(11/02/02)
"Do you remember what Joseph Smith was praying for when he went to the Sacred Grove? He said, 'I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God' (JS-H 1:15). And it was the desires of his heart that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ answered. The reason Joseph Smith had the courage to go to that grove in the first place was because of James's encouraging promise that when we lack, we can ask God, who giveth 'liberally' to all 'and upbraideth not' (James 1:5). Don't you love the generosity of that term? Liberally. With no scolding." — Chieko N. Okazaki, "Disciples," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], p. 17 - 18

(11/03/02)
"The testimonies of President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Howard W. Hunter, and President Ezra Taft Benson are representative of all our modern prophets back to the First Vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. (See JSH 1:16-17). President Benson proclaimed that 'no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the resurrection of the Master.... Nothing in history equals that dramatic announcement: 'He is not here, but is risen.''" — "Prophets of All Ages Testify of Reality of Savior's Resurrection," "LDS Church News," 1995, 09/09/95

(11/04/02)
"'It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom,' the Prophet said, 'else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?' (JS-H 1:20.) Why indeed? Why should so many religionists unite against an unknown youth of no renown or standing in the community? Would the whole sectarian world shiver and shake and call for a sword if some other unknown fourteen-year-old youth in an obscure frontier village should claim that he was visited by angels and that he saw the Lord? The problem when Joseph Smith announced such a claim was that it was true and that Lucifer knew of its verity." — Bruce R. McConkie, "A New Witness for the Articles of Faith," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], p. 8

(11/05/02)
"Prayer in the hour of need is a great boon. From simple trials to our Gethsemanes, prayer can put us in touch with God, our greatest source of comfort and counsel. 'Pray always, that you may come off conqueror' (D&C 10:5D&C 10:5)-persistent prayer. 'Exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me' is how the young Joseph Smith describes the method which he used in the Sacred Grove to keep the adversary from destroying him. (JS~H 1:16JS-H 1:16.) This is also a key to use in keeping depression from destroying us." — Ezra Taft Benson, "Do Not Despair," "Peace," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], p. 136