The LDS Daily WOOL© Home Page
(9/30/05)
"Yes, God does live. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
are three separate personal beings, alike in form, in whose image man is made.
In order that these basic fundamental truths, lost to the world through
centuries of erroneous teachings, might again be available to people of our day,
a new revelation was necessary, and this was given to the fourteen-year-old
Joseph Smith in the form of the most glorious vision ever given to mortal man,
so far as the records indicate-a vision in which Father and Son appeared
simultaneously-given to this uneducated, backwoods boy in order '...that I might
show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth' (D&C
124:1)-a youth who three and one-half years later was told by a messenger
from heaven that his name should be had for good and evil among all nations,
kindreds, and tongues. Yes, Joseph Smith was divinely called, a truth to which
his works and the personal testimony of hundreds of thousands of his followers
sincerely testify. And judged solely by his works-the measuring stick
universally employed in determining greatness in men-Joseph Smith surely
presents a challenge to every normal-minded adult human being interested in the
good and happiness of himself and fellowmen, a challenge to give careful study
and thorough investigation to his claims and teachings. Personally, I believe
that even very many of our Mormon people are more or less careless and
indifferent to the significance of the message Joseph Smith was called to
deliver to the world." - Joseph F. Merrill, "Conference Report," October 1948,
Second Day—Morning Meeting, p.59-60
5/17/07
"Now Latter-day Saints, what shall we do, conditions being what they
are? Shall we compromise our principles and standards, give up the struggle
against sin and evil and let life move on more smoothly in this sinful world?
No, never. Our faith is immovably based upon truth and reality—a living,
personal God, who through Joseph Smith and his associates, set up his Church,
gave it principles, laws, standards, and his priesthood (authority to act for
him), thus qualifying it to work for him and his righteous ways for the good,
benefit, and blessing of his children. But we need more faith in these
realities, more devotion to the cause which we are privileged to represent,
stronger wills to resist the allurements of evil, and more persistent, unselfish
efforts to live righteously every day. I repeat, our religion is a very
practical thing, for it must enter into every phase of our daily lives if we
would live in harmony with its teachings and receive the rewards of obedience."
- Joseph F. Merrill, "Conference Report," April 1949, First Day—Morning Session,
p.29
10/14/09
“So it is all the way along
the line. It makes no difference, my brethren and sisters, whether we are called
to this stand, or whether we are serving in the humblest position in the Church.
If we do our duty, if we serve the Lord and keep his commandments, as we have
the privilege and the opportunity of doing, we shall for ourselves know that we
are engaged in the work of the Lord. It is that satisfaction that gives strength
to the Church and that makes us a body of men and women that does not have to
rely for direction only upon the General Authorities, because if we enjoy the
companionship of the Spirit we are directed in our own duties, labors and
responsibilities.” - Joseph F. Merrill, “Conference Report,” October 1931,
Afternoon Meeting, p. 37
2/1/10
“When we go into the
waters of baptism, when we partake of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, and
when we stand on our feet and bear testimony to the divinity of this work, we
are thereby obligated as strongly as I know how it is possible to obligate a
human soul to keep the commandments of the Lord. But it is not easy to do this.
The influence of heredity, of environment and of evil power that is in the
earth, personified or headed by Satan himself, are all opposed to our keeping
the commandments of the Lord. To overcome all of these we must struggle, but may
I say that my own belief is that the Lord gives every one of us the strength to
keep His commandments if we will worthily and earnestly seek His help that we
may do it.” – Joseph F. Merrill, “Conference Report,” October 1941, Afternoon
Meeting, p. 130
4/25/10
"To live the Gospel requires positive action. Restful repose is a
temptation of the Evil One. There is no excellence without labor, no
reward without achievement, no blessing without fulfilling the
conditions upon which the blessing is predicated. Granted, you say.
Yes, and my urge is that we remember these sayings and continually
apply them in our efforts to live the Gospel." - Joseph F. Merrill, "Conference Report," April 1938, Afternoon Meeting, p. 34