The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(12/28/97)
"Happy homes come in a variety of appearances. Some feature large
families with father, mother, brothers, and sisters living together in a
spirit of love. Others consist of a single parent with one or two
children, while other homes have but one occupant. There are, however,
identifying features which are to be found in a happy home, whatever the
number or description of its family members. I refer to these as
'Hallmarks of a Happy Home.' They consist of, 1. A pattern of prayer, 2.
A library of learning, 3. A legacy of love, 4. A treasury of
testimony."—President Thomas S. Monson, Hallmarks Of A Happy Home,
General Conference, October 1988
(12/29/97)
"My brothers and sisters, let us determine, whatever our circumstance,
to make of our houses happy homes. Let us open wide the windows of our
hearts, that each family member may feel welcome and 'at home.' Let us
open also the doors of our very souls, that the dear Christ may enter.
Remember His promise: 'Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any
man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him' (Revelation
3:20)."—President Thomas S. Monson, Hallmarks Of A Happy Home,
General Conference, October 1988
(12/30/97)
"Patience with family members and others who are close to us is vital
for us to have happy homes."—Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Patience, a
Key to Happiness, General Conference, April 1987
(12/31/97)
"Now, to those of us who are husbands and children, let us help our
mothers and wives be happy in our homes. Let us love them, honor them,
respect them, revere them. Let us help them fulfill their call from the
Lord. Let us be sure we do our part to make our homes pleasant. Let us
help them have time for mental improvement, for educational growth, for
cultural pursuits. and for developing talents. A home will be blessed
and enriched when a mother is encouraged in these paths."—Bishop H.
Burke Peterson, Mother, Catch The Vision Of Your Call, General
Conference, April 1974
(1/1/98)
"We must expand our thinking on ways to develop happy children. As the
Lord has said, the power is within us to do so. The ways of the Lord are
simple ways. Simple experiences with children develop unbreakable ties
that will endure forever. It might be something as simple as smiling
more in your home. What would you think of speaking more cheerfully?
Trying more often to say please and thank you? What would you think of
finding an opportunity for one sincere compliment for each child each
day, and then watching them respond? What if you decided to be cheerful
tonight at the dinner table, and in spite of what others might do or
say, hold to your course. See how long you can uplift your whole family.
Take one day at a time. As a TV commercial says, 'Try it--you'll like
it.' These are contagious actions. Children will learn to be happy and
more pleasant. Homes will be cheery. The gospel of Jesus Christ is more
easily taught and longer remembered in a happy home. Parents, we are the
catalyst."—Bishop H. Burke Peterson, Harmony In The Home,
General Conference, October 1972
(1/2/98)
"What are some things that we can do to improve? I believe that
seriously studying how our Father cares for His children can help us.
Everything we know about our Heavenly Father is connected with His
parenthood and His loving care for our souls. He loves each of His
children unconditionally. We can do the same in our families. His plan
of happiness is a plan to help His children progress and be prepared to
receive His greatest blessings. We can make plans to help our families
progress. He included His children in the great Heavenly Council and
allowed us to participate and use our agency to choose. We can have
family councils and include our children as active participants. Under
His guidance, this earth was prepared as a place where we could learn
and grow. Our homes can be happy places where our children can learn and
grow. He has given His children rules of conduct and commandments that
keep us moving forward, focused on the path that leads to our heavenly
home. The rules of conduct in our family can help us move forward on the
path back to our Heavenly Father."—President Patricia P. Pinegar, Caring
for the Souls of Children, General Conference, April 1997
(1/3/98)
"To all fathers and mothers of the Church, tell your children that you
love them and that you are so happy to have them in your family. Prepare
yourselves spiritually to receive the guidance through the Holy Ghost.
As you prayerfully study the scriptures and 'The Family: A Proclamation
to the World' (ENSIGN, Nov. 1995, 102), listen and respond to the
promptings of the Spirit. Be aware of Satan's influences. Where do the
feelings come from that make you feel that your efforts in the home are
not fulfilling or important? Where do the feelings come from that make
you feel unappreciated? Rejoice in this preparation for godhood. Rejoice
in the opportunity to teach your children the truths of the kingdom, and
help them experience the peace and joy that comes from following these
truths."—President Patricia P. Pinegar, Caring for the Souls of
Children, General Conference, April 1997
(3/13/04)
"Home should be a haven of love. Honor, courtesy, and respect symbolize
love and characterize the righteous family. Fathers in such homes will
not hear the denunciation of the Lord as recorded in the book of Jacob
from the Book of Mormon: 'Ye have broken the hearts of your tender
wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad
examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God
against you' (Jacob
2:35)." - Thomas S. Monson, "The
Doorway
of Love," Ensign, Oct. 1996, p. 4
(4/15/04)
"The home is the great laboratory of love. There the raw chemicals of
selfishness and greed are melded in the crucible of cooperation to yield
compassionate concern and love one for another. (See Mosiah
4:14-15; D&C
68:25-31)" - Russell M. Nelson, "Our
Sacred
Duty to Honor Women," Ensign, May 1999, p. 40
(9/2/04)
"The Lord's standards for
building a temple apply also to building spiritual strength in our
homes: 'Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and
establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a
house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of
order, a house of God.' (D&C
88:119.) Do we heed this counsel from the
Lord? Do we do what he asks? We would do well to build our homes
according to this plan, or they are destined to fail." - Joseph B.
Wirthlin, "Finding Peace in Our Lives" [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1995], p. 53
1/1/06
"The Lord's standards for building a temple apply also
to building spiritual strength in our homes: 'Organize yourselves;
prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of
prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a
house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.' (D&C
88:119.) Do we heed this counsel from the Lord? Do we do what He
asks? We would do well to build our homes according to this plan or they
are destined to fail." - Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Spiritually
Strong Homes and Families," Ensign (CR), May 1993, p.68
12/19/06
"No nation can rise above its homes. The church, the school, and even
the nation, stand helpless before a weakened and degraded home, in
building character. The good home is the rock foundation—the cornerstone
of civilization. If this, our nation, is to endure, the home must be
safeguarded, strengthened, and restored to its rightful importance." -
Ezra Taft Benson, "Conference Report," April 1949, Afternoon Meeting,
p.196
7/5/07
"A happy home is but an earlier heaven. President George Albert Smith
asked, 'Do we want our homes to be happy? If we do, let them be the
abiding place of prayer, thanksgiving and gratitude.' (In Conference
Report, Apr. 1944, p. 32.)" - Thomas S. Monson, "Precious
Children—A Gift from God," Ensign (CR),
November 1991, p.67
1/4/08
"We have been commanded of the
Lord to set our households in order. Apostles, Presidents of Stakes and
Bishops, have you done this with your own households? Have you also seen
that the Saints have done the same? Have you impressed upon the people
under your charge the absolute necessity of purity if they desire the
blessing and protection of the Most High? Wolves never watched with
greater cunning and more ravenous hunger a flock of sheep and lambs than
the people of your wards and stakes are now being watched by those who
are ready to devour them. Are you awake to this danger, and do you take
every precaution against it?" - "Teachings
Of Presidents Of The Church: John Taylor,"
p.191
1/20/08
"The safety of our nation
depends upon the purity and strength of the home; and I thank God for
the teachings of the Mormon Church in relation to home building, and the
impression that kind parents have made, that the home must be the most
sacred place in the world. Our people are home-builders, and they are
taught everywhere, from childhood to old age, that the home should be
kept pure and safe from the evils of the world"
- David O. McKay, "Conference
Report," April 1909, Afternoon
Session, p.66
11/2/08
"We urge all Latter-day Saints
to be prudent in their planning, to be conservative in their living, and
to avoid excessive or unnecessary debt. The financial affairs of the
Church are being managed in this manner, for we are aware that your
tithing and other contributions have not come without sacrifice and are
sacred funds.
"Let us make our homes sanctuaries of righteousness, places of prayer, and abodes of love that we might merit the blessings that can come only from our Heavenly Father. We need His guidance in our daily lives." - Thomas S. Monson, "To Learn, to Do, to Be," General Conference, October 2008
7/9/09
“There was a little lady rushing out through the gates going to her
work. On her way she had come into the temple grounds because to her
it was home—home, because this is where she found God, where she found
a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, where she was baptized,
where she went to the house of the Lord and obtained blessings in his
holy house. As I saw her going out, I said to myself, ‘This place is
truly a home, because, like a home, it brings us blessings and safety,
strength, courage, and faith that endures.’” - John
H. Taylor, “Conference Report,” October 1945, Afternoon Meeting, p.
83
1/21/10
“Fathers, mothers, and children who earnestly strive to make a happy
home are really doing Church work — the most important, because it is
the most basic work in the Church.” - John
A. Widtsoe, “Evidences and Reconciliations,” p. 318
"If the tender, profound, and sympathizing love practiced and recommended by Jesus were paramount in every heart, the loftiest and most glorious ideals of human society would be realized and little would be wanting to make this world a kingdom of heaven. Love is indeed heaven upon the earth, since heaven above would not be heaven without it." - Delbert L. Stapley, "Conference Report," October 1970, Afternoon Meeting, p. 44
6/27/10
"The training for covenants, for ordinances, and for service belongs
in the home. If these are paramount in the minds of the parents, the
youth will be prepared. And they will not, because of this, miss any
essential training for their careers." - A.
Theodore Tuttle, "Covenants, Ordinances, and Service," Ensign (CR),
May 1984, p. 23
7/13/11
"In homes
where high ideals and gospel values are maintained, it is parents, not
teachers, who lay the foundation of character and faith in the hearts
of their children. If the training a child should receive in the home
is neglected, neither the Church nor the school can compensate for the
loss." - Rex
D. Pinegar, "Home
First," Ensign (CR) April 1990
9/14/11
Parents, whatever you are doing, return home.
Children, wherever you are, no matter what your failure, problem, or
sin, you will always be loved by your family. Go home.
Grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, draw your families
together. Return home. May the concept of home be exalted, because the
Lord so organized it in the beginning. -
12/16/14
It is in the home that
our behavior is most significant. It is the place where our
actions have the greatest impact, for good or ill. Sometimes we
are so much “at home” that we no longer guard our words. We forget
simple civility. If we are not on guard, we can fall into the
habit of criticizing one another, losing our tempers, or behaving
selfishly. Because they love us, our spouses and children may be
quick to forgive, but they often carry away in silence unseen
injuries and unspoken heartache. - Wayne
S. Peterson, “Our
Actions Determine Our Character,” Ensign (CR) October 2001
1/14/15
Our homes need to be more
Christ-centered. We should spend more time at the temple and less
time in the pursuit of pleasure. We should lower the noise level
in our homes so that the noise of the world will not overpower the
still, small voice of the Holy Ghost. One of our greatest goals as
parents should be to enjoy the power and influence of the Holy
Ghost in our homes. We should pray and study the scriptures. We
could sing the hymns of the Restoration to invite the Holy Ghost
into our home. Regular family home evening will also help. - Joseph
B. Wirthlin, “The
Unspeakable Gift,” Ensign (CR) April 2003
5/14/15
Eliminate more of the worldly commercial entertainment now
channeled into your home. In its place, learn the simple arts and
develop individual skills. There is great virtue in training your
boys to use building tools and your girls to use homemaking tools.
This develops creativity, talent, and initiative. It gives
expression to individual talents and encourages thrift and
industry. - A. Theodore Tuttle,
Conference Report, April 1970, Afternoon Meeting, p. 87
6/24/15
What are we going to do? We have our responsibility, and I am sure
we will not disappoint those who have depended upon us to do our
part. But the most important thing that we can do is set our own
homes in order, to see if there is carelessness or indifference in
them, teach our families, and unite them and make them happy in
keeping the commandments of our Heavenly Father, because only on the
condition of righteousness can even this great Church continue and
endure to do the work that it has to do. - George
Albert Smith, "Conference Report," October 1950, General
Priesthood Meeting, p. 181
6/14/16
Certainly there are times when getting the family together to read
the scriptures does not stack up as a spiritual experience worthy
of a journal entry. But we must not be deterred. There are special
times when the spirit of a son or daughter is just right and the
power of these great scriptures goes down into their heart like
fire. As we honor our Heavenly Father in our homes, He will honor
our efforts. - Neil L.
Andersen, “Prophets
and Spiritual Mole Crickets,” Ensign (CR), November 1999,
p.16