LDS Gem Archives, July 2010
Daily Gems - 30 July 2010
Power of the Book of Mormon
“Of Another Testament of Jesus Christ, President Benson reiterated the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith ‘that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.’ ”
Topics:
Young Single Adult Gems - 30 July 2010
God’s Love Is Infinite
“We teach that God’s love for His children is infinite. Regardless of race, nationality, or gender, He loves all of them. He has done so from the beginning and will continue to do so. He invites all to gain eternal exaltation for their family.”
Topics: Family
Church History Gems - 30 July 2010
Outpouring of the Spirit
"The dedication of the Kirtland Temple [occurred] on March 27, 1836. One of those present was 28-year-old William Draper, who described the day as a 'day of Pentecost.' He wrote: 'There was such a time of the outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord, that my pen is inadequate to write it in full or my tongue to express it. But I will here say that the Spirit was poured out and came like a mighty rushing wind and filled the house, that many that were present spoke in tongues and had visions and saw angels and prophesied, and had a general time of rejoicing such as had not been known in this generation' (William Draper, "A Biographical Sketch of the Life and Travels and Birth and Parentage of William Draper" [1881], typescript, Church History Library, 2; spelling and capitalization standardized).
"These spiritual manifestations were not limited only to those inside the temple, for 'the people of the neighborhood came running together (hearing an unusual sound within, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon the Temple), and were astonished at what was taking place' (History of the Church, 2:428).
"Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901), later to be President of the Church, was living in Kirtland during this blessed period. He observed, 'One would have imagined that after receiving these wonderful manifestations no temptation could have overthrown the Saints' (Lorenzo Snow, "Discourse," Deseret Weekly News, June 8, 1889, 26).
"But, of course, great spiritual experiences do not make us exempt from opposition and trials."
Topics: Spirituality
Family Gems - 30 July 2010
Parents Should Look for Opportunities for Spontaneous Testimony Bearing
"Parents should be vigilant and spiritually attentive to spontaneously occurring opportunities to bear testimony to their children. Such occasions need not be programmed, scheduled, or scripted. In fact, the less regimented such testimony sharing is, the greater the likelihood for edification and lasting impact."
Topics: Parenthood, Testimony
Youth Gems - 29 July 2010
Facing Our Trials
"Each of us will face trials and tests, and . . . it is how we react to those difficulties that will determine our success and happiness. Each of us will face adversity no matter where we are. We are taught in the scriptures that there 'must needs be . . . an opposition in all things' (2 Nephi 2:11). We will each face times of difficulty, and the question is not when we will face them but how we face them."
Topics: Adversity
Daily Gems - 29 July 2010
Being Prepared
“We must know and realize that, just as Winston Churchill said in a critical hour during World War II, ‘to every man [and young woman] there comes . . . that special moment when [they are] figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to [them].’ ”
Topics: Immortality
Young Single Adult Gems - 28 July 2010
The Purpose of Life
“To understand the meaning of death, we must appreciate the purpose of life. The dim light of belief must yield to the noonday sun of revelation, by which we know that we lived before our birth into mortality.”
Topics: Purpose of Mortality
Church History Gems - 28 July 2010
Gaze into Heaven
"Living God's commandments obligates a person to a life of goodness—goodness to society and a genuine helpfulness to humanity, and excluding from one's life hatred, enmity, immorality, selfishness, drunkenness, jealousy, and dishonesty.
"May we experience the joy of regular attendance at sacrament meeting and feel the blessings of eternal progression in our personal lives through wholehearted compliance, in spirit and actions, with the sacred words of the sacrament.
"The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: 'Reading the experience of others, . . . can never give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God. Knowledge of these things can only be obtained by experience through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose. Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 324.)
"The sacrament is one ordinance that allows us to experience a personal relationship to God and enlarges our knowledge and understanding of Him and His Only Begotten Son.
"Our personal reward for compliance with the covenants and obligations in the ordinance of the sacrament becomes the companionship of God's Holy Spirit. This is the light that leads to eternal life. The divine virtues associated with the partaking of the Lord's Supper are to keep His divine life ever in mind; to love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength; and to labor to bring to pass His ultimate purpose—the eternal life of man."
Topics: Sacrament
Daily Gems - 28 July 2010
Results Come from Doing
“When our wagon gets stuck in the mud, God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to push than the man who merely raises his voice in prayer—no matter how eloquent the oration.”
Topics: Work
Youth Gems - 27 July 2010
Family Connections
"Consider the spiritual connections that are formed when a young woman helps her grandmother enter family information into a computer or when a young man sees the name of his great-grandfather on a census record. When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves. Our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors through sacred ordinances of the temple."
Topics: Temple Work, Family History
Daily Gems - 27 July 2010
God’s Love Never Supersedes Commandments
“If a person understands the teachings of Jesus, he or she cannot reasonably conclude that our loving Heavenly Father or His divine Son believes that Their love supersedes Their commandments. . . . The effect of God’s commandments and laws is not changed to accommodate popular behavior or desires.”
Topics: Obedience
Family Gems - 26 July 2010
Persistent, Daily Parenting Will Bring Powerful Rewards
"Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time. They know that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world."
Topics: Parenthood
Daily Gems - 26 July 2010
Exercising Agency to Choose the Right
“ ‘Moral discipline’ [means] self-discipline based on moral standards. Moral discipline is the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right because it is right, even when it is hard. It rejects the self-absorbed life in favor of developing character worthy of respect and true greatness through Christlike service (see Mark 10:42-45).”
Topics: Gospel Standards
Young Single Adult Gems - 26 July 2010
Become More Like Christ
“The Savior taught us to love even our enemies. The vast majority of our members heed this counsel. Yet there are some who feel that venting their personal anger or deeply held opinions is more important than conducting themselves as Jesus Christ lived and taught.”
Topics: Example
Church History Gems - 26 July 2010
Language of Praye
"A revelation given in 1830, the year the Church was organized, directs that the elder or priest who administers the sacrament 'shall kneel . . . and call upon the Father in solemn prayer, saying:
" 'O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ.' (D&C 20:76–77, 79.)
"The prayer offered at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836 is another model that illustrates the language of prayer used by the Prophet Joseph Smith:
" 'And now, Holy Father, we ask thee to assist us, thy people, with thy grace, in calling our solemn assembly, . . .
" 'That thy glory may rest down upon thy people and upon this thy house, which we now dedicate to thee, that it may be sanctified and consecrated to be holy, and that thy holy presence may be continually in this house.' (D&C 109:10, 12.)
"This prophetic model of the language of prayer has been faithfully followed in all of the sacred petitions by which the prophets have dedicated temples to the Lord. Exactly one hundred years ago this week, at a spot not far from where I stand, President Wilford Woodruff began the dedicatory prayer of the Salt Lake Temple with these words:
" 'Our Father in heaven, thou who hast created the heavens and the earth, and all things that are therein; thou most glorious One, . . . we, thy children, come this day before thee, and in this house which we have built to thy most holy name, humbly plead the atoning blood of thine Only Begotten Son, that our sins may be remembered no more against us forever, but that our prayers may ascend unto thee and have free access to thy throne, that we may be heard in thy holy habitation.' (As quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Mar. 1993, p. 2.)"
Topics: Prayer
Church History Gems - 23 July 2010
Favored People
"The Prophet Joseph Smith said: 'The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society course of study, 2007], 186).
"Zion is both a place and a people."
Topics: Zion
Young Single Adult Gems - 23 July 2010
An Invitation to Know the Savior
“What does it mean to seek the face of the Savior? Surely it means more than just recognizing His picture. Christ’s invitation to seek Him is an invitation to know who He is, what He has done for us, and what He has asked us to do. Coming to Christ, and eventually seeing His face, comes only as we draw close to Him through our faith and our actions. It comes through a lifetime of effort.”
Topics: Jesus Christ
Family Gems - 23 July 2010
Advice to Parents for Helping Their Youth
"The best counsel for us to give young people is that they can arrive back to Heavenly Father only as they are guided and corrected by the Spirit of God. So if we are wise, we will encourage, praise, and exemplify everything which invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost."
Topics: Parenthood
Daily Gems - 23 July 2010
Importance of Family Home Evening
“Our children, just like their parents, have time demands on them in every aspect of their lives. They have activities involving church and school and friends. . . . We need to keep Monday nights free of other commitments so that we can have our family home evenings. No other activity is more important for our family.”
Topics: Family Home Evening
Youth Gems - 22 July 2010
Inspiration of the Holy Ghost
"We live in a noisy, contentious world, where it is possible to be viewing or listening to information, music, or even pure nonsense virtually every waking hour. If we want to have the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, we must find time to slow down, ponder, pray, and live so we are worthy to receive and act upon His promptings."
Topics: Holy Ghost
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