Quotes of the Week:
The young people of the Church . . . hold the future in their hands. The Church has always been one generation away from extinction.--Henry B. Eyring, “We Must Raise Our Sights,” CES conference, 8/14/01
Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction.
--Thomas Jefferson, as quoted by Ezra Taft Benson, A Nation Asleep, 45
Further Reading:
Neal A. Maxwell, "These Are Your Days", Ensign, Oct. 2004, 26–31
Dallin H. Oaks, "Preparation for the Second Coming", Ensign, May 2004, 7–10
James E. Faust, "“The Great Imitator”", Ensign, Nov. 1987, 33
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Way of the Disciple", Ensign, May 2009, 75–78
D. Todd Christofferson, "Reflections on a Consecrated Life", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 16–19
Handouts:
Helaman 13:25-26; 16:2--Follow the Prophet
Harold B. Lee, Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 399The only safety we have as members of the Church is to follow the living prophet as though his words came straight from the mouth of the Lord.
Spencer W. Kimball, CR, 1949, 121
Many are prone to garnish the sepulchers of yesterday’s prophets and mentally stone the living ones.
Ezra Taft Benson, BYU Speeches of the Year, 1980, 28
How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.
Helaman 13:37—Surrounded by Demons
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church—David O. McKay, 84-86You cannot tamper with the Evil One. Resist temptation, resist the Devil and he will flee from you.
Your weakest point will be the point at which the Devil tries to tempt you. . . .Resist him and you will gain in strength. He will tempt you in another point. Resist him and he becomes weaker and you become stronger, . . .
You are in the midst of temptation, but you, as Christ on the Mount of Temptation, can rise above it.
Baudelaire
"My dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil's best trick is to persuade you that he doesn't exist!"
George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truths, 1:82
I have come to the conclusion that if our eyes were open to see the spirit world around us, we should feel differently [about evil influences] than we do; we would not be so unguarded and careless and so indifferent whether we had the spirit and power of God with us or not; but we would be continually watchful and prayerful to our Heavenly Father for His Holy Spirit and His holy angels to be around about us to strengthen us to overcome every evil influence.
Joseph Smith, Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p 400
The punishment of the devil was that he should not have a habitation like men. The devil’s retaliation is, he comes into this world, binds up men’s bodies, and occupies them himself.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 298
Any person that he can find that will yield to him, he will bind him, and take possession of the body and reign there, glorying in it mightily, not caring that he had got merely a stolen body; and by and by some one having authority will come along and cast him out and restore the tabernacle to its rightful owner. Th devil steals a tabernacle because he has not one of his own: but if he steals one, he is always liable to be turned out of doors.
Helaman 13:38 Iniquity is Contrary to the Nature of Happiness
Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 5/04, 102Some are tempted to violate the most basic commandments of God because of seductive actions portrayed as acceptable. They are made to seem attractive, even desirable. There seems to be no serious consequence, but rather apparent lasting joy and happiness. But recognize that those performances are controlled by scripts and actors. The outcome of decisions made is likewise manipulated to be whatever the producer wants.
Life is not that way. Yes, moral agency allows you to choose what you will, but you cannot control the outcome of those choices. Unlike the false creations of man, our Father in Heaven determines the consequences of your choices. Obedience will yield happiness, while violation of His commandments will not.
Helaman 14:12--Pattern for His Second Coming
Ezra Taft Benson, Unlocking the Book of Mormon, 401. . . in the Book of Mormon we find a pattern for preparing for the Second Coming. A major portion of the book centers on the few decades just prior to Christ’s coming to America. By careful study of that time period, we can determine why some were destroyed in the terrible judgments that preceded His coming and what brought others to stand at the temple in the land of Bountiful and thrust their hands into the wounds of His hands and feet.
Helaman 14:30-31 Ye Are Free to Choose
Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 5/93, 32-34
Parents, don’t make the mistake of purposefully intervening to soften or eliminate the natural consequences of your child’s deliberate decisions to violate the commandments. Such acts reinforce false principles, open the door for more serious sin, and lessen the likelihood of repentance.
3 Nephi
Ezra Taft Benson, A Witness and a Warning, 43-45What a blessing it would be if every family would frequently read together 3 Nephi, discuss its sacred contents, and then determine how they can liken it unto themselves and apply its teachings in their lives! Third Nephi is a book that should be read again and again. Its testimony of the resurrected Christ in America is given in purity and beauty. . . . I testify that 3 Nephi is a true account of the resurrected Christ’s visit to ancient America and contains His teachings in their pristine truth.
3 Nephi 1:8—Seeking for Signs
Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 406. . . signs flow from faith and are a product of faith—the chief purpose of signs is not to produce faith, but to reward it. We are in trouble if we rely on signs to build our faith.
Book of Mormon Manual, p. 289-90
Why Do Wicked Sometimes See Signs?
To vindicate the prophets—Nephi and Seezoram in his blood
Leave the wicked without excuse—They are left completely responsible for their own actions
Show correctness of prophets’ words
Condemn the wicked
3 Nephi 3-4—Preparation
The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 263-64When the economies of nations fail, when famine and other disasters prevent people from buying food stores, the Saints must be prepared to handle these emergencies.
Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 11/01, 73
As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes.
Dallin H. Oaks, "Preparation for the Second Coming", Ensign, May 2004, 7–10
While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.
The arithmetic of [the parable of the ten virgins] is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came.
We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value.
What is the state of our personal preparation for eternal life? The people of God have always been people of covenant. What is the measure of our compliance with covenants, including the sacred promises we made in the waters of baptism, in receiving the holy priesthood, and in the temples of God? Are we promisers who do not fulfill and believers who do not perform?
Are we following the Lord’s command, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly”? (D&C 87:8). What are those “holy places”? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes.
Ezra Taft Benson, "Prepare Yourself for the Great Day of the Lord", New Era, May 1982, 44
Heed the Lord’s counsel to the Saints of this dispensation: “Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord” (D&C 133:10).
This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the Church. You must learn to be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so you will not be deceived.
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 5/87, 14
Think about your life and set your priorities. Find some quiet time regularly to think deeply about where you are going and what you will need to do to get there. Jesus, our exemplar, often “withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16). We need to do the same thing occasionally to rejuvenate ourselves spiritually as the Savior did.
Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, 5/79, 83
Let us “be of good cheer” for the Lord will, and he has promised, lead us along and show us the way. He will help us as we decide from day to day on the allocation of our time and talent. We will move faster if we hurry less. We will even come to know more as we serve more, for as we learn to bear more we are ready to hear more.
Hartman Rector, Ensign, 5/79, 31
In my estimation, the Master’s great success formula , , , is—First, believe you can do it . . . Second, look to the Lord for your blessings . . . Third, make the sacrifice . . . Fourth, expect a miracle, . . .And Fifth, receive the miracle with great humility. . . I bear witness that this formula is effective in the Lord’s work, and I am persuaded it works everywhere else too.
J. Reuben Clark, Conference Report, April 1937, p. 26
What may we as a people and as individuals do for ourselves to prepare to meet this oncoming disaster, which God in his wisdom may not turn aside from us?” President Clark then set forth these inspired basic principles of the Church welfare program:
First, and above and beyond everything else, let us live righteously. …
Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague; where we are now in debt, let us get out of debt; if not today, then tomorrow.
Let us straitly and strictly live within our incomes, and save a little.
Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead. You of small means put your money in foodstuffs and wearing apparel, not in stocks and bonds; you of large means will think you know how to care for yourselves, but I may venture to suggest that you do not speculate. Let every head of every household aim to own his own home, free from mortgage. Let every man who has a garden spot, garden it; every man who owns a farm, farm it.
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 11/89, 34
Preparing ourselves and our families for the challenges of the coming years will require us to replace fear with faith. We must be able to overcome the fear of enemies who oppose and threaten us. The Lord has said, “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)
3 Nephi 5:13—A Disciple of Jesus Christ
L. Tom Perry, Ensign, 11/00, 61The word disciple comes for the Latin [meaning] a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act as he does. To be a true disciple to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other disciple compares . . . in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his hear, might, mind, and strength.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Way of the Disciple", Ensign, May 2009, 75–78
Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.
It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not a primary way of worshipping.
Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach.
D. Todd Christofferson, "Reflections on a Consecrated Life", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 16–19
A consecrated life is a beautiful thing. Its strength and serenity are “as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit” (D&C 97:9). Of particular significance is the influence of a consecrated man or woman upon others, especially those closest and dearest. The consecration of many who have gone before us and others who live among us has helped lay the foundation for our happiness. In like manner future generations will take courage from your consecrated life, acknowledging their debt to you for the possession of all that truly matters.
3 Nephi 6:10-16 Dividing into Classes
Ezra Taft Benson, CR, 4/86, 6The two groups who seem to have the greatest difficulty with pride are the learned and the rich.
3 Nephi 6:15-18 Temptations of Satan
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 5/93, 6-7Satan will seek to tempt us at times and in ways that exploit our greatest weaknesses or destroy our strengths. But his promises of pleasure are short-lived deceptions. His evil design is to tempt us into sinning, knowing that when we sin we separate ourselves from our Heavenly Father and the Savior, Jesus Christ. We begin to move away from Heavenly Father’s promised blessings toward the misery and anguish in which Satan and his followers languish. By sinning we put ourselves in Satan’s power.
. . . I understand the struggles you face every day in keeping the commandments of the Lord. The battle for your souls is increasingly fierce. The adversary is strong and cunning. However, you have within your physical body the powerful spirit of a son or daughter of God. . . . If you will pay more attention to your spiritual self, which is eternal, than to your mortal self, which is temporary, you can always resist the temptations of Satan and conquer his efforts to take you into his power
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church--David O. McKay, 82
Every temptation that comes to you and me comes in one of three forms:
1. a temptation of the appetite or passion
2. a yielding to pride, fashion, or vanity
3. a desire for worldly riches or power and dominion over lands or earthly possessions of men.
Neal A. Maxwell, We Will Prove Them Herewith, p. 45
Surely it should give us more pause than it does to think of how casually we sometimes give to [Satan] who could not control his own ego in the premortal world such awful control over our egos here. We often let the adversary do indirectly now what we refused to let him do directly then.
3 Nephi 6:18 Willfully Rebel against God
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 11/97There is a big difference between an honest mistake made in a moment of spiritual weakness and a willful decision to disobey persistently the commandments of God. Those who deliberately choose to violate God’s commandments or ignore the standards of the Church, even when promising themselves and others that someday they will be strong enough to repent, are stepping onto a dangerously slippery slope upon which many have lost their spiritual footing.
3 Nephi 6:30 Government Destroyed
Ezra Taft Benson, The Constitution, A Heavenly Banner, 9/17/87, 32-33But whatever may be our fate, be assured that this [Constitution] will stand. We . . . face difficult days in this beloved land. . . . . It may cost us blood before we are through. It is my conviction, however, that when the Lord comes, the Stars and Stripes willb e floating on the breeze over this people.
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 7:15
Will the Constitution be destroyed? No: it will be held inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, “The time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.” It will be so.
3 Nephi 7:15-26
Book of Mormon Student Manual, p. 293
One bright spot in the otherwise sad account of the Nephites’ turn from their righteousness is the steadfast faithfulness of Nephi and his people. Their example provides a pattern to help us maintain our righteousness during times of wickedness.
No comments:
Post a Comment