LDS Gem Archives, April 2009
Daily Gems - 30 апрель 2009
Raising Heavenly Father's Children
"Pray, study, and teach the gospel. Pray deeply about your children and about your role as a mother. Parents can offer a unique and wonderful kind of prayer because they are praying to the Eternal Parent of us all. There is great power in a prayer that essentially says, 'We are steward-parents over Thy children, Father; please help us to raise them as thou wouldst want them raised.' "
Topics: Prayer, Children, Motherhood
Youth Gems - 30 апрель 2009
Testimony
"Great events are not a guarantee that our testimony will be strong. Laman and Lemuel are good examples of this. They were visited by angels and even then, almost in the very next minute, they were questioning the will of the Lord. Some great leaders of these latter days can also teach us about this principle. They were taught from on high during the early days of the Restoration and still were not strong enough to endure to the end. These experiences show us that to receive the witness of the 'still small voice' sometimes can have a stronger impact on our testimonies than the visit of an angel."
Topics: Testimony
Daily Gems - 29 апрель 2009
Solemn Witness
"I express my solemn witness that the Book of Mormon is true. It is a book that has brought about a mighty change in my life. I know that God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His gospel has been restored to the earth. President Thomas S. Monson is His prophet and living oracle at this time. The Spirit I feel as I daily read, ponder, and pray about the book of Mormon strengthens my understanding and testimony of these things and reaffirms to me that they are true."
Topics: Testimony, Book of Mormon, Truth
Young Single Adult Gems - 29 апрель 2009
The Capstone of Our Faith
"President Ezra Taft Benson, in explaining the Doctrine and Covenants, put it this way:
" 'The Doctrine and Covenants brings men to Christ's kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth." . . . I know that.
" 'The Book of Mormon is the "keystone," . . . and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone' (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 105; or Ensign, May 1987, 83).
"The keystone and the capstone teach us about the cornerstone of our religion, which is the Savior."
Topics: Scripture
Church History Gems - 29 апрель 2009
Keys of the Kingdom
"I was sitting with Brigham Young in the depot in the city of Boston at the time when the two prophets [Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum] were martyred. Of course we had no telegraphs and no fast reports as we have today to give communication over the land. During that period Brother Young was waiting there for a train of cars to go to Peterborough. Whilst sitting there we were overshadowed by a cloud of darkness and gloom as great as I ever witnessed in my life. . . . Neither of us knew or understood the cause until after the report of the death of the prophets was manifested to us. Brother Brigham left; I remained in Boston, and the next day took passage for Fox Islands, a place I had visited some years before, and baptized numbers of people and organized branches upon both those islands. My father-in-law, Ezra Carter, carried me on a wagon from Scarborough to Portland. I there engaged passage on board of a steamer. I had put my trunk on board and was just bidding my father-in-law farewell, when a man came out from a shop—a shoemaker—holding a newspaper in his hand. He said, 'Father Carter, Joseph and Hyrum Smith have been martyred—they have been murdered in Carthage Jail!'
"As soon as I looked at the paper, the Spirit said to me that it was true. I had no time for consultation, the steamer's bell was ringing, so I stepped on board and took my trunk back to land. As I drew it off, the plank was drawn in. I told Father Carter to drive me back to Scarborough. I there took the car for Boston. . . .
"Next day I met Brigham Young in the streets of Boston, he having just returned, opposite to Sister Voce's house. We reached out our hands, but neither of us was able to speak a word. We walked into Sister Voce's house. We each took a seat and [covered] our faces. We were overwhelmed with grief and our faces were soon bathed in a flood of tears. . . . After we had done weeping we began to converse together concerning the death of the prophets. In the course of the conversation, he smote his hand upon his thigh and said, 'Thank God, the keys of the kingdom are here.' "
Wilford Woodruff
Topics: Priesthood Keys
Youth Gems - 28 апрель 2009
Joy
"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."
Topics: Joy
Daily Gems - 28 апрель 2009
Answers to Prayer
"The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate."
Topics: Humility, Prayer, Gifts of the Spirit
Daily Gems - 27 апрель 2009
Moving Forward in His Work
"With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift my voice in testimony today as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He loves us with a love we cannot fully comprehend, and because He loves us, He gave His life for us. My gratitude to Him is beyond expression.
"I invoke His blessings upon you, my beloved brothers and sisters, in your homes, in your work, in your service to one another and to the Lord Himself. Together we shall move forward doing His work."
Topics: Gratitude, Jesus Christ, Love
Church History Gems - 27 апрель 2009
Principle and Doctrine
"Because the Church is growing so fast, there is a temptation to try to solve problems by changing boundaries, altering programs, reorganizing the leadership, or providing more comfortable buildings. What we really need is a retrenchment such as we have read about in Church history. What we really need is a revival of the basic gospel principles in the lives of all the Latter-day Saints. The true essence of priesthood administration is not in procedure—it is in principle, in doctrine!
"The prophet Joseph Smith gave us the key. He said, with reference to administration, 'I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.' "
Topics: Melchizedek Priesthood
Family Gems - 27 апрель 2009
Marriage Requires Thoughtful Preparation
"The best way to avoid divorce from an unfaithful, abusive, or unsupportive spouse is to avoid marriage to such a person. If you wish to marry well, inquire well. Associations through 'hanging out' or exchanging information on the Internet are not a sufficient basis for marriage. There should be dating, followed by careful and thoughtful and thorough courtship. There should be ample opportunities to experience the prospective spouse's behavior in a variety of circumstances. Fiances should learn everything they can about the families with whom they will soon be joined in marriage. In all of this, we should realize that a good marriage does not require a perfect man or a perfect woman. It only requires a man and a woman committed to strive together toward perfection.
"President Spencer W. Kimball taught: 'Two individuals approaching the marriage altar must realize that to attain the happy marriage which they hope for they must know that marriage . . . means sacrifice, sharing, and even a reduction of some personal liberties. It means long, hard economizing. It means children who bring with them financial burdens, service burdens, care and worry burdens; but also it means the deepest and sweetest emotions of all' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 194)."
Topics: Marriage
Family Gems - 24 апрель 2009
Fathers Have a Divine Role in Families
“Satan, in his carefully devised plan to destroy the family, seeks to diminish the role of fathers. Increased youth violence, youth crime, greater poverty and economic insecurity, and the failure of increasing numbers of children in our schools offer clear evidence of lack of a positive influence of fathers in the homes (see David Blankenhorn, Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem [1995], introduction, 25–48; David Popenoe, Life without Father [1996], 52–78). A family needs a father to anchor it.”
Topics: Fatherhood, Family
Church History Gems - 24 апрель 2009
Humility and Submissiveness
"If we have strong feeling about the way something should be and are unwilling to listen, we may lose the opportunity to get an answer.
"One only has to remember when Martin Harris wanted to take home pages of the Book of Mormon translation to show to others. Joseph Smith prayed to the Lord a number of times to finally be allowed to let the man do it. The Lord knew that the pages would be lost. But sometimes we want something so much and keep praying about it that the Lord lets us do it for our learning experience.
"Sometimes we are drawn into seeking and giving answers that bring recognition or notoriety to 'our' thinking and to 'our' opinion. Don't look for signs or answers that build you up. Humility and submissiveness to God will always be fundamental in receiving direction from Him."
Topics: Humility
Young Single Adult Gems - 24 апрель 2009
The Foundation of Repentance
"Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which sincere and meaningful repentance must be built. If we truly seek to put away sin, we must first look to Him who is the Author of our salvation."
Topics: Repentance, Faith
Daily Gems - 24 апрель 2009
Miracles Do Come
"I delight in the Lord's mercies and miracles (see "Bless Our Fast, We Pray," Hymns, no. 138). I know that His tender mercies and His miracles, large and small, are real. They come in His way and on His timetable. Sometimes it is not until we have reached our extremity. Jesus's disciples on the Sea of Galilee had to toil in rowing against a contrary wind all through the night before Jesus finally came to their aid. He did not come until the "fourth watch," meaning near dawn. Yet He did come. (See Mark 6:45-51.) My testimony is that miracles do come, though sometimes not until the fourth watch."
Topics: Opposition, Mercy, Adversity
Daily Gems - 23 апрель 2009
Improving the World around and within You
"Nearly a century and a half ago, President Brigham Young spoke to the Saints of his day. 'There is a great work for the Saints to do,' he said. 'Progress, and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds. Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations. In the mean time continually seek to adorn your minds with all the graces of the Spirit of Christ' (Deseret News, Aug. 8, 1860, 177).
"The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."
Topics: Spirituality, Creation, Light of Christ
Youth Gems - 23 апрель 2009
Mission of the Church
"This is God's work, and God's work will not be frustrated. But there is still much to be done before the Great Jehovah can announce that the work is done. While we praise and honor those faithful Saints who have brought us to this point of public prominence, we cannot afford . . . to be comfortable or content.
"We are all needed to finish the work that was begun by those pioneering Saints over 175 years ago and carried out through the subsequent decades by faithful Saints of every generation. We need to believe as they believed. We need to work as they worked. We need to serve as they served. And we need to overcome as they overcame."
Topics: Proclaim the Gospel
Church History Gems - 22 апрель 2009
The Prophet Living in Our Day
"President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith: . . .
" 'Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, "Brother Brigham I want you to go to the podium and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God." Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: "There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now," said he, "when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books." That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation; "Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth." ' (Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19.)
". . . Therefore the most important prophet so far as you and I are concerned is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. Therefore the most important reading we can do is any of the words of the prophet contained each month in our Church Magazines. Our instructions about what we should do for each six months are found in the General Conference addresses which are printed in the Church magazine."
Topic:
Topics: Prophets
Young Single Adult Gems - 22 апрель 2009
How to Avoid Temptation
"At this time of life, it is most important that your thoughts and acts be clean and pure so that the Holy Ghost can guide you. Satan is determined at this critical time of your life to overpower you, not with an onslaught of serious temptation suddenly presented, but by carefully placed, alluring, but seemingly unimportant infractions of your long-established standards. He would use these temptations to skillfully lead you away from the path of righteousness. Satan knows that as long as you can be led by the Holy Spirit, you can resist him. He has no power over a righteous person. The Lord has made it possible for you to resist the devil's temptations. When obedient, you will be inspired to know what to do and have the capacity to do it."
Topics: Holy Ghost
Daily Gems - 22 апрель 2009
Women's Part under the Plan
"To do our part under the plan of the Lord, we are to increase our faith and personal righteousness. Membership in the Church requires faith, which we nourish throughout our lives with great 'diligence, and patience, and long-suffering' (Alma 32:43). In the common heritage we share, we have remarkable examples of faith in the early women of the Church. Early pioneer women were driven from homes and perseuted because of their faith. Others survived fires and floods. They crossed oceans and walked thousands of miles, tolerating dirt, illness, and near starvation to help build the Lord's kingdom on the earth. Many of them buried husbands, children, parents, and siblings along the way. Why did they do this? They did it because the fire of their faith burned in their souls. . . . Like you, they had a conviction and a testimony that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ was true and that the Lord needed them to do their part in establishing His kingdom on the earth. Their pursuit of personal righteousness was a daily effort to become more like the Savior through repentance, scripture study, prayer, obedience to commandments, and through seeking after everything 'virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy' (Articles of Faith 1:13)."
Topics: Testimony, Faith, Righteousness
Youth Gems - 21 апрель 2009
Virtue
"Virtue is a prerequisite to entering the Lord's holy temples and to receiving the Spirit's guidance. Virtue 'is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards' (Preach My Gospel [2004], 118). It encompasses chastity and moral purity. Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind. It is nurtured in the home. It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions. Virtue is a word we don't hear often in today's society, but the Latin root word virtus means strength. Virtuous women and men possess a quiet dignity and inner strength. They are confident because they are worthy to receive and be guided by the Holy Ghost."
Topics: Virtue
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