that Jesus is the Christ. That
witness has been confirmed to me hundreds of times. It is the crowning knowledge
of my soul. It is the spiritual light of my being. It is the cornerstone of my
life." - James E. Faust, "A Growing Testimony," Ensign (CR), November 2000,
p.53
8/22/07
"Today many
people are obsessed with the Y2K problem and worry about the date coming up
right because of the way computers measure time. As someone once said about
time: '[It] changes with time: in youth, time marches on; in middle age, time
flies; and in old age, time runs out.' (Evan Esar, comp., '20,000 Quips and
Quotes' (1995), 812.) We have come to rely on electronics for much of our daily
work, and we are naturally concerned about the need to reprogram computers to
move into the next century. While some glitches may occur, I am optimistic that
no great catastrophic computer breakdown will disrupt society as we move into
the next century. I have a far greater fear of the disruption of the traditional
values of society.
"Indeed, I am more concerned about the failure of our
moral computers of honesty, integrity, decency, civility, and sexual purity. How
many people today are truly incorruptible? So many get caught up in waves of
popular issues and tides of rhetoric. This breakdown of moral values is
happening because we are separating the teachings of God from personal conduct.
An honorable man or woman will personally commit to live up to certain
self-imposed expectations, with no need of an outside check or control. I would
hope that we can load our moral computers with three elements of integrity:
dealing justly with oneself, dealing justly with others, and recognizing the law
of the harvest." - James E. Faust, "This Is Our Day," Ensign (CR), May 1999,
p.17
9/25/07
"We are
bombarded on all sides by a vast number of messages we don't want or need. More
information is generated in a single day than we can absorb in a lifetime. To
fully enjoy life, all of us must find our own breathing space and peace of mind.
How can we do this? There is only one answer. We must rise above the evil that
encroaches upon us. We must follow the counsel of the Lord, who said, 'It is my
will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine
everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places.'
(D&C
101:22.)" - James E. Faust, "Standing in Holy Places,"
Ensign (CR), May 2005
11/24/07
"This is not a
passive life. The word of God constantly sets before us images of vigor and
action and power, which image under his benign guidance can be directed and
controlled. 'Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make
one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?' Paul asked the Romans.
(Romans
9:21.) Thomas E. McKay, speaking of his brother David O.
McKay, said, 'As children, we swam in the cold streams around Huntsville. David
would be the first in the chilling water and shout to the rest of us standing
fearfully on the bank, 'Come on in, the water is fine.' ' There comes a time
when we must jump in the cold water no matter how foreboding." - James E. Faust,
"To Reach Even unto You," p.44
12/2/07
"The gap between
what is popular and what is righteous is widening. As prophesied by Isaiah, many
today 'call evil good, and good evil.' (Isa.
5:20.) Revelations from the prophets of God are not like
offerings at the cafeteria, some to be selected and others disregarded. We are
greatly indebted to the Prophet Joseph Smith for the many great revelations
which came through him. He was without peer in restoring spiritual knowledge.
(See D&C
135:3.)" - James E. Faust, "Lord, I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief," Ensign
(CR), November 2003, p.19
12/27/07
"As the Prophet
Joseph indicated, this is our day and time. I believe the future holds
greater blessings for mankind than ever before. I rejoice in this great
outpouring of spiritual knowledge, when 'the
earth [is being] filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the
waters cover the sea.' (Hab.
2:14.) Knowledge and intelligence are dropping 'as
the gentle rain from heaven' (William
Shakespeare, 'The Merchant of Venice,' act 4, scene 1, 185. See also
Deut. 32:2.) to
bless all of our lives. We should seize every opportunity to move forward in
faith, looking beyond the year 2000 into a future bright with hope,
acknowledging that all good gifts come by divine providence. With such
increased knowledge comes a higher responsibility. If we work hard, wisely
manage our personal stewardships, and live providently, the Lord will
prosper us in our use of this heightened knowledge to advance His holy work."
- James E. Faust, "This
Is Our Day," Ensign (CR), May
1999, p.17
3/21/08
"We long for the ultimate blessing of
the Atonement—to become one with Him, to
be in His divine presence, to be called individually by name as He warmly
welcomes us home with a radiant smile, beckoning us with open arms to be
enfolded in His boundless love. (See
Alma 26:15;
Morm. 5:11;
Morm. 6:17;
Moses 7:63.) How
gloriously sublime this experience will be if we can feel worthy enough to be in
His presence! The free gift of His great atoning sacrifice for each of us is the
only way we can be exalted enough to stand before Him and see Him face-to-face.
The overwhelming message of the Atonement is the perfect love the Savior has for
each and all of us. It is a love which is full of mercy, patience, grace,
equity, long-suffering, and, above all, forgiving."
- James E. Faust, "The
Atonement: Our Greatest Hope,"
Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.18
5/13/08
"The
Lord entrusts all of His servants, including every priesthood holder, with
spiritual talents. The Lord, who endows us with these talents, tells us: 'I
believe you can. I believe you can.'
While we are not all equal in experience, aptitude, and strength, we have
different opportunities to employ these spiritual gifts, and we will all be
accountable for the use of the gifts and opportunities given to us."
- James E. Faust, "I
Believe I Can, I Knew I Could," Ensign (CR), November 2002, p.49
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