The LDS Daily
WOOL© Home
Page Refer your friends to join The LDS Daily WOOL (Words Of Our Leaders)
(7/6/01)
"We have all been given a marvelous gift, even the great gift of moral
agency. And through the infinite love and grace of a Heavenly Father, we
also have been given many aids to help us learn how to properly use that
precious gift. ...we have for our edification and guidance the influence
of parents, local Church leaders, sacrament meetings, teachers, Church
magazines, righteous friends, hymns and other sacred music, and even
ministering angels and the Lord himself (see D&C
84:88)." — Spencer J. Condie, "Agency:
The
Gift of Choices," Ensign, Sept. 1995, p. 22
(5/24/03)
"Alma reminds us that 'wickedness never was happiness' (Alma
41:10), and thus it is impossible to have true joy and happiness
while engaging in evildoing. Righteousness does not guarantee a life of
constant sunshine devoid of rain clouds, but wickedness most assuredly
robs us of joy, which joy is the design of our existence." — Spencer
J. Condie, "In Perfect Balance," [Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft,
1993]
(1/31/04)
"Another indispensable resource that assists us in using our agency
wisely is holy scripture. The Apostle Paul explained, 'All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness' (2
Tim. 3:16). Nephi gave the additional prophetic promise that when
we 'feast upon the words of Christ,... the words of Christ will tell
[us] all things what [we] should do' (2
Ne. 32:3). In short, the scriptures are our life script, our
instruction manual in mortality, if you will. But of course, if the
universal teachings in holy writ are to benefit us, we must follow
Nephi's additional counsel to 'liken all scriptures unto us, that it
might be for our profit and learning' (1
Ne. 19:23)." - Spencer J. Condie, "Agency:
The
Gift of Choices," Ensign, Sept. 1995, p. 22
(3/16/04)
"Through repentance we can become at one with Christ, or, as Jacob put
it, we can 'be reconciled unto him' (Jacob
4:11). Amaleki invited the people of his day-and us as well-to
'come unto Christ... and partake of his salvation... and offer your
whole souls as an offering unto him' (Omni
1:26). We become reconciled with him when we willingly give our
souls to him as he offered his life for us." - Spencer J. Condie, "The
Fall
and Infinite Atonement," Ensign, Jan. 1996, p. 26
(4/18/04)
"Inspired Book of Mormon prophets repeatedly teach us that the Fall was
a necessary and foreseen part of the great plan of happiness and that
"the way [to salvation] is prepared from the fall of man" (2
Ne. 2:4; see also Mosiah
4:7). Far from being a great disappointment and disgrace to their
Heavenly Father, Adam and Eve were his instruments to further the divine
plan "which was prepared from the foundation of the world" (Mosiah
15:19). Indeed, Father Lehi taught his son Jacob that "if Adam
[and Eve] had not transgressed [they] would not have fallen, but [they]
would have remained in the garden of Eden...." - Spencer J. Condie,
"The
Fall
and Infinite Atonement," Ensign, January 1996, p. 22
(5/2/04)
"A recurrent theme throughout the Book of Mormon is the constraining
influence of the false 'tradition of their fathers' passed down from
Laman and Lemuel through subsequent generations (see Mosiah
10:11-12; Alma
37:9; Alma
60:32; Hel. 5:51;
Hel. 15:4; Hel.
16:18-20). Tradition can be a double-edged sword. When based upon
the perpetuation of righteous principles, tradition can become a
marvelous support system in helping us employ our moral agency wisely.
On the other hand, many traditions find their origins in the false pride
and foibles of mankind. In modern-day revelation, the Lord has taught:
'Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning.... [But] that wicked
one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from
the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers'
(D&C 93:38-39;
emphasis added)." - Spencer J. Condie, "Agency:
The
Gift of Choices," Ensign, September 1995, p. 21
(6/17/04)
"It has been said that failure can be most often attributed to weak
goals. We often strive to become worthy when we should be striving for
perfection. Instead of mere renewal, we should strive for rebirth. At
one of the zeniths of spirituality in the Book of Mormon, Alma
proclaimed that the saints became sanctified because they
'could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence.' (Alma
13:12.) Alexander Pope poignantly explained the process whereby we
stray from the light when he described the stance we take regarding sin:
'We first endure, then pity, then embrace.' The man or woman who becomes
truly sanctified will not stray far from the gospel's light." - Spencer
J. Condie, "1975.
What
Will You Do with It?" Ensign, January 1975, p. 20
(9/28/04)
"Notwithstanding the numerous New Testament witnesses of the Savior as a
resurrected being following his crucifixion (see, for example, Luke
24:36-48), there still persists the fallacious doctrine formulated
at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 that God the Father, his Son, Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three personages of spirit-three
personages in one. The sacred record of the Savior's appearance to the
ancient Nephites is an essential, additional witness of the true nature
of the Son and of his relationship to the Father and to the Holy Ghost.
After introducing himself as Jesus Christ, he who had taken upon himself
the sins of the world (see 3
Ne. 11:11), he warmly invited the multitude to 'come forth unto
me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may
feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet' (3
Ne. 11:14). The resurrected Christ had a glorified body of flesh
and bone as certified by a multitude who 'did see with their eyes and
did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record,
that it was he' (3 Ne.
11:15)." - Spencer J. Condie, "The Fall and Infinite Atonement,"
Ensign, January 1996, p. 25
(7/14/05)
"Alma taught that 'wickedness never
was happiness' (Alma 41:10; emphasis added), a reality more powerful
than gravity. Unhappiness is another price to be paid for
misusing our agency. To some of the recalcitrant generation of
his day, Helaman explained, 'Ye have sought for happiness in doing
iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness
which is in our great and Eternal Head' (Hel. 13:38). The Prophet
Joseph Smith taught that happiness is the design of our existence (see
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 255–56). In light of the
teachings of Alma and Helaman, righteousness is also the design of our
existence." - Spencer J. Condie, "Agency:
The Gift of Choices," Ensign, Sept. 1995, 19
(10/27/05)
"The Savior's statement in the Sermon on the Mount is good medicine
for all of us: 'Judge not, that ye be not judged. He further asks us:
'And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?' (Matt.
7:1,3) In this same vein, the Apostle Paul wrote the
Romans in unmistakable terms that 'wherein thou judgest another,
thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things'
(Rom. 2:1). In
short, our criticisms of others are generally a reflection of our own
weaknesses with which we, ourselves, are currently struggling.
"The loftier road is found in the Lord's counsel to Brother Lyman
Sherman, good counsel to each of us: 'Therefore, strengthen your
brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your
exhortations, and in all your doings' (D&C
108:7). - Spencer J. Condie, "In Perfect Balance," p.217
12/14/06
"'And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's sake, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven' (3
Ne. 12:10). As we climb the steps outlined in the Beatitudes we
soon humbly recognize that our lives are on a higher plane than those
who love the things of this world. And notwithstanding our efforts to
share with them gospel truths that can also elevate their lives, some of
them will begin to persecute us and scoff at our way of life and point
mocking fingers at those who have partaken of the fruits of the gospel
(see 1 Ne.
8:26-27).
"The Savior reserved a special blessing for those who would be reviled
and persecuted and falsely accused for His sake: 'Ye shall have great
joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven;
for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you' (3
Ne. 12:11-12)." - Spencer J. Condie, "Your Agency, Handle with
Care," p.9
1/20/07
"Patience involves the temperate acceptance of the passage of time.
Patience also requires us to optimally use the time which we have
available to us, for the Lord has declared that 'he who is faithful and
wise in time is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for
him of my Father' (D&C
72:4). The desire to use time wisely has given rise to an
explosion of diversified time-management devices, daily planners, and
the like. There is, of course, justifiable merit in using calendars and
appointment books of various kinds to help bring order to our lives. But
none of these time-management materials can help us to establish the
specific content of our priorities. They may help us order the
things which must be done today, and tasks that should
be accomplished today, and activities which would be nice to do
if time permits. However, it is up to us to allocate adequate time in
reading the scriptures, in prayer and meditation, and in serving others
'after hours.'" - Spencer J. Condie, In Perfect Balance , p.22
3/9/07 "The prophecies of Isaiah and of Nephi (see 2 Ne. 10), Zenos (see Jacob 5), and Ezekiel (see Ezek. 37), to mention only a few, all describe the panoramic process of the scattering and gathering of Israel. Each of us has an obligation to participate in the gathering of the children of Israel. Throughout the entire Doctrine and Covenants the Lord admonishes us to open our mouths and share the gospel with others. He further commands those who have been warned to warn their neighbors (see D&C 88:81). As with all other commandments, obedience begets a wonderful promise: as we share the gospel with others, our sins will be forgiven (see D&C 84:61). The Lord further promised: 'How great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!' (D&C 18:16.)" - Spencer J. Condie, In Perfect Balance, p.210
10/15/07
"Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is evident when we believe His teachings
and claim His 'exceeding great and precious promises' and become
'partakers of the divine nature' (2
Peter 1:4). Innumerable promises are proclaimed by His prophets,
and the Lord assures us, 'My word shall not pass away, but shall all be
fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it
is the same' (D&C
1:38).
"In these latter days, the Lord revealed that 'when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated' (D&C 130:21). The Lord makes generous promises, and He certifies that He will not vary from these promises, for, said He, 'I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise' (D&C 82:10)." - Spencer J. Condie, "Claim the Exceeding Great and Precious Promises," General Conference, 6 October 2007
3/12/09
"A person whose life is characterized by ingratitude is, by
definition, very self-centered, and when he thinks only of himself his
latitude of choice is extremely limited. For him, life's constant
injustices demand revenge, and the list of personal injustices is
lengthened by injustices to others until the option of forgiveness drops
off the radar scope. The ability to forgive others is truly one of our
most precious personal freedoms, and when we lose that our agency is
seriously curtailed. Certain nations in the world have very restrictive
diplomatic policies dictated by the insatiable demand for revenge and
quick retaliation in kind. They are in bondage to their own policies."
- Spencer J. Condie, "Your Agency, Handle
with Care," p.33
11/17/09
“So much energy is wasted in feelings of hatred and
revenge, but when we can seek to set things right cheerfully, ‘we stand
still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for
his arm to be revealed’ (D&C
123:17). When we harbor mean-spirited feelings of
retribution, we are on the devil's turf; but when we seek redress
cheerfully, the Lord is on our side.” - Spencer
J. Condie, “In Perfect Balance,” p. 168
7/16/11
"One
of the great teachers and prophet-leaders in Israel was Ezra, who 'had
prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to
teach in Israel statutes and judgments.' (Ezra
7:10.) As Saints of the latter days, we are grateful for a
modern-day Ezra, even our beloved prophet, … who, like Ezra of old,
has prepared himself to receive the word of the Lord and is prepared
to do the Lord’s will. I bear you my witness that there is a living
prophet in Israel today." - Spencer
J. Condie, "Some Scriptural Lessons on Leadership," Ensign (CR)
April 1990
3/9/12
As Nephi concluded his sacred record, he left us a wonderful,
comprehensive promise that when we “feast upon the words of Christ …
, the words of Christ will tell [us] all things what [we] should do”
(2 Ne. 32:3).
This is a very bold promise. Can we really receive divine direction
in all things?
In the first chapter of the Book of Mormon, Nephi tells how his
father, Lehi, beheld a vision. In that vision, an angel gave Lehi a
sacred book, and “as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the
Lord” (1 Ne.
1:12). When we search the scriptures, individually or as
families, our hearts and minds are filled with the Spirit of the
Lord. With that Spirit, we can indeed find the direction we seek
within the pages of the standard works. - Spencer
J. Condie, "Feast
upon the Words of Christ," Ensign, September 2004
3/20/15
Sometimes this quest for
perfection tries our patience and our faith as we continue to
wrestle with the weaknesses of the flesh. But a loving Heavenly
Father has not left us alone in our battle with the adversary. A
recurrent doctrine of the Book of Mormon is that the Holy Ghost is
an active participant in our lives, influencing us for good. Both
Nephi and Mormon teach us that the Holy Ghost strives with us to
help us resist evil (see 2
Ne. 26:11; Morm.
5:16). - Spencer J. Condie,
"A
Mighty Change of Heart," Ensign (CR), November 1993, p.15
5/16/15
Through personal experience I have found that when one does not have
the Spirit of the Lord, any service within the Church becomes
extremely arduous. On the other hand, when our spirits are in tune,
the powers of heaven can and do distill upon us, drenching us with
joy in serving the Lord through service to others. It is then that
our confidence waxes strong before God and the Holy Ghost becomes
our constant companion. (See D&C 121:45-46.) - Spencer
J. Condie, "In Perfect Balance," p. 85
6/16/15
Faith, hope, and charity are godly attributes which, when acquired
and accompanied by participation in essential ordinances, will help
to qualify us for entrance into the celestial kingdom some day. But
in addition these attributes have urgent relevance in helping us to
fend off the fiery darts of the adversary in today's world. Faith
and hope are antidotes for discouragement, depression, and despair,
and charity immunizes us against paranoia and acute high blood
pressure, ulcers, and migraine headaches in the wake of offensive
behavior by others. - Spencer J.
Condie, "Your Agency, Handle with Care," p. 21
9/25/15
Our friends and neighbors are children of a loving Father in Heaven
who desires that all of us return to Him. Can we be content when not
all the members of our quorum are in attendance Sunday morning?
Surely we can extend ourselves to the less active and those of other
faiths and warmly invite them to our Young Men and Young Women
Mutual activities, seminary, Sunday School classes, and sacrament
meetings. - Spencer J. Condie, "Becoming
a Great Benefit to Our Fellow Beings," Ensign (CR), May
2002, p. 44