Refer your friends to join The LDS Daily WOOL (Words Of Our Leaders)
(3/21/98)
"I speak to fathers and mothers everywhere with a plea to put
harshness behind us, to bridle our anger, to lower our voices, and to
deal with mercy and love and respect one toward another in our homes."
— Gordon B. Hinckley, "Blessed
Are
The Merciful," Ensign, May 1990
(11/24/99)
"With the ever-increasing number of converts, we must make an
increasingly substantial effort to assist them as they find their way.
Every one of them needs three things: a friend, a responsibility, and
nurturing with 'the good word of God' (Moro.
6:4). It is our duty and opportunity to provide these things." —
"Converts
and
Young Men," Ensign, May 1997 (11/25/99)
"Gratitude is among the greatest of virtues." — "The Widow's Mite,"
"BYU Speeches of the Year," 17 September 1985
(11/26/99)
"We have not as yet carried the gospel to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. But we have made great strides. We have gone
wherever we are permitted to go. God is at the helm and doors will be
opened by His power according to His divine will. Of that I am
confident. Of that I am certain." — "Stay
the
Course--Keep the Faith," Ensign, November 1995
(11/27/99)
"We have never found, and I think we never shall find, an adequate
substitute for the situation in which two wholesome young men meet
with a family, reason with them, teach them, testify to them, and pray
with them. We shall always need missionaries." — General Conference,
April 1959
(11/28/99)
"In remembering together before the Lord the poor, the needy, and the
oppressed, there is developed, unconsciously but realistically, a love
for others above self, a respect for others, a desire to serve the
needs of others. One cannot ask God to help a neighbor in distress
without feeling motivated to do something oneself toward helping that
neighbor. What miracles would happen in the lives of the children of
America, and of the world, if they would lay their own selfishness and
lose themselves in the service of others. The seed from which this
sheltering and fruitful tree may grow is best planted and nurtured in
the daily supplications of the family." — "Conference Report," April
1963, p. 127
(10/22/00)
"Discipline yourselves. Master your temper. Most of the things that
make you angry are of very small consequence. And what a terrible
price you are paying for your anger. Ask the Lord to forgive you." —
Gordon B. Hinckley, "Women
Of
The Church," Ensign, November 1996
(10/24/00)
"It is not the macho thing. It is an indication of weakness. Anger is
not an expression of strength. It is an indication of one's inability
to control his thoughts, words, his emotions. Of course it is easy to
get angry. When the weakness of anger takes over, the strength of
reason leaves. Cultivate within yourselves the mighty power of
self-discipline." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "Our
Solemn
Responsibilities," Ensign, November 1991
(1/17/01)
"Again Paul’s counsel to Timothy, 'Keep thyself pure' (1
Tim. 5:22). Those are simple words. But they are ever so
important. Paul is saying, in effect, stay away from those things
which will tear you down and destroy you spiritually. Stay away from
television shows which lead to unclean thoughts and unclean language.
Stay away from videos which will lead to evil thoughts. They won’t
help you. They will only hurt you. Stay away from books and magazines
which are sleazy and filthy in what they say and portray. Keep thyself
pure." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "Converts
and
Young Men," Ensign, May 1997, p. 49
(2/11/01)
"The magnificent expression of His love came in His death when He gave
His life as a sacrifice for all men. That Atonement, wrought in
unspeakable pain, became the greatest event of history, an act of
grace for which men gave nothing but which brought the assurance of
the Resurrection to all who have or would walk the earth. No other act
in all of human history compares with it. Nothing that has ever
happened can match it. Totally unselfish and with unbounded love for
all mankind, it became an unparalleled act of mercy for the whole
human race." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "At
the
Summit of the Ages," Ensign, Nov. 1999, p. 73
(4/19/01)
"There is pollution in our society. It is all about us. It is sweeping
across the world like a flood destroying people. My beloved brothers
and sisters, stay away from it. Stay away from this sleazy pollution.
Stay away from anything which tears you down and makes you less than
what you ought to be." — (meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 5 Aug.
1998). "Latter-day
Counsel:
Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley,"
Ensign, July 1999, p. 73
(9/22/01)
"I believe in the beauty of personal virtue. There is so much of
ugliness in the world in which we live. It is expressed in coarse
language, in sloppy dress and manners, in immoral behavior which mocks
the beauty of virtue and always leaves a scar. Each of us can and must
stand above this sordid and destructive evil, this ugly stain of
immorality." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "I
Believe," Ensign, August 1992, p. 4
(1/24/02)
"The first article of faith is familiar to all members of the Church.
It is the pivotal position of our religion. It is significant that in
setting forth the primary elements of our doctrine, the Prophet Joseph
put this number one..." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost," "Ensign," Mar. 1998, p. 2
(4/2/02)
"Obedience to law, when that law has been declared constitutional, is
incumbent upon the Latter-day Saints and therefore becomes a standard
of eligibility to enter the temples of the Church." — Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Keeping
the
Temple Holy," Ensign, May 1990, p. 51
(9/13/02)
"If the Book of Mormon is true, the Bible is true. The Bible is the
Testament of the Old World; the Book of Mormon is the Testament of the
New. One is the record of Judah; the other is the record of Joseph,
and they have come together in the hand of the Lord in fulfillment of
the prophecy of Ezekiel. (See Ezek.
37:19.) Together they declare the Kingship of the Redeemer of
the world and the reality of his kingdom." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Power
of the Book of Mormon," "Ensign," June 1988, p. 6
(9/15/02)
"But if that is not enough, there is another testament. This so-called
Book of Mormon, this scripture of the New World, is before us as an
added witness of the divinity and reality of the Lord Jesus Christ, of
the encompassing beneficence of His atonement, and of His coming forth
from the darkness of the grave. Within these covers is found much of
the sure word of prophecy concerning Him who should be born of a
virgin, the Son of the Almighty God. There is a foretelling of His
work among men as a living mortal. There is a declaration of His
death, of the lamb without blemish who was to be sacrificed for the
sins of the world. And there is an account that is moving and
inspiring and true of the visit of the resurrected Christ among living
men and women in the western continent. The testimony is here to
handle; it is here to be read; it is here to be pondered; it is here
to be prayed over with a promise that he who prays shall know by the
power of the Holy Ghost of its truth and validity (see Moro.
10:3-5)." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Greatest
Miracle in Human History," "Ensign," May 1994, p. 72
(6/18/03)
"If we are to build that Zion of which the prophets have spoken and of
which the Lord has given mighty promise, we must set aside our
consuming selfishness. We must rise above our love for comfort and
ease, and in the very process of effort and struggle, even in our
extremity, we shall become better acquainted with our God. ('Our
Mission of Saving,' Ensign, November 1991, p. 59.)" — Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley," [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1997], p. 725
(6/27/03)
"Could any language be more explicit? Does it demean God, as some
would have us believe, that man was created in his express image?
Rather, it should stir within the heart of every man and woman a
greater appreciation for himself or herself as a son or daughter of
God. Paul's words to the Corinthian Saints are as applicable to us
today as they were to those to whom he wrote. Said he: 'Know ye not
that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in
you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for
the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.' (1
Corinthians 3:16-17)" — Gordon B. Hinckley, "Faith: The Essence
of True Religion," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], p. 21
(7/3/03)
"Be not faithless, but believe in Jehovah, he whose finger wrote upon
the tablets of stone amid the thunders of Sinai, 'Thou shalt have no
other gods before me.' (Exodus
20:3) The Decalogue, which is the basis of all good law
governing human relations, is the product of his divine genius. As you
look upon the vast body of legalisms designed to protect men and
society, pause and know that it has its roots in those few brief and
timeless declarations given by the all-wise Jehovah to Moses." —
Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be Thou an Example," [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1981], p. 74
(7/9/03)
"Was there ever adultery without dishonesty? In the vernacular, the
evil is described as "cheating." And cheating it is, for it robs
virtue, it robs loyalty, it robs sacred promises, it robs
self-respect, it robs truth. It involves deception. It is personal
dishonesty of the worst kind, for it becomes a betrayal of the most
sacred of human relationships and a denial of covenants and promises
entered into before God and man. It is the sordid violation of a
trust. It is a selfish casting aside of the law of God; and like other
forms of dishonesty its fruits are sorrow, bitterness, heartbroken
companions, and betrayed children." -- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be Thou an
Example," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], p. 44
(8/02/03)
"This, my brethren and sisters, is our divine right—to choose. This is
our divine obligation—to choose the right." — Gordon B. Hinckley,
"Caesar, Circus, or Christ?" "BYU Speeches of the Year," 1965 p. 8
(9/26/03)
"I believe in the triumph of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the
triumph of the Church and kingdom of God on the earth. If ever your
faith is inclined to weaken as you see the onward march of evil and
oppression, read again the story of Daniel who, putting his trust in
the 'God in heaven that revealeth secrets,' interpreted
Nebuchadnezzar's dream. He said concerning our day that the God of
heaven shall 'set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and
the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in
pieces and consume all these [other] kingdoms, and it shall stand for
ever.' (Dan. 2:44.)"
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "General Conference Reports," April 1969, p. 114
(10/14/03)
"It is tremendously significant to me that this declaration, this
repetition of the wondrous words of Malachi concerning the work for
the dead was given to the boy Joseph four years before he was allowed
to take the plates from the hill. It was given before he received
either the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood, before he was baptized
and well before the Church was organized. It says much concerning the
priority of this work in the plan of the Lord." - Gordon B. Hinckley,
Address given at the 100th anniversary of the Genealogical Society of
Utah, 13 November 1994
(10/15/03)
"To the Latter-day Saints everywhere, as we gather in this great
conference I say, may God bless you. Keep the faith; be true to your
covenants. Walk in the light of the gospel. Build the kingdom of God
in the earth." - "State
of
the Church," Ensign, November 2003
(11/1/03)
"Everyone who participates in this conference is accountable to a
bishop or a branch president. Tremendous are the burdens which they
carry, and I invite every member of the Church to do all that he or
she can to lift the burden under which our bishops and branch
presidents labor." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Shepherds
of Israel," Ensign, November 2003
(11/7/03)
"Within your sphere of responsibility you have as serious an
obligation as do I within my sphere of responsibility. Each of us
should be determined to build the kingdom of God on the earth and to
further the work of righteousness." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "An
Ensign
to the Nations, a Light to the World," Ensign, November 2003
(11/14/03)
"This gospel is an intimate thing. It is not some distant concept. It
is applicable in our lives. It can change our very natures." - Gordon
B. Hinckley, "Let
Us
Live the Gospel More Fully," Ensign, November 2003
(11/28/03)
"Here is the kernel of the whole matter. We need not worry about
consensus, or reason, or opinion in matters of right and wrong. "The
Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from
evil." Most of us know better than we do. As we discipline ourselves
in line with our knowledge, in line with the inner convictions of our
hearts, rather than the inclination to follow the crowd, we grow." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "Caesar, Circus or Christ?" "BYU Speeches of the
Year," 26 October 1965, p. 7
(12/9/03)
The Holy Ghost is the Testifier of
Truth, who can teach men things they cannot teach one another. In
those great and challenging words of Moroni, a knowledge of the
truth of the Book of Mormon is promised 'by the power of the Holy
Ghost.' Moroni then declares, 'And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye
may know the truth of all things' (Moro.
10:4-5)." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost," Ensign, Mar. 1998, p. 7
(12/14/03)
"We are living in a wonderful season of the work of the Lord. The
work is growing ever stronger. It is expanding across the world.
Each of us has an important part to play in this great undertaking.
People in more than 160 nations, speaking a score of languages and
more, worship our Father in Heaven and our Redeemer, His Beloved
Son. This is their great work. It is their cause and their kingdom."
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "May
We
Be Faithful and True," Ensign, May 1997
(12/21/03)
"Jesus was in very deed the great Jehovah of the Old Testament, who
left His Father's royal courts on high and condescended to come to
earth as a babe born in the most humble of circumstances. His birth
was foretold centuries earlier by Isaiah, who declared
prophetically, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isa.
9:6). This Jesus Christ of whom we solemnly testify is, as
John the Revelator declared, "the faithful witness, and the first
begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth." He
"loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath
made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever" (Rev.
1:5-6)." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "A
Testimony of the Son of God," Ensign, December 2002
(12/23/03)
"When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when
the deepest depths of the human mind have been explored, nothing is
so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace when
the Son of the Almighty, the Prince of His Father's royal household,
He who had once spoken as Jehovah, He who had condescended to come
to earth as a babe born in Bethlehem, gave His life in ignominy and
pain so that all of the sons and daughters of God of all generations
of time, every one of whom must die, might walk again and live
eternally. He did for us what none of us could do for ourselves." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Wondrous
and True Story of Christmas," Ensign, December 2000
(1/5/04)
"It is not God who has given us the spirit of fear; this comes from
the adversary. So many of us are fearful of what our peers will say,
that we will be looked upon with disdain and criticized if we stand
for what is right. But I remind you that "wickedness never was
happiness" (Alma
41:10). Evil never was happiness. Sin never was happiness.
Happiness lies in the power and the love and the sweet simplicity of
the gospel of Jesus Christ." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Converts
and
Young Men," Ensign, May 1997
(1/9/04)
"At a time when families all across the world are falling apart, let
us solidify our own, let us strengthen them, let us nurture them in
righteousness and truth." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "True
to
the Faith," Ensign, May 1997
(1/16/04)
"Let us be good citizens of the nations in which we live. Let us be
good neighbors in our communities. Let us acknowledge the diversity
of our society, recognizing the good in all people. We need not make
any surrender of our theology. But we can set aside any element of
suspicion, of provincialism, of parochialism." - Gordon B. Hinckley,
"Our
Testimony
to the World," Ensign, May 1997
(3/12/04)
"To every officer, to every teacher in this Church who acts in a
priesthood office, there comes the sacred responsibility of
magnifying that priesthood calling. Each of us is responsible for
the welfare and the growth and development of others. We do not live
only unto ourselves. If we are to magnify our callings, we cannot
live only unto ourselves. As we serve with diligence, as we teach
with faith and testimony, as we lift and strengthen and build
convictions of righteousness in those whose lives we touch, we
magnify our priesthood. To live only unto ourselves, on the other
hand, to serve grudgingly, to give less than our best effort to our
duty, diminishes our priesthood just as looking through the wrong
lenses of binoculars reduces the image and makes more distant the
object." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Magnify
Your
Calling," Ensign, May 1989, p. 47
(4/10/04)
"'If a man die, shall he live again?' (Job
14:14). This is the great universal question framed by Job. He
spoke what every other living man or woman has pondered. The Christ
alone, of all the millions who up to that time had walked the earth,
was the first to emerge from the grave triumphant, a living soul
complete in spirit and body. He became 'the firstfruits of them that
slept' (1 Cor.
15:20). Were greater words ever spoken than those of the angel
that first resurrection morn-'Why seek ye the living among the
dead?' (Luke 24:5).
'He is not here: for he is risen, as he said' (Matt.
28:6)." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Victory
over Death," Ensign, April 1997, p. 2
(5/9/04)
You have walked the sometimes painful, sometimes joyous path of
parenthood. You have walked hand in hand with God in the great
process of bringing children into the world that they might
experience this estate along the road of immortality and eternal
life. It has not been easy rearing a family. Most of you have had to
sacrifice and skimp and labor night and day. As I think of you and
your circumstances, I think of the words of Anne Campbell, who wrote
as she looked upon her children:
You are the trip I did not take;
You are the pearls I cannot buy;
You are my blue Italian lake;
You are my piece of foreign sky.
("To My Child," quoted in Charles L. Wallis, ed., The Treasure Chest
[1965], 54)
You sisters are the real builders of the nation wherever you live,
for you have created homes of strength and peace and security. These
become the very sinew of any nation.
Gordon B. Hinckley
"Women
of
the Church"
"Ensign," November 1996, p. 67
(5/16/04)
"The Spirit of the Lord guides this work. This welfare activity is
secular activity, expressing itself in terms of rice and beans, of
blankets and tents, of clothing and medicine, of employment and
education for better employment. But this so-called secular work is
but an outward expression of an inward spirit-the Spirit of the Lord
of whom it was said, He 'went about doing good' (Acts
10:38)." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "'I
Was
an Hungred, and Ye Gave Me Meat'," General Conference, April
2004
(5/20/04)
"Why were we then happy? I think it was because good had triumphed
over evil and the whole human family was on the Lord's side. We
turned our backs on the adversary and aligned ourselves with the
forces of God, and those forces were victorious. But having made
that decision, why should we have to make it again and again after
our birth into mortality? I cannot understand why so many have
betrayed in life the decision they once made when the great war
occurred in heaven. But it is evident that the contest between good
and evil, which began with that war, has never ended. It has gone
on, and on, and on to the present. I think our Father must weep
because so many of His children through the ages have exercised the
agency He gave them and have chosen to walk the road of evil rather
than good." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Dawning
of a Brighter Day," General Conference, April 2004
(5/24/04)
"Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the
Lord. Never hesitate to get on your knees in some private place and
speak with Him. What a marvelous and wonderful thing is prayer.
Think of it. We can actually speak with our Father in Heaven. He
will hear and respond, but we need to listen to that response.
Nothing is too serious and nothing too unimportant to share with
Him. He has said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest' (Matthew
11:28). He continues, 'For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light' (v. 30)."
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stay
on
the High Road," General Young Women Meeting, March 2004
(7/21/04)
"In summary, try a little harder to measure up to the divine within
each of you. As Alma said, 'Awake and arouse your faculties' (Alma
32:27)." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Light
within You," Ensign, May 1995, p. 99
(9/6/04)
"If we as a people will walk with
integrity, will be honest and moral in our actions, will put into
our lives the simple and basic and wonderful principle of the
Golden Rule, others will be led to inquire and learn. We shall
become as a city set upon a hill whose light cannot be hid. (See Matt.
5:14.) We shall witness an ever-growing fulfillment of the
promise of Isaiah: 'And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and
let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God
of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in
his paths.' (Isa.
2:3.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Five
Million
Members—A Milestone and Not a Summit,” Ensign, May 1982, p.
45
(9/18/04)
"'And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it.' (Matthew
16:13-18.) This rock of revelation is the source of
knowledge concerning the things of God. It is the witness of the
Holy Spirit that testifies of eternal truth, and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against any man who seeks it, who accepts it,
who cultivates it, and who lives by it." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be
Thou an Example," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], p. 8
(10/5/04)
"Passive acceptance of the Lord is not enough. Vibrant testimony
comes of anxious seeking. Strength comes of active service in the
Master's cause. 'Learn of me,' was Jesus' injunction. He further
declared that he that doeth the will of the Father 'shall know of
the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.'
(John 7:17.)"
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "With
All
Thy Getting Get Understanding,' Ensign, August 1988, p. 5
11/3/04
"He was buried in a borrowed tomb and on the third day rose from
the grave. He came forth triumphant, in a victory over death, the
firstfruits of all that slept. With his resurrection came the
promise to all men that life is everlasting, that even as in Adam
all die, in Christ all are made alive. (See 1
Cor. 15:20-22.) Nothing in all of human history equals the
wonder, the splendor, the magnitude, or the fruits of the
matchless life of the Son of God, who died for each of us. He is
our Savior. He is our Redeemer. As Isaiah foretold, 'His name
shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.' (Isa.
9:6.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Cornerstones
of Our Faith," Ensign, November 1984, p. 51-52
(11/30/04)
"Paul wrote concerning the priesthood: 'No man taketh this honour
unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.' (Heb.
5:4.) We have not acquired it through purchase or bargain.
The Lord has given it to men who are considered worthy to receive
it, regardless of station in life, the color of their skin, or the
nation in which they live. It is the power and the authority to
govern in the affairs of the kingdom of God. It is given only by
ordination by the laying on of hands by those in authority to do
so. The qualification for eligibility is obedience to the
commandments of God." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Cornerstones
of Our Faith," Ensign, November 1984, p. 52
(12/4/04)
"Brothers and sisters, as we go forward in our lives, let us never
forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is our
Father. He is accessible to us. He is the author of eternal truth,
the Master of the universe. The handle is ready, and the door can
be opened to His abundance. 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him
ask of God.' (James
1:5-6.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Pillars
of
Truth," Ensign, January 1994, p. 2
(12/12/04)
"Now, I want you to be thoughtful. I urge that you be thoughtful,
however, in a positive and affirmative way concerning this the
work of the Lord. This is not any ordinary cause of which you are
a part. It is in very deed the Church and kingdom of God in the
earth. It is the stone which was cut out of the mountain without
hands, as Daniel saw it in vision, which should roll forth and
fill the whole earth (see Dan.
2:44-45; D&C
65:2). It is the thing of which John the Revelator spoke
when he said, 'And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on
the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
people' (Rev. 14:6)."
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "True
to
the Faith," Ensign, June 1996, p. 7
(12/23/04)
"We honor His birth. But without His death that birth would have
been but one more birth. It was the redemption which He worked out
in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross of Calvary which
made His gift immortal, universal, and everlasting. His was a
great Atonement for the sins of all mankind. He was the
resurrection and the life, 'the firstfruits of them that slept' (1
Cor. 15:20). Because of Him all men will be raised from the
grave.... We love Him. We honor Him. We thank Him. We worship Him.
He has done for each of us and for all mankind that which none
other could have done. God be thanked for the gift of His Beloved
Son, our Savior, the Redeemer of the world, the Lamb without
blemish who was offered as a sacrifice for all mankind." - Gordon
B. Hinckley, "A
Season for Gratitude," Ensign, Dec. 1997, p. 4
(12/24/04)
"What a glad season this is when we remember the coming of the
Christ child. There are only a few lines of scripture that tell us
of this event, but their simple words carry with them 'the hopes
and fears of all the years' for people everywhere. ("O Little Town
of Bethlehem," Hymns, 1985, no. 208.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Do
Ye
Even So to Them," Ensign, Dec. 1991, p. 2
(1/14/05)
"May I quickly suggest four cornerstones upon which to build that
house? There are others, but I choose to emphasize these. They
come of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are not difficult to
understand nor difficult to follow. They are well within your
reach with a little effort; and I do not hesitate to promise you
that if you will establish the home of which you dream on these
foundation stones, the perils of your married life will be
diminished, your love for one another will strengthen through the
years, you will bless the lives of your children and of your
children's children, and you will know happiness in this life and
joy eternal....
"The first of these I call Respect for One Another, the
kind of respect that regards one's companion as the most precious
friend on earth and not as a possession or a chattel
to be forced or compelled to suit one's selfish whims....
"The second thing I mention is a very simple thing, but I regard
it as a very basic thing. For want of a better phrase I call it The
Soft Answer....
"I turn now to the third cornerstone on which to establish a
stable and happy home. I title it Honesty with God and with
One Another....
"Now in conclusion, as the fourth cornerstone I should like to
suggest Family Prayer." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Except
the
Lord Build the House...," Ensign, June 1971, p. 72
(4/10/05)
"'Now, my brethren and sisters, the time has come for us to stand
a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a
greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial
mission of this The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward
without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the
importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right
regardless of the consequences that might follow. It is a time to
be found keeping the commandments. It is a season to reach out
with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are
wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and
good, decent and courteous toward one another in all of our
relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike' ('This
Is
the Work of the Master,' Ensign, May 1995, 71).
"You must be the judge of how far we have come in realizing the
fulfillment of that invitation given 10 years ago." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Opening
Remarks," General Conference, April 2005
(4/27/05)
"The family is a creation of the Almighty. It represents the most
sacred of all relationships. It represents the most serious of all
undertakings. It is the fundamental organization of society." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Great
Things Which God Has Revealed," General Conference, April
2005
(5/7/05) "To you wives and mothers who work to maintain stable homes where there is an environment of love and respect and appreciation I say, the Lord bless you. Regardless of your circumstances, walk with faith. Rear your children in light and truth. Teach them to pray while they are young. Read to them from the scriptures even though they may not understand all that you read. Teach them to pay their tithes and offerings on the first money they ever receive. Let this practice become a habit in their lives. Teach your sons to honor womanhood. Teach your daughters to walk in virtue. Accept responsibility in the Church, and trust in the Lord to make you equal to any call you may receive. Your example will set a pattern for your children. Reach out in love to those in distress and need." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World," Ensign, Nov. 1995, p. 99
(6/20/05)
"How difficult it is for any of us to
forgive those who have injured us. We are all prone to brood on the
evil done us. That brooding becomes as a gnawing and destructive
canker. Is there a virtue more in need of application in our time than
the virtue of forgiving and forgetting? There are those who would look
upon this as a sign of weakness. Is it? I submit that it takes neither
strength nor intelligence to brood in anger over wrongs suffered, to
go through life with a spirit of vindictiveness, to dissipate one’s
abilities in planning retribution. There is no peace in the nursing of
a grudge. There is no happiness in living for the day when you can
'get even.'
"Paul speaks of 'the weak and beggarly elements' of our lives (see Gal.
4:9). Is there anything more weak or beggarly than the
disposition to wear out one's life in an unending round of bitter
thoughts and scheming gestures toward those who may have affronted
us?" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Of
You It Is Required to Forgive," Ensign, Nov. 1980, 62
(7/16/05)
"I give you my testimony that if you sincerely apply family prayer,
you will not go away unrewarded. The changes may not be readily
apparent. They may be extremely subtle. But they will be real, for God
'is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' (Heb.
11:6.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Blessings of Family Prayer," Ensign, Feb. 1991, 5
(7/20/05)
"Be true to our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son. When all else
fails, our Lord is there to help us. He has said, 'Come unto me, all
ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matt.
11:28). Each of you has burdens. Let the Lord help you in
carrying those burdens. Again He has said, 'Take my yoke upon you,...
for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light' (Matt.
11:29–30). He stands ready to help—to help each of us—with every
burden. He loves us so much that He shed drops of blood in Gethsemane,
then permitted evil and wicked men to take Him, to compel Him to carry
the cross to Golgotha, to suffer beyond any power of description
terrible pain when He was nailed to the cross, to be lifted up on the
cross, and to die for each of us." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stand
True and Faithful," Ensign, May 1996, 94
(8/8/05)
"Brothers and sisters, all of you out in the wards and stakes and in
the districts and branches, I invite you to become a vast army with
enthusiasm for this work and a great overarching desire to assist the
missionaries in the tremendous responsibility they have to carry the
gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 'The field is
white [and] ready to harvest' (D&C
4:4). The Lord has repeatedly declared this. Shall we not take
Him at His word?" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Find
the Lambs, Feed the Sheep," Ensign, May 1999, 110
(8/25/05)
"I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully
the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we
'accentuate the positive.' I am asking that we look a little deeper
for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more
generously compliment virtue and effort. I am not asking that all
criticism be silenced. Growth comes of correction. Strength comes of
repentance. Wise is the man who can acknowledge mistakes pointed out
by others and change his course.
"What I am suggesting is that each of us turn from the negativism that
so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good among those
with whom we associate, that we speak of one another's virtues more
than we speak of one another's faults, that optimism replace
pessimism, that our faith exceed our fears. When I was a young man and
was prone to speak critically, my father would say: 'Cynics do not
contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve.'" -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Continuing Pursuit of Truth," Ensign, Apr. 1986, 2, 4
(8/26/05)
"When the Lord took Moses unto Himself, He then said to Joshua, 'Be
strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest' (Josh.
1:9). This is His work. Never forget it. Embrace it with
enthusiasm and affection.
"Let us not be afraid. Jesus is our leader, our strength, and our
king." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stay
the Course—Keep the Faith," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 72
(9/1/05)
"One who seeks to please his Heavenly Father will serve the needs of
our Father's kingdom. This Church is a part of His divine plan. It is
the kingdom of God in the earth. Its work is important. Its work is
necessary to the accomplishment of the eternal purposes of our Father.
If each of us is to please our Father in Heaven, we must be responsive
to the needs of His kingdom. We must be willing to work wherever we
are called to work and to develop our talents so that our work will be
more effective in reaching out to those who are not members of the
Church or those who are inactive in the Church. We must be diligent in
carrying forward the great work of salvation for the dead and in every
other way giving of our strength and talent and substance to move
forward and strengthen the Church. This may involve some sacrifice,
yes, but with every sacrifice comes a blessing." - Gordon B. Hinckley,
"To
Please Our Heavenly Father," Ensign, May 1985, 50–51
(9/26/05)
"We are a covenant people. I have had the feeling that if we could
just encourage our people to live by three or four covenants
everything else would take care of itself; we would not have to have
anything else except to go forward with our program.
"The first of these is the covenant of the sacrament, in which we take
upon ourselves the name of the Savior and agree to keep His
commandments with the promise in His covenant that He will bless us
with His spirit. If our people would go to sacrament meeting every
week and reflect as they partake of the sacrament on the meaning of
the prayers which are offered, . . . if they would listen to the
language of those prayers, which were given by revelation, and live by
them, we would be a better people, all of us would be. That is the
importance of the sacrament meeting. The speakers are incidental. The
great thing is that we gather together and partake of the sacrament
together...." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley"
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], p. 146
(9/27/05)
"Second, the covenant of tithing. It is a covenant. 'Why have ye
robbed me? Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse... and prove me
now herewith' (Mal.
3:10). The commandment to us is to pay our tithing. The promise
on the other side of that contract, that covenant, is that He will
stay the destroyer and open the windows of heaven and pour down
blessings that there will not be room enough to receive them. I am one
who believes in the literalness of that promise...." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley" [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1997], p. 147
(9/28/05)
"Three, the covenants of the temple: Sacrifice, the willingness to
sacrifice for this the Lord's work—and inherent in that law of
sacrifice is the very essence of the Atonement, the ultimate sacrifice
made by the Son of God in behalf of each of us. Consecration, which is
associated with it, a willingness to give everything, if need be, to
help in the on-rolling of this great work. And a covenant of love and
loyalty one to another in the bonds of marriage, fidelity, chastity,
morality.
"If our people could only learn to live by these covenants, everything
else would take care of itself, I am satisfied. We would not have to
worry about sacrament meeting attendance. We would not have to worry
about willingness to serve missions. We would not have to worry about
divorce and the many requests for cancellation of temple sealings. We
would not have to worry about any of those things." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley" [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1997], p. 147
(10/15/05)
"We can improve, and when all is said and done that's what this is all
about: improvement, changing our lives so that we can help people
change their lives and be better. And let's build Zion in the earth.
That's what it is all about." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Teachings of
Gordon B. Hinckley," p.726
(11/6/05)
"This thing which we call testimony is the great strength of the
Church. It is the wellspring of faith and activity. It is difficult to
explain. It is difficult to quantify. It is an elusive and mysterious
thing, and yet it is as real and powerful as any force on the earth.
The Lord described it when He spoke to Nicodemus and said, 'The wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one
that is born of the Spirit' (John
3:8). This thing which we call testimony is difficult to define,
but its fruits are plainly evident. It is the Holy Spirit testifying
through us." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Testimony,"
Ensign (CR), May 1998, p.69
(11/13/05)
"Let us establish in our lives the habit of reading
those things which will strengthen our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Savior of the world. He is the pivotal figure of our theology and
our faith. Every Latter-day Saint has the responsibility to know for
himself or herself with a certainty beyond doubt that Jesus is the
resurrected, living Son of the living God. The Brethren of the Council
of the Twelve are advocating that we read a chapter a day of the
Gospels—that is,
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke, and
John in the Bible; and
Third Nephi in the Book of Mormon, particularly beginning with the
eleventh chapter of Third Nephi where is found the account of Christ's
visit among the Nephites in this hemisphere. I should like to endorse
this program and commend it to you and urge you to follow it." - Gordon
B. Hinckley, "Fear
Not to Do Good," Ensign (CR), May 1983, p.79
11/18/05
"Would you have your children grow in a spirit of unselfishness?
Indulgence of selfish desires will not do it. Rather, let them come to
see in their own homes, and in their most intimate family associations,
the truth of the great principle set forth by the Lord: 'Whosoever will
save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my
sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.' (Mark
8:35.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Faith: The Essence of True
Religion," p.67
11/28/05
"This church does not belong to its President. Its head is the Lord
Jesus Christ, whose name each of us has taken upon ourselves. We are all
in this great endeavor together. We are here to assist our Father in His
work and His glory, 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life
of man' (Moses 1:39). Your obligation is as serious in your sphere of
responsibility as is my obligation in my sphere. No calling in this
church is small or of little consequence. All of us in the pursuit of
our duty touch the lives of others. To each of us in our respective
responsibilities the Lord has said: 'Wherefore, be faithful; stand in
the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the
hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees' (D&C 81:5)."
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "This
Is the Work of the Master," Ensign (CR), May 1995, p.69
12/16/05
"Look to the Church and its leaders for counsel and direction. We have
only one desire, and that is that you be happy, that your lives be
challenging and satisfying, that you be saved from pitfalls of evil
which could destroy you, that you will be the kind of people who will
carry high the torch of eternal truth and hand it on to the generation
which will succeed you.
"The truths of this gospel are everlasting and eternal. Philosophies
change. Customs change. Culture changes. But with all of these changes,
there are gospel fundamentals that have never changed and never will
change." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stand
True and Faithful," Ensign (CR), May 1996, p.91
1/16/06
Topic: Don't Go It Alone
"Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the Lord.
Never hesitate to get on your knees in some private place and speak with
Him. What a marvelous and wonderful thing is prayer. Think of it. We can
actually speak with our Father in Heaven. He will hear and respond, but
we need to listen to that response. Nothing is too serious and nothing
too unimportant to share with Him. He has said, 'Come unto me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matt.
11:28). He continues, 'For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light' (Matt. 11:30)."
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stay
on the High Road," Ensign (CR), May 2004, p.112
2/13/06
"The Master taught: 'For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but
whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.' (Luke
9:24.)
"This remarkable and miraculous process occurs in our own lives as we
reach out with love to serve others. Each of us can, with effort,
successfully root the principle of love deep in our being so that we may
be nourished by its great power all of our lives. For as we tap into the
power of love, we will come to understand the great truth written by
John: 'God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God.' (1
John 4:16.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, Faith: The Essence of True
Religion, p.49
6/19/06
"The gospel for me is not complex. It is a beautiful and simple pattern,
a constant source of strength, a wellspring of faith. The keystone of
that doctrine is that God is our Eternal Father and Jesus is the Christ,
our living Redeemer. We are sons and daughters of God. He loves us and
invites us to love him, showing that love through service to others of
his children. His Beloved Son is our Savior, who gave his life on the
cross of Calvary as a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of mankind. By
the power of his divine Sonship he rose from the grave, becoming "the
firstfruits of them that slept" (1
Cor. 15:20), assuring for all a resurrection from the dead and
inviting each of us to partake of eternal life according to our
obedience to his laws and commandments." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Five
Million Members—A Milestone and Not a Summit," Ensign (CR), May
1982, p.44
9/26/06
"We have basic cornerstones on which this great latter-day church has
been established by the Lord and built, 'fitly framed together.' They
are absolutely fundamental to this work, the very foundation, anchors on
which it stands. I should like to speak briefly of these four essential
cornerstones which anchor The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. I mention first the chief cornerstone, whom we recognize and
honor as the Lord Jesus Christ. The second is the vision given the
Prophet Joseph Smith when the Father and the Son appeared to him. The
third is the Book of Mormon, which speaks as a voice from the dust with
the words of ancient prophets declaring the divinity and reality of the
Savior of mankind. The fourth is the priesthood with all of its powers
and authority, whereby men act in the name of God in administering the
affairs of his kingdom." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Cornerstones of Our Faith," Ensign (CR), November 1984, p.50
9/27/06
"Recently while wrestling in my mind with a problem I thought to be of
serious consequence I went to my knees in prayer. There came into my
mind a feeling of peace and the words of the Lord, 'Be still and know
that I am God.' I turned to the scripture and read this reassuring
statement spoken to the Prophet Joseph Smith 150 years ago: 'Let your
hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be
still and know that I am God.' (D&C
101:16.)
"God is weaving his tapestry according to his own grand design. All
flesh is in his hands. It is not our prerogative to counsel him. It is
our responsibility and our opportunity to be at peace in our minds and
in our hearts, and to know that he is God, that this is his work, and
that he will not permit it to fail.
"We have no need to fear. We have no need to worry. We have no need to
speculate. Our imperative need is to be found doing our duty
individually in the callings which have come to us. And because, for the
most part, the Latter-day Saints are walking in faith and working with
conviction, the Church is consistently growing ever stronger." - Gordon
B. Hinckley, "He
Slumbers Not, nor Sleeps," Ensign (CR), May 1983, p.5
9/30/06
"This has been a most remarkable thing, this conference. We have
listened to twenty-eight different speakers. No one was assigned a topic
on which to speak. Each was free to choose his or her message. There is
always the risk of repetition in that. But isn't it remarkable that all
of it seems to have been woven together into a beautiful fabric of
expression of faith and testimony. I am grateful for what we have heard.
I will be a better man if I will put into my life the things of which I
have been reminded in this conference, and I would like to suggest that
each of you will be a better man or woman if you will put into your
lives something of what you have heard in this great conference." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Fabric of Faith and Testimony," Ensign (CR), November 1995, p.89
10/26/06
"The computer is a wonderful instrument when it is properly used. But
when it is used to deal with pornography or so-called chat rooms or for
any other purpose that leads to evil practices or evil thoughts, then
there must be self-discipline enough to turn it off.
"The Lord has declared, 'Purge ye out the iniquity which is among you;
sanctify yourselves before me' (D&C
43:11). No one can mistake the meaning of those words.
"He says further, 'The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is
the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled,
God shall destroy that temple' (D&C
93:35). There is no equivocation there. The Lord has spoken
plainly that we must take care of our mortal body and avoid that which
would do it harm.
"He has made to each of us a great promise. Said He, 'Be thou humble;
and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer
to thy prayers' (D&C
112:10).
"And further: 'God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit,
yea, by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, that has not been
revealed since the world was until now' (D&C
121:26).
"All of us would do well to study the life of the Master and try to
emulate His words and doings. We would likewise do well to study the
life of the Prophet Joseph. From his example, each of us could learn
much concerning our own behavior." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Rise
Up, O Men of God," Ensign, November 2006
11/2/06
"Faith was the strength of the Prophet Joseph.
"I am grateful for the faith that took him into the grove to pray. I am
grateful for his faith to translate and publish the Book of Mormon. I am
grateful that he went to the Lord in prayer that was answered with the
bestowal of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods. I am grateful that
in faith he organized the Church and set it on its course. I thank him
for the gift of his life as a testimony to the truth of this work.
"Faith was also the moving power behind Brigham Young. I often reflect
on the tremendous faith he exercised in bringing a very large number of
people to settle this Salt Lake Valley. He knew very little of the area.
He had never seen it, except in vision. I suppose he had studied what
meager information there was, but he knew almost nothing of the soil or
the water or the climate. And yet when he looked upon it, he said
without hesitation, "This is the right place, drive on" (B. H. Roberts,
A Comprehensive History of the Church, 3:224).
"And so it has been with each of the Presidents of the Church. In the
face of terrible opposition, they have moved forward with faith. Whether
it was crickets destroying their crops. Whether it was drought or late
frost. Whether it was persecution by the federal government. Or, more
recently, whether it was an urgent need to extend humanitarian aid to
victims of the tsunami, or earthquakes, or floods in divers places, it
has all been the same. Welfare shelves have been emptied. Cash by the
millions has been dispatched to those in need, regardless of Church
membership—all in faith." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Faith to Move Mountains," Ensign, November 2006
12/9/06
"People ask me frequently what is my favorite verse of scripture. I have
many and this is one of them, 'Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God
shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers' (D&C
112:10). What a promise to those who walk without arrogance, to
those who walk without conceit, to those who walk without egotism, to
those who walk humbly. 'Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead
thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.' What a solid and
wonderful promise that is. (Japan Tokyo North, Japan Tokyo South, and
Japan Sendai Missionary Meeting, May 18, 1996.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley,
"Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley," p.265
12/25/06
"Christmas means 'giving,' and the gift without the giver is bare. Give
of yourselves; give of your substance; give of your heart and mind and
strength to bring to pass His eternal purposes and to spread the cause
of His eternal truth." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "What Shall I Do Then
With Jesus Which Is Called Christ?" December 14, 1960, "BYU Speeches
of the Year," 1960, p.3
12/28/06
"The Lord expects great
things of His people. We are among His people. Nearly everyone here has
entered the waters of baptism for the remission of his or her sins. You
have been buried in the water and put away the old man, so to speak, and
come out of the water with a newness of life, your sins remitted, and
ready to do that which the Lord would have you do.
"What does He expect of me and you? What has He commanded us that we do?
He expects us to be good men and women—men and women of honesty, men and
women of integrity, men and women of faith, men and women of goodness.
That is His great teaching, that we might become perfect even as He is
perfect. That is one of the expectations of those who have become
members of His Church and kingdom. He expects us to love Him, to worship
Him, to do His will." - Messages of Inspiration from President
Hinckley, LDS Church News, 1998, 06/06/98
1/29/07 "This is a time to ask ourselves whether, although we have grown in numbers and strength, we are any nearer perfection in the virtue of our individual lives. The milestone of five million members has real significance only to the degree that we as a people bring the gospel into our lives and demonstrate its fruits in our actions. The Lord has reminded us in no uncertain terms that 'of him unto whom much is given much is required.' (D&C 82:3.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Five Million Members—A Milestone and Not a Summit," Ensign (CR), May 1982, p.44
4/19/07
"A filthy mind expresses itself in filthy and profane language. A clean
mind expresses itself in language that is positive and uplifting and in
deeds that bring happiness to the heart.
"Be clean in body and dress and manner. Do not permit yourself to be
tattooed. If you do, someday you will regret it. Only a painful and
costly procedure can remove the tattoo.
"Be clean and neat and orderly. Sloppy dress leads to sloppy manners. I
am not so concerned about what you wear as I am that it be neat and
clean. Remember Joseph F. Smith's dream. As he was hurrying toward the
mansion, he had a little bundle wrapped in a handkerchief. When he
bathed himself and opened it, he found that it contained clean clothing.
Whenever you administer or pass the sacrament, look your very best. Be
sure of your personal cleanliness." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "I
Am Clean," General Conference, April 2007
4/26/07
"How deeply grateful I am that we of this Church do not rely on any
man-made statement concerning the nature of Deity. Our knowledge comes
directly from the personal experience of Joseph Smith, who, while yet a
boy, spoke with God the Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, the Risen
Lord. He knelt in Their presence; he heard Their voices; and he
responded. Each was a distinct personality. Small wonder that he told
his mother that he had learned that her church was not true. And so, one
of the great overarching doctrines of this Church is our belief in God
the Eternal Father. He is a being, real and individual. He is the great
Governor of the universe, yet He is our Father, and we are His
children." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Things of Which I Know," General Conference, April 2007
5/9/07
"Men are born, they live for an hour of glory, and die. Most throughout
their lives are teased by various hopes; and among all the hopes of men
in all ages of time, none is so great as the hope of immortality.
"The empty tomb that first Easter morning brought the most comforting
assurance that can come into man's heart. This was the affirmative
answer to the ageless question raised by Job, 'If a man die, shall he
live again?' (Job 14:14.)"
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Conference Report," April 1969, Second
Day—Morning Meeting, p.59
6/26/07
"It has been my privilege on various occasions to converse with
Presidents of the United States and important men in other governments.
At the close of each such occasion I have reflected on the rewarding
experience of standing with confidence in the presence of an
acknowledged leader. And then I have thought, what a wonderful thing,
what a marvelous thing it would be to stand with confidence-unafraid and
unashamed and unembarrassed-in the presence of God. This is the promise
held out to every virtuous man and woman." - Gordon B. Hinckley,
"Conference Report," October 1970, Second DayMorning Meeting, p.66
7/25/07
"I think the Lord had in mind our sacrament meetings when, in a
revelation given to Joseph Smith August 7, 1831, he said to us and to
all of the people of his Church:
"'And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the
world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy
sacraments upon my holy day;
"'Remember that on this, the Lords day, thou shall offer thine
oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins
unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.' (D&C
59:9, 12.)
"How shall our people keep themselves unspotted from the world unless
they develop within themselves the spiritual strength and capacity to
resist temptation that is so rampant everywhere we go these days? And
where shall they develop such discipline? I think the meaning of this
revelation is clear: they shall develop such discipline of self and
such desire to live above the stains of the world in their communion
with the Lord as worshipers in sacrament meetings." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "The
Priesthood of Aaron," Ensign (CR),
November 1982, p.44
9/29/07
"How godlike a quality is mercy. It cannot be legislated. It must come
from the heart. It must be stirred up from within. It is part of the
endowment each of us receives as a son or daughter of God and partaker
of a divine birthright. I plead for an effort among all of us to give
greater expression and wider latitude to this instinct which lies
within us. I am convinced that there comes a time, possibly many
times, within our lives when we might cry out for mercy on the part of
others. How can we expect it unless we have been merciful ourselves?"
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Blessed
Are the Merciful," Ensign (CR), May 1990,
p.68
10/29/07
"Anger is the mother of a whole brood of evil actions." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Slow
to Anger," General Conference, 6 October
2007
11/5/07
"Today I stand in wonder at the marvelous things
which God revealed to His appointed prophet while he was yet young
and largely unknown. The very language of these revelations is
beyond the capacity of even a man of great learning.
"Scholars not of our faith, who will not accept our singular doctrines, are puzzled by the great unrolling of this work, which is touching the hearts of people across the earth. We owe it all to Joseph the Prophet, the seer and the revelator, the Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was foreordained to come forth in this generation as an instrument in the hands of the Almighty in restoring to the earth that which the Savior taught when He walked the roads of Palestine.
"To you, this day, I affirm my witness of the calling of the Prophet Joseph, of his works, of the sealing of his testimony with his blood as a martyr to the eternal truth. Each of you can bear witness of the same thing. You and I are faced with the stark question of accepting the truth of the First Vision and that which followed it. On the question of its reality lies the very validity of this Church. If it is the truth, and I testify that it is, then the work in which we are engaged is the most important work on the earth." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Stone Cut Out of the Mountain," General Conference, 7 October 2007
1/28/08 "Of these things I give solemn testimony, bearing witness to all within the sound of my voice that God has spoken again to open this final glorious dispensation; that his Church is here, the Church which carries the name of his Beloved Son; that there has come from the earth the record of an ancient people bearing witness to this generation of the work of the Almighty; that the everlasting priesthood is among men for their blessing and the governance of his work; that this is the true and living Church of Jesus Christ, brought forth for the blessing of all who will receive its message; that it is immovably established on a foundation of Apostles and prophets, with cornerstones of unshakable firmness put in place by him for the accomplishment of his eternal purposes, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Cornerstones of Our Faith," Ensign (CR), November 1984, p.50
2/3/08
"Ever since the Salt Lake Temple
was dedicated, we have interpreted that scripture from Isaiah, repeated
again in Micah (see Micah
4:1-2), as applying to this sacred house of the Lord. And of this
place, since the day of its dedication, an ever-increasing number from
across the world have said in effect, 'Come
ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the
God of Jacob, that He might teach us of His ways, that we might walk in
His paths.'
"I
believe and testify that it is the mission of this Church to stand as
an ensign to the nations and a light to the world. We have had placed
upon us a great, all-encompassing mandate from which we cannot shrink
nor turn aside. We accept that mandate and are determined to fulfill
it, and with the help of God we shall do it."
- Gordon B.
Hinckley, "An
Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World,"
Ensign (CR), November 2003, p.82
2/10/08
"We seldom get into trouble when
we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly
and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention. To me there has
always been something significant in the description of the prophet
Elijah's contest with the priests of Baal. The scripture records
that 'a great and strong
wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks but the
Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord
was not in the earthquake: "'And
after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after
the fire a still small voice.' (1
Kgs. 19:11-12.) "The
voice of heaven is a still small voice; likewise, the voice of
domestic peace is a quiet voice."
- Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Except
the Lord Build the House,"
Ensign (CR), June 1971, p.71
3/14/08
"There is no end to the good we
can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on
the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for
capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the
gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may
radiate from us." - Gordon
B. Hinckley, "The
Need for Greater Kindness,"
CR April 2006
5/25/08
"You have the potential to
become anything to which you set your mind. You have a mind and a body
and a spirit. With these three working together, you can walk the high
road that leads to achievement and happiness. But this will require
effort and sacrifice and faith." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stay
on the High Road," Ensign (CR), May 2004, p.112
7/10/08 "Who among us can say that he or she has not felt fear? I know of no one who has been entirely spared. Some, of course, experience fear to a greater degree than do others. Some are able to rise above it quickly, but others are trapped and pulled down by it and even driven to defeat. We suffer from the fear of ridicule, the fear of failure, the fear of loneliness, the fear of ignorance. Some fear the present, some the future. Some carry the burden of sin and would give almost anything to unshackle themselves from those burdens but fear to change their lives. Let us recognize that fear comes not of God, but rather that this gnawing, destructive element comes from the adversary of truth and righteousness. Fear is the antithesis of faith. It is corrosive in its effects, even deadly." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley," p.220
7/30/08 "I challenge every one of you who can hear me to rise to the divinity within you. Do we really realize what it means to be a child of God, to have within us something of the divine nature?
"I believe with all my heart that the Latter-day Saints, generally speaking, are good people. If we live by the principles of the gospel, we must be good people, for we will be generous and kind, thoughtful and tolerant, helpful and outreaching to those in distress. We can either subdue the divine nature and hide it so that it finds no expression in our lives, or we can bring it to the front and let it shine through all that we do." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Each a Better Person," Ensign (CR), November 2002, p.99
9/12/08 "We live in a society that feeds on criticism. Faultfinding is the substance of columnists and commentators, and there is too much of this among our own people. It is so easy to find fault, and to resist doing so requires much of discipline. But if as a people we will build and sustain one another, the Lord will bless us with the strength to weather every storm and continue to move forward through every adversity. The enemy of truth would divide us and cultivate within us attitudes of criticism which, if permitted to prevail, will only deter us in the pursuit of our great divinely given goal. We cannot afford to permit it to happen. We must close ranks and march shoulder to shoulder, the strong helping the weak, those with much assisting those with little. No power on earth can stop this work if we shall so conduct ourselves." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Five Million Members—A Milestone and Not a Summit," Ensign (CR), May 1982, p.44
12/10/08 "We are all so busy with our mundane pursuits which pull us this way and that. We all need, the whole world needs, the opportunity to meditate and reflect on the things of God and to listen to words that inspire and help." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Let Us Live the Gospel More Fully," Ensign (CR), November 2003, p.102
3/21/09 "The Lord declared: 'He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.' (Matthew 10:39.) These words have something more than a cold theological meaning. They are a statement of a law of life—that as we lose ourselves in a great cause we find ourselves—and there is no greater cause than that of the Master." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be Thou an Example," p.83
3/27/09 "But all of this would appear to be selfish indeed if the blessings of these ordinances were available only to those who are now members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The fact is that the opportunity to come into the temple and partake of its blessings is open to all who will accept the gospel and be baptized into the Church. For this reason the Church carries forward an extensive missionary program in much of the world and will continue to expand this program as widely as possible, for it has the responsibility under divine revelation to teach the gospel to 'every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.'
"But there are uncounted millions who have walked the earth and who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel. Shall they be denied such blessings as are offered in the temples of the Church?
"Through living proxies who stand in behalf of the dead, the same ordinances are available to those who have passed from mortality. In the spirit world they then are free to accept or reject those earthly ordinances performed for them, including baptism, marriage, and the sealing of family relationships. There must be no compulsion in the work of the Lord, but there must be opportunity." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be Thou an Example," p.131
4/10/09 "And so, my beloved brothers and sisters, let us rejoice together now as we celebrate with appreciation the wondrous doctrines and practices which have come as a gift from the Lord in this most glorious time of His work. This is the Easter season, when we remember His glorious resurrection, of which we bear witness. Let us ever be grateful for these most precious gifts and privileges and act well our part as those who love the Lord. I invite you to listen to the words which will go forth from this pulpit, to be delivered by those who have been called as your servants. May we be blessed, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." - Gordon B. Hinckley, "We Bear Witness of Him," Ensign (CR), May 1998, p.4
5/16/09 "I have little doubt that many of us are troubled with fears concerning ourselves. We are in a period of stress across the world. There are occasionally hard days for each of us. Do not despair. Do not give up. Look for the sunlight through the clouds. Opportunities will eventually open to you. Do not let the prophets of gloom endanger your possibilities. ("The Continuing Pursuit of Truth," Ensign, April 1986, p. 4.)” - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley,” p.411
6/6/09 “Every member of the Church ought to have some understanding of, and familiarity with, the history of this tremendous movement. Without such understanding, it is difficult to sink the roots of faith deep enough that the tree will not topple when false winds of doctrine blow. No man can really appreciate Joseph Smith without reading his history. No one can really understand the tremendous heritage we have, which has been made possible by the sacrifices of the generations who have gone before. Without such understanding, it is not likely that there will be much of gratitude or appreciation.” - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley,” p. 104
6/8/09 also describes so many of our day. How easy it is for us to say, ‘We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent.’ (A of F 1:13.) But how difficult for so many to resist the temptation to lie a little, cheat a little, steal a little, bear false witness in speaking in gossipy words about others. Rise above it…. Be strong in the simple virtue of honesty." - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Building Your Tabernacle,” Ensign (CR), November 1992, p.50)
9/11/09 “And so I repeat, do not let pride stand in your way. The way of the gospel is a simple way. Some of the requirements may appear to you as elementary and unnecessary. Do not spurn them. Humble yourselves and walk in obedience. I promise that the results that follow will be marvelous to behold and satisfying to experience.” - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Everything to Gain-Nothing to Lose,” Ensign (CR), November 1976, p. 95
9/24/09 “With the ever-increasing number of converts, we must make an increasingly substantial effort to assist them as they find their way. Every one of them needs three things: a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with ‘the good word of God’ (Moro. 6:4). It is our duty and opportunity to provide these things.” - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Converts and Young Men,” Ensign (CR), May 1997, p. 47
10/10/09 “Many years ago President McKay asked me to do something and I did it the best way I knew how to do it. And when it was done I went to report what I had done. He was very kind and generous and gracious in his compliments and expressions of gratitude. As I walked from his apartment back to the Church Administration Building, I said to myself, ‘What a wonderful thing to stand in confidence before the President of the Church.’ Then these words came into my mind: ‘Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.’ What a marvelous thing. Are you and I living our lives in such a way that we could stand, should the moment come at any time, with confidence in the presence of God and give an accounting of our lives and our actions, even our thoughts? (Smithfield/Logan Utah Regional Conference, April 21, 1996.)” - “Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley,” p. 49
2/4/10 “To me it is a significant and marvelous thing that in establishing and opening this dispensation our Father did so with a revelation of himself and of his Son Jesus Christ, as if to say to all the world that he was weary of the attempts of men, earnest though these attempts might have been, to define and describe him. Strange as it seems, we alone, among all the great organizations that worship God, have a true description and a true definition of him. The experience of Joseph Smith in a few moments in the grove on a spring day in 1820, brought more light and knowledge and understanding of the personality and reality and substance of God and his Beloved Son than men had arrived at during centuries of speculation. Notwithstanding the declaration at Jordan at the time of the Savior's baptism when the voice of the Father was heard, and notwithstanding the events on the Mount of Transfiguration when again the voice of the Father was heard, men somehow evidently had been unable to realize the separate entities of the Father and the Son, their relationship and their reality.” - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Conference Report,” April 1960, Afternoon Meeting, p. 82
2/16/10 “I have learned that when people of goodwill labor cooperatively in an honest and dedicated way, there is no end to what they can accomplish.” - Gordon B. Hinckley, “Some Lessons I Learned as a Boy,” Ensign (CR), May 1993, p. 52
4/29/10
"All of us have to deal with death at one time or another, but to have
in one's heart a solid conviction concerning the reality of eternal
life is to bring a sense of peace in an hour of tragedy that can come
from no other source under the heavens." - "Teachings
of Gordon B. Hinckley," p. 153
8/2/10
"Why are we such a happy people? It is because of our faith, the quiet
assurance that abides in our hearts that our Father in Heaven,
overseeing all, will look after His sons and daughters who walk before
Him with love and appreciation and obedience. We will ever be a happy
people if we will so conduct our lives. Sin never was happiness.
Transgression never was happiness. Falsehood in word or behavior never
was happiness. Happiness lies in obedience to the teachings and
commandments of God our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "What Are People Asking about Us?" Ensign (CR), November
1998, p. 70
5/31/2011
"This is a time to ask ourselves whether, although we have grown in
numbers and strength, we are any nearer perfection in the virtue of
our individual lives. The milestone of five million members has real
significance only to the degree that we as a people bring the gospel
into our lives and demonstrate its fruits in our actions. The Lord has
reminded us in no uncertain terms that 'of him unto whom much is given
much is required.' (D&C
82:3.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley,
"Five
Million Members—A Milestone and Not a Summit," Ensign (CR)
April 1982
6/28/11
"The Church is moving forward because
it is true. It is growing because there is a broadening love for that
truth. It is growing because of a love for God, a love for the Savior, a
love for neighbor, and a strengthening spirit of love in the homes of
the people. It is this love which is the great constant in all of our
work. It stems from that love which is divine:
"'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.' (John 3:16.)"
- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Let
Love Be the Lodestar of Your Life," Ensign (CR) April 1989
7/20/11
"Everything
that occurs in the temple is eternal in its consequences. We there
deal with matters of immortality, with things of eternity, with
things of man and his relationship to his Divine Parent and his
Redeemer. Hands must be clean and hearts must be pure and thoughts
concerned with the solemnities of eternity when in these sacred
premises." -
Refer your friends to join The LDS Daily WOOL (Words Of Our Leaders)
