LDS Gem Archives, November 2008
Church History Gems - 19 November 2008
True Religion
"The Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith to restore the faith of our Father on this earth, never to be taken away again. God desires that all of His children receive it, irrespective of their background, culture, or tradition. True religion should not originate from what pleases men or the traditions of ancestors, but rather from what pleases God, our Eternal Father.
"Continuing revelation is a fundamental feature of this faith. Joseph Smith's first prayer is a powerful testimony of this. Revelation is a constant compass that keeps us always true to the will and the faith of our Heavenly Father.
"Our Heavenly Father loves His children. He hears the prayers of the humble and sincere of every nation, tongue, and people. He grants light to those who seek and honor Him and are willing to obey His commandments. We joyously proclaim that the faith of our Father is on the earth today.
"We invite everyone on this beautiful planet to taste of His doctrine and see if it is not sweet and good and precious. We ask those of sincere heart to learn of this doctrine and ask their Father in Heaven if it is not true. And by doing so, all can discover, embrace, and walk in the true faith of their Father, which faith will make them whole.
"That is our message to the world."
Topics: Revelation, God the Father, Faith
Daily Gems - 19 November 2008
The Lord's Promises Not Misplaced
"In this age of one hour dry cleaning and one minute fast food franchises, it may at times seem to us as though a loving Heavenly Father has misplaced our precious promises or He has put them on hold or filed them under the wrong name. . . .
"When heaven's promises sometimes seem afar off, I pray that each of us will embrace these exceeding great and precious promises and never let go. . . . God will remember you."
Topics: Patience
Young Single Adult Gems - 19 November 2008
Examples of the Lord's Tender Mercies to Us
"Repentance and forgiveness of sins and peace of conscience are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. And the persistence and the fortitude that enable us to press forward with cheerfulness through physical limitations and spiritual difficulties are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. . . .
". . . Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord's timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."
Daily Gems - 18 November 2008
Breaking the Cycle of Bad Examples
"Elder Robert D. Hales said: 'If the example we have received from our parents was not good, it is our responsibility to break the cycle. . . . Each person can learn a better way and in so doing bless the lives of family members now and teach correct traditions for the generations that follow' ("How Will Our Children Remember Us?" Ensign, Nov. 1993, 10).
"Remember, 'the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children' ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). Eternal families are made up of individuals. 'Do your part to build a happy home' (For the Strength of Youth, 10). Establish patterns of righteousness in your life. And be an example of the believers. The Lord is depending on you to assist in the exaltation of your eternal family."
Topics: Righteousness
Youth Gems - 18 November 2008
When Should We Prepare to Meet God?
"To be resurrected does not overcome the second death. To gain eternal life and live in the presence of the Father and the Son, we must repent and become eligible for mercy, which will satisfy justice.
"The revelations teach:
" 'This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God' (Alma 34:32).
" 'Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance' (Alma 34:33).
" 'That same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world' (Alma 34:34)."
Topics: Plan of Salvation
Church History Gems - 17 November 2008
One Thing Very Certain
"The dispensation of divine truth in which we now live, in distinction from previous dispensations, will not be destroyed by apostasy. This is in fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy that 'the God of heaven [would] set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed' nor 'left to other people' (Daniel 2:44). President John Taylor affirmed this also when he said: 'There is one thing very certain, . . . and that is, whatever men may think, and however they may plot and contrive, that this Kingdom will never be given into the hands of another people. It will grow and spread and increase, and no man living can stop its progress' (in Journal of Discourses, 25:348)."
Topic: dispensations, Church growth
Topics: Kingdom of God
Family Gems - 17 November 2008
Brethren Should Maintain Priorities
“As I meet with priesthood leaders, I often ask about the priorities of their various responsibilities. Usually they mention their important Church duties to which they have been called. Too few remember their responsibilities at home. Yet priesthood offices, keys, callings, and quorums are meant to exalt families (see D&C 23:3). Priesthood authority has been restored so that families can be sealed eternally. So brethren, your foremost priesthood duty is to nurture your marriage—to care for, respect, honor, and love your wife. Be a blessing to her and your children.”
Topics: Melchizedek Priesthood, Fatherhood
Daily Gems - 17 November 2008
Biblical Descriptions of the Book of Mormon
"Isaiah wrote, 'Thou shalt . . . speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust' (Isaiah 29:4). Could any words be more descriptive of the Book of Mormon, coming as it did 'out of the ground' to 'whisper out of the dust' to people of our day?
"But Isaiah was not the only Old Testament prophet who foretold the Book of Mormon. Ezekiel wrote:
" 'Take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel . . . : then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel. . . :
" 'And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand' (Ezekiel 37:16 17)."
Topics: Scripture, Restoration
Young Single Adult Gems - 17 November 2008
Scripture Study
"It would be impossible to learn the lessons the scriptures contain by reading them only one time through or studying selected verses in a class. . . . The Lord has told us that our time should 'be devoted to the studying of the scriptures' (D&C 26:1) and that 'the Book of Mormon and the holy scriptures are given. . . for [our] instruction' (D&C 33:16)."
Topics: Scripture
Daily Gems - 14 November 2008
The Holy One of Israel
"I testify that Jesus Christ is the literal, living Son of our literal, living God. This Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer who, under the guidance of the Father, was the Creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. I bear witness that He was born of a virgin mother, that in His lifetime He performed mighty miracles observed by legions of His disciples and by His enemies as well. I testify that He had power over death because He was divine but that He willingly subjected Himself to death for our sake because for a period of time He was also mortal. I declare that in His willing submission to death He took upon Himself the sins of the world, paying an infinite price for every sorrow and sickness, every heartache and unhappiness from Adam to the end of the world. In doing so He conquered both the grave physically and hell spiritually and set the human family free. I bear witness that He was literally resurrected from the tomb and, after ascending to His Father, to complete the process of that Resurrection, He appeared, repeatedly, to hundreds of disciples in the Old World and in the New. I know He is the Holy One of Israel, the Messiah who will one day come again in final glory, to reign on earth as Lord of lords and King of kings."
Topics: Jesus Christ, Second Coming, Resurrection
Church History Gems - 14 November 2008
No True Angel
"The Prophet Joseph explained in the winter of 1832-33 that 'no true angel from God will ever come to ordain any man, because they have once been sent to establish the priesthood by ordaining me thereunto; and the priesthood being once established on earth, with [the] power to ordain others, no heavenly messenger will ever come to interfere with that power by ordaining any more. . . . You may therefore know, from this time forward, that if any man comes to you professing to be ordained by an angel, he is either a liar or has been imposed upon in consequence of transgression by an angel of the devil, for this priesthood shall never be taken from this church' (Millennial Star, 20 Nov. 1846, 139)."
Topics:
Family Gems - 14 November 2008
A Father Is Many Things
“Brethren, noble fatherhood gives us a glimpse of the divine attributes of our Father in Heaven. A father should be many things. He should magnify his priesthood and be an example of righteousness. In companionship with his wife, he should be the source of stability and strength for the whole family. He should be the protector and the provider and the champion of the members of his family. Much of his love for his children should flow from his example of love, concern, and fidelity for their mother. By his uncompromising example he should instill character into his children.”
Topics: Fatherhood
Young Single Adult Gems - 14 November 2008
Use an Eternal Perspective to Set Priorities
"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. Write down the tasks you would like to accomplish each day. Keep foremost in mind the sacred covenants you have made with the Lord as you write down your daily schedules."
Topics: Gospel of Jesus Christ
Daily Gems - 13 November 2008
Belief in an Embodied God
[One] reason The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is excluded from the Christian category by some is because we believe, as did the ancient prophets and apostles, in an embodied--but certainly glorified--God. To those who criticize this scripturally based belief, I ask at least rhetorically: If the idea of an embodied God is repugnant, why are the central doctrines and singularly most distinguishing characteristics of all Christianity the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the physical Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? If having a body is not only not needed but not desirable by Deity, why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem His body, redeeming it from the grasp of death and the grave, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from His spirit in time or eternity? (see Romans 6:9; Alma 11:45). Any who dismiss the concept of an embodied God dismiss both the mortal and the resurrected Christ. No one claiming to be a true Christian will want to do that."
Youth Gems - 13 November 2008
The Universal Resurrection
"The Resurrection from the dead is a most beautiful aspect of the Atonement and truly a part of the plan of happiness; the Resurrection is universal and applies to the entire human family. We will all be resurrected. I bear testimony of that fact and truth. This is an unconditional gift from God."
Topics: Plan of Salvation, Resurrection
Church History Gems - 12 November 2008
Milk Strippings
"Thomas B. Marsh was [a] favored associate of the Prophet Joseph. Over this pulpit in the April 1984 general conference, President Hinckley reminded us that Brother Marsh was serving as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve when he chose to disregard the decisions of the First Presidency and other Church leaders in a dispute between his wife and another woman over some milk strippings.
"When, as did the prodigal son, he finally 'came to himself' (Luke 15:17), he wrote to Heber C. Kimball, who had been his associate in the Quorum of the Twelve, stating:
" 'Having lost my wife three years since, I began to awake to a sense of my situation; . . . I know that I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and have rendered myself unworthy of your confidence; or of a place in the family of Heaven. . . . I deserve no place among you in the church even as the lowest member; but I cannot live long so without a reconciliation with the 12 and the Church whom I have injured.' He then recited the typical lesson his years of rebellion had taught him: 'The Lord could get along very well without me and He has lost nothing by my falling out of the ranks; But O what have I lost?! Riches, greater riches than all this world or many planets like this could afford.' He pleaded with his brethren for comfort and peace and their smiles upon him. (Thomas B. Marsh to Heber C. Kimball, 5 May 1857, Brigham Young Collection, Church Historical Department; spelling and punctuation modernized.)
"After being re-baptized, Thomas came to Salt Lake City, where he asked Brigham Young, the President of the Church, for forgiveness. He was invited by President Young to speak at a Sunday service where Thomas offered this advice to his listeners: 'If there are any among this people who should ever apostatize and do as I have done, prepare your backs for a good whipping, if you are such as the Lord loves. But if you will take my advice, you will stand by the authorities' (in Journal of Discourses, 5:206)."
Topics: Apostasy
Young Single Adult Gems - 12 November 2008
Youthful Testimony
"[As] a young boy you bore your testimony and said, 'I know the gospel is true. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet.' You knew those things because others told you. Because of your trust in your parents, your bishop, and others, you never questioned that knowledge. But now, as you grow more independent in understanding, comprehension, and perception of all the different variables that this intense and beautiful life presents to you, frequently you realize that not all men have the same testimony or 'peace of God, which passeth all understanding.'" (Philip. 4:7).
Topics: Testimony
Daily Gems - 12 November 2008
Our Commitment for the Companionship of the Holy Ghost
"Do you wish to know the price to be paid for the privileges that are offered after we have received the Holy Ghost? The price is not a predetermined or fixed amount; rather, it is determined by each of us individually.
"If you set your payment, which is your personal effort, very low, you may not be able to avail yourself of all the Spirit has to offer. You may even quench the Spirit! However, if you set your personal contribution high, you will reap an abundant harvest from the Spirit. The payment I reference is, of course, not money; rather, it is a greater commitment to and involvement in personal spiritual endeavors and behaviors."
Topics: Holy Ghost
Youth Gems - 11 November 2008
Can Mercy Satisfy the Demands of Justice?
"The great prophet Amulek taught, 'And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption' (Alma 34:16)."
Topics: Repentance
Daily Gems - 11 November 2008
Learning to Help Missionaries and Investigators
"Studying [Preach My Gospel] is a great support in developing a strong testimony. It helps us understand fundamental gospel principles and the desire to serve. . . .
". . . For everyone who wants to become a better member missionary and who wants to know how to support the missionaries, Preach My Gospel is full of powerful ideas and insights. We learn how we can help the missionaries find people to teach and how we as members can work hand in hand with the missionaries to help those who are investigating the Church. We learn to understand why strong invitations to act are helpful to increase faith in Jesus Christ and how we can stand with our nonmember friends who are moving through this wonderful, life changing process of conversion."
Topics: Gospel
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