(6/1/99)
"Freedom and liberty are precious gifts that come to us when we are
obedient to the laws of God and the whisperings of the Spirit. If we are
to avoid destruction, which was the fate of President McKay's horse
Dandy and his companion, fences or guardrails must be built beyond which
we cannot go. The fences which we must stay within are the principles of
revealed truth. Obedience to them makes us truly free to reach the
potential and the glory which our Heavenly Father has in store for us."
— "Obedience: the Path to Freedom," General Conference, April 1999
(7/23/99)
"In hard times we have a chance to reevaluate and reorder our priorities
in life. We learn what is most important to us. The way is open to
strengthen faith and testimony." — James E. Faust, "Reach Up For The
Light," p. 80
(11/12/99)
"It is always appropriate in all family relationships to ask, 'What
would Jesus do?'" — "Happiness Is Having a Father Who Cares," General
Conference, October 1973
(11/13/99)
"I strongly counsel all who have membership in this church to follow the
teachings and counsel of those who now have the keys as prophets, seers,
and revelators. They are the ones who will inspire us to deal with the
vicissitudes of our time." — "The Keys That Never Rust," General
Conference, October 1994
(11/14/99)
"Many who think that life is unfair do not see things within the larger
vision of what the Savior did for us through the Atonement and the
Resurrection. Each of us has times of agony, heart-break, and despair
when we must, like Job, reach deep down inside to the bedrock of our
faith. The depth of our belief in the Resurrection and the Atonement of
the Savior will, I believe, determine the measure of courage and purpose
with which we meet life's challenges." — "Woman Why Weepest Thou,"
General Conference, October 1996
(11/15/99)
"Many years of listening to the tribulations of man have persuaded me
that the satisfaction of all desires is completely counterproductive to
happiness. Instant and unrestrained gratification is the shortest and
most direct route to unhappiness." — "Brigham Young University Speeches
of the Year," 1974, p. 319
(11/16/99)
"The dispensation of divine truth in which we now live, in distinction
from previous dispensations, will not be destroyed by apostasy." — "The
Prophetic Voice," General Conference, April 1996
(11/17/99)
"The best counsel I ever received about staying away from the edge came
when, as a young married man, President Harold B. Lee called me to be a
member of a bishopric. He said, 'From now on, you must not only avoid
evil, but also the appearance of evil.' He did not interpret that
counsel. That was left to my conscience." — "Acting for Ourselves and
Not Being Acted Upon," General Conference, October 1995
(11/23/00)
"One of the advantages of having lived a long time is that you can often
remember when you had it worse. I am grateful to have lived long enough
to have known some of the blessings of adversity. My memory goes back to
the Great Depression, when we had certain values burned into our souls.
One of these values was gratitude for what we had because we had so
little. We had to learn provident living in order to survive. Rather
than create in us a spirit of envy or anger for what we did not have, it
developed in many a spirit of gratitude for the meager, simple things
with which we were blessed, like hot homemade bread and oatmeal cereal
and many other things." — James E. Faust, "Gratitude
As
a Saving Principle," Ensign, Dec. 1996, p. 2
(4/17/01)
"Believing involves faith and good works. We cannot be passive; we must
actively avoid evil. This means that we do not trifle with sacred
things. Families in this day and time should not only avoid evil but
avoid the very appearance of evil. To combat these influences families
must have family prayer, family home evening, and family scripture
study." — James E. Faust, "Pioneers
of
the Future: 'Be Not Afraid, Only Believe,'" Ensign, Nov. 1997, p.
45
(11/24/01)
"I have some fear, however, that some members consider guidelines and
procedures to be as important as the timeless, immutable laws of the
gospel, such as 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Rather than some
legalistic definition of adultery, the Savior's more enlightened
direction is that the thought is father to the deed: he that 'looketh on
a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in
his heart.'" — James E. Faust, "The
Weightier
Matters of the Law: Judgment, Mercy, and Faith," "Ensign,"
Nov. 1997, p. 53-54
(2/13/02)
"In my lifetime, there have been very few occasions when I questioned
the wisdom and inspiration given by key priesthood leaders. I have
always tried to follow their counsel, whether I agreed with it or not. I
have come to know that most of the time they were in tune with the
Spirit and I was not. The safe course is to sustain our priesthood
leaders and let God judge their actions." — James E. Faust, "Power
of
the Priesthood," Ensign, May 1997, p. 42
(3/16/02)
"A very encouraging portion of the ninth article of faith we have been
considering is its conclusion, 'We believe that He will yet reveal many
great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.' Elder Boyd
K. Packer, now Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
stated: 'Revelation is a continuous principle in the Church. In one
sense the Church is still being organized. As light and knowledge are
given, as prophecies are fulfilled and more intelligence is received,
another step forward can be taken' (The Holy Temple [1980], 137)." —
James E. Faust, "Continuing
Revelation," Ensign, Aug. 1996, p. 6
3/30/03
"I warn you of a pervasive false doctrine. For want of a better name, I
call it 'premeditated repentance,' by which I mean consciously sinning
with the forethought that afterward repentance will permit the enjoyment
of the full blessings of the gospel, such as temple marriage or a
mission. In an increasingly wicked society, it is harder to toy with
evil without becoming contaminated." — James E. Faust, "Finding
Light in a Dark World," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], p.
105-106
(10/13/03)
"In my opinion, members of the Church have the most effective cure for
our decaying family life. It is for men, women, and children to honor
and respect the divine roles of both fathers and mothers in the home. In
so doing, mutual respect and appreciation among the members of the
Church will be fostered by the righteousness found there. In this way
the great sealing keys restored by Elijah, spoken of by Malachi, might
operate 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the
children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse.'
(D&C 110:15;
see also Mal. 4:6.)"
- James
E.
Faust, "General Conference Reports," April 1993
(10/20/03)
"We can have a certain testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God, and Redeemer of mankind, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet
commissioned to restore the Church in our day and time without having a
complete understanding of all gospel principles. But when you pick up a
stick you pick up both ends. And so it is with the gospel. As members of
the Church we need to accept all of it. Even limited spiritual assurance
of some of the aspects of the gospel is a blessing, and in time the
other elements of which you are uncertain can come through faith and
obedience." - James E. Faust, "Lord,
I
Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief," General Conference, 4 October
2003
(10/30/03)
"The process of finding our ancestors one by one can be challenging but
also exciting and rewarding. We often feel spiritual guidance as we go
to the sources which identify them. Because this is a very spiritual
work, we can expect help from the other side of the veil. We feel a pull
from our relatives who are waiting for us to find them so their
ordinance work can be done. This is a Christlike service because we are
doing something for them that they cannot do for themselves." - James E.
Faust, "The
Phenomenon
That Is You," General Conference, 4 October 2003
(12/19/03)
"What is the significance of the words of the Prophet Joseph that we
will 'build temples to the Most High'? Why were all of these temples
built at such cost and sacrifice? Why are they still being built at an
ever-increasing pace? It is because the deepest questions of our
existence are answered in the temple. These answers tell us where we
came from, why we are here, where we may go, and how we may cope with
the matter of death. This life makes no logical sense unless we think in
terms of the eternities. The transcendent blessings of life and eternity
are received within the sacred walls of the temple. The Savior's
supernal gift to mankind gave us the opportunity for eternal life, but
eternal life without our loved ones would be bleak." - James E. Faust, "Eternity
Lies
Before Us," General Conference, April 1997
(12/22/03)
"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference
between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of
ourselves-giving of the riches of the heart and mind-and therefore more
enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store....
The message of this season that is applicable throughout the year lies
not in the receiving of earthly presents and treasures but in the
forsaking of selfishness and greed and in going forward, seeking and
enjoying the gifts of the Spirit, which Paul said are 'love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law' (Gal.
5:22-23)." - James E. Faust, "A
Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, December 2001
(12/24/03)
"At the heart of the message of the Savior of the world is a single,
glorious, wonderful, still largely untried concept. In its simplest
terms the message is that we should seek to overcome the selfishness we
all seem to be born with, that we should overcome human nature and think
of others before self. We should think of God and serve Him, and think
of others and serve them." - James E. Faust, "A
Pattern of Love," Ensign, December 1999
(1/3/04)
"Brethren, we must never let the great powers of the holy priesthood of
God lie dormant in us. We are bound together in the greatest cause and
the most sacred work in all the world. To exercise these great powers,
we must be clean in thought and action. We must do nothing which would
impair the full exercise of this transcendent power." - James E. Faust,
"Power
of
the Priesthood," General Conference, April 1997
(2/5/04)
"We need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan's power. He can have no
power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we
stand firm, he will retreat. The Apostle James counseled: 'Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you.' (James 4:7.)
And Nephi states that 'he hath no power over the hearts' of people who
are righteous. (1 Ne.
22:26.)" - James E. Faust, "Serving
the
Lord and Resisting the Devil," Ensign, Sept. 1995, p. 6
(3/17/04)
"The first part of the ninth article of faith states, 'We believe all
that God has revealed.' Through the ages, God's messages to His children
generally have been revealed through prophets. Amos tells us, 'Surely
the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his
servants the prophets' (Amos
3:7). These are the prophetic oracles who have tuned in over the
centuries to the 'celestial transmitting station,' with a responsibility
to relay the Lord's word to others. The principal qualifications of a
prophet in any age are not wealth, title, position, physical stature,
scholarship, or intellectual attainment. The two qualifications are,
first, a prophet must be called as such by God and ordained by one known
to have legal and spiritual authority (see D&C
42:11), and second, he must receive and declare revelation from
God. No man knows the ways of God except they be revealed unto him (see
Jacob 4:8)." - James
E. Faust, "Continuing
Revelation," Ensign, Aug. 1996, p. 4
(3/20/04)
"All scriptures are one in that they testify of Jesus. Jacob, a Book of
Mormon prophet, reminds us that 'none of the prophets have written, nor
prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ.' (Jacob
7:11.) Speaking of the scriptures, the Psalmist said, 'Thy word is
a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.' (Ps.
119:105.)" - James E. Faust, "The
Keystone
of Our Religion," Ensign, Nov. 1983, pp. 10-11
(3/25/04)
"Why is it so necessary to follow those who have the keys of the
priesthood? That principle has guided this church and its people since
the beginning, and it is a principle of revelation. Among the members of
the Church have been the living oracles of God, who have held the keys
to direct this holy work. Without prophets, seers, and revelators, the
Church and the kingdom of God cannot grow and prosper." - James E.
Faust, "The
Keys
That Never Rust," Ensign, Nov. 1994, p. 73
(4/17/04)
"In one of the most classic confrontations in the Bible, the Lord asked
Cain, 'Where is Abel thy brother?' Cain answered, 'Am I my brother's
keeper?' (Gen. 4:9). I
put to each of us that same query: Are we our brother's keeper? King
Benjamin taught, 'Ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve
one another' (Mosiah
4:15). One of the great transcending principles that we teach in
the Church is that we're trying to meet the needs of others. We talk
frequently about service. Why? The needs of the Saints aren't any
different from those of anyone else, because we're just people, and our
needs are, above all else, primarily spiritual. Elder Marion D. Hanks
once said to a celebrated psychiatrist, 'In a word, tell me what you do
for people.' The psychiatrist said, 'In a word, what I do for people is
to try to convince them that God loves them.' Love is the first great
need. How do we know that? Because the Lord said so. The first
commandment is to love God and serve him, and the second is like unto
it: love our fellowmen and serve them (see Matt.
22:37-39). So we know that one of the first principles of the
gospel has to be service." - James E. Faust, "Go
Bring
Them In from the Plains," Ensign, July 1997, p. 2
(5/14/04)
"In this life we have to make many choices. Some are very important
choices. Some are not. Many of our choices are between good and evil.
The choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness
or our unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our
choices. Making perfect choices all of the time is not possible. It just
doesn't happen. But it is possible to make good choices we can live with
and grow from. When God's children live worthy of divine guidance they
can become 'free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves
and not to be acted upon.' (2
Ne. 2:26)" - James E. Faust, "Choices,"
General
Conference, April 2004
(5/17/04)
"My first radio was a crystal set. It was hard to tune to the frequency
of a particular radio station. I had to literally scratch the receiving
wire whisker over the top of the rough crystal to find the right
pinpoint, a little valley or peak on the crystal where the signal was
received. Just a millimeter off on either side of that point and I would
lose the signal and get scratchy static. Over time, with patience and
perseverance, good eyesight, and a steady hand, I learned to find the
signal point on the crystal without too much difficulty. So it is with
inspiration. We must attune ourselves to the inspiration from God and
tune out the scratchy static. We have to work at being tuned in. Most of
us need a long time to become tuned in. When I was a newly called
General Authority, President Marion G. Romney, who was in his 70s at the
time, told us, 'I know when I am working under the Spirit and when I am
not.' To be able to recognize when one is being guided by the Spirit is
a supernal gift." - James E. Faust, "Did
You
Get the Right Message?" General Conference, April 2004
(6/26/04)
"The unfailing source of our hope is that we are sons and daughters of
God and that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, saved us from death. How
can we know that Jesus truly is our Savior and Redeemer? In human terms
His reality is almost undefinable, but His presence can be known
unequivocally by the Spirit if we continually seek to live under the
shadow of His influence. In the Book of Mormon we read the account of
Aaron expounding the gospel to Lamoni's father. He told him, 'If thou
wilt bow down before God . and call on his name in faith, believing that
ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.'
(Alma 22:16.) The
old king followed this to the letter and received a witness of the truth
that Aaron had imparted. As a result, he and all his household were
converted and came to know the Lord." - James E. Faust, "Hope,
an
Anchor of the Soul," Ensign, November 1999, p. 60
(8/6/04)
"The fact that some members do not have functioning traditional families
is no reason to move in a direction that would diminish or abandon
family activities among those who can and should foster them. With the
increased onslaught of forces that cause families to disintegrate, we
ought to dig in our heels to preserve all that is great and good in the
family. We are reminded that in times of tribulations, the Nephites were
not fighting for a political cause, such as monarchy or power; rather,
they 'were inspired by a better cause.' For 'they were fighting for
their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and
their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.' (Alma
43:45.)" - James E. Faust, "Where
Is
the Church?" Ensign, August 1990, p. 66
(8/15/04)
"Generally, those children who make the decision and have the resolve to
abstain from drugs, alcohol, and illicit sex are those who have adopted
and internalized the strong values of their homes as lived by their
parents. In times of difficult decisions they are most likely to follow
the teachings of their parents rather than the example of their peers or
the sophistries of the media which glamorize alcohol consumption,
illicit sex, infidelity, dishonesty, and other vices. They are like
Helaman's two thousand young men who "had been taught by their mothers,
that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them" from death. 'And
they rehearsed... the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt
our mothers knew it.' (Alma
56:47-48.)" - James E. Faust, "The
Greatest
Challenge in the World-Good Parenting," Ensign, November 1990, p.
34
(9/10/04)
"Someone once said, 'If you come to a fork in the road, take it.' But it
doesn't work that way. The Savior said, 'No man can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.'
(Matt 6:24.) Today
many of us are trying to serve two masters-the Lord and our own selfish
interests-without offending the devil. The influence of God, our Eternal
Father, urges us, pleads us, and inspires us to follow him. In contrast
the power of Satan urges us to disbelieve and disregard God's
commandments." - James E. Faust, "Serving
the
Lord and Resisting the Devil," Ensign, September 1995, p. 2
(9/20/04)
"If performed in the right spirit, there is no higher worship than the
unpurchased service to another soul of whatever faith, belief, or social
stratum. The Savior of the world said it simply, 'Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto
me' (Matt. 25:40)."
- James E. Faust, "A
Second Birth," Ensign, June 1998, p. 5
(10/6/04)
"True disciples are those who go beyond simply believing. They act out
their belief. Said the Savior, 'If any man will do his will, he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of
myself' (John 7:17).
Disciples follow the Divine Master. Their actions speak in symphonic
harmony with their beliefs. They know who they are. They know what God
expects of them. They mirror inner peace and certainty concerning the
mission and resurrection of Christ. They hunger and thirst after
righteousness. They know they are here on this earth for a purpose. They
understand life after death. They believe that the transcendent event in
the ministry of the Christ was the Atonement, culminating in the
Resurrection." - James E. Faust, "In the Strength of the Lord: The Life
and Teachings of James E. Faust," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1999], p. 290-291
(12/3/04)
"Joseph Smith has given us not only
the message of the divine Restoration but also the practical how-to
steps to obtain personal and divine communication. The young Joseph
tells us of the confusion in his life. Said he, 'I was laboring
under... extreme difficulties' (JS-H
1:11).
He was driven to the scriptures to seek guidance, which he found in
the epistle of James: 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God'
(James
1:5). The young Joseph
said, 'At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in
darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask
of God' (JS-H
1:13). Joseph no doubt
also read the following words given by James: 'But let him ask in faith,
nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind and tossed' (James
1:6). Joseph knelt to
offer up the desire of his heart. Then came a wrestling and darkness.
This was followed by the light of the divine message. The answer and the
instruction were complete and full. Is not this the instruction, the
how-to we need to obtain divine answers to the confusion and to the
vexatious problems in our lives?" - James E. Faust, "He
Restoreth My Soul,"
Ensign, October 1997, p. 2
(3/1/05)
"How do revelation and inspiration operate? Each person has a built-in
'receiving set' which, when fine-tuned, can be a receiver of divine
communications. Said Job, 'There is a spirit in man: and... the
Almighty giveth them understanding' (Job
32:8). It is possible, like Nephi, to be led completely by the
Spirit, 'not knowing beforehand' that which should be done (see 1
Ne. 4:6).
"How is inspiration received? Enos stated, 'And while I was thus
struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my
mind' (Enos 1:10).
One does not necessarily hear an audible voice. The spirit of
revelation comes by divine confirmation. 'I will tell you in your mind
and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and
which shall dwell in your heart,' says the Lord in the Doctrine and
Covenants (D&C 8:2)."
- James E. Faust, "Communion
with
the Holy Spirit," Ensign, May 1980, p. 14
(3/18/05)
"In the Talmud we read that he who saves one life is as if he had
saved an entire world. Since the beginning of man, God has taught of
an absolute respect for human life. From the very first moment of
one's being until the last breath of his life, there is a veneration
for life, which includes those in being but not yet born. One wise
teacher tells us, 'One human life is as precious as a million lives,
for each is infinite in value.' (Rabbi Immanuel Jacobovits.)" - James
E. Faust, "To Reach Even unto You" [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1980], p. 68
(4/22/05)
"Success is usually earned by persevering and not becoming discouraged
when we encounter challenges. Paul Harvey, the famous news analyst and
author, once said: 'Someday I hope to enjoy enough of what the world
calls success so that someone will ask me, "What's the secret of it?"
I shall say simply this: "I get up when I fall down." (Quoted in
Marvin J. Ashton, in Conference
Report, Oct. 1981, p. 126)" - James E. Faust, "Perseverance,"
General
Conference, April 2005
(4/24/05)
"We unavoidably stand in so many unholy places and are subjected to so
much that is vulgar, profane, and destructive of the Spirit of the
Lord that I encourage our Saints all over the world, wherever
possible, to strive to stand more often in holy places. Our most holy
places are our sacred temples. Within them is a feeling of sacred
comfort. We should seek to be worthy to take our families to the
temple to be sealed together for eternity. We should also search for
the records of our kindred dead so that they too can be sealed to us
in one of the temples. We must strive for holiness by being 'an
example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in
spirit, in faith, in purity.' (1
Timothy 4:12.) In this way we can maintain and strengthen our
own individual relationship with our God." - James E. Faust, "Standing
in
Holy Places," General Conference, April 2005
(6/6/05)
"Great temporal and spiritual strength flows from following those who
have the keys of the kingdom of God in our time. Personal strength and
power result from obedience to eternal principles taught by the living
legates of the Lord. May the Spirit of God rest upon us as we follow
the living oracles."
- James E. Faust, "The
Keys That Never Rust," Ensign, Nov. 1994, 74
(6/15/05)
"I was born with partial color-blindness. I have learned to love all
of the people in the countries where I have been as a missionary,
soldier, or General Authority, regardless of the color of their skins.
I hope to be a disciple after the manner and example of President
Kimball and the others in their love for all, and especially for the
humble, the downtrodden, the poor, the afflicted, the needy, and the
poor in spirit. I am mindful that if we forget these, we can in no way
be his disciples." - James E. Faust, "Response
to the Call," Ensign, Nov. 1978, 20
(8/7/05)
"Some
time ago I held in my hand my mother's copy of her favorite book. It
was a timeworn copy of the Book of Mormon. Almost every page was
marked; in spite of tender handling, some of the leaves were
dog-eared, and the cover was worn thin. No one had to tell her that
one can get closer to God by reading the Book of Mormon than by any
other book. She was already there. She had read it, studied it, prayed
over it, and taught from it. As a young man I held her book in my
hands and tried to see, through her eyes, the great truths of the Book
of Mormon to which she so readily testified and which she so greatly
loved....
"However, the Book of Mormon did not yield its profound message to me
as an unearned legacy. I question whether one can acquire an
understanding of this great book except through singleness of mind and
strong purpose of heart. We must ask not only if it is true, but also
do it in the name of Christ.
"I can now see more clearly through the eyes of my own understanding
what my mother could see in her precious old worn-out copy of the Book
of Mormon. I pray that we may live in such a way as to merit and gain
a testimony of and abide by the great truths of the Book of Mormon. I
testify that the keystone of our religion is solidly in place, bearing
the weight of truth as it moves through all the earth." - James E.
Faust, "We
Add Our Witness," Ensign, Mar. 1989, 7
(8/14/05)
"Many who think that life is unfair do not see things within the
larger vision of what the Savior did for us through the Atonement and
the Resurrection. Each of us has at times agony, heartbreak, and
despair when we must, like Job, reach deep down inside to the bedrock
of our own faith. The depth of our belief in the Resurrection and the
Atonement of the Savior will, I believe, determine the measure of
courage and purpose with which we meet life’s challenges." - James E.
Faust, "Woman,
Why Weepest Thou?" Ensign, Nov. 1996, 52
(9/14/05)
"The requirements for temple attendance do not change from place to
place. Where a temple is available, priesthood authority gives no
greater or lesser blessings in one place than another. Temple worship
is a perfect example of our unity as Church members. All of us answer
the same questions of worthiness to enter the temple. In the temple,
all the men dress alike. All the women dress alike. We leave the cares
of the world behind us as we enter the temple. Everyone receives the
same blessings. All make the same covenants. All are equal before the
Lord. Yet within our spiritual unity there is wide room for everyone's
individuality and expression. In that setting, all are heirs to the
kingdom of God. President Howard W. Hunter said it well: 'The key to a
unified church is a unified soul, one that is at peace with itself and
not given to inner conflicts and tensions.' ("That We Might Have Joy"
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994), p. 50.)" - James E. Faust,
"Finding Light in a Dark World" [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1995], p. 36-37
11/19/05
"As societies as a whole have decayed and lost their moral
identity and so many homes are broken, the best hope is to turn greater
attention and effort to the teaching of the next generation—our
children. In order to do this, we must first reinforce the primary
teachers of children. Chief among these are the parents and other family
members, and the best environment should be in the home. Somehow, some
way, we must try harder to make our homes stronger so that they will
stand as sanctuaries against the unwholesome, pervasive moral dry rot
around us. Harmony, happiness, peace, and love in the home can help give
children the required inner strength to cope with life's challenges." -
James E. Faust, "The
Greatest Challenge in the World—Good Parenting," Ensign (CR),
November 1990, p.32
1/2/06
"The most difficult of all challenges given to us is, 'I would that ye
should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is
perfect.' (3 Ne. 12:48.)
Perfection is an eternal goal. While we cannot be perfect in mortality,
striving for it is a commandment, which ultimately, through the
Atonement, we can keep." - James E. Faust, "This
Is Our Day," Ensign (CR), May 1999, p.17
1/3/06
"In our desire to be broad-minded, to be accepted, to be liked and
admired, let us not trifle with the doctrines and the covenants which
have been revealed to us, nor with the pronouncements of those who have
been given the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. For all of us, the
words of Joshua ring with increasing relevance. 'Choose you this day
whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord'
(Josh. 24:15)." -
James E. Faust, "Keeping
Covenants and Honoring the Priesthood," Ensign (CR), November
1993, p.36
1/18/06
"To stay on the right track, we must honor and sustain those who hold
the presiding priesthood keys. We are reminded that many are 'called,
but few are chosen.' (D&C
121:34.) When are we chosen? We are chosen by the Lord only when
we have done our best to move this holy work forward through our
consecrated efforts and talents. Our efforts must always be guided by
the righteous principles set forth by the Lord in the 121st section of
the Doctrine and Covenants..." - James E. Faust, "I
Believe I Can, I Knew I Could," Ensign (CR), November 2002, p.49
1/19/06
"Many prayers are spoken while we are on our knees. The Savior knelt as
He prayed to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. (See Luke
22:41.) But silent prayers of the heart also reach to heaven. We
sing, 'Prayer is the souls sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed.'
(Hymns, no. 145.) Sincere prayers come from the heart. Indeed, sincerity
requires that we draw from the earnest feelings of our hearts when we
pray rather than using vain repetitions or pretentious affectations such
as those condemned by the Savior in the parable of the Pharisee and the
publican. (See Luke
18:10-14.) Our prayers then truly become the 'song of the heart'
and a 'prayer,' (D&C
25:12.) not only reaching God but touching the hearts of others as
well." - James E. Faust, "The
Lifeline of Prayer," Ensign (CR), May 2002, p.59
2/27/06
"We are told that 'many are called, but few are chosen.' (D&C
121:40.) One who is chosen is one who is the object of divine
favor.... [H]ow may we be chosen? We may be chosen only when we are
chosen by God. 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your
fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my
name, he may give it [to] you.' (John
15:16.) This happens only when the heart and soul are transformed,
when we have striven with all our heart, might, mind, and soul to keep
all of the commandments of God." - James E. Faust, "Power
of the Priesthood," Ensign (CR), May 1997, p.41
2/28/06
"We must try harder to be a holy people. We live in the fulness of
times. So much has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. This
places upon us a special relationship to the Lord. We are the
beneficiaries, guardians, and caretakers of these responsibilities under
the delegation, authority, and direction of President Hinckley, who
holds all the keys. As children of the Lord we should strive every day
to rise to a higher level of personal righteousness in all of our
actions. We need to guard constantly against all of Satan's influences."
- James E. Faust, "Standing
in Holy Places," Ensign (CR), April 2005
3/9/06
"Through the ages, God's messages to his children generally have been
revealed through prophets. Amos tells us, 'Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.' (Amos
3:7.) These are the prophetic oracles who have tuned in over the
centuries to the 'celestial transmitting station,' with a responsibility
to relay the Lord's word to others. The principal qualifications of a
prophet in any age are not wealth, title, position, physical stature,
scholarship, or intellectual attainment. The two qualifications are that
a prophet must be called as such by God, by open prophecy, and ordained
by one known to have legal and spiritual authority, and he must receive
and declare revelation from God. (See D&C
42:11.) No man knows the ways of God except they be revealed unto
him. (See Jacob 4:8.)"
- James E. Faust, "Continuous
Revelation," Ensign (CR), November 1989, p.8
4/9/06
"In the celestial glory, we are told, 'God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor
crying, neither shall there be any more pain.' (Rev.
21:4.) Then faith and hope will replace heartache, disappointment,
torment, anguish, and despair, and the Lord will give us strength, as
Alma says, 'that we should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were
swallowed up in the joy of Christ.' (Alma
31:38.) Of this I have a testimony, and I so declare it in the
name of Jesus Christ, amen." - James E. Faust, "Spiritual
Healing," Ensign (CR), May 1992, p.6
5/9/06
"How should those who bear the priesthood treat their wives and the
other women in their family? Our wives need to be cherished. They need
to hear their husbands call them blessed, and the children need to hear
their fathers generously praise their mothers (see Prov.
31:28). The Lord values his daughters just as much as he does his
sons. In marriage, neither is superior; each has a different primary and
divine responsibility. Chief among these different responsibilities for
wives is the calling of motherhood. I firmly believe that our dear
faithful sisters enjoy a special spiritual enrichment which is inherent
in their natures." - James E. Faust, "Keeping
Covenants and Honoring the Priesthood," Ensign (CR), November
1993, p.36
5/29/06
"The gift of the Holy Ghost comes after one repents and becomes worthy.
It is received after baptism by the laying on of hands by those who have
the authority. On the day of Pentecost, Peter instructed those who had
previously been touched spiritually by the Holy Ghost, 'Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' (Acts
2:38.) Those possessing the gift of the Holy Ghost can come to a
greater light and testimony. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth
and impresses upon the soul the reality of God the Father and the son
Jesus Christ so deeply that no earthly power or authority can separate
him from that knowledge. (See 2
Ne. 31:18.)" - James E. Faust, "The
Gift of the Holy Ghost—A Sure Compass," Ensign (CR), May 1989,
p.31
9/22/06
"I believe that earthly crowns such as power, the love of money, the
preoccupation with material things, the honors of men are a crown of
thorns because they are based upon obtaining and receiving rather than
giving. So selfishness can make what we think is a noble crown into a
crown of thorns beyond our power to endure. When I first started my
professional career, one of the senior members in our office asked
another senior member for some help on a legal matter. The other man who
was asked to help was gifted and able but also selfish. He replied,
'What's in it for me.' The 'what's in it for me?' philosophy is
basically what's wrong with the world. It is surely one of the sharpest
points in a crown of thorns." - James E. Faust, "A
Crown of Thorns, a Crown of Glory," Ensign (CR), May 1991, p.68
10/14/06
"What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior.
Discipleship includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is
family home evening. It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking
anything that is not good for us. Everything in life has a price.
Considering the Savior's great promise for peace in this life and
eternal life in the life to come, discipleship is a price worth paying.
It is a price we cannot afford not to pay. By measure, the requirements
of discipleship are much, much less than the promised blessings." -
James E. Faust, "Discipleship,"
Ensign, November 2006
10/25/06
"Our most important spiritual nutrient is a testimony that God is our
Eternal Father, that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, and that the Holy
Ghost is our Comforter. This testimony is confirmed to us by the gift of
the Holy Ghost. From this testimony we derive the spiritual nutrients of
faith and trust in God, which bring forth the blessings of heaven.
Spiritual nutrients come to us from various sources..." - James E.
Faust, "Spiritual
Nutrients," Ensign, November 2006
11/19/06
"There is a defense mechanism to discern between good and evil. It is
called conscience. It is our spirits natural response to the pain of
sin, just like pain in our flesh is our body's natural response to a
wound—even a small sliver. Conscience strengthens through use. Paul told
the Hebrews, 'But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.' (Heb.
5:14.) Those who have not exercised their conscience have their
conscience 'seared with a hot iron.' (1
Tim. 4:2.) A sensitive conscience is a sign of a healthy spirit."
- James E. Faust, "A
Crown of Thorns, a Crown of Glory," Ensign (CR), May 1991, p.68
4/17/07
"We are all accountable for our actions. My
experience as a lawyer taught me that those who follow a life of crime
frequently blame their father or mother or society when they are
imprisoned. Yet they willfully chose to act 'contrary to the nature of
God' and consequently are 'in a state contrary to the nature of
happiness.' (Alma
41:11.) Some of them even claim, 'The devil made me do it!' The
truth in that statement is that the devil entices us to do evil.(See Moroni
7:12.) The falsehood is because we have agency. The devil can't
make us do anything we choose not to do. (See James
1:12–15; 4:7.)
"Snares and pitfalls can come to all of us, whether in our youth, middle
age, or old age. As someone once observed, 'In youth we run into
difficulties; in old age difficulties run into us.' (Josh Billings, in
Evan Esar, ed., Dictionary of Humorous Quotations (1962), 36.) The
increased permissiveness of our society will require us to hold very
tightly to the iron rod of righteousness in order to receive the
blessings and protection of the Lord. There is great danger in trifling
with Satan's temptations. We will need to guard against all forms of
evil all of the days of our lives." - James E. Faust, "Message
to My Grandsons," General Conference, April 2007
4/20/07
"Let us remember that we need to forgive to be
forgiven. In the words of one of my favorite hymns, 'Oh, forgive as thou
wouldst be e'en forgiven now by me.' ("Reverently
and Meekly Now," Hymns, no. 185.) With all my heart and soul, I
believe in the healing power that can come to us as we follow the
counsel of the Savior "to forgive all men.' (D&C
64:10.)" - James E. Faust, "The
Healing Power of Forgiveness," General Conference, April 2007
6/5/07
"We also need to prepare our own seedbed of faith.
To do this we need to plow the soil through daily humble prayer, asking
for strength and forgiveness. We need to harrow the soil by overcoming
our feelings of pride. We need to prepare the seedbed by keeping the
commandments to the best of our ability. We need to be honest with the
Lord in the payment of our tithing and our other offerings. We need to
be worthy and able to call forth the great powers of the priesthood to
bless ourselves, our families, and others for whom we have
responsibility. There is no better place for the spiritual seeds of our
faith to be nurtured than within the hallowed sanctuaries of our temples
and in our homes." - James E. Faust, "Of Seeds and Soils," Ensign (CR),
November 1999, p.46
8/10/07
(on the day of his passing)
"My beloved brothers and sisters and friends, I have lived a
long time. As I look back over my life, I recognize one source of
singular strength and blessing. It is my testimony and knowledge that
Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind. I am
profoundly grateful that all of my life I have had a simple faith that
Jesus is the Christ. That witness has been confirmed to me hundreds of
times. It is the crowning knowledge of my soul. It is the spiritual
light of my being. It is the cornerstone of my life." - James E. Faust,
"A
Growing Testimony," Ensign (CR), November
2000, p.53
8/22/07
"Today many people are obsessed with the Y2K problem and worry about the
date coming up right because of the way computers measure time. As
someone once said about time: '[It] changes with time: in youth, time
marches on; in middle age, time flies; and in old age, time runs out.'
(Evan Esar, comp., '20,000 Quips and Quotes' (1995), 812.) We have come
to rely on electronics for much of our daily work, and we are naturally
concerned about the need to reprogram computers to move into the next
century. While some glitches may occur, I am optimistic that no great
catastrophic computer breakdown will disrupt society as we move into the
next century. I have a far greater fear of the disruption of the
traditional values of society.
"Indeed, I am more concerned about the failure of our moral computers of
honesty, integrity, decency, civility, and sexual purity. How many
people today are truly incorruptible? So many get caught up in waves of
popular issues and tides of rhetoric. This breakdown of moral values is
happening because we are separating the teachings of God from personal
conduct. An honorable man or woman will personally commit to live up to
certain self-imposed expectations, with no need of an outside check or
control. I would hope that we can load our moral computers with three
elements of integrity: dealing justly with oneself, dealing justly with
others, and recognizing the law of the harvest." - James E. Faust, "This
Is Our Day," Ensign (CR), May 1999, p.17
9/25/07
"We are bombarded on all sides by a vast number of messages we don't
want or need. More information is generated in a single day than we can
absorb in a lifetime. To fully enjoy life, all of us must find our own
breathing space and peace of mind. How can we do this? There is only one
answer. We must rise above the evil that encroaches upon us. We must
follow the counsel of the Lord, who said, 'It is my will, that all they
who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting
gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places.' (D&C
101:22.)" - James E. Faust, "Standing in
Holy Places," Ensign (CR), May 2005
11/24/07
"This is not a passive life. The word of God constantly sets before us
images of vigor and action and power, which image under his benign
guidance can be directed and controlled. 'Hath not the potter power over
the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another
unto dishonour?' Paul asked the Romans. (Romans
9:21.) Thomas E. McKay, speaking of his
brother David O. McKay, said, 'As children, we swam in the cold streams
around Huntsville. David would be the first in the chilling water and
shout to the rest of us standing fearfully on the bank, 'Come on in, the
water is fine.' ' There comes a time when we must jump in the cold water
no matter how foreboding." - James E. Faust, "To Reach Even unto You,"
p.44
12/2/07
"The gap between what is popular and what is righteous is widening. As
prophesied by Isaiah, many today 'call evil good, and good evil.' (Isa.
5:20.) Revelations from the prophets of God
are not like offerings at the cafeteria, some to be selected and others
disregarded. We are greatly indebted to the Prophet Joseph Smith for the
many great revelations which came through him. He was without peer in
restoring spiritual knowledge. (See D&C
135:3.)" - James E. Faust, "Lord,
I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief," Ensign
(CR), November 2003, p.19
12/27/07
"As the Prophet Joseph indicated, this is
our day and time. I believe the future holds greater blessings for
mankind than ever before. I rejoice in this great outpouring of
spiritual knowledge, when 'the
earth [is being] filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as
the waters cover the sea.' (Hab.
2:14.) Knowledge and intelligence are dropping 'as
the gentle rain from heaven' (William
Shakespeare, 'The Merchant of Venice,' act 4, scene 1, 185. See also Deut.
32:2.) to bless all of our lives. We should seize
every opportunity to move forward in faith, looking beyond the year 2000
into a future bright with hope, acknowledging that all good gifts come
by divine providence. With such increased knowledge comes a higher
responsibility. If we work hard, wisely manage our personal
stewardships, and live providently, the Lord will prosper us in our use
of this heightened knowledge to advance His holy work."
- James E. Faust, "This
Is Our Day," Ensign (CR),
May 1999, p.17
3/21/08
"We long for the ultimate
blessing of the Atonement—to
become one with Him, to be in His divine presence, to be called
individually by name as He warmly welcomes us home with a radiant smile,
beckoning us with open arms to be enfolded in His boundless love.
(See Alma 26:15;
Morm. 5:11; Morm.
6:17; Moses
7:63.) How gloriously sublime this experience will be if
we can feel worthy enough to be in His presence! The free gift of His
great atoning sacrifice for each of us is the only way we can be exalted
enough to stand before Him and see Him face-to-face. The overwhelming
message of the Atonement is the perfect love the Savior has for each and
all of us. It is a love which is full of mercy, patience, grace, equity,
long-suffering, and, above all, forgiving."
- James E. Faust, "The
Atonement: Our Greatest Hope,"
Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.18
5/13/08
"The
Lord entrusts all of His servants, including every priesthood holder,
with spiritual talents. The Lord, who endows us with these talents,
tells us: 'I believe you
can. I believe you can.' While
we are not all equal in experience, aptitude, and strength, we have
different opportunities to employ these spiritual gifts, and we will all
be accountable for the use of the gifts and opportunities given to us."
- James E. Faust, "I
Believe I Can, I Knew I Could," Ensign (CR), November 2002, p.49
7/19/08
"President
Harold B. Lee once said, 'Most
men do not set priorities to guide them in allocating their time and
most men forget that the first priority should be to maintain their own
spiritual and physical strength; then comes their family; then the
Church, and then their professions, and all need time.'
In giving time to his children, a father should be able to
demonstrate that he has enough love for his children to commend as well
as discipline them. Children want and need discipline. As they approach
some dangers, they are silently pleading, 'Don't
let me do it.' President McKay
said that if we do not adequately discipline our children, society will
discipline them in a way we may not like. Wise discipline reinforces the
dimensions of eternal love. This reinforcement can bring great security
and stability into their lives."
- James E. Faust, "To Reach Even unto You," p.59
10/11/08
"We
do not prove our love for the Savior only by doing 'some
great thing.' If the prophet
personally asked you to go on a mission to some strange and exotic
place, would you go? You would probably make every effort to go. But
what about paying tithing? What about doing your home teaching? We show
our love for the Savior by doing the many small acts of faith, devotion,
and kindness to others that define our character."
- James E. Faust, “Some Great Thing”, Ensign (CR), November 2001,
p.46
1/13/09
"I believe the Spirit of the
Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable
world. It can be more mind-expanding and can make us have a better sense
of well-being than any chemical or other earthly substance. It will calm
nerves; it will breathe peace to our souls. This Comforter can be with
us as we seek to improve. It can function as a source of revelation to
warn us of impending danger and also help keep us from making mistakes.
It can enhance our natural senses so that we can see more clearly, hear
more keenly, and remember what we should remember. It is a way of
maximizing our happiness." - James
E. Faust, "The Gift of
the Holy Ghost—A Sure Compass,"
Ensign (CR), May 1989, p.31
1/28/09
"I hope we can all be like
the 'Little Engine That
Could.' It wasn't very big, had
only been used for switching cars, and had never been over a mountain,
but it was willing. That little engine hooked on to the stranded train,
chugged up to the top of the mountain, and puffed down the mountain,
saying, 'I thought I could.'
Each of us must climb mountains that we have never climbed before."
- James E. Faust, "I
Believe I Can, I Knew I Could,"
Ensign (CR), November 2002, p.49
2/1/09
"Holiness
is the strength of the soul. It comes by faith and through obedience
to God's laws and ordinances. God then purifies the heart by faith,
and the heart becomes purged from that which is profane and unworthy.
When holiness is achieved by conforming to God's will, one knows
intuitively that which is wrong and that which is right before the
Lord. Holiness speaks when there is silence, encouraging that which is
good or reproving that which is wrong."
- President James E. Faust, Standing in Holy Places, Ensign
(CR), April 2005
2/25/09
"What
does it mean to be the seed of Abraham? Scripturally it has a deeper
meaning than being his literal descendants. The Lord made a covenant
with Abraham, the great patriarch, that all nations would be blessed
through him.25 Any man or woman can claim the blessings of Abraham. They
become his seed and heirs to the promised blessings by accepting the
gospel, being baptized, entering into temple marriage, being faithful in
keeping their covenants, and helping to carry the gospel to all the
nations of the earth."
- James E. Faust, "The Key of the Knowledge of God," Ensign (CR),
November 2004, p.52
3/8/09
"Aside
from the economic tides which run in the affairs of nations, financial
hard times can befall any of us at any time. There is no guarantee
against personal hard financial times. Financial difficulty may result
from several kinds of misfortunes, including all types of natural
disasters such as floods, fires, and earthquakes. Accidents and illness
can produce unexpected and staggering medical and hospital bills. The
misfortunes of other members of our own family may require our help.
Unemployment and inflation can quickly wipe away hard-earned savings.
"Economic
stress can involve personal challenges. Discouragement and frustration
are frequent companions to misfortune. Economic problems occasionally
put a strain on family relationships. They often require us to do
without things we feel we want or need. What can be a calamity for one
can be an opportunity for another. Shakespeare, speaking through Duke
Senior, said,
"Sweet
are the uses of adversity;
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.
(As You Like It, act 2, sc. 1, lines 12-14.)
"The lasting effects of economic
challenges are often determined by our attitude toward life. One writer
said, 'Out of the same
substances one stomach will extract nourishment, and another poison; and
so the same disappointments in life will chasten and refine one man's
spirit and embitter another's.'
(William Matthews, Webster's Encyclopedia of Dictionaries, New American
Edition, Ottenheimer Publishers, Inc., p. 864.)"
- James E. Faust, "The Blessings We Receive
As We Meet the Challenges of Economic Stress," Ensign (CR), November
1982, p.87
5/11/09
"The word for disciple and the word
for discipline both come from the same Latin root—discipulus, which
means pupil. It emphasizes practice or exercise. Self-discipline and
self-control are consistent and permanent characteristics of the
followers of Jesus, as exemplified by Peter, James, and John, who indeed
‘forsook all, and followed him.’" - James E.
Faust, Discipleship , CR October 2006
5/15/09
“What seems to help cement parental
teachings and values in place in children's lives is a firm belief in
Deity. When this belief becomes part of their very souls, they have
inner strength. So, of all that is important to be taught, what should
parents teach? The scriptures tell us that parents are to teach their
children ‘faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and
the gift of the Holy Ghost,’ and ‘the doctrine of repentance.’ (D&C
68:25.) These truths must be taught in the home. They cannot be taught
in the public schools, nor will they be fostered by the government or by
society. Of course, Church programs can help, but the most effective
teaching takes place in the home." - James E.
Faust, “The Greatest Challenge in the World—Good Parenting,” Ensign
(CR), November 1990, p. 32
7/28/09
“Many modern professors of human behavior advocate
as a cure to an afflicted conscience that we simply ignore the unwanted
messages. They suggest that we change the standard to fit the
circumstances so that there is no longer a conflict, thus easing the
conscience. The followers of the divine Christ cannot subscribe to this
evil and perverse philosophy with impunity. For the troubled conscience
in conflict with right and wrong, the only permanent help is to change
the behavior and follow a repentant path.” -
James E. Faust, “Unwanted Messages,” Ensign (CR), November 1986, p. 8
9/20/09
“The requirement that we should love the Lord
above fish, bank accounts, automobiles, fine clothing, stocks, bonds,
certificates of deposit, or any other possession is total; it is
absolute. The first commandment given unto the ancient Israelites was
‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ The Savior Himself amplified
this command when He told the lawyer who asked Him which was the
greatest commandment, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength.’” - James E. Faust, “Them That
Honour Me I Will Honour,” Ensign (CR), May 2001, p. 45
9/30/09
“We have the great privilege of partaking of the
sacrament, the Lord’s Supper. Renewing our baptismal covenants as we
partake of the sacrament protects us against all manner of evil. As we
worthily partake of the sanctified bread and water in remembrance of the
Savior’s sacrifice, we witness unto God the Father that we are willing
to take upon us the name of His Son and always remember Him and to keep
His commandments which He has given us. If we do these things, we will
always have His Spirit to be with us. If we partake of the sacrament
regularly and are faithful to these covenants, the law will be in our
inward parts and written in our hearts.” - James
E. Faust, “Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart,” Ensign (CR), May
1998, p. 17
10/13/09
“How can Christian belief and morality translate
more completely into Christian action? Does our commitment fall short of
being a consecration? The doubting Thomas wanted to believe; he believed
part way. It is my firm persuasion that building self-esteem
sufficiently to forsake all evil requires a consecration to the saving
principles and ordinances of the gospel under divine priesthood
authority. It must be consecration to simple, basic Christian
principles, including honesty to self and others, forgetting of self,
integrity of thought and action. The principles of the restored gospel
are so plain, so clear, so compassionate, so endowed with beauty, so
graced with love unfeigned, as to be imprinted with the indisputable
impress of the Savior himself.” - James E.
Faust, “The Dignity of Self,” Ensign (CR), May 1981, p. 8
11/10/09
“I was taught more about the spirit of tithing by
President Henry D. Moyle, who lived in my ward when I was serving as a
young bishop. One tithing settlement, President Moyle came in and
declared, ‘Bishop, this is a full tithe and a little bit more, because
that's the way we have been blessed.’” - James
E. Faust, “Opening the Windows of Heaven,” Ensign (CR), November 1998,
p. 54
2/12/10
“This morning I bear witness of the importance of
prayer. Access to our Creator through our Savior is surely one of the
great privileges and blessings of our lives. I have learned from
countless personal experiences that great is the power of prayer. No
earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator.
There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray.
There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each
day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each
prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment
to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any
place.” - James E. Faust, “The Lifeline of
Prayer,” Ensign (CR), May 2002, p. 59
4/27/10
"If we are constantly aware of the seeds of
divinity in us, it will help us rise above earthly challenges and
difficulties. Brigham Young said: 'When I look upon the faces of
intelligent beings I look upon the image of the God I serve. There are
none but what have a certain portion of divinity within them; and though
we are clothed with bodies which are in the image of our God, yet this
mortality shrinks before that portion of divinity which we inherit from
our Father.' Being aware of our divine heritage will help men young and
old to grow and magnify the divinity which is within them and within all
of us." - James E. Faust, "Them That Honour Me
I Will Honour," Ensign (CR), May 2001, p. 45
5/12/10
"In order to strengthen the father in his position, I make two simple
suggestions: first, sustain and respect the father in his position;
second, give him love, understanding, and some appreciation for his
efforts." - James E. Faust, "Happiness Is Having a Father Who
Cares," Ensign (CR), January 1974, p. 22
6/1/11
"What is success? Is it money? Is it achievement? Is it fame? Is it
position? Is it dominion? The prophet Micah defined success as follows:
'He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly
with thy God?' (Micah
6:8.)" - James E. Faust, "Integrity,
the Mother of Many Virtues," Ensign (CR) April 1982
8/6/11
The results of a century and a half of this church offer
great authentication to the truthfulness of Joseph Smith’s story. The
work of this church moves forward in an astonishing way. The great body
of the Latter-day Saints remain faithful to their testimonies of Joseph
Smith and his work. Since Joseph’s day, millions have accepted by faith
and have had confirmed by the Holy Spirit that Joseph’s account of
seeing the Father and the Son is true and that he restored to earth the
pure gospel of Jesus Christ. - James
E. Faust, "
8/21/11
Among the assaults on families are the attacks on our faith, for which
parents should prepare their children. Some of it is coming from apostates
who had testimonies and now seem unable to leave the Church alone. One,
complaining of Church policy, was heard to say: “I am so mad: if I had
been paying my tithing I would quit.” Persecution is not new to the
devoted followers of Christ. More recently, however, the anger and venom
of our enemies seems to be increasing. Brigham Young said, “We never began
to build a temple without the bells of hell beginning to ring.”
(Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1973, p. 410.) With twenty-two temples under
construction or in the planning stage, there seems to be a lot of bells to
be rung. - James E. Faust, "Enriching Family Life," Ensign (CR) April 1983
12/10/11
How people handle their earthly riches is among the great tests they
have in life. - James E. Faust, "Unwanted
Messages," Ensign (CR) October 1986
3/3/12
We can all see by the candle of inspiration, which is the Spirit of the
Holy Ghost. It will light our way out of darkness and difficulty. The
most sure way to come out of darkness and into the light is through
communication with our Heavenly Father by the process known as divine
revelation. President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98) declared, “Whenever the
Lord had a people on the earth that He acknowledged as such, that people
were led by revelation.” The inspiration of God is available
to all who worthily seek the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is
particularly true of those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- James E. Faust, "Put
Life in Your Life," Liahona, June 2007
3/11/12
Spiritual nutrients, which keep us spiritually
healthy, can lose their potency and strength if we do not live worthy of
the divine guidance we need. The Savior has told us: "Ye are the salt of
the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be
salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to
be trodden under foot of men." We need to keep our minds and bodies
clean from all forms of addiction and pollution. We would never choose
to eat spoiled or contaminated food. In the same selective way, we
should be careful not to read or view anything that is not in good
taste. Much of the spiritual pollution that comes into our lives comes
through the Internet, computer games, television shows and movies that
are highly suggestive of or graphically portray humanity's baser
attributes. Because we live in such an environment, we need to increase
our spiritual strength. - James E.
Faust, "Spiritual
Nutrients," Ensign, (CR) October 2006
5/6/12
I have learned that selfishness has more to do with how we feel about our
possessions than how much we have. The poet Wordsworth said, “The world is
too much with us; late and soon, / Getting and spending, we lay waste our
powers.” A poor man can be selfish and a rich man generous, but a
person obsessed only with getting will have a hard time finding peace in
this life. - James E. Faust, "What's in It for Me?" Ensign (CR)
November 2002
5/15/12
Men and women often attempt
to gain notice and approval of the group from whom they seek
acceptance. Such peer pressure may cause them to do things they
would not otherwise do. This is acting out of weakness, not
strength. The Lord promises us through Moroni: "And if men come unto
me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness
that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that
humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before
me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong
unto them." - James E. Faust, "The
Power of Self-Mastery," Ensign (CR), May 2000, p.43
6/9/12
Here then is a great truth. In the pain, the agony, and the heroic
endeavors of life, we pass through a refiner’s fire, and the insignificant
and the unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our
faith bright, intact, and strong. In this way the divine image can be
mirrored from the soul. It is part of the purging toll exacted of some to
become acquainted with God. In the agonies of life, we seem to listen
better to the faint, godly whisperings of the Divine Shepherd. - James
E. Faust, "The
Refiner's Fire," Ensign (CR) May 1979
6/25/12
There is a distinction between immortality, or eternal existence, and
eternal life, which is to have a place in the presence of God. Through the
grace of Jesus Christ, immortality comes to all men, just or unjust,
righteous or wicked. However, eternal life is “the greatest of all the
gifts of God.” (D&C
14:7.) We obtain this great gift, according to the Lord, “if you
keep my commandments and endure to the end.” If we so endure, the promise
is, “you shall have eternal life.” (D&C
14:7.) - James E. Faust, "The
Supernal Gift of the Atonement," Ensign (CR) November 1988
9/4/12
Shakespeare, speaking through
Duke Senior, said,
Sweet are the uses of adversity;
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.
The lasting effects of economic challenges are often determined by our
attitude toward life. One writer said, “Out of the same substances one
stomach will extract nourishment, and another poison; and so the same
disappointments in life will chasten and refine one man’s spirit and
embitter another’s.” (William Matthews, Webster’s Encyclopedia of
Dictionaries, New American Edition, Ottenheimer Publishers, Inc., p.
864.) - James E. Faust, "The
Blessings We Receive As We Meet the Challenges of Economic Stress,"
Ensign (CR) November 1982
10/2/12
I urge all who
have not yet received these greatest of all blessings within the walls
of the temple to do whatever may be necessary to qualify to receive
them. To those who have received these blessings, I invite you to
prepare yourselves to savor again the experience of being within the
sacred premises of the holy temples of God and have the visions of
life eternal open again to your hearts, minds, and souls. - James
E. Faust, "Eternity
Lies Before Us," Ensign (CR) May 1997
11/23/12
We are not only to avoid evil, not only to do good but, most importantly,
to do the things of greatest worth. We are to focus on the inward things
of the heart, which we know and value intuitively but often neglect for
that which is trivial, superficial, or prideful. - James E. Faust, "The
Weightier Matters of the Law: Judgment, Mercy, and Faith," Ensign
(CR) November 1997
11/30/12
Someway, somehow, we must
find the healing influence that brings solace to the soul. Where is
this balm? Where is the compensating relief so desperately needed to
help us survive in the world’s pressures? The onsetting comfort in
large measure can come through increased communion with the Spirit
of God. This can bring spiritual healing. - James E. Faust, "Spiritual
Healing," Ensign (CR) May 1992
7/14/13
Only as we seek to be purged of selfishness and of concern for
recognition and wealth can we find some sweet relief from the
anxieties, hurts, pains, miseries, and concerns of this world. In
this manner, as President J. Reuben Clark said, we can bring “to
flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit.” God can not
only help us find a sublime and everlasting joy and contentment, but
He will change us so that we can become heirs of the kingdom of God.
- James E. Faust, "Heirs
to the Kingdom of God," Ensign (CR) May 1995
7/15/13
Many believe that the
transcendent answers to life’s questions lie in the test tube, in
the laboratories, in the equations, and in the telescopes. This
theocracy of science leaves out the ultimate answer to the
overarching question, “Why?” Knowing cause and effect is fascinating
but does not explain why we are here, where we came from, and where
we are going. As Albert Einstein said, “I shall never believe that
God plays dice with the world.” - James
E. Faust, "The
Shield of Faith," Ensign (CR) May 2000
7/28/13
So
how can we recognize inspiration when it comes? Enos stated, “While
I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord
came into my mind.” The voice of the spirit of revelation is not
necessarily audible, but it gives us divine confirmation through our
thoughts and feelings. As we are told in the Doctrine and Covenants,
“I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost,
which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” We
must cultivate our sensitivity to that divine voice. -
James E. Faust, "Did
You Get the Right Message?" Ensign (CR) May 2004
7/30/13
I
believe that few things in life deserve one’s complete confidence. I
testify that the Church is worthy of our full trust. There is no
inconsistency between truth and faith. I know that everyone who
sincerely and righteously seeks to know this can have it spiritually
confirmed. May we open up our minds, hearts, and spirits to the
divine source of truth. May we reach above ourselves and beyond our
mundane concerns and become heirs to the knowledge of all truth and
to the abundant life promised by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
- James E. Faust, "The
Abundant Life," Ensign (CR) November 1985
10/1/13
In terms of modern communication, crystal radio sets helped us
emerge from the dark ages of communication. With advanced
technology, cellular phones are used for much of the communication
in our time. Occasionally, however, we find dead spots where the
signal coming to a cell phone fails. This can happen when the cell
phone user is in a tunnel or a canyon or when there is other
interference.
So it is with divine communication. The still, small voice, though
still and small, is very powerful. It “whispereth through and
pierceth all things.” But like my old crystal set, the message may
be there but we fail to pick it up. Perhaps something in our lives
prevents us from hearing the message because we are “past feeling.”
We often put ourselves in spiritual dead spots—places and situations
that block out divine messages. Some of these dead spots include
anger, pornography, transgression, selfishness, and other situations
that offend the Spirit. - James
E. Faust, "Did
You Get the Right Message?" Ensign (CR) May 2004
2/19/14
Some
of us are too content with what we may already be doing. We stand
back in the “eat, drink, and be merry” mode when opportunities for
growth and development abound. We miss opportunities to build up the
kingdom of God because we have the passive notion that someone else
will take care of it. The Lord tells us that He will give more to
those who are willing. They will be magnified in their efforts, like
the little blue engine as it pulled the train up the mountain. But
to those who say, “We have enough, from them shall be taken away
even that which they have.” - James
E. Faust, “I
Believe I Can, I Knew I Could,” Ensign (CR) November 2002
6/15/14
We
must recognize that our natural gifts and abilities are limited, but
when augmented by inspiration and guidance of the Holy Ghost, our
potential increases manyfold. You need help from a power beyond your
own to do something extraordinarily useful. You young men can have
opportunities and receive blessings beyond your wildest dreams and
expectations. Your future may not hold fame or fortune, but it can
be something far more lasting and fulfilling. Remember that what we
do in life echoes in eternity. - James
E. Faust, “It
Can’t Happen to Me,” Ensign (CR) May 2002
6/26/14
There
have always been two great competing forces in the world. These
began before the world was created. These opposing forces are the
forces of good and evil. Between these two powerful forces each of
us is caught in a tug of war. In simple terms, that which is good
comes from God, and that which is evil comes from the devil. You
can’t have it both ways and find true happiness; some have tried,
but in the long run all have failed. If any of you young men think
you can have it both ways, you are only deceiving yourselves. It
doesn’t work that way. It never has. It never will. - James
E. Faust, “The
Devil’s Throat,” Ensign (CR) May 2003
7/14/14
When
God placed man on the earth, prayer became the lifeline between
mankind and God. Thus, in Adam’s generation, men began “to call upon
the name of the Lord.” Through all generations since that time,
prayer has filled a very important human need. Each of us has
problems that we cannot solve and weaknesses that we cannot conquer
without reaching out through prayer to a higher source of strength.
That source is the God of heaven to whom we pray in the name of
Jesus Christ. As we pray we should think of our Father in Heaven as
possessing all knowledge, understanding, love, and compassion. - James
E. Faust, “The
Lifeline of Prayer,” Ensign (CR) May 2002
8/23/14
I think we will witness increasing evidence of Satan’s power as the
kingdom of God grows stronger. I believe Satan’s ever-expanding
efforts are some proof of the truthfulness of this work. In the
future the opposition will be both more subtle and more open. It
will be masked in greater sophistication and cunning, but it will
also be more blatant. We will need greater spirituality to perceive
all of the forms of evil and greater strength to resist it. But the
disappointments and setbacks to the work of God will be temporary,
for the work will go forward (see D&C
65:2). - James E. Faust, “The
Great Imitator,” Ensign (CR) November 1987
9/13/14
Into
every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and
buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and
often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to
do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick, that stick in the
flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of
significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining
process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can
become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives
of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s
fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with
eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the
perfection process. - James E.
Faust, “The
Refiner’s Fire,” Ensign (CR) May 1979
11/4/14
To
those who believe but wish their belief to be strengthened, I urge
you to walk in faith and trust in God. Spiritual knowledge always
requires an exercise of faith. We acquire a testimony of the
principles of the gospel by obediently trying to live them. Said the
Savior, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the
doctrine.” A testimony of the efficacy of prayer comes through
humble and sincere prayer. A testimony of tithing comes by paying
tithing. Do not let your private doubts separate you from the divine
source of knowledge. Prayerfully go forward, humbly seeking eternal
light, and your unbelief will be dispelled. I testify that if you
continue in the purposeful process of searching for and accepting
spiritual light, truth, and knowledge, it will surely come. By going
forward in faith, you will find that your faith will increase. Like
a good seed, if it is not cast out by your unbelief, it will swell
within your breast. - James E.
Faust, “Lord,
I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief,” Ensign (CR) October
2003
12/22/14
I
now turn to mastery of our own private thoughts. In this realm,
conscience is the only referee that can blow the whistle when we get
out of control. If not bridled, our thoughts can run wild. Our minds
are a part of us that really require discipline and control. I
believe reading the scriptures is the best washing machine for
unclean or uncontrolled thoughts. For those who are eligible and
worthy, the sanctity of the holy temple can lift our thoughts above
the earthy. - James E. Faust, “The
Power of Self-Mastery,” Ensign (CR) April 2000
1/7/15
However,
true religion is not looking primarily for weaknesses, faults, and
errors. It is the spirit of strengthening and overlooking faults
even as we would wish our own faults to be overlooked. When we focus
our entire attention on what may be wrong rather than what is right,
we miss the sublime beauty and essence of the sweet gospel of the
Master. - James E. Faust, "The
Weightier Matters of the Law: Judgment, Mercy, and Faith,”
Ensign (CR) October 1997
2/4/15
Brigham
Young counseled that unless we ourselves are prepared for the day of
the Lord’s vengeance when the wicked will be consumed, we should not
be too anxious for the Lord to hasten his work. Said he rather, “Let
our anxiety be centered upon this one thing, the sanctification of
our own hearts, the purifying of our own affections” (in Journal of
Discourses, 9:3). - James E.
Faust, “Unwanted
Messages,” Ensign (CR) October 1986
3/14/15
Since
virtue and faith too often do not readily trade in the marketplace,
some may feel that they can live by whatever standards their whim or
fancy suggest. In a value-free society—free of morals, free of
standards—many also live free of feelings of self-worth,
self-respect, and dignity. Far too many young people, and older
ones, too, fail to realize, as the motto of the city of Nottingham,
England, affirms: Vivet post funera virtus (“Virtue lives on after
death”). - James E. Faust, “The
Dignity of Self,” Ensign (CR) April 1981
5/30/15
In the intellectual approach to human worth, the values of faith in
God and virtuous behavior cannot be quantitatively proven or
measured, and so faith and virtue are often rejected by many as
worthless. This is a route destined to failure because it does not
take into account the powerful importance of the subjective things
we can know but not measure. For instance, I love my wife and
family, and I feel their love for me. You cannot measure how deep
our feelings of love are for each other, but that love is very real
to us. Pain is also difficult to measure, but it is real. The same
is true of faith in God. We can know of his existence without being
able to quantitatively measure it. Paul states, "The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." (Rom.
8:16.) - James E. Faust, "The
Dignity of Self," Ensign (CR), May 1981, p. 8
7/7/15
Peace in this life is based upon
faith and testimony. We can all find hope from our personal prayers
and gain comfort from the scriptures. Priesthood blessings lift us
and sustain us. Hope also comes from direct personal revelation, to
which we are entitled if we are worthy. We also have the security of
living in a time when a prophet who holds and exercises all of the
keys of God's kingdom is on the earth. - James
E. Faust, "Hope,
an Anchor of the Soul," Ensign (CR), November 1999, p. 59
11/28/15
We have much reason to hope. Joy
can be ours if we are willing to sacrifice all for the Lord. Then we
can look forward to the infinitely priceless possibility of
overcoming all the challenges of this life. Then we will be with the
Savior forever and, as President Brigham Young also said,
"anticipate enjoying the glory, excellency and exaltation which God
has prepared for the faithful." - James
E. Faust, "Where
Do I Make My Stand?", Ensign (CR), November 2004, p.18
2/13/16
President Spencer W. Kimball taught us to "make one-time decisions
to do right." He made important decisions early in his life so that
he did not have to perpetually remake those decisions. He said, "We
can push some things away from us once and have done with them …
without having to brood and redecide a hundred times what it is we
will do and what we will not do.” - James
E. Faust, "We
Seek After These Things," Ensign (CR), May 1998, p.43
2/14/16
If you take each challenge one
step at a time, with faith in every footstep, your strength and
understanding will increase. You cannot foresee all of the turns and
twists ahead. My counsel to you is to follow the direction of the
Savior of the world: "Be not afraid, only believe.” - James
E. Faust, "Pioneers
of the Future: 'Be Not Afraid, Only Believe’," Ensign (CR),
November 1997, p.42
5/18/16
Members of the Church are to seek after loveliness. We do not seek a
veneer painted on by a worldly brush but the pure, innate beauty
that God has planted in our souls. We should seek after those things
that endow higher thoughts and finer impulses. - James
E. Faust, "We
Seek After These Things," Ensign (CR), May 1998, p.43
5/21/16
It is my firm belief, after many years of close observation, that
those who honestly pay their tithes and offerings do prosper and get
along better in almost every way. It is my testimony that in
discharging this debt to the Lord, one enjoys great personal
satisfaction. Unfortunately this great satisfaction will be known
only by those who have the faith and strength to keep this
commandment. - James E. Faust, "Responsibility
for Welfare Rests with Me and My Family," Ensign (CR), May
1986, p.20
6/7/16
As the humble servants of God—the General Authorities, the
missionaries, and others—travel throughout the world, we are
compelled to ask: What can we do for the peoples of the earth? What
can we give that no one else can? What can justify the great
expenditure of effort, time, and means to “go … into all the world,”
as the Savior commanded. We cannot change the economy of countries.
We do not seek to change governments. The answer is simple. We can
offer the hope promised by the Savior: "Peace in this world, and
eternal life in the world to come." - James
E. Faust, “Heirs
to the Kingdom of God,” Ensign (CR), May 1995, p.61
6/10/16
Some of you are well on your way to successfully meeting some of
your goals in life. We are proud of you. My father once told me that
he thought he would have it made when he graduated from law school.
He said that really in a sense his graduation was only the beginning
of greater challenges. We do not have it made, nor will we be free
from worldly challenges in this life. - James
E. Faust, “Message
to My Grandsons,” Ensign (CR) April 2007
8/17/16
Honesty is a very important part of character. We have all
seen men who think they are not accountable to the laws of men or of
God. They seem to feel that the rules of human conduct do not apply to
them. A popular philosophy is “What can I get away with?” As someone
once said, “The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is
that the latter regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked.” -
James E. Faust, "We
Seek
After These Things", Ensign (CR), May 1998, p.43)
8/22/16
As President Boyd
K. Packer has said, “If you don't know where to start, start with
yourself. If you don't know what records to get, and how to get them,
start with what you have.” You will learn about the phenomenon that is
you. It can be more fascinating than any movie you might see or any
computer game you might play. - James
E. Faust, “The
Phenomenon That Is You,” Ensign (CR), November 2003, p.53
8/29/16
If we can find forgiveness in our hearts for those who have
caused us hurt and injury, we will rise to a higher level of
self-esteem and well-being. Some recent studies show that people who
are taught to forgive become "less angry, more hopeful, less
depressed, less anxious and less stressed," which leads to greater
physical well-being. Another of these studies concludes "that
forgiveness . . . is a liberating gift [that]people can give to
themselves." - James E. Faust, “The
Healing
Power of Forgiveness,” Ensign (CR) May 2007
8/30/16
A priesthood blessing is sacred. It can be a holy and inspired
statement of our wants and needs. If we are in tune spiritually,
we can receive a confirming witness of the truth of the promised
blessings. Priesthood blessings can help us in the small and great
decisions of our lives. If, through our priesthood blessings, we
could perceive only a small part of the person God intends us to
be, we would lose our fear and never doubt again. - James E. Faust, “Priesthood
Blessings,” Ensign (CR), November 1995, p.62
8/31/16
The dignity of self is greatly enhanced by looking upward in the
search for holiness. Like the giant trees, we should reach up for
the light. The most important source of light we can come to know
is the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is the source of inner strength
and peace. - James E. Faust, “The
Dignity of Self,” Ensign (CR), May 1981, p.8
9/7/2016
President Brigham Young said he recollected many times the
Prophet Joseph Smith saying that he "had to pray all the time, exercise
faith,live his religion, and magnify his calling, to obtain the
manifestations of the Lord, and to keep him steadfast in the faith." All
of us may expect some challenges to our faith. These challenges may come
in different ways. You may not always like the counsel that the Church
leaders give to you. They are not trying to be popular. They are trying
to help us avoid the calamities and disappointments that come through
disobedience to God's laws. - James
E. Faust, “Called
and
Chosen,” Ensign (CR) November 2005
12/11/16
The
priesthood
of God is a shield. It is a shield against the evils of the world.
That shield needs to be kept clean; otherwise, our vision of our
purpose and the dangers around us will be limited. The cleansing agent
is personal righteousness, but not all will pay the price to keep
their shields clean. The Lord said, “For many are called, but few are
chosen.” We are called when hands are laid upon our heads and we are
given the priesthood, but we are not chosen until we have demonstrated
to God our righteousness, our faithfulness, and our commitment. – James
E. Faust, “Called
and
Chosen,” Ensign (CR) November 2005
1/28/17
I believe the Lord has brought forth special spirits who were
reserved from before the world was to be strong and valiant in this
difficult time of the world’s history. Upon you young men [and young
women] will soon rest the future of the kingdom of God on earth. In
your time, the challenges and opportunities will be greater than
ever before. – James
E. Faust, “Acting
for Ourselves and Not Being Acted Upon,” Ensign (CR) November
1995
3/29/17
It
has been almost two thousand years since the wondrous occasion when
death was conquered. We still do not know how the Savior was able to
take upon Himself and bear our transgressions, our foolishness, our
grief, our sorrows, and our burdens. It was indefinable and
unfathomable. It was almost unbearable. The indescribable agony was so
great in Gethsemane that “his sweat was as it were great drops of
blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke
22:44.) The haunting cry on the cross, in a loud voice in His
native Aramaic, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being
interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark
15:34) gives but a mere glimpse of His suffering and
humiliation. One cannot help wondering how many of those drops of
precious blood each of us may be responsible for. – James
E. Faust, “The
Supernal
Gift of the Atonement,” Ensign (CR) November 1988
4/1/17
The
Savior
gives us a profound key by which we can cope with and even surmount
the debilitating forces of the world. Said the Savior, “I pray not
that thou
shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil.” This grand key then is that, regardless of the
saturation of
wickedness around us, we must stay free from the evil of the world.
The Savior’s prayer both commands us to avoid evil and proffers divine
help to do
so. Through this effort we become one with our Lord. The prayer of the
Savior in Gethsemane was, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father,
art in me, and I
in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me.” – James
E. Faust, “Woman,
Why
Weepest Thou?” Ensign (CR) November 1996
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