(3/20/98)
"A worthwhile attitude for all of us could well be, 'Help us, O Lord,
to remember thy love for us and help us to be fortified by Thy
strength when our eyes are blurred with tears of sorrow and our vision
is limited.' It is expedient for all of us, particularly those who may
be weighed down by grief because of acts of misconduct or misfortune,
to recall that even the Prophet Joseph Smith had hours of despair
because of his very trying experiences in the Liberty Jail. Perhaps he
too was entitled to question, 'What did I do wrong? What have I done
to displease Thee, O Lord? Where have I failed? Why are the answers to
my prayers and pleas withheld?' In response to the feelings of his
heart and mind he cried out: 'O God, where art thou? And where is the
pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?' (D&C
121:1.) The reassuring response came: 'My son, peace be unto thy
soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small
moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on
high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.' (D&C
121:7-8.)" — Marvin J. Ashton, "If
Thou
Endure It Well," General Conference, October 1984
(5/31/00)
"After obtaining a testimony of the gospel and the Lord's church, we
should then strive to become pure in heart. This will result in
happiness and eventually the promise of a society without contention.
It is the Savior's way to peace." — "The Measure Of Our Hearts,"
General Conference, October 1988
(6/01/00)
"One may have many talents and knowledge but never acquire wisdom
because he does not learn to be compassionate with his fellow man. We
will never approach godliness until we learn to love and lift.
Indifference to others and their plight denies us life's sweetest
moments of joy and service." — "The Measure Of Our Hearts," General
Conference, October 1988
(6/02/00)
"Brothers and sisters, I sincerely feel that one of the great purposes
of family evenings and home teaching is to have family members realize
that a brother can be a friend, and that a sister can be a friend, and
that a father and a mother can be more than parents, they can be
friends." — "Conference Report," October 1969, p. 28
(6/03/00)
"When family members tune each other out, communication is not taking
place. Words spoken are unheard, unwanted, and resisted when we fail
to understand the basics for proper interchange. Each must be willing
to do his part to improve, since the family unit is the basic
foundation of the Church. Proper communication will always be a main
ingredient for building family solidarity and permanence." — "Family
Communications," General Conference, April 1976
(6/04/00)
"A constant effort must be made to lift our daily conduct so that it
squares with our knowledge of truth and our standards. Self-mastery
must always triumph over self-deceit for us to taste the fruits of
good cheer." — "Be of Good Cheer," General Conference, April 1986
(10/23/00)
"A warm handshake and a friendly smile can be wonderfully healing
medicine. Conversely, how unwise we are when we declare, 'I'll never
speak to him again.' Never is a long time, and even those who have
caused heartache or shame are not beyond ultimate repentance.
Sometimes hurts to the heart are more damaging than physical blows.
Yes, they may take longer to heal, but they will heal more quickly if
we avoid bitterness and anger and practice forgiveness." — Marvin J.
Ashton, "While
They
Are Waiting," General Conference, April 1988
3/5/03
"A truly committed person does not falter in the face of adversity.
Until one is committed, there is a chance to hesitate, to go off in
another direction, or to be ineffective. Members within our ranks who
are committed to living the gospel of Jesus Christ will not be
affected by the rationale of hecklers." — Marvin J. Ashton, "Be of
Good Cheer," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], p. 51
4/9/03
"Perhaps we would do well to involve ourselves in praying more quietly
and continually. Strength, power, and discipline are rewards for
communicating with God on a continuing personal and private basis.
Quietly we can pray for the patience to have our secret prayers
answered. Sometimes we fail to recognize answered prayers because we
are expecting more than quiet answers." — Marvin J. Ashton, "The
Measure of Our Hearts," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], p.
106
(5/09/03)
"To be in control of your life, to be a success regardless of your
situation, whether happily married, unhappily married, a single
parent, a widow, or a wife of an inactive husband, I recommend that
you come to know your Father in heaven. Come to love Him, and always
remember that He loves you and will give you guidance and support if
you will but give Him the chance. Include Him in your decision making.
Include Him when you take inventory of your personal worth. 'For
behold, this life is the time for men [and women] to prepare to meet
God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men [and women]
to perform their labors.' (Alma
34:32)" — Marvin J. Ashton, "Be of Good Cheer," [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1987], p. 29
(6/04/03)
"Contention is a tool of the adversary. Peace is a tool of our Savior.
What a wonderful tribute we pay people when we describe them as being
gentle, firm, and calm! Contention stops progress. Love brings eternal
progression. Where contention prevails, there can be no united effort
in any purposeful direction." — Marvin J. Ashton, "The Measure of Our
Hearts," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], p. 20
(8/03/03)
"Joshua reminds us of the importance of making decisions promptly:
'Choose you this day whom ye will serve;... but as for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord.' (Joshua 24:15) Not tomorrow, not when
we get ready, not when it is convenient—but 'this day,' straightway,
choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to follow will always be
out in front of us with His Spirit and influence setting the pace. He
has charted and marked the course, opened the gates, and shown the
way. He has invited us to come unto Him, and the best time to enjoy
His companionship is straightway. We can best get on the course and
stay on the course by doing as Jesus did—make a total commitment to do
the will of His Father." — Marvin J. Ashton, "Be of Good Cheer," [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], p. 56
8/07/03
"When the Lord measures an individual, he does not use a tape measure
around the person's head to determine his mental capacity, nor around
his chest to determine his manliness. He measures the heart as an
indicator of the person's capacity and potential to bless others. Why
the heart? Because the heart is a symbol of one's entire makeup. We
often use phrases about the heart to describe the total person. Thus,
we describe people as being 'big-hearted' or 'goodhearted' or having
'a heart of gold.' Or we speak of people with faint hearts, wise
hearts, pure hearts, willing hearts, deceitful hearts, conniving
hearts, courageous hearts, cold hearts, hearts of stone, or selfish
hearts. The measure of our hearts is the measure of our total
performance. As the term is used by the Lord, our hearts describe our
efforts to better ourselves or others or the conditions we confront."
— Marvin J. Ashton, "The Measure of Our Hearts," [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1991], p. 2
(11/21/03)
"A broken-hearted mother prays and mourns over a wayward son. In spite
of her fasting and prayers, the young man continues on his wayward
course. I am concerned about both the son and the mother, because they
tell me they are sour on prayer. A brother who is faithful in the
Church-paying his tithing, serving in the Church, and attending the
temple-experiences failure in his marriage. He can't understand why
the Lord doesn't get his wife to change. He tells me he prays for this
every day. These are just two examples of individuals who felt that
their prayers were not answered promptly or properly. "Dispute not
because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of
your faith." (Ether
12:6.) Joseph Smith said, "We are looked upon by God as though
we were in eternity. God dwells in eternity, and does not view things
as we do." ("Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith," p. 356.) God sees
things from an eternal perspective-not as we view things." - Marvin J.
Ashton, "Know He Is There," Ensign, Feb. 1994, p. 53-54
(12/8/03)
"Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you
acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity
becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again." -
Marvin J. Ashton, "The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword," Ensign, May 1992,
p. 19
(7/8/04)
"Everything is given by God. All talent, creativity, ability, insight,
and strength comes from him. In our own strength we can do nothing, as
Ammon admitted to his brother. (See Alma
26:10-12.) When we seek the praise of man more than the praise
of God, it will become easy to fall." - Marvin J. Ashton, "Neither
Boast
of Faith Nor of Mighty Works," Ensign, May 1990, p. 67
(7/30/04)
"Generally our Heavenly Father will not interfere with the agency of
another person unless He has a greater purpose for that individual.
Two examples come to mind: Saul, who became the Apostle Paul, and Alma
the Younger. Both these men were deterred from their unrighteous
objective of persecuting and trying to destroy the church of God. Both
became great missionaries for the Church. But even as the Lord
intervened, they were given choices. Alma, for example, was told, 'If
thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church
of God.' (Alma 36:11.)"
- Marvin J. Ashton, "Know
He
Is There," Ensign, February 1994, p. 54
(9/25/04)
"It is very significant that when Jesus came forth from the tomb and
appeared to his disciples, his first greeting was, 'Peace be unto
you.' (Luke 24:36.)
Peace-not passion, not personal possessions, not personal
accomplishments nor happiness-is one of the greatest blessings a man
can receive. Our trust and our relationship with our Heavenly Father
should be one similar to that of the little blind girl and her earthly
father. When sorrow, tragedy, and heartbreaks occur in our lives,
wouldn't it be comforting if when the whisperings of God say, 'Do you
know why this has happened to you?' we could have the peace of mind to
answer 'No, but you do.'" - Marvin J. Ashton, "Peace-A
Triumph of Principles," Ensign, November 1985, p. 69
(10/12/04)
"We must at regular and appropriate intervals speak and reassure
others of our love and the long time it takes to prove it by our
actions. Real love does take time. The Great Shepherd had the same
thoughts in mind when he taught, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments'
(John 14:15;
italics added) and 'If ye love me feed my sheep' (John
21:16; italics added). Love demands action if it is to be
continuing. Love is a process. Love is not a declaration. Love is not
an announcement. Love is not a passing fancy. Love is not an
expediency. Love is not a convenience. 'If ye love me, keep my
commandments' and 'If ye love me feed my sheep' are God-given
proclamations that should remind us we can often best show our love
through the processes of feeding and keeping." - Marvin J. Ashton, "Love
Takes
Time," Ensign, November 1975, p. 108
(12/30/04)
"Following one of our recent general conference sessions, a troubled
mother approached me and said, 'I need to know what is meant by the
statement, 'No success can compensate for failure in the home.''
Knowing a little of the burdens this friend of mine carries in her
mind and heart because of a rebellious, wayward daughter, I shared
this meaning with her: I believe we start to fail in the home when we
give up on each other. We have not failed until we have quit trying.
As long as we are working diligently with love, patience, and
long-suffering, despite the odds or the apparent lack of progress, we
are not classified as failures in the home. We only start to fail when
we give up on a son, daughter, mother, or father." - Marvin J. Ashton,
"Love
of
the Right," Ensign, June 1971, p. 31-32
(2/19/05)
"Jesus set the pattern for us in his invitation, 'Come, follow me.' I
think it is significant our Savior Jesus Christ declared, 'He that
hath seen me hath seen the Father,' rather than 'He that hath heard me
hath heard the Father.' The example bore witness. The life was the
sermon. The life was the way." - Marvin J. Ashton, "You
Can
Get There From Here," Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 101
(4/3/05)
"Scriptures such as 'be ye doers of the word ...' (Jas.
1:22), and 'But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and
shall not be moved ...' (D&C
45:32) take on new significance as we realize our responsibility
to act and not react.
"Our Prophet Joseph Smith was a man of action. Torture, belittlement,
and all manner of inhumane affliction, including a pending martyr's
death, did not halt nor even slow down his life of purposeful action.
He acted as one totally committed to 'I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation. ...' (Rom.
1:16.) He didn't just think about the gospel or react to it; he
lived it. He was true to himself and to those principles he valued
more than life itself." - Marvin J. Ashton, "Conference Report,"
October 1970, p. 38
(5/28/05)
"If we keep the commandments of God
and walk hand in hand with him in his paths, Satan cannot touch us.
Faithful members of the Church do not have to walk alone. The
troubled soul need not find its way back alone. God’s hand is
available to all if we will but reach out and up." - Marvin J.
Ashton, "He
Took
Him by the Hand," Ensign, Jan. 1974, 104
(6/24/05)
"I bear witness to you that God
listens to humble prayer. If he didn't, he wouldn't ask us to pray.
Part of our worthwhile, urgency prayers today can be a reverent,
quiet, listening period. Can we not appropriately say that he that
goes to the well of prayer with faith unwavering is daily drawing
oil for his lamp? It is also possible to help accumulate our supply
in meaningful meditation." - Marvin J. Ashton, "A
Time of Urgency," Ensign, May 1974, 3
(9/2/05)
"Joshua reminds us of the importance of making decisions promptly:
'Choose you this day whom ye will serve;... but as for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord.' (Josh. 24:15.) Not tomorrow, not
when we get ready, not when it is convenient—but 'this day,'
straightway, choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to
follow will always be out in front of us with His Spirit and
influence setting the pace. He has charted and marked the course,
opened the gates, and shown the way. He has invited us to come
unto Him, and the best time to enjoy His companionship is
straightway. We can best get on the course and stay on the course
by doing as Jesus did—make a total commitment to do the will of
His Father." - Marvin J. Ashton, “Straightway,”
Ensign,
May 1983, 30–31
(9/18/05)
"We need to continually take the time to communicate with our
Heavenly Father and those about us. As we share, we can make the
difference in the life and light of others. We lift as we love
and as we convey our love through communication. In the
scriptures we read, 'But to do good and to communicate forget
not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' (Hebrews
13:16.)
"In all of our relationships, communication should be open,
comforting, and sincere. God has invited us to communicate with
Him through prayer continually, no matter where we are or what
the circumstances. He wants to hear from us. He loves us. He
knows us. He wants to be part of our lives and to help us solve
our problems. How important it is to improve our communication
with Him and with others every day!" - Marvin J. Ashton, "Be of
Good Cheer" [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], p. 101
2/15/06
"The Lord has promised that he will help us in our
pursuit of happiness if we will trust in him and follow his path.
The abundant life will be ours if we rely on his strength. If we
will... share our talents every day, Satan will have no power over
us, and our Heavenly Father's strength will make all righteous
things possible. Ammon, in his comments to his brother Aaron in
the twenty-sixth
chapter of Alma, verse 12, points to a way of life that
brings security: 'Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength
I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast
of my God, for in his strength I can do all things;... for which
we will praise his name forever.' All we need to do to enjoy
eternal, happy lives is to live the gospel of Jesus Christ." -
Marvin J. Ashton, "Love
of
the Right," Ensign (CR), June 1971, p.30
3/8/06
"The Savior admonished, 'Have peace one with another.' (Mark
9:50.) Peace must first come from within. It flows from the
individual to the home, to the community, to the nations, and to
the world. This peace can only come as we resist the damaging
pastime of passing judgment. In the scriptures we are warned to
judge not, that we be not judged. (See 3
Ne. 14:1; Matt.
7:1.) Somehow there seems to be something enticing and
intriguing about being a self-appointed judge." - Marvin J.
Ashton, "Straightway,"
Ensign
(CR), May 1983, p.30
3/20/06
"The desire to achieve has been placed in us by a loving Creator
who honors our free agency but nonetheless beckons to us to do
well. He it is who will grade our eternal report card. The
adversary would weaken and dull our senses so we lose sight of the
final time of rating or judging. We are in a battle with evil
powers who are cunning and crafty. They can lull us and pacify us
through carnal things if we are not careful. But if we take the
offense in the contest and seek those things which are
praiseworthy, we can build an armor that will not be pierced.
"So now, in the midst of this battle, let us sound our trumpets
for that which is Rated A: A for pure actions, A for achievement,
and A for approbation, even that approbation from Him whose voice
can say to you: 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' (Matt.
25:21.)" - Marvin J. Ashton, "Rated
A," Ensign (CR), November 1977, p.71
5/24/06
"An understanding, loving heart is the pinnacle of all human
emotions. As the Apostle Paul said, charity 'beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.' (1
Cor. 13:7.) We come closest to becoming Christlike when we
are charitable and understanding of others.
"One may have many talents and knowledge but never acquire wisdom
because he does not learn to be compassionate with his fellow man.
"We will never approach godliness until we learn to love and lift.
Indifference to others and their plight denies us life's sweetest
moments of joy and service." - Marvin J. Ashton, "The
Measure
of Our Hearts," Ensign (CR), November 1988, p.15
5/30/06
"To be effective, prayers must not consist of words alone. Earnest
prayers must have an appropriate blend of earnest feeling and
spirit. It is the spirit that not only teaches a man to pray, but
also makes his heartfelt desires acceptable and conveyable. If a
contrite spirit and a broken heart are united with faith
unwavering, our prayers, no matter how simple the words, will be
significant." - Marvin J. Ashton, "Personal Prayers," Prayer ,
p.77
8/31/06
"In recalling some of the
Savior's well-known teachings, the word now can be
appropriately added to emphasize their impact. 'If ye love me,
keep my commandments' ... NOW. (See John
14:25.) 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to
every creature' ... NOW. (See Mark
16:15.) 'Come, follow me' ... NOW. (See Luke
18:22.) Truly, if we love God, we will serve him ... NOW.
"There are those among us, though they would deny it, who are
hungry for fellowship and activity in the Church today. They need
us and we need them. It is our duty and blessing to help them find
the way now. We and they are God's sheep, and we can best be fed
and led together. Today is the time to let them know we care and
that the Lord loves them. He stands anxious to forgive and welcome
in the processes of repentance. God give us the courage to act
now." - Marvin J. Ashton, "The
Time
Is Now," Ensign (CR), May 1975, p.85
1/1/07
"It has been said by Bruce Barton that, 'When were through
changing, were through.' There is no age when we are too old or
too young or just too middle-aged to change. Perhaps old age
really comes when a person finally gives up the right, challenge,
and joy of changing. We should remain teachable. How easy it is to
become set. We must be willing to establish goals whether we are
sixty, seventy, fifty, or fifteen. Maintain a zest for life. Never
should there be a time when we are unwilling to improve ourselves
through meaningful change." - Marvin J. Ashton, "Progress
through
Change," Ensign (CR), November 1979, p.61
5/5/07
"Let us seek to be
totally committed. Then we will not fall upon stony places, wither
away, or stray from the paths of security and happiness. Those who
serve with complete dedication wherever called do not wilt,
wither, wonder, or wander. Their roots are deep and solidly
planted in the fertile soils of the kingdom. The harvest is
enjoyed with every passing day as they serve." - Marvin J. Ashton,
"Who
Will
Forfeit the Harvest?," Ensign (CR), November 1978, p.49
7/18/07
"I know that free expression is a vital part of the eternal
principle of free agency and must be preserved and protected. I
also know how certain forces use the freedom of speech to
degrade or debase, and this constitutes perversion and
enslavement. Because I recognize that there will always be
opposition in all things, I suspect that we will not soon see
the day when obscenity in its various forms will be entirely
eliminated. But I have faith that it can be fully eliminated in
the lives of quality individuals. I firmly believe that most
thinking people can be inspired to strive for the A rating
by choosing wholesome, worthwhile literature, art, and habits."
- Marvin J. Ashton, "Rated
A," Ensign (CR), November 1977, p.71
9/21/07
"Do not doubt your abilities. Do not delay your worthy
impressions. With God's help, you cannot fail. He will give you
the courage to participate in meaningful change and purposeful
living. We need to repent, straightway, and trust in His reality
and capacity to assist us in knowing the abundant life. He will
help us learn to be sensitive to our own needs and to those of
others. Those who fear, procrastinate. Those who change for the
better show progress straightway and become wiser and stronger.
We need to develop the courage to straightway take the first
step. We need to remember that children learn to walk only
because someone encourages them to take the first step." -
Marvin J. Ashton, "Straightway,"
Ensign (CR), May 1983, p.30
7/11/08
"Most often, hope,
encouragement, and direction come from a soft, piercing voice.
"Small voices are heard only by those who are willing to listen. Soft and small voice communications with our associates make priceless friendships possible. I am appreciative of people who find no need to raise their voices as they try to impress or convince. It seems most people who argue and shout have ceased listening to what the small voice could powerfully contribute.
"We love the small voice of a child saying, 'Mommy, Daddy, I love you.'
"How powerful is a small voice that knows how and when to say, 'Thank you.'
"Think of the heavenly voice saying, 'Joseph, this is my beloved son. Hear him' (see JS—H 1:17).
"It
is heartwarming and reassuring to hear the small voice
declare, 'Be still
and know' (D&C
101:16).
"Remember that one of
our greatest gifts is the small voice of the Holy Ghost
whispering directions in our lives and making mighty testimonies
possible."
- Marvin J. Ashton, “There Are Many Gifts”, Ensign (CR),
November 1987, p.20
8/12/08
"The
power
of a plain, unadorned testimony is always impressive to me. I
recall a twelve-year-old boy standing in front of a large
congregation to share his testimony. As he stood trembling in fear
and emotion, his voice failed him. He stood speechless; our hearts
went out to him. The creeping seconds dragged on, making the
silence of the moment intense. Prayerfully we hoped that he might
gain composure and the ability to express his testimony. After
great uneasiness and anxiety peculiar to a young person in such a
circumstance, he raised his bowed head and softly said, 'Brothers
and sisters, my testimony is too small.'
He cleared his voice and sat down. His message had been given. I
thought then, as I think now, what a timely observation. Whose
testimony isn’t too small? Whose testimony doesn’t need to be
added upon? After this one-sentence sermon, I acknowledged before
the congregation that my testimony was too small also and I was
going to give it a chance to grow by more frequent sharing. I had
been taught by a plain, simple statement."
- Marvin J. Ashton, "The Power of Plainness," Ensign (CR),
May 1977, p.66
9/2/08
"To
become
a winner in the race for eternal life requires effort—constant
work, striving, and enduring well with God’s help. But the key is
that we must take it just one step at a time." - Marvin J. Ashton,
“If Thou Endure It Well”, Ensign (CR), November 1984, p.20
9/14/08
"Change is hard. Rather
than going through the struggle to overcome a bad habit or rectify
a mistake, some of us choose to make excuses for inactivity.
Progress comes as we are able to give up something for something
we want more. Honesty with oneself and setting of desirable but
attainable goals day by day can determine the paths we follow. One
might make a list of goals and then a price list for each goal.
One day at a time the price of change can be paid. The cost will
then not be overwhelming." - Elder Marvin J. Ashton, "Roadblocks
to Progress," Ensign (CR), May 1979, p.67
1/3/09
"Each of us should daily
resolve that with God's help we will not allow careless words from
others to shape our destiny or control our daily course. How
tragic it is to see, on occasion, a life of usefulness lost
because we have allowed an unkind comment to cause a wound or
hurt. We let the injury become an open sore and fester rather than
treat it with prompt skill and maturity. Some try to get even with
their offenders by dropping out of life's race. How weak, how
damaging, how self-restricting is the often used statement, 'I'll
never
go back as long as that
person is there!' On
occasion some of us seem to stand on the sidelines waiting to be
hurt, offended, or ignored. We listen for careless words from
others and remember the unsaid hellos and read into the said or
unsaid words a totally unintended message.
"One
of
the finest basketball players of all time was asked what had
contributed the most to his outstanding success. His answer was,
"I learned to play in pain. Although injuries, bruises, and bumps
came, I never allowed myself the luxury of slowing down or
quitting.
"The
greatest teacher and leader also showed the world an example of
proper conduct when He was the victim of unkind words and cruel
deeds. He simply said, 'Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do'
(Luke 23:34)."
— Marvin
J. Ashton, "Roadblocks
to
Progress," Ensign
(CR), May 1979, p.67
6/25/09
“A
friend is a priceless possession because a true friend is one
who is willing to take us the way we are but is able to leave us
better than he found us. We are poor when we lose friends,
because generally they are willing to reprove, admonish, love,
encourage, and guide for our best good. A friend lifts the heavy
heart, says the encouraging word, and assists in supplying our
daily needs. As friends, we make ourselves available without
delay to those who need us.” - Marvin
J. Ashton, “Ye Are My Friends,” p. 27
3/12/10
“Chains weigh heavily on troubled hearts and souls. They
relegate us to lives of no purpose or light. They cause us to
become confused and lose the spirit. We need to arise from the
dust and enjoy the fresh air of righteousness. We need to move
forward in patience, understanding, love, and never-ending
commitment.” - Marvin J. Ashton,
“Shake Off the Chains with Which Ye Are Bound,” Ensign (CR),
November 1986, p. 13
4/10/10
"It is no secret that Satan wages open war with the truth and
all those who live righteous lives. He deceives with skill and
effectiveness even his own followers. He would have us give up,
quit, rebel when setbacks come. Sometimes in life when we are
committed to and are following proper patterns, we experience
heavy bumps and anxious hours. Many times true winners in life
are those who have been hurt and disappointed but have risen
above these challenges. Very often in life, God gives us
difficulties to bring out the best in us. It is true, life does
not determine winners. Winners determine life."
- Marvin J. Ashton, "A Pattern in All Things," Ensign (CR),
November 1990, p. 20
5/10/10
"If
he could have his way, Satan would distract us from our heritage. He
would have us become involved in a million and one things in this
life—probably none of which are very important in the long run—to keep
us from concentrating on the things that are really important,
particularly the reality that we are God's children. He would like us to
forget about home and family values. He'd like to keep us so busy with
comparatively insignificant things that we don't have time to make the
effort to understand where we came from, whose children we are, and how
glorious our ultimate homecoming can be!" - Marvin
J. Ashton, "A Yearning for Home," Ensign (CR), November 1992, p. 21
5/22/10
"Most of us who have ever
heard of the great American leader Abraham Lincoln will recall what he
said of his mother: 'All that I am, all that I hope to be, I owe to my
Angel mother.' (in Abraham Lincoln's Philosophy of Common Sense, ed.
Edward J. Kempf, New York: The New York Academy of Sciences, 1965, p.
60.) But how many of us know what his mother's last words to him were?
They were 'Be something, Abe.'" - Marvin
J. Ashton, "The Word Is Commitment", Ensign (CR), November 1983, p. 61
6/25/11
"Whether accusations,
innuendos, aspersions, or falsehoods are whispered or blatantly shouted,
the gospel of Jesus Christ reminds us that we are not to retaliate nor
contend. 'Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
'For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness to God.' (James
1:19–20.)" - Marvin J. Ashton, "Pure
Religion," Ensign (CR) October 1982
7/3/11
"The ingredient that is
essential in learning to endure is consistent effort. In our race for
eternal life, pain and obstacles will confront all of us. We may
experience heartaches, sorrow, death, sins, weakness, disasters,
physical illness, pain, mental anguish, unjust criticism, loneliness, or
rejection. How we handle these challenges determines whether they become
stumbling stones or building blocks. To the valiant these challenges
make progress and development possible." - Marvin
J. Ashton, "If
Thou Endure It Well," Ensign (CR), November 1984, p.20
8/8/11
Satan
will do his best to deter us and let discouragement impede our
progress. Through trying times we would do well to remember and
repeat the famous words of Sir Winston Churchill, England’s Lion of
Courage, during some of his country’s darkest days. With character
and strength peculiar to himself, he said, “Never give in, never
give in, never, never, never, never.” (Robert Rhodes James, ed.,
Winston S. Churchill: His Complete Speeches, 1897–1963, 8 vols., New
York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1974, 6:6,499.) This mighty
statesman in his own way was echoing the words of another mighty
leader, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
“And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.” (
11/18/16
When Robert Louis Stevenson was asked the secret of his
radiant, useful life, he responded simply, “I had a friend.”
In Exodus 33:11 we read, “… The Lord spake unto Moses face
to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” [Ex.
33:11.]
A friend in the true sense is not a person who passively
nods approval. A friend is a person who cares. – Marvin J. Ashton, “What
is
a Friend?” Ensign (CR) November 1972
2/1/17
“For behold, this … is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea,
behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their
labors … do not procrastinate the day of your repentance.” [Alma
34:32–33] The best of life is not just around the corner, when
I go on a mission, after marriage, after the house is paid for,
after the recession is over, or after the children are raised. The
best of life is now. Today is the time to really start living. Today
is the time to get a head start on tomorrow. The future belongs to
those who know how to live now. There are no unimportant days in the
lives of the anxiously engaged. – Marvin J. Ashton, “The
Time is Now,” Ensign (CR) May 1975
