The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(5/10/03)
"Great teacher that he was, Alma focused his teachings upon the duties
and opportunities of daily life. Our conduct, he declared, depends on
our understanding of the purpose of life. Therefore, frequent
references to the meaning of life are found in the Book of Alma." —
John A. Widtsoe, "Alma Speaks to the Twentieth Century," "A Book of
Mormon Treasury: Selections from the Pages of the Improvement Era,"
[Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1959], p. 91
(6/26/03)
"What is the message of the Old Testament? From the first to the last,
in the Pentateuch, in the historical books, in the poetical books, and
in the prophets, it teaches the existence of a personal God, the Maker
of the heavens and the earth, the Father of the human race. It teaches
that the earth and all things upon it are provided for man's benefit
but that man must obey law, divine law, to secure the blessings he
desires. It teaches that obedience to the moral law, given by God for
human conduct, involving faith in God, not to be compared with
man-made, ethical, selfish codes of action, is the most important
concern of man. It is the message of messages for humankind." -- John
A. Widtsoe, "Evidences and Reconciliations," [Salt Lake City:
Improvement Era], p. 135
(10/8/03)
"Tithing has been instituted in the Church in every dispensation when
the United Order has not been established. Abraham paid tithes to
Melchizedek. In Malachi, one who neglects this law is said to rob God.
The Savior sanctions it. In our present dispensation, tithing, the
lesser law, exists in place of the United Order. (See Genesis
14:18-20; 28:16-22;
Malachi 3:8-12; Doctrine
and Covenants, Section 119.)" - John A. Widtsoe, "Priesthood and
Church Government in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,"
[Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, 1954], p. 60
12/9/05
"Officers in the Church of Jesus Christ are called for two distinct
purposes: First and foremost, to serve the people; and, secondly, to
gain the development and enlarged understanding which always follow
earnest service in a responsible position. It is an honorable
privilege and a personal benefit to be allowed to serve in an official
position in the Church; and an office, whatever it may be, should be
accepted in a spirit of grateful appreciation." - John A. Widtsoe,
"Priesthood and Church Government," p.199
1/28/07
"The key to the conquest of
fear has been given through the Prophet Joseph Smith. 'If ye are
prepared ye shall not fear.' (D.
& C. 38:30) That divine message needs repeating today in every
stake and ward. Are we prepared in surrender to God's commandments? In
victory over our appetites? In obedience to righteous law? If we can
honestly answer yes, we can bid fear depart. And the degree of fear in
our hearts may well be measured by our preparation by righteous living,
such as should characterize Latter-day Saints. To the handful of
believers at the opening of this dispensation, the Lord gave this
glorious promise:
"'Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against
you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.' (D.
& C. 6:34)" - John A. Widtsoe, "Conference Report," April
1942, Afternoon Meeting, p.33
3/8/07
"Truth is defined in a revelation to Joseph Smith: 'Truth is knowledge
of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.' (D.
& C. 93:24.) Truth in this sense is a product or function of
knowledge. Whoever, then, has full knowledge has complete truth, and all
who have some correct knowledge have some truth.
"Such a basic doctrine has stimulated the gathering of knowledge among
the Latter-day Saints. Indeed, the obtaining of knowledge is equivalent
to a religious requirement upon the people. Note the following extracts
from the revelations to Joseph Smith: 'Study and learn, and become
acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues and people.'
(D. & C. 90:15.)
'Obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of
laws of God and man.' (D.
& C. 93:53.) 'Seek ye diligently and teach one another words
of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek
learning, even by study and also by faith.' (D.
& C. 88:118.) Joseph Smith declared that 'Knowledge is the
pathway up to the Gods.'" - John A. Widtsoe, "Program of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," p.43
7/26/07
"Brethren and sisters, assembled in this great conference, I believe the
Lord requires of us that we all set our houses in order in this respect,
that each man and woman, every family, set about to secure, just as
completely as may be possible, a record of their dead, so that thereby
the genealogies of the human family may be gathered and increased in
number, and we may have ample material with which to labor in the
temples of the Lord. Such work is not difficult to do. It may be done by
any man or woman. The intricacies of arranging names in systematic
genealogies may be done by those who are experts in such work, but every
man and every woman in Zion may gather names, later to be fully
arranged, and should give some little time to such work. With respect to
gospel principles, perhaps none is more important in developing
spiritual power and strength than that which pertains to the salvation
for the dead. Whether we are near a temple or far away from it, we may
be able to give some little time to the important work of gathering the
names of our dead and arranging them for use in the temples." - John A.
Widtsoe, "Conference Report," April 1927, Afternoon Meeting, p.32
11/18/07
"Mere knowledge of spiritual truth, information that may be drawn from
the encyclopedia, for instance, that there is a God, that prayers may be
heard, or that it is wrong to steal, is never really understood unless
the person is spiritually prepared. The absence of such preparation
explains why many who can glibly recite the Ten Commandments or the
Beatitudes may violate them with equal ease; or why, though reared in a
religious atmosphere, they are irreligious. Such persons believe that
spiritual knowledge may be poured into them with no consideration of
their fitness and with no effort on their part. That cannot be done in
the lower fields of knowledge and less so in the highest, the spiritual
field. It would be in opposition to natural law. Such people are out of
spiritual focus, and their impressions are blurred, much as a telescope
out of focus gives only indistinct and confused images. Or, to use
another figure of speech, there is static in their lives which mars the
beauty of life's melody. On the contrary, when a person does fit and
qualify himself, spiritual messages, waiting to be revealed, come to
him. Then, and only then, is spiritual knowledge quickened into living
comprehension leading to activity. When there is such correspondence
between an individual and the spiritual world, the real joy of life
appears. Otherwise, something is missing from our daily desire. We live
incompletely." - John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p.86
12/24/07
"This Church is not merely for me and for you who are in the Church. I
must begin with myself, undoubtedly. My own salvation comes first; but
unless I give of my strength to the winning of other souls for God, my
own salvation will be incomplete. That applies to all of us. It cannot
be otherwise if we follow the message given us this morning by our
prophet and leader. We have a calling, not merely to build the Church of
Christ, and to save ourselves therein, but also a commission to save the
whole world. We are, as it were, set apart, consecrated for that great
purpose. All of Israel must remember, every man or woman who enters the
waters of baptism must keep in mind, and every child that comes into the
Church must be taught that by the ordinance of baptism we accept the
great and divine commission to serve the Lord in building his Church. It
will then be easy to keep the commandments of God, to lay aside or meet
courageously the temptations that face us. To stand alone, saying
selfishly, 'I have received
the gospel; it is good to be a Latter-day Saint'
will not be doing our duty; but, when we say, 'Now,
I have received this great blessing. I shall pass it on to others';
there comes the flowering in the hearts of men of the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ." - John A.
Widtsoe, "Conference
Report," October 1946, First Day—Morning
Meeting, p.14
1/31/08
"Incarnate evil, despite its
assiduous endeavors, has always lost ground. Finally victory has been on
the side of right.
"Thereby
has
come man's marvelous conquest over surrounding forces, and the steady
improvement in the last few hundred years of the conditions of the human
race. Always, if on the side of righteousness, man has managed to banish
the gilded tyranny of evil.
"Yet,
despite the lessons of the past, fear, unnecessary fear, lurks in many
human breasts. What of tomorrow? is shouted by the forces of evil. In
the consequent din is forgotten the glorious promise that 'Sufficient
unto the day is the evil thereof.'
(Matt. 6:34)
Forgotten also is the ancient truth that fear is the devil's first and
chief weapon. Make a man or a nation afraid, and his strength like
that of Samson shorn of his locks, is gone. He is no longer useful in
the work of the world. He becomes a tool of the unholy forces which
seek to destroy mankind."
- John A.
Widtsoe, "Conference
Report," October 1950, General
Priesthood Meeting, p.184
4/1/08
"As the Lord gave His life to
prove His love for His brethren and sisters, the human race, we may show
the spirit of love more vigorously than we have done if we will make the
small sacrifices necessary to seek out our genealogies, to spend time
and money for the work, to take time to go to the temple ourselves for
the dead. All such service may entail sacrifice, but sacrifice lifts us
toward the likeness of God, the likeness of our Elder Brother Jesus
Christ. If we Latter-day Saints have any great ideal, it is that of our
Elder Brother. All that we strive for, and all that we have fought for,
and all that we pray for, is to become more and more like Him as our
days and years increase. As He gave His life, unselfishly for us, so
each of us, extending the open door of salvation to the dead, most of
whom are but names to us, may then by our unselfishness claim in very
deed to be followers of Christ."
- John A. Widtsoe, "Conference
Report," April 1943, Afternoon
Meeting, p.38
1/20/09
"In the laboratory the chemist
may take an element and, by heat and pressure, change it completely in
its physical properties. It is possible to take black amorphous charcoal
and, under the influence of heat and pressure, to change it into
transparent, crystalline diamonds. If lifeless, inert matter may be
changed, a greater transformation may be expected in the souls of men,
when, under God's influence, by the power that comes from the use of the
truths that God has revealed to his children, men obey the gospel. Such
a chance, coming into human lives, is greater than that from the black
charcoal to the luminous white diamond. The lives of Latter-day Saints,
by the tens of thousands, attest that such a transformation is possible;
that there lies in the gospel of Jesus Christ the power for man to
achieve perfection, even in this life, physically, mentally, spiritually
and in every way, if only he will give himself to the ideal of
perfection." - John A.
Widtsoe, "Conference
Report," October 1925,
Afternoon Session, p.139
2/10/09
"We
need a present, everyday religion. My religion must be with me from
one Monday morning to the next, the year around or it will not answer
me. I am decidedly in favor of a practical religion, of everyday
useful life, and if I today attend to what devolves upon me to do,
then do that which presents itself tomorrow, and so on, when eternity
comes I will be prepared to enter on the things of eternity, but I
would not be prepared for that sphere of action unless I could manage
the things that are now within my reach. We must all learn to do this.
There is no life more precious than the present life which we enjoy.
There is no life that is worth any more to us than this life is. It
may be said that an eternal life is worth more. We are in eternity,
and all that we have to do is to take the road that leads into the
eternal lives."
- John A. Widtsoe, "Conference Report," April 1947, Second
Day—Morning Meeting, p.75
5/3/09
"Any theory that leaves out God as a personal, purposeful Being, and
accepts chance as a first cause cannot be accepted by Latter-day
Saints. The evidence for God is yet greater than for the chance
creation of the earth and its inhabitants. Mind and thought shape a
work of art from the marble block. More marvelous than any human work
of art is man. However he may have risen to his present high estate,
it has been by the operation of mind and thought. That man and the
whole of creation came by chance is unthinkable. It is equally
unthinkable that if man came into being by the will and power of God,
the divine creative power is limited to one process dimly sensed by
mortal man. The great law of evolution may have many forms of
expression, far beyond man's present comprehension." - John
A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p.163
5/31/09
“The
battle of life is essentially a battle between obedience or
disobedience to eternal law; between good and evil; between right and
wrong. The Lord desires His children to win salvation; Satan, an
apostate son of God, seeks to enslave them in his own dark kingdom.” -
John A. Widtsoe, “Evidences and
Reconciliations,” p. 217
7/30/09
“This
testimony
I found in my early youth. It has remained with me as a certain
knowledge all these years. I have discovered, as you have, I am quite,
sure, the method by which such a testimony may be kept alive,
blossoming, useful in human life. The formula is simple: Live the
gospel every day, practice it, and study it regularly; do not let the
affairs of the day that deal with the making of our temporal living
crowd aside matters that pertain to the gospel. If we use this
formula, our testimony will become increasingly certain, will grow,
will expand in meaning and comprehension.” - John
A. Widtsoe, “Conference Report,” October 1943, Afternoon Meeting, p.
112
10/20/09
“In
the revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith, this matter
is made very clear. Man is engaged in an eternal journey. Life on
earth is but an episode in everlasting life. Therefore, all things
that touch this eternal traveler belong to the plan under which he is
moving forward. The distinction between things spiritual and temporal
vanishes; they become merged, as the palm and back of the hand, as the
warp and woof of the cloth. Man’s physical concerns acquire a
spiritual value; and his spiritual activities have temporal
counterparts. ‘Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto
me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law
which was temporal ... for my commandments are spiritual; they are not
natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual’ (D. & C. 29:34,
35). This makes the Word of Wisdom, tithing, prayer, or temple work,
principles alike of spiritual essence. In that sense, the Church never
departs from spiritual teachings.” - John
A. Widtsoe, “Evidences and Reconciliations,” p. 279
11/2/09
“We
live in a world of symbols. No man or woman can come out of the temple
endowed as he should be, unless he has seen, beyond the symbol, the
mighty realities for which the symbols stand.
“To the man or woman who goes through the temple, with open eyes, heeding the symbols and the covenants, and making a steady, continuous effort to understand the full meaning, God speaks his word, and revelations come. The endowment is so richly symbolic that only a fool would attempt to describe it; it is so packed full of revelations to those who exercise their strength to seek and see, that no human words can explain or make clear the possibilities that reside in the temple service. The endowment which was given by revelation can best be understood by revelation; and to those who seek most vigorously, with pure hearts, will the revelation be greatest.” - John A. Widtsoe, "Temple Worship," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, April 1921, pp. 62-63
11/9/09
“Peace comes from within; peace is myself, if I am a truly peaceful
man. The very essence of me must be the spirit of peace. Individuals
make up the community, and the nation–an old enough doctrine, which we
often overlook–and the only way to build a peaceful community is to
build men and women who are lovers and makers of peace. Each
individual, by that doctrine of Christ and His Church, holds in his
own hands the peace of the world.” - John
A. Widtsoe, “Conference Report,” October 1943, Afternoon Meeting, p.
113
11/26/09
“The
possession of the Priesthood and its consequent family leadership
should make men very considerate of women. The man who arrogantly
feels that he is better than his wife because he holds the Priesthood,
has failed utterly to comprehend the meaning and purpose of
Priesthood. He needs to remember that the Lord loves His daughters
quite as well as His sons. It is but a small and puny-souled man who
could wish to humiliate women as a class and keep them as an inferior
sex; for men can never rise superior to the women who bear and nurture
them. (Read DC 121:41-46.)” - John A.
Widtsoe, “Priesthood and Church Government,” p. 89
1/7/10
“The
acceptance of two principles, faith and repentance, and of two
ordinances, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, form the first
requirements for membership in the Church. They are really fundamental
steps of progress. ‘By faithfully attending to the first principles of
the Gospel, laid down in the New Testament, you are introduced into
the knowledge of the works of God in the dispensation of the fullness
of time.’ (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 235.) A candidate for
membership in the Church must believe sincerely in God, and His Son
Jesus Christ, and in the divine plan of salvation; must repent by
turning away from former errors and by doing that which is just; and
must be baptized as an evidence of his faith, repentance and
willingness henceforth to obey God's law. Then the gift of the Holy
Ghost, of the higher intelligence, is conferred upon him. He is then a
member of the Church, ready to partake of its labors, privileges and
blessings.” - John A. Widtsoe, “Program of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” p. 108
1/10/10
“The
possession of the gospel, the knowledge of it, does change a man
tremendously, but the full joy of the gospel, that joy which we have
all seen in many a humble person who has received the gospel, comes
only when we use the gospel for others. He who receives must give,
that is one of the first and most fundamental of all gospel laws.” - John
A. Widtsoe, “Conference Report,” April 1945, Afternoon Meeting, p.
93
1/19/10
“Certainly, the experience of others who have consistently obeyed
gospel requirements is of value to the seeker after a testimony.
Children are wise in accepting the experiences of their parents.
Beginners do well to trust those who are seasoned in gospel living.
But, there comes a time when every person must find out for himself,
in his own daily life, the value of the gospel. A sufficient testimony
comes only to him who ‘stands upon his own feet.’” - John
A. Widtsoe, “Evidences and Reconciliations,” p. 17
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
4/15/10
"The reading habit is most valuable in life. I mean by that the
practice of using a little time, say half an hour a day, in the
systematic reading of worthwhile literature. The mind is opened to
precious fields of thought; the achievements of the ages become ours;
even the future takes form. As the mind and spirit are fed by well
chosen reading, comfort, peace and understanding come to the soul.
Those who have not tried it, have missed a keen and easily accessible
joy." - John A. Widtsoe, "Conference Report,"
April 1939, First Day—Morning Meeting, p. 21
1/19/13
The whole world
would prosper exceedingly if every man in his life had a will for
truth. It is the flabby adherence to truth, or righteousness, the
expression of truth, that lies at the bottom of all human disasters. -
John A. Widtsoe, "Evidences and Reconciliations," p.384
9/28/15
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints possesses the full
truth relative to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one divine
plan of salvation, and also the authority to officiate in God's name
in the upbuilding of the Church of Christ. There is but one gospel;
there can be but one Priesthood; there is but one Church which
encompasses the whole truth of the gospel, and into which all truth
may find its place. In that sense the Church claims to possess the
full fundamental truth, call it monopoly if you choose, necessary for
full salvation in the celestial kingdom of God. This the Church does
humbly and gratefully, keenly sensible of its high commission and vast
responsibility, to lead all mankind into a fulness of the knowledge
leading to eternal progression in the presence of the Lord. - John
A. Widtsoe, "Evidences and Reconciliations," p. 24
1/13/16
The first great message of this latter-day work has been with respect
to God, and my testimony to you is, my brethren and sisters, that the
great need of the world today is a correct understanding of God. This
world is in turmoil and strife. The old paths seem insufficient. Men
are seeking new ways to solve new problems. They are looking for safe
principles or guides which they can apply to these new problems and
test proposed new solutions. The only path to peace and happiness is
through the proper knowledge of God, including his plan of salvation;
and therein, and therein only, will the nations of the world find what
they are seeking today. - John A.
Widtsoe, "Conference Report," October 1921, Afternoon Session, p.49
1/18/16
So with peace. It is not a thing by itself to be picked up casually;
but it is the fruit of something precedent. Like the tree, something
must be planted and nourished and cared for, if we are to obtain
peace. - John A. Widtsoe,
"Conference Report," October 1946, First Day-Morning Meeting, p.13
2/7/16
We, the members of the Church, now far-flung over the earth, must make
and keep ourselves fit by obedience for the mission assigned us—the
regeneration of the world. It is a call to every member of the Church.
As we obey the commandments, so will the strength of the Church be. As
we fearlessly live the law, the influence of the Church will cover the
earth and prepare it for peace. Delay and vexation, sorrow and
bloodshed, will overtake us if we surrender our convictions, and enter
into compromise with the world. It is better to observe the law, even
in its lesser details. Then we shall have the greater claim for
personal satisfaction in the days of our years. - John
A. Widtsoe, "Conference Report," April 1941, Afternoon Meeting,
p.118
4/5/16
Spirituality
is first an attitude of faith toward eternal realities. Faith in God
and the unseen world; faith in man's family relationship to God; and
faith in the great plan under which earth and man have their
existence and destiny. A peaceable life, however virtuous, is not
necessarily spiritual, for in every spiritual life faith is the
first and chief desideratum. As faith increases, based upon rational
considerations, it becomes a basis for greater spirituality. - John
A. Widtsoe, "Program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints," p.63