LDS Gem Archives, January 2009
Daily Gems - 22 January 2009
Mothers' Commitment to Children
"We need to remember that the full commitment of motherhood and of putting children first can be difficult. Through my own four-generation experience in our family, and through discussions with mothers of young children throughout the Church, I know something of a mother's emotions that accompany her commitment to be at home with young children. There are moments of great joy and incredible fulfillment, but there are also moments of a sense of inadequacy, monotony, and frustration. Mothers may feel they receive little or no appreciation for the choice they have made. Sometimes even husbands seem to have no idea of the demands upon their wives.
"As a Church, we have enormous respect and gratitude to you mothers of young children. We want you to be happy and successful in your families and to have the validation and support you need and deserve."
Topics: Motherhood
Church History Gems - 21 January 2009
Fredrick G. Williams
"When the Lord called Frederick G. Williams to be a counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith, He commanded him to 'be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees' (D&C 81:5). I believe this counsel applies to all who accept callings to serve in the kingdom of God—and certainly to me in this season of my life."
Topics: Serving Others
Young Single Adult Gems - 21 January 2009
Never Lower Your Standards
"I remind you again that compromising and lowering standards and ideals never have been and never will be tools of happiness. While we are striving for quality conduct in our lives, we must ever realize that being single will never be as painful as being married to the wrong person with wrong and selfish standards. A mate must be willing to share tender and loving associations in an eternal quest for life at its best. Avoid getting married just to be married. Feeling sorry for people or desiring to help them get their lives in order are poor reasons for marriage. Marriage should be based on love and shared values."
Topics: Marriage
Daily Gems - 21 January 2009
Purpose of the Book of Mormon
"The Book of Mormon is a book with a purpose. From the title page we read that the Book of Mormon was 'written by way of commandment' and 'by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation' to 'come forth by the gift and power of God' to the convincing of each of us 'that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.' In a personal expression of this purpose, Nephi, as one of the authors of the Book of Mormon, wrote, 'The fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved' (1 Nephi 6:4)."
Topics: Book of Mormon
Daily Gems - 20 January 2009
The Light Which Giveth Life
"In 1832 the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith a true and powerful doctrine about spiritual light, the Light of Christ:
" 'Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne" (D&C 88:12-13).
"President Boyd K. Packer reinforced this truth in saying: 'The Light of Christ is also described in the scriptures as "the Spirit of Jesus Christ." . . . The Spirit of Christ can enlighten the inventor, the scientist, the painter, the sculptor, the composer, the performer, the architect, the author to produce great, even inspired things for the blessing and good of all mankind' ("The Light of Christ," Ensign, Apr. 2005, 8, 10).
"Recent scientific thinking on the fundamental properties of light is indeed stunning. Today scientists even describe light as a 'carrier' (see 2 Nephi 33:1; see also Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954-56], 1:54) or 'messenger' (see D&C 45:9) or 'mediator' (see M. Russell Ballard, "Pure Testimony," Ensign, Nov. 2004, 40-41). How profound are the doctrines of the Lord!"
Topics: Light of Christ, Truth
Youth Gems - 20 January 2009
Adversity
Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order to be tested, we must sometimes face challenges and difficulties. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no balm in Gilead?”6 We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.
Topics: Adversity
Family Gems - 19 January 2009
Our Homes Should Be Sanctuaries Filled with Love and Kindness
“May we . . . demonstrate kindness and love within our own families. Our homes are to be more than sanctuaries; they should also be places where God’s Spirit can dwell, where the storm stops at the door, where love reigns and peace dwells.”
Topics: Family
Young Single Adult Gems - 19 January 2009
The Importance of Setting Goals
"Set your goals—without goals you can't measure your progress. But don't become frustrated if the victories don't come quickly or easily. Remind yourself that striving can be more important than arriving. If you are striving for excellence—if you are trying your best day by day with the wisest use of your time and energy to reach realistic goals—you are a success, and you can feel proud of your accomplishments."
Topics: Gospel Standards
Daily Gems - 19 January 2009
Take an Unyielding Stand
"Nephi taught us a powerfully simple principle in recounting his father's dream of the tree of life. He described a strait and narrow path leading to a tree and a great and spacious building. . . . From all appearances, the people inside seemed to be having a great time. What an indelible image of temptation. In Elder Neal A. Maxwell's words, 'The laughter of the world is merely loneliness pathetically trying to reassure itself' ("Cleanse Us from All Unrighteousness," Ensign, Feb. 1986, 19). . . .
"President Boyd K. Packer has recently emphasized this guiding principle: 'However out of step we may seem, however much the standards are belittled, however much others yield, we will not yield, we cannot yield' ("The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 26). . . .
"The time has come when we must take an unyielding stand. We must shore up our spiritual underpinnings, listen to the prophets of God, and follow their counsel."
Topics: Temptation, Gospel Standard
Church History Gems - 19 January 2009
Faith of Our Fathers
"I marvel at the different backgrounds of members of the Church. You come from all walks of life—all cultures, languages, political circumstances, and religious traditions.
"This multiplicity of life experiences has caused me to reflect on the message of one of our hymns, 'Faith of Our Fathers.' In the refrain, these words are repeated: 'Faith of our fathers, holy faith, we will be true to thee till death!' (Hymns, no. 84).
"The faith of our fathers—I love that phrase.
"For many members of the Church, these words bring to mind valiant pioneers who abandoned the comfort of their homes and traveled by wagon and on foot until they reached the valley of the Great Salt Lake. I love and honor the faith and courage of those early pioneers of the Church. My own ancestors were living an ocean away at the time. None were among those who lived in Nauvoo or Winter Quarters, and none made the journey across the plains. But as a member of the Church, I claim with gratitude and pride this pioneer legacy as my own."
Topics: Faith
Young Single Adult Gems - 16 January 2009
God's Wish for Us
"A quality life is God's greatest wish for us. Life is to be lived well in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. There should not be a waiting period."
Topics: Purpose of Mortality
Daily Gems - 16 January 2009
Spiritual Capacity and Power
"The Prophet Joseph . . . explained that 'faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth' (Lectures on Faith, 3). Thus, faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior's Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us whereby we are agents unto ourselves (see D&C 58:28)."
Topics: Choice and Accountability, Joseph Smith, Spirituality
Church History Gems - 16 January 2009
Those Who Seek Him and Serve Him
"Spiritual gifts come to those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. As the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, the gifts of the Spirit 'are obtained through that medium' [the Holy Ghost] and 'cannot be enjoyed without the gift of the Holy Ghost. . . . The world in general can know nothing about them.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938, pp. 243, 245; see also Elder Marion G. Romney in Conference Report, Apr. 1956, p. 72.)
"The gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred on both men and women. So are spiritual gifts. As Elder Bruce R. McConkie declared in Nauvoo at the dedication of the Monument to Women: 'Where spiritual things are concerned, as pertaining to all of the gifts of the Spirit, with reference to the receipt of revelation, the gaining of testimonies, and the seeing of visions, in all matters that pertain to godliness and holiness and which are brought to pass as a result of personal righteousness—in all these things men and women stand in a position of absolute equality before the Lord. He is no respector of persons nor of sexes, and he blesses those men and those women who seek him and serve him and keep his commandments.' (Ensign, Jan. 1979, p. 61.)"
Topics: Gifts of the Spirit, Holy Ghost
Family Gems - 16 January 2009
Parents Should Nurture Their Children
“The scriptures use the word nurture only twice and in both cases speak of the responsibility of parents to raise their children ‘in the nurture and admonition of the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:4; Enos 1:1).
“President Hinckley also admonished both men and women to be nurturers. He said, ‘How much more beautiful would be the . . . society in which we live if every father . . . and . . . mother regarded [their] children . . . as gifts from the God of heaven . . . and brought them up with true affection in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord.’ ”
Topics: Children
Daily Gems - 15 January 2009
Evidence of Christ's Divinity
"One Protestant scholar has inquired tellingly into the erroneous doctrine of a closed canon. He writes: 'On what biblical or historical grounds has the inspiration of God been limited to the written documents that the church now calls its Bible? . . . If the spirit inspired only the written documents of the first century, does that mean that the same spirit does not speak today in the church about matters that are of significant concern?' (Lee M. McDonald, The Formation of the Christian Biblical Canon, rev. ed. [1995], 255-56). We humbly ask those same questions.
"Continuing revelation does not demean or discredit existing revelation. The Old Testament does not lose its value in our eyes when we are introduced to the New Testament, and the New Testament is only enhanced when we read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In considering the additional scripture accepted by Latter-day Saints, we might ask: Were those early Christians who for decades had access only to the primitive Gospel of Mark (generally considered the first of the New Testament Gospels to be written)—were they offended to receive the more detailed accounts set forth later by Matthew and Luke, to say nothing of the unprecedented passages and revelatory emphasis offered later yet by John? Surely they must have rejoiced that ever more convincing evidence of the divinity of Christ kept coming. And so do we rejoice."
Topics: Prophets, Revelation, Bible
Youth Gems - 15 January 2009
Priesthood Keys
Shortly after the death of President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 14 men, Apostles, who had had conferred upon them the keys of the kingdom, gathered together in the upper room of the temple in order to reorganize the First Presidency of the Church. There was no question about what would be done, no hesitancy. We knew that the senior Apostle was the President of the Church. And in that sacred meeting, Thomas Spencer Monson was sustained by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as the President of the Church. He nominated and named his counselors. They likewise were sustained, and they were each ordained and given authority. President Monson was specifically given the authority to exercise all of the priesthood keys of authority. Now, as the scriptures provide, he is the only man on the earth who has the right to exercise all of the keys. But we all hold them as Apostles. There is one man among us called and ordained, and he becomes the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Already he was and had been sustained for years as a prophet, seer, and revelator.
Topics: Priesthood Keys
Young Single Adult Gems - 14 January 2009
To the Women of the Church
"I want to express my appreciation for the wonderful women of the Church. We love the women of our Church. We love them as deeply as our own wives, our mothers, our grandmothers, our sisters, and our friends. Someday, when the whole story of this and previous dispensations is told, it will be filled with courageous stories of our women, of their wisdom and their devotion, their courage."
Topics: Womanhood
Daily Gems - 14 January 2009
Sweet Spirit of Unity
"I thank the Lord for wonderful counselors. President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf are men of great ability and sound understanding. They are counselors in the true sense of the word. I value their judgment. I believe they have been prepared by the Lord for the positions they now occupy. I love the members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles and treasure my association with them. They, too, are dedicated to the work of the Lord and are spending their lives in His service. . . . A sweet spirit of unity exists among the General Authorities. The Lord has declared, 'If ye are not one ye are not mine' (D&C 38:27). We will continue to be united in one purpose—namely, the furtherance of the work of the Lord.
Topics: Serving Others, Apostles, Priesthood Keys
Church History Gems - 14 January 2009
Lord Is Preparing People
"I recently received a sweet letter from a school boy in Ghana in which he expressed his great pride in 'being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.' The fact that he has not yet been baptized did not deter him from considering himself a Latter-day Saint. However, he expressed to me his hope that soon he could become a true Latter-day Saint with baptism, confirmation, and at the appropriate time, the bestowal of the Aaronic Priesthood. He said his heart always thrilled when he sang hymns like 'Come, Come, Ye Saints,' 'Come, O Thou King of Kings,' and the other songs of Zion.
"What we are saying is that there seems to be a great movement afoot in many nations to prepare people for the further light and knowledge that only we can give them. The Lord by his Spirit is preparing people for the day when the gospel will be taught them in plainness. We must be ready."
Topics: Proclaim the Gospel
Daily Gems - 13 January 2009
Call Upon the Seventy
"The scriptures provide that it is the responsibility of the Quorum of the Twelve to direct all of the affairs of the Church, and when they need help, they are 'to call upon the Seventy . . . instead of any others' (D&C 107:38). And now we have eight Quorums of Seventy scattered across the world, more than 300 Seventies, all holding the necessary authority to do whatever the Twelve direct them to do."
Topics: Apostles
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