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(5/1/05)
"We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord's tender
mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender
mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled
times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the
solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to
attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason
cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of
life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a
desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone,
truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty
even unto the power of deliverance (see 1
Nephi 1:20)." - David A. Bednar, "The
Tender
Mercies of the Lord," General Conference, April 2005
3/24/06
"Recall how the Savior instructed His Apostles that He would not leave
them comfortless. Not only would He send 'another Comforter' (John
14:16), even the Holy Ghost, but the Savior said that He would come
to them (see John
14:18). Let me suggest that one of the ways whereby the Savior comes
to each of us is through His abundant and tender mercies. For instance, as
you and I face challenges and tests in our lives, the gift of faith and an
appropriate sense of personal confidence that reaches beyond our own
capacity are two examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. Repentance
and forgiveness of sins and peace of conscience are examples of the tender
mercies of the Lord. And the persistence and the fortitude that enable us
to press forward with cheerfulness through physical limitations and
spiritual difficulties are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord." -
David A. Bednar, "The
Tender Mercies of the Lord," Ensign (CR), May 2005
11/4/06
"Understanding that the Church is a learning laboratory helps us to
prepare for an inevitable reality. In some way and at some time, someone
in this Church will do or say something that could be considered
offensive. Such an event will surely happen to each and every one of
us—and it certainly will occur more than once. Though people may not
intend to injure or offend us, they nonetheless can be inconsiderate and
tactless.
"You and I cannot control the intentions or behavior of other people.
However, we do determine how we will act. Please remember that you and I
are agents endowed with moral agency, and we can choose not to be
offended." - David A. Bednar, "And
Nothing Shall Offend Them," Ensign, November 2006
4/10/07
"We are instructed to 'come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny
[ourselves] of all ungodliness' (Moroni
10:32), to become 'new creature[s]' in Christ (see 2
Corinthians 5:17), to put off 'the natural man' (Mosiah
3:19), and to experience 'a mighty change in us, or in our hearts,
that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually' (Mosiah
5:2). Please note that the conversion described in these verses is
mighty, not minor—a spiritual rebirth and fundamental change of what we
feel and desire, what we think and do, and what we are. Indeed, the
essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent
change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon 'the
merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah' (2
Nephi 2:8). As we choose to follow the Master, we choose to be
changed—to be spiritually reborn." - David A. Bednar, "Ye
Must Be Born Again," General Conference, April 2007
11/4/07
"We will not attain a state of perfection in this life, but we can and
should press forward with faith in Christ along the strait and narrow path
and make steady progress toward our eternal destiny. The Lord's pattern
for spiritual development is 'line upon line, precept upon precept, here a
little and there a little' (2
Nephi 28:30). Small, steady, incremental spiritual improvements are
the steps the Lord would have us take. Preparing to walk guiltless before
God is one of the primary purposes of mortality and the pursuit of a
lifetime; it does not result from sporadic spurts of intense spiritual
activity." - David A. Bednar, "Clean
Hands and a Pure Heart," General Conference, 7 October 2007
5/4/08
"I long have been impressed with the truth that meaningful prayer requires
both holy communication and consecrated work. Blessings require some
effort on our part before we can obtain them, and prayer, as 'a form
of work, ... is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of
all blessings' (Bible Dictionary, "Prayer,"
753). We press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer,
after we say 'amen,' by acting upon the things we have expressed to
Heavenly Father." - David A. Bednar, "Ask
in Faith," General Conference, April 2008
6/2/08
"The Spirit of the Lord can be our guide and will bless us with direction,
instruction, and spiritual protection during our mortal journey. We invite
the Holy Ghost into our lives through meaningful personal and family
prayer, feasting upon the words of Christ, diligent and exacting
obedience, faithfulness and honoring of covenants, and through virtue,
humility, and service. And we steadfastly should avoid things that are
immodest, coarse, crude, sinful, or evil that cause us to withdraw
ourselves from the Holy Ghost." - David A. Bednar, "That
We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us," CR April 2006
10/27/08
"The most meaningful and spiritual prayers I have experienced contained
many expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests. As I am blessed now
to pray with apostles and prophets, I find among these modern-day leaders
of the Savior's Church the same characteristic that describes Captain
Moroni in the Book of Mormon: these are men whose hearts swell with
thanksgiving to God for the many privileges and blessings which He bestows
upon His people (see Alma
48:12). Also, they do not multiply many words, for it is given unto
them what they should pray, and they are filled with desire (see 3
Nephi 19:24). The prayers of prophets are childlike in their
simplicity and powerful because of their sincerity." - David A. Bednar, "Pray
Always," General Conference, October 2008
4/12/09
"We are instructed to 'come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and
deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness' (Moroni
10:32), to become 'new creature[s]' in Christ (see 2
Corinthians 5:17), to put off 'the natural man' (Mosiah
3:19), and to experience 'a mighty change in us, or in our
hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good
continually' (Mosiah 5:2).
Please note that the conversion described in these verses is mighty, not
minor—a spiritual rebirth and fundamental change of what we feel and
desire, what we think and do, and what we are. Indeed, the essence of the
gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our
very nature made possible through our reliance upon 'the merits, and
mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah' (2
Nephi 2:8). As we choose to follow the Master, we choose to be
changed—to be spiritually reborn." - David A. Bednar, "Ye
Must Be Born Again," CR April 2007
7/8/09
"Taking 'the Holy Spirit for [our] guide' (D&C
45:57) is possible and is essential for our spiritual growth and
survival in an increasingly wicked world. Sometimes as Latter-day Saints
we talk and act as though recognizing the influence of the Holy Ghost in
our lives is the rare or exceptional event. We should remember, however,
that the covenant promise is that we may always have His Spirit to be with
us. This supernal blessing applies to every single member of the Church
who has been baptized, confirmed, and instructed to 'receive the Holy
Ghost.'" - David A. Bednar, "That
We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us," Ensign (CR) May 2006
10/3/09
"Cured cucumbers are packed into sterilized jars and heat processed in
order to remove impurities and to seal the containers from external
contaminants. The boiling-water-bath procedure enables the pickles to be
both protected and preserved over a long period of time. In a similar way,
we progressively become purified and sanctified as you and I are washed in
the blood of the Lamb, are born again, and receive the ordinances and
honor the covenants that are administered by the authority of the
Melchizedek Priesthood." - David A. Bednar, "Ye
Must Be Born Again," CR, April 2007
11/7/09
"As we strive to make our prayers more meaningful, we should remember that
'in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled,
save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his
commandments' (D&C
59:21). Let me recommend that periodically you and I offer a prayer
in which we only give thanks and express gratitude. Ask for nothing;
simply let our souls rejoice and strive to communicate appreciation with
all the energy of our hearts." - David A. Bednar, "Pray
Always," (CR) October 2008
12/11/09
"The relationship between testimony and appropriate action is emphasized
in the Savior's instruction to the Saints in Kirtland: 'That which the
Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do' (D&C
46:7). Our testimony of gospel truth should be reflected both in our
words and in our deeds. And our testimonies are proclaimed and lived most
powerfully in our own homes. Spouses, parents, and children should strive
to overcome any hesitancy, reluctance, or embarrassment about bearing
testimony. We should both create and look for opportunities to bear
testimony of gospel truths—and live them." – David A. Bednar, "More
Diligent and Concerned at Home," Ensign (CR) November 2009
8/15/10
"Giving a man a fish feeds him for one meal. Teaching a man to fish feeds
him for a lifetime. As parents and gospel instructors, you and I are not
in the business of distributing fish; rather, our work is to help our
children learn 'to fish' and to become spiritually steadfast. This vital
objective is best accomplished as we encourage our children to act in
accordance with correct principles—as we help them to learn by doing. 'If
any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of
God' (John 7:17).
Such learning requires spiritual, mental, and physical exertion and not
just passive reception." - David A. Bednar, "Watching
with All Perseverance," Ensign (CR) May 2010
1/16/11
We should not be surprised by Satan's efforts to thwart or discredit
temple worship and work. The devil despises the purity in and the power of
the Lord's house. And the protection available to each of us in and
through temple ordinances and covenants stands as a great obstacle to the
evil designs of Lucifer. - David A. Bednar, "Honorably Hold a Name
and Standing," Ensign (CR) April 2009
10/15/11
I invite the young people of the Church to learn about and experience the
Spirit of Elijah. I encourage you to study, to search out your ancestors,
and to prepare yourselves to perform proxy baptisms in the house of the
Lord for your kindred dead (see D&C 124:28–36). And I urge you to
help other people identify their family histories. - David A. Bednar,
"The
Hearts of the Children Shall Turn," Ensign (CR) October 2011
2/15/12
These three elements of faith—assurance, action, and
evidence—are not separate and discrete; rather, they are interrelated
and continuous and cycle upward. And the faith that fuels this ongoing
process develops, evolves, and changes. As we again turn and face
forward toward an uncertain future, assurance leads to action and
produces evidence, which further increases assurance. Our confidence
waxes stronger, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and
there a little. - David A. Bednar, "Seek
Learning By Faith," Liahona, September 2007
4/15/12
As we do our best to fulfill our priesthood responsibilities, we can be
blessed with priesthood power. The power of the priesthood is God's power
operating through men and boys like us and requires personal
righteousness, faithfulness, obedience, and diligence. A boy or a man may
receive priesthood authority by the laying on of hands but will have no
priesthood power if he is disobedient, unworthy, or unwilling to serve. -
David A. Bednar, "The Powers of Heaven," Ensign (CR) May 2012
11/6/12
Knowing by the power of the Holy
Ghost that Jesus is the Christ is important and necessary. But
earnestly coming unto Him and giving our whole souls as an offering
requires much more than merely knowing. Conversion requires all of our
heart, all of our might, and all of our mind and strength (see D&C
4:2). - David A. Bednar, "Converted
unto the Lord," Ensign (CR) November 2012
1/6/13
Obedience to God's commandments and
our personal integrity and adherence to commitments provide the needed
nutrients for fertile spiritual soil. It should be obvious to all of
us that evil influences such as filthy language, immodest clothing and
appearance, and pornography are bitter poisons that kill the soil and
halt the spiritually subtle process of receiving help from heaven
"line upon line, precept upon precept." There can be no shortcut
around the law of the harvest; truly, we reap what we sow (see Galatians
6:7). - David A. Bednar, "Line
upon Line, Precept upon Precept (2 Nephi 28:30)," From a
Brigham Young University–Idaho devotional given on September 11,
2001
1/31/13
Do our spouses, children, and other family members likewise feel the
power of our prayers offered unto the Father for their specific needs
and desires? Do those we serve hear us pray for them with faith and
sincerity? If those we love and serve have not heard and felt the
influence of our earnest prayers in their behalf, then the time to
repent is now. As we emulate the example of the Savior, our prayers
truly will become more meaningful. - David
A. Bednar, "Pray
Always," Ensign (CR) October 2008
4/3/14
We can begin to
become more diligent and concerned at home by telling the people we
love that we love them. Such expressions do not need to be flowery
or lengthy. We simply should sincerely and frequently express love.
- David A. Bednar, “More
Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign (CR) November 2009
5/2/14
Sometimes
we mistakenly may believe that happiness is the absence of a load.
But bearing a load is a necessary and essential part of the plan of
happiness. Because our individual load needs to generate spiritual
traction, we should be careful to not haul around in our lives so
many nice but unnecessary things that we are distracted and diverted
from the things that truly matter most. - David
A. Bednar, “Bear
Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Ensign (CR) May 2014
7/3/14
Petitioning
Heavenly Father for the blessings we desire in our personal lives is
good and proper. However, praying earnestly for others, both those
whom we love and those who despitefully use us, is also an important
element of meaningful prayer. Just as expressing gratitude more
often in our prayers enlarges the conduit for revelation, so praying
for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our
capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord. - David
A. Bednar, “Pray
Always,” Ensign (CR) November 2008
7/26/14
Often
as we teach and testify about the law of tithing, we emphasize the
immediate, dramatic, and readily recognizable temporal blessings
that we receive. And surely such blessings do occur. Yet some of the
diverse blessings we obtain as we are obedient to this commandment
are significant but subtle. Such blessings can be discerned only if
we are both spiritually attentive and observant (see 1
Corinthians 2:14). - David
A. Bednar, “The
Windows of Heaven,” Ensign (CR) November 2013
7/30/14
As
we are yoked with Him through sacred covenants and receive the
enabling power of His Atonement in our lives, we increasingly will
seek to understand and live according to His will. We also will pray
for the strength to learn from, change, or accept our circumstances
rather than praying relentlessly for God to change our circumstances
according to our will. We will become agents who act rather than
objects that are acted upon (see 2
Nephi 2:14). We will be blessed with spiritual traction. - David
A. Bednar, “Bear
Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Ensign (CR) May 2014
8/20/14
My beloved brothers and sisters, what has been accomplished thus far
in this dispensation communicating gospel messages through social
media channels is a good beginning—but only a small trickle. I now
extend to you the invitation to help transform the trickle into a
flood. Beginning at this place on this day, I exhort you to sweep
the earth with messages filled with righteousness and truth—messages
that are authentic, edifying, and praiseworthy—and literally to
sweep the earth as with a flood. - David
A. Bednar, “To
Sweep the Earth as with a Flood,” BYU Education Week, 19
August 2014
10/29/14
The
Atonement of Jesus Christ provides the cleanser necessary to be made
pure and clean, the soothing salve to heal spiritual wounds and
remove guilt, and the protection that enables us to be faithful in
times both good and bad. - David
A. Bednar, “Come
and See,” Ensign (CR) November 2014
11/7/14
Not
only does the Atonement of Jesus Christ overcome the effects of the
Fall of Adam and make possible the remission of our individual sins
and transgressions, but His Atonement also enables us to do good and
become better in ways that stretch far beyond our mortal capacities.
Most of us know that when we do things wrong and need help to
overcome the effects of sin in our lives, the Savior has made it
possible for us to become clean through His redeeming power. But do
we also understand that the Atonement is for faithful men and women
who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to
become better and serve more faithfully? I wonder if we fail to
fully acknowledge this strengthening aspect of the Atonement in our
lives and mistakenly believe we must carry our load all
alone—through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline and with our
obviously limited capacities. - David
A. Bednar, “Bear
Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Ensign (CR) April 2014
4/13/15
Correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord empower us to hush our
fears because Jesus Christ is the only source of enduring peace. He
declared, “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness
of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me” (D&C 19:23). - David
A. Bednar, “Therefore
They Hushed Their Fears,” Ensign (CR) April 2015
11/14/15
The Savior declared, “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of
my servants, it is the same” (D&C
1:38). May we hear and heed the eternal truths taught by the
Lord’s authorized representatives. As we do so, I promise our faith
in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will be fortified, and we will
receive spiritual guidance and protection for our specific
circumstances and needs. - David
A. Bednar, “Chosen
to Bear Testimony of My Name,” Ensign (CR) November 2015
11/27/15
The
object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a
series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others
blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and
timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly
Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come
to us when we want or in the way we anticipate. - David
A. Bednar, "Ask
in Faith,” Ensign (CR) April 2008
12/12/15
In our day the Book of Mormon is the primary source to which we
should turn for help in learning how to invite the constant
companionship of the Holy Ghost. The description in the Book of
Mormon of the Liahona, the director or compass used by Lehi and his
family in their journey in the wilderness, specifically was included
in the record as a type and a shadow for our day and as an essential
lesson about what we should do to enjoy the blessings of the Holy
Ghost. - David A. Bednar, "That
We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us,” Ensign (CR)
April 2006
4/18/16
The
ordinances of salvation and exaltation administered in the Lord’s
restored Church are far more than rituals or symbolic performances.
Rather, they constitute authorized channels through which the
blessings and powers of heaven can flow into our individual lives. -
David A. Bednar, "Always
Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” Ensign (CR) May 2016
10/1/16
The peace Christ gives allows us to view mortality through
the precious perspective of eternity and supplies a spiritual
settledness (see Colossians
1:23) that helps us maintain a consistent focus on our heavenly
destination. Thus, we can be blessed to hush our fears because His
doctrine provides purpose and direction in all aspects of our lives.
His ordinances and covenants fortify and comfort in times both good
and bad. And His priesthood authority gives assurance that the things
that matter most can endure both in time and in eternity. – David
A. Bednar, “Therefore
They
Hushed Their Fears,” Ensign (CR) May 2015
11/27/16
The
precise nature of the test of mortality, then, can be summarized in the
following question: Will I respond to the inclinations of the natural
man, or will I yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the
natural man and become a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord
(see Mosiah
3:19)? That is the test. Every appetite, desire, propensity, and
impulse of the natural man may be overcome by and through the Atonement
of Jesus Christ. We are here on the earth to develop godlike qualities
and to bridle all of the passions of the flesh. – David
A. Bednar, “We
Believe in Being Chaste,” Ensign (CR) May 2013
12/1/16
Brothers and sisters, it is possible for us to have clean hands but not
have a pure heart. Please notice that both clean hands and a pure heart
are required to ascend into the hill of the Lord and to stand in His
holy place. – David A. Bednar, “Clean
Hands and a Pure Heart,” Ensign (CR) November 2007
1/8/17
The
baptismal covenant includes three fundamental commitments: (1) to be
willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, (2) to always
remember Him, and (3) to keep His commandments. The promised blessing
for honoring this covenant is “that [we] may always have his Spirit to
be with [us].” Thus, baptism is the essential preparation to receive the
authorized opportunity for the constant companionship of the third
member of the Godhead.
“Baptism [by] water … must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order
to be complete.” (Bible Dictionary, “Baptism.”)
As the Savior taught Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” – David
A. Bednar, “Always
Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” Ensign (CR) May 2016
3/3/17
Lehi’s dream in the Book of Mormon identifies the path we should follow,
the challenges we will encounter, and the spiritual resources available
to assist us in following and coming unto the Savior. Pressing forward
on the strait and narrow path is what He would have us do. Tasting the
fruit of the tree and becoming deeply “converted unto the Lord” are the
blessings He yearns for us to receive. Hence, He beckons us, “Come,
follow me.” – David A. Bednar, “If
Ye Had Known Me,” Ensign (CR) November 2016
3/4/17
Godly fear is loving and trusting in Him. As we fear God more
completely, we love Him more perfectly. And “perfect love casteth out
all fear” (Moroni
8:16). I promise the bright light of godly fear will chase away
the dark shadows of mortal fears (see D&C
50:25) as we look to the Savior, build upon Him as our foundation,
and press forward on His covenant path with consecrated commitment. – David
A. Bednar, “Therefore
They Hushed Their Fears,” Ensign (CR) May 2015
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