The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(4/6/98)
"Our lives can become cluttered by many things. Some are obvious, such as
material things, the stuff we collect. I really wish I were able to give a lesson on
how to prioritize the material things-how to sort them, dispose of some, and put the rest
in order-but I'm not qualified.... But how well I know that we can surround ourselves with
the material things to the extent that we have no time for the spiritual. Look
around and you will see all the gadgets and toys and the nice and the fun things that
cause us to squander and pay and to wander and play." — William R. Bradford, Unclutter
Your Life, General Conference, April 1992
(4/7/98)
"When this people are prepared to properly use the riches of this world for the
building up of the Kingdom of God, He is ready and willing to bestow them upon us. I like
to see men get rich by their industry, prudence, management and economy, and then devote
it to the building up of the Kingdom of God upon the earth." — Brigham Young, Journal
of Discourses 2:114-15
(4/8/98)
"The Lord did not intend us to be a poverty-stricken people. One of the last
sermons that I heard President Joseph F. Smith preach was over in the temple to a select
company, and I remember distinctly his saying on that occasion, the Lord never intended
the Latter-day Saints to be a poverty-stricken and destitute people. He intended that
their goodness should entitle them to inherit the good things of earth if they were used
properly.... He did not say that it could be accomplished without hard work.... Do not get
the idea, my brothers and sisters, that we have a quarrel with wealth if it is
legitimately acquired. It is the utilization of wealth which is often subject to
criticism." — Stephen L. Richards, Where Is Wisdom?, pp. 57-58
(4/9/98)
"Men are greedy for the vain things of this world. In their hearts they are
covetous. It is true that the things of this world are designed to make us comfortable,
and they make some people as happy as they can be here; but riches can never make the
Latter-day Saints happy. Riches of themselves cannot produce permanent happiness; only the
Spirit that comes from above can do that.... A man or a woman who places the wealth of
this world and the things of time in the scales against the things of God and the wisdom
of eternity, has no eyes to see, no ears to hear, no heart to understand. What are riches
for? For blessings, to do good. Then let us dispense that which the Lord gives us to the
best possible use for the building up of his Kingdom, for the promotion of the truth on
the earth, that we may see and enjoy the blessings of the Zion of God here upon this
earth." — Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 306-7
(4/10/98)
"May we say it again one last time. 'A person's greatness is measured not by her
personal wealth or his professional standing, but by the strength of his devotion to
principle ... by the values that ... define her character.'" — Elder Jeffrey and
Patricia Holland, "Unless You're a Mormon", BYU Speeches of the Year, 9
September 1986
(12/3/00)
"The adversary is delighted when we act like sightseers, meaning
those who are hearers rather than doers of the word (see James 1:22), or
shoppers, meaning those preoccupied with the vain things of this world that
suffocate our spirits. Satan baits us with perishable pleasures and
preoccupations—our bank accounts, our wardrobes, even our waistlines—for he
knows that where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also (see Matt.
6:21). Unfortunately, it is easy to let the blinding glare of the
adversary’s enticements distract us from the light of Christ. 'For what is a
man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?'
(Matt. 16:26)." — Sheri L. Dew, "We Are
Women of God," Ensign, Nov. 1999, p. 97
(12/4/00)
"We are often unaware of the distractions which push us in a material
direction and keep us from a Christ-centered focus. In essence we let
celestial goals get sidetracked by telestial distractions." — Quentin L. Cook, "Rejoice!", Ensign,
Nov. 1996, p. 29
(12/5/00)
"Worldly success—almost always measured in [page 21] terms of financial
success—is sometimes justified by such statements as: 'But look how much
good his money does. Does it matter if his motivation is wrong?' The answer,
of course, is yes, it does matter. One of the reasons the world’s
preoccupation with financial success fails is that it tends to breed
selfishness. First and foremost is the desire to get what I want—cars,
houses, swimming pools, jewelry, and so on. These efforts to gain 'the good
life' for 'me and mine' may lead one to think, 'I worked hard for this; I
deserve it. If others were more ambitious, they could have it too' (implying
the poor are such because they are unwilling to work). This attitude leaves
one reluctant to go without so another with less might have. It dulls the
spirit of sacrifice and feeds a spirit of avarice, self-aggrandizement, and
pride." — Quinn G. McKay, "All That
Glitters Isn’t Celestial," Ensign, June 1987, p. 21
(12/6/00)
"Be aware that things that seem all-important to you now will not matter in
years to come. But you can choose now to want things that are in harmony
with eternity. For example, you can choose to be righteous rather than waste
your time on perishable things; you can choose to serve willingly rather
than selfishly. Elder Marion D. Hanks has often quoted the wise saying that
'the things that matter most must not be at the mercy of the things that
matter least.' The choices we make in this life have a very important
influence on our eternity." — Jack H.
Goaslind, "Yagottawanna," Ensign, May 1991, p. 46
(12/7/00)
"The practice of coveting and receiving unearned benefits has now become so
fixed in our society that even men of great wealth, and possessing the means
to produce more wealth, are expecting the government to guarantee them a
profit. Elections often turn on what the candidates promise to do for voters
from government funds. This practice, if universally accepted and
implemented in any society, will make slaves of its citizens."
— Marion G. Romney, "In Mine Own Way,"
Ensign, Nov. 1976, p. 124
8/4/09
“It is not enough to
acknowledge the Lord as supreme and refrain from worshiping idols; we should
love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, realizing the great
joy he has in the righteousness of his children.” -
Spencer W. Kimball, “Hold Fast to the Iron Rod,” Ensign (CR), November 1978, p.
4