The LDS Daily WOOL© Archive - Henry B. Eyring

(3/10/98)
"Specific steps to assure that the Atonement is at work in your life will not always be the same. For some, at one point, it would be to see a bishop, a judge in Israel, to confess serious sin and to seek help. For another, it would be to accept baptism. But for everyone, at every stage of purification, there are constants. One is this: reception of the Holy Ghost is the cleansing agent as the Atonement purifies you." — Henry B. Eyring, "Come Unto Christ," BYU Speeches of the Year 1989-90

(1/14/99)
"The Atonement is real.  As you steadily do the things the Lord would have you do, a change will occur in you, and Satan's ability to lead you into the things that will destroy you and bring misery to you will become lessened." — Henry B. Eyring, "Surrender to Christ," Ricks College Devotional, 21 September 1993

(8/26/99)
"There seems to be no end to the Savior's desire to lead us to safety. And there is constancy in the way He shows us the path. He calls by more than one means so that it will reach those willing to accept it. And those means always include sending the message by the mouths of His prophets, whenever people have qualified to have the prophets of God among them. Those authorized servants are always charged with warning the people, telling them the way to safety." — General Conference, April 1997

(8/27/99)
"There are some commandments which, when broken, destroy unity. Some have to do with what we say and some with how we react to what others say. We must speak no ill of anyone. We must see the good in each other and speak well of each other whenever we can." — General Conference, April 1998

(8/28/99)
"The Latter-day Saints are a covenant people. From the day of baptism through the spiritual milestones of our lives we make promises with God and He makes promises with us. He always keeps His promises offered through His authorized servants, but it is the crucial test of our lives to see if we will make and keep our covenants with him." — "Witnesses for God," General Conference, October 1996

(8/29/99)
"Every time in my life when I have chosen to delay following inspired counsel or decided that I was an exception, I came to know that I had put myself in harm's way. Every time that I have listened to the counsel of prophets, felt it confirmed in prayer, and then followed it, I have found that I moved toward safety. Along the path, I have found that the way had been prepared for me and the rough places made smooth. God led me to safety along a path which was prepared with loving care, sometimes prepared long before." — "Finding Safety in Counsel," General Conference, April 1997

(8/30/99)
"If you want to stay close to someone who has been dear to you but from whom you are separated, you know how to do it. You would find a way to speak to them, you would listen to them, and you would discover ways to do things for each other. The more often that happened, the longer it went on, the deeper would be the bond of affection. If much time passed without the speaking, the listening, and the doing, the bond would weaken. God is perfect and omnipotent, and you and I are mortal. But he is our Father, he loves us, and he offers the same opportunity to draw closer to him as would a loving friend. And you will do it in much the same way: speaking, listening, and doing." — "To Draw Closer To God," General Conference, April 1991

(8/31/99)
"The Holy Ghost brings back memories of what God has taught us. And one of the ways God teaches us is with his blessings; and so, if we choose to exercise faith, the Holy Ghost will bring God's kindnesses to our remembrance." — "Remembrance And Gratitude," General Conference, October 1989

(7/15/01)
"The Holy Ghost will guide what we say if we study and ponder the scriptures every day. The words of the scriptures invite the Holy Spirit. The Lord said it this way: 'Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men' (D&C 11:21). With daily study of the scriptures, we can count on this blessing even in casual conversations or in a class when we may be asked by a teacher to respond to a question. We will experience the power the Lord promised: 'Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man' (D&C 84:85)." — Henry B. Eyring, "Feed My Lambs," "Ensign," Nov. 1997, p. 83–84

(11/9/03)
"We all have people we love. Think of them now. They may be our children or our grandchildren. Perhaps you think of your husband or your wife. It may be someone you are teaching as a missionary. It may be a friend. You want with all your heart to have them someday hear those words from the Master (Enos 1:27). And for that blessing to come, they will need that testimony offered by the Prophet in Carthage burning in their hearts through all the tests of life, as it did in his." - Henry B. Eyring, "An Enduring Testimony of the Mission of the Prophet Joseph," General Conference, 5 October 2003

(12/26/03)
"Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought. Don't discard the counsel, but hold it close. If someone you trusted handed you what appeared to be nothing more than sand with the promise that it contained gold, you might wisely hold it in your hand awhile, shaking it gently. Every time I have done that with counsel from a prophet, after a time the gold flakes have begun to appear and I have been grateful." - Henry B. Eyring, "Finding Safety in Counsel," General Conference, April 1997

(3/31/04)
"The years pass, we teach the doctrine the best we can, and yet some still do not respond. There is sorrow in that. But there is hope in the scriptural record of families. Think of Alma the Younger and Enos. In their moments of crisis, they remembered the words of their fathers, words of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It saved them. Your teaching of that sacred doctrine will be remembered." - Henry B. Eyring, "The Power of Teaching Doctrine," Ensign, May 1999, p. 74

(4/12/04)
"President Clark went on: 'When we partake of the Sacrament we covenant to obey and keep his commandments. There are no exceptions. There are no distinctions, no differences' (in Conference Report, Apr. 1955, 10-11). President Clark taught that just as we repent of all sin, not just a single sin, we pledge to keep all the commandments. Hard as that sounds, it is uncomplicated. We simply submit to the authority of the Savior and promise to be obedient to whatever He commands (see Mosiah 3:19). It is our surrender to the authority of Jesus Christ which will allow us to be bound as families, as a Church, and as the children of our Heavenly Father." - Henry B. Eyring, "That We May Be One," Ensign, May 1998, pp. 67-68

(5/4/04)
"...the test a loving God has set before us is not to see if we can endure difficulty. It is to see if we can endure it well. We pass the test by showing that we remembered Him and the commandments He gave us. And to endure well is to keep those commandments whatever the opposition, whatever the temptation, and whatever the tumult around us. We have that clear understanding because the restored gospel makes the plan of happiness so plain." - Henry B. Eyring, "In the Strength of the Lord," General Conference, April 2004

(5/28/04)
"Those who speak easily and often of the restored gospel prize what it has meant to them. They think of that great blessing often. It is the memory of the gift they have received which makes them eager for others to receive it. They have felt the love of the Savior. For them these words are their daily, hourly reality: 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.' (1 John 4:18-19.)" - Henry B. Eyring, "A Child and a Disciple," General Conference, April 2003

(7/26/05)
"God is perfect and omnipotent, and you and I are mortal. But he is our Father, he loves us, and he offers the same opportunity to draw closer to him as would a loving friend. And you will do it in much the same way: speaking, listening, and doing." - Henry B. Eyring, "To Draw Closer to God," Ensign, May 1991, 66

2/12/06
"I learned then as I have since how the stakes of Zion become places of safety. They become like a great family, united, caring for each other. It comes by simple faith.

"By faith they are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. As they continue to keep the commandments, that gift becomes constant. They can recognize spiritual things. It becomes easier to see the power of God working through the common people God calls to serve and lead them. Hearts are softened. Strangers become fellow citizens in the Lords kingdom, united in loving bonds.

"That happy condition will not last without a constant renewal of faith. The bishop we love will be released, as will the stake president. The Apostles we followed in faith will be taken home to the God who called them.

"With those continual changes comes a great opportunity. We can act to qualify for the revelation that allows us to know that the keys are being passed by God from one person to another. We can seek to have that experience again and again. And we must, in order to receive the blessings God has for us and wants us to offer to others." - Henry B. Eyring, "Faith and Keys," Ensign (CR), November 2004, p.26

3/16/07
"Love always comes first. A single act of kindness will seldom be enough. The Lord described the love we must feel, and that those we invite must recognize in us, with words like these: 'Charity suffereth long,' and it 'beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.' (1 Cor. 13:4,7)" - Henry B. Eyring, "A Voice of Warning," Ensign (CR), November 1998, p.32

3/20/07
"In the Masters service, you will come to know and love Him. You will, if you persevere in prayer and faithful service, begin to sense that the Holy Ghost has become a companion. Many of us have for a period given such service and felt that companionship. If you think back on that time, you will remember that there were changes in you. The temptation to do evil seemed to lessen. The desire to do good increased. Those who knew you best and loved you may have said, 'You have become more kind, more patient. You don't seem to be the same person.'

"You weren't the same person because the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. And the promise is real that we can become new, changed, and better. And we can become stronger for the tests of life. We then go in the strength of the Lord, a strength developed in His service. He goes with us. And in time we become His tested and strengthened disciples." - Henry B. Eyring, "In the Strength of the Lord," Ensign (CR), May 2004, p.16

4/29/07
"As the risen Savior, He is this day and forever the Light of the World. It is He who invites us to come unto Him and serve Him, without delay. His encouragement to you and to me is this: 'I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17.)

"That is as true of a day as it is of a life. A morning prayer and an early search in the scriptures to know what we should do for the Lord can set the course of a day. We can know which task, of all those we might choose, matters most to God and therefore to us. I have learned such a prayer is always answered if we ask and ponder with childlike submission, ready to act without delay to perform even the most humble service.

"On many days, doing what matters most will not be easy. It is not supposed to be. God's purpose in creation was to let us prove ourselves. The plan was explained to us in the spirit world before we were born. We were valiant enough there to qualify for the opportunity to choose against temptation here to prepare for eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God. We rejoiced to know the test would be one of faithful obedience even when it would not be easy: 'And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.' (Abraham 3:25.)" - Henry B. Eyring, "This Day," General Conference, April 2007

6/11/07
"A little prosperity and peace, or even a turn slightly for the better, can bring us feelings of self-sufficiency. We can feel quickly that we are in control of our lives, that the change for the better is our own doing, not that of a God who communicates to us through the still, small voice of the Spirit. Pride creates a noise within us which makes the quiet voice of the Spirit hard to hear. And soon, in our vanity, we no longer even listen for it. We can come quickly to think we don't need it." - Henry B. Eyring, "Prayer," Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.15

9/16/07
"Our hearts can only be drawn out to God when they are filled with love for Him and trust in His goodness. Joseph Smith, even as a boy, gave us an example of how we can come to pray from a heart filled with the love of God and then pray unceasingly through a life filled with trials and blessings.

"Joseph started for the grove to pray with faith that a loving God would answer his prayer and relieve his confusion. He gained that assurance reading the word of God and receiving a witness that it was true. He said that he read in James, 'Let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.' (James 1:5; JS-H 1:11) His faith to ask of God in prayer came after pondering a scripture which assured him of Gods loving nature. He prayed, as we must, with faith in a loving God." - Henry B. Eyring, "Prayer," Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.15

10/27/07
"Now, tonight let us decide together what we are going to do. All of us, whatever our callings may be, face tasks that are beyond our own powers. I do and you do. That’s true from the simple fact that success is to get testimony down into the hearts of people. We can’t make that happen. Even God won’t force that on anyone.

"So success requires people we serve to choose to accept the testimony of the Spirit into their hearts. The Spirit is ready. But many people aren’t ready to invite the Spirit. Our task, which is in our power, is to invite the Spirit into our lives so that people we serve will want to have the fruits of the Spirit in their lives—the fruits that they can see in ours." - Henry B. Eyring, "God Helps the Faithful Priesthood Holder," General Conference, 6 October 2007

10/30/07
"My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness. It will build our testimonies. You may not keep a journal. You may not share whatever record you keep with those you love and serve. But you and they will be blessed as you remember what the Lord has done. You remember that song we sometimes sing: 'Count your many blessings; name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.' (“Count Your Blessings,” Hymns, no. 241.)

"It won’t be easy to remember. Living as we do with a veil over our eyes, we cannot remember what it was like to be with our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in the premortal world; nor can we see with our physical eyes or with reason alone the hand of God in our lives. Seeing such things takes the Holy Ghost. And it is not easy to be worthy of the Holy Ghost’s companionship in a wicked world.

"That is why forgetting God has been such a persistent problem among His children since the world began. Think of the times of Moses, when God provided manna and in miraculous and visible ways led and protected His children. Still, the prophet warned the people who had been so blessed, as prophets always have warned and always will: 'Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life.' (Deuteronomy 4:9.)

"And the challenge to remember has always been the hardest for those who are blessed abundantly. Those who are faithful to God are protected and prospered. That comes as the result of serving God and keeping His commandments. But with those blessings comes the temptation to forget their source. It is easy to begin to feel the blessings were granted not by a loving God on whom we depend but by our own powers." - Henry B. Eyring, "O Remember, Remember," General Conference, 7 October 2007

1/6/08
"The Prophet Joseph is an example and a teacher of enduring well in faith. I do not worship him, but I thank and love him as the Lords prophet of the Restoration. He has helped me pray with the intent to obey. I am better able to feast in the word and the love of God. Because of him I feel the Holy Ghost more often in the moments when I try to build the faith of a person in the Lords kingdom. And because of what I know of the Prophet Joseph and the scriptures which were revealed through him, I more often feel the love of God for His children and of His for me when I reach down to lift someone up." - Henry B. Eyring, "An Enduring Testimony of the Mission of the Prophet Joseph," Ensign (CR), November 2003, p.89

1/12/08
"Joseph Smith’s mission was unique, yet his humble prayer can be a helpful model for us. He began, as we must, with faith in a loving God who can and wants to communicate with us and help us. That faith was rooted in impressions which came to him as he pondered the words of God’s servants in the scriptures. We can and must go often and carefully to the word of God. If we become casual in our study of the scriptures, we will become casual in our prayers." - Henry B. Eyring, "Prayer," Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.15

4/18/08
"Each of us must make an individual evaluation. First, we need to measure the depth of our gratitude for membership in the true Church of Jesus Christ. Second, we need to know by the power of the Holy Ghost in what ways we can do better in keeping the commandments." - Henry B. Eyring, "The True and Living Church," General Conference, April 2008

11/1/08
"It is not surprising that we feel from time to time nearly overwhelmed. Your thought that 'I'm not sure I can do this' is evidence that you are understanding what it means to hold the priesthood of God. The fact is that you can’t do it by yourself. The responsibility is too difficult and too important for your mortal powers and for mine. Recognizing that is at the foundation of great priesthood service.

"When those feelings of inadequacy strike us, it is the time to remember the Savior. He assures us that we don’t do this work alone." - Henry B. Eyring, "O Ye That Embark," General Conference, October 2008

11/4/08
"With the unity I see increasing, the Lord will be able to perform what the world will think as miraculous. The Saints can accomplish any purpose of the Lord when fully united in righteousness." - Henry B. Eyring, "Our Hearts Knit as One," General Conference, October 2008

12/5/08
"It shouldn't surprise us that God gives so much individual attention to humans or to the divine design in the tiny DNA molecule. God 'is in the details'—of the galaxies, of the DNA molecule, but, even more important, He 'is in the details' of our lives." - Henry B. Eyring, ed., "On Becoming a Disciple Scholar," p.14

12/27/08
"Every member has made the covenant in the waters of baptism to be a witness for God. Every member has made a covenant to do works of kindness as the Savior would do. So any call to bear witness and to care for others is not a request for extra service; it is a blessing designed by a loving Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. They have provided such calls as well as other settings, sometimes without a formal call, all for the same purpose. Each is a chance to prove what blessings flow from being a covenant people, and each is an opportunity for which you agreed to be accountable. Each is a sacred responsibility for others accepted in the waters of baptism but too often not met because it may not be recognized for what it is." - Henry B. Eyring, "Witnesses for God," Ensign (CR), November 1996, p.30

4/26/09
“Consecration, doing things ‘unto the Lord,’ is both an attitude and an action. When we consecrate ourselves, we consciously reaffirm that our works are for His glory and not ours. We ‘confess . . . his hand in all’ our work  (D&C 59:21).  We dedicate our talents, including our intellectual skills, to the building up of His kingdom. We ask to be used by Him. There is in the process of consecration a pledge and a petition: we dedicate our talents and our lives to God and pray that He will bless each of our mortal efforts to good effect and use in His cause. When we consecrate our learning, we ask not only to be ‘ever learning’ but also to come to ‘the knowledge of the truth’ (2 Tim. 3:7)." - Henry B. Eyring, “On Becoming a Disciple Scholar,” p.74

6/3/09
“Satan will always work on the Saints of God to undermine their faith in priesthood keys. One way he does it is to point out the humanity of those who hold them. He can in that way weaken our testimony and so cut us loose from the line of keys by which the Lord ties us to Him and can take us and our families home to Him and to our Heavenly Father.

“Satan succeeded in undermining the testimony of men who had, with Joseph Smith, seen the heavens opened and heard the voices of angels. The evidence of their physical eyes and ears was not enough when they no longer could feel the testimony that the priesthood keys were still in place with Joseph.” - Henry B. Eyring, “Faith and Keys,” Ensign (CR), November 2004, p. 26

9/6/09
“Our families can be given a gift to know what God would have them do and to learn it in a way that will encourage them to do it. God has provided such a guide. It is the Holy Ghost. We cannot give that to our family members as a companion, but they can earn it. The Holy Ghost can be their constant companion only after they have been faithful and after they have received the ordinances of baptism and the laying on of hands by those with proper authority. But even before baptism, a child or an adult can have the Holy Ghost testify to their hearts of sacred truth. They must act on that testimony to retain it, but it will guide them toward goodness, and it can lead them to accept and keep the covenants which will in time bring them the companionship of the Holy Ghost. We would, if we could, leave our families a legacy of testimony that it might reach through the generations.” - Henry B. Eyring, “A Legacy of Testimony,” Ensign (CR), May 1996, p. 62

9/9/09
“Most of us have thought about how to prepare for storms. We have seen and felt the suffering of women, men, and children, and of the aged and the weak, caught in hurricanes, tsunamis, wars, and droughts. One reaction is to ask, ‘How can I be prepared?’ And there is a rush to buy and put away whatever people think they might need for the day they might face such calamities.”

“But there is another even more important preparation we must make for tests that are certain to come to each of us. That preparation must be started far in advance because it takes time. What we will need then can't be bought. It can't be borrowed. It doesn’t store well. And it has to have been used regularly and recently.

“What we will need in our day of testing is a spiritual preparation. It is to have developed faith in Jesus Christ so powerful that we can pass the test of life upon which everything for us in eternity depends. That test is part of the purpose God had for us in the Creation.” - Henry B. Eyring, Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady,” (CR) October 2005

12/4/09
“Different as we are in circumstances and experiences, we share a desire to become better than we are. There may be a few who mistakenly feel they are good enough and a few who have given up trying to be better. But, for all, the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can and must expect to become better as long as we live.” – Henry B. Eyring, “Our Perfect Example,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 70–73

12/23/09
“It may be so small a thing as to keep careful minutes in a deacons or a teachers quorum. There were young men years ago who kept meticulous records of what was decided and what was done by boys only months older than they were. That took faith that God called even 12-year-olds into His service who were being guided by revelation. Some of those quorum secretaries of long ago now sit in the presiding councils of the Church. They now read the minutes others prepare. And revelation flows to them now as it did to the leaders they served when they were boys like you. They had been prepared to trust that God reveals His will, even in apparently small matters, in His kingdom.” – Henry B. Eyring, “Be Ready,” Ensign, November 2009

12/25/09
“Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour, must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey Him.” – Henry B. Eyring, “Our Perfect Example,” Ensign, November 2009

1/25/10
“If we are to have unity, there are commandments we must keep concerning how we feel. We must forgive and bear no malice toward those who offend us. The Savior set the example from the cross: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34). We do not know the hearts of those who offend us. Nor do we know all the sources of our own anger and hurt. The Apostle Paul was telling us how to love in a world of imperfect people, including ourselves, when he said, ‘Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil’ (1 Cor. 13:4-5). And then he gave solemn warning against reacting to the fault of others and forgetting our own when he wrote, ‘For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known’ (1 Cor. 13:12).” - Henry B. Eyring, “That We May Be One,” Ensign (CR), May 1998, p. 66

2/2/10
"The spiritual strength sufficient for our youth to stand firm just a few years ago will soon not be enough. Many of them are remarkable in their spiritual maturity and in their faith. But even the best of them are sorely tested. And the testing will become more severe.

“The youth are responsible for their own choices. But as faithful parents, teachers, leaders, and friends, we shore up the faith of young people. And we must raise our sights.” – Henry B. Eyring, “We Must Raise Our Sights,” Ensign, Sep 2004, 14–19

4/13/10
"Being submissive, gentle, easy to be entreated, and patient are all attributes. But the actions Alma commends to us are to ask for what we need and to return thanks. Please don't think of that as a routine command to say your prayers. Oh, it is much more than that. If you pray, if you talk to God, if you plead for the help you need, and if you thank him not only for help but for the patience and gentleness that come from not receiving all you desire right away—or perhaps ever—I promise you that you will draw closer to him. And then you will become diligent and long-suffering." - Henry B. Eyring, "To Draw Closer to God: A Collection of Discourses," p. 97

8/10/10
"Heavenly Father has assigned us to a great variety of stations to strengthen and, when needed, to lead travelers to safety. Our most important and powerful assignments are in the family. They are important because the family has the opportunity at the start of a child’s life to put feet firmly on the path home. Parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles are made more powerful guides and rescuers by the bonds of love that are the very nature of a family." - Henry B. Eyring, "Help Them on Their Way Home," Ensign (CR) May 2010

8/19/10
"We are to learn our duty from the Lord, and then we are to act in all diligence, never being lazy or slothful. The pattern is simple but not easy to follow. We are so easily distracted. Studying the daily news can appear more interesting than the priesthood lesson manual. Sitting down to rest can be more attractive than making appointments to visit those who need our priesthood service.

"When I find myself drawn away from my priesthood duties by other interests and when my body begs for rest, I give to myself this rallying cry: 'Remember Him.' The Lord is our perfect example of diligence in priesthood service. He is our captain. He called us. He goes before us. He chose us to follow Him and to bring others with us." - Henry B. Eyring, "Act in All Diligence," Ensign (CR) May 2010

9/24/10
"And so my message for us tonight is this: let us do whatever is required to qualify for the Holy Ghost as our companion, and then let us go forward fearlessly so that we will be given the powers to do whatever the Lord calls us to do. That growth in power to serve may come slowly, it may come in small steps that are difficult for you to see, but it will come.” - Henry B. Eyring, "Serve with the Spirit,” Ensign (CR) October 2010

9/26/10
"The Father revealed to us that He lives, that Jesus Christ is His Beloved Son, and that He loved us enough to send that Son to save us, who are His children. And because I have a testimony that He called that unlettered boy as an apostle and prophet, I trust His apostles and prophets today and those they call to serve God.

"That trust has blessed my life and the lives of my family.” - Henry B. Eyring, "Trust in God, Then Go and Do,” Ensign (CR) October 2010

10/24/11
Paul gave good counsel for all of us. Don’t worry about how inexperienced you are or think you are, but think about what, with the Lord’s help, you can become. - Henry B. Eyring, "Preparation in the Priesthood: "I Need Your Help," Ensign (CR) October 2011

 
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