Example
Church History Gems - 18 January 2010
Whittling and Whistling
"As a boy growing up in Nauvoo, George Q. Cannon learned to cope with those who would do harm to others. In his own words, he tells how he and a group of boys his age did their part to defend the Saints against potential troublemakers:
" 'It was . . . a common practice . . . , when engaged in conversation or in making a bargain, to take out . . . pocket knives and commence whittling; frequently, . . . accompanying the whittling by whistling. No person could object, therefore, to the practices of whittling and whistling. Many of the boys of the city had each a large bowie knife made, and when a man came to town who was known to be a villain, and was there for evil purposes, a few of them would get together, and go to where the obnoxious person was, and having previously provided themselves with pine shingles, would commence whittling. The presence of a number of boys, each [harmlessly] whittling . . . was not a sight to escape the notice of a stranger. . . . His first [reaction] . . . would be to . . . ask what this meant. The boys would make no reply, but with grave faces, keep up their [harmless] whistling. . . . What could the man do? If he was armed, he could shoot; but the resolute expression of the boys' faces, and the gleaming knives . . . would convince him that discretion was the better part of valor. . . . The most we ever knew them to do was to stand for awhile and curse and threaten. . . . Then they would walk off . . . , followed by the troop of boys vigorously whittling and whistling' ("History of the Church," Juvenile Instructor, 30 Sept. 1871, 158).
"Now, I'm not suggesting that we begin issuing bowie knives to our deacons. But I am suggesting that George Q. Cannon and his youthful associates exhibited great courage and faith by their actions. They saw something that needed to be done, and they did it safely within the context of what was appropriate for the times. I'm impressed by their willingness to take a stand against wicked intentions of others."
Church History Gems - 8 January 2010
Pleasantest Man
"When we covenant in the waters of baptism to 'stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places,' we're not talking solely about fast and testimony meetings. It may not always be easy, convenient, or politically correct to stand for truth and right, but it is always the right thing to do. Always.
"Joseph F. Smith was 19 when he returned from his mission in Hawaii. As he traveled from California to his home in Utah, he was confronted one morning by a 'wagonload of profane drunks . . . , shooting their guns, yelling wildly, and cursing the Mormons.' One of the drunks, 'waving a pistol,' came toward him. Although Joseph 'was terrified, he felt it would be unwise and useless to run . . . , and so he advanced toward the gunman as if he found nothing out of the ordinary in his conduct. "Are you a — — — Mormon?" the stranger demanded. Mustering all the composure he could, Joseph answered evenly while looking the man straight in the eye, "Yes, siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through." Almost stunned by this wholly unexpected response, the gunman stopped, dropped his hands to his sides, and, after looking incredulously at Joseph for a moment, said in a subdued tone, "Well, you are the — — pleasantest man I ever met! Shake. I am glad to see a fellow stand for his convictions." So saying, he turned and walked away' (Francis M. Gibbons, Joseph F. Smith: Patriarch and Preacher, Prophet of God [1984], 43–44)."
Church History Gems - 23 December 2009
"Came Running"
"Amidst the terrible hostilities in Missouri that would put the Prophet in Liberty Jail and see thousands of Latter-day Saints driven from their homes, Sister Drusilla Hendricks and her invalid husband, James, who had been shot by enemies of the Church in the Battle of Crooked River, arrived with their children at a hastily shaped dugout in Quincy, Illinois, to live out the spring of that harrowing year.
"Within two weeks the Hendrickses were on the verge of starvation, having only one spoonful of sugar and a saucerful of cornmeal remaining in their possession. In the great tradition of LDS women, Drusilla made mush out of it for James and the children, thus stretching its contents as far as she could make it go. When that small offering was consumed by her famished family, she washed everything, cleaned their little dugout as thoroughly as she could, and quietly waited to die.
"Not long thereafter the sound of a wagon brought Drusilla to her feet. It was their neighbor Reuben Allred. He said he had a feeling they were out of food, so on his way into town he'd had a sack of grain ground into meal for them.
"Shortly thereafter Alexander Williams arrived with two bushels of meal on his shoulder. He told Drusilla that he'd been extremely busy but the Spirit had whispered to him that 'Brother Hendricks' family is suffering, so I dropped everything and came [running].'
"May God, who has blessed all of us so mercifully and many of us so abundantly, bless us with one thing more. May he bless us to hear the often silent cries of the sorrowing and the afflicted, the downtrodden, the disadvantaged, the poor."
Church History Gems - 21 December 2009
Live a Disciple's Life
"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, my brothers and sisters, 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.
"Of course, our challenges are different today, but they are no less demanding. Instead of angry mobs, we face those who constantly try to defame. Instead of extreme exposure and hardship, we face alcohol and drug abuse, pornography, all kinds of filth, sleaze, greed, dishonesty, and spiritual apathy. Instead of families being uprooted and torn from their homes, we see the institution of the family, including the divine institution of marriage, under attack as groups and individuals seek to define away the prominent and divine role of the family in society.
"This is not to suggest that our challenges today are more severe than the challenges faced by those who have gone before us. They are just different. The Lord isn't asking us to load up a handcart; He's asking us to fortify our faith. He isn't asking us to walk across a continent; He's asking us to walk across the street to visit our neighbor. He isn't asking us to give all of our worldly possessions to build a temple; He's asking us to give of our means and our time despite the pressures of modern living to continue to build temples and then to attend regularly the temples already built. He isn't asking us to die a martyr's death; He's asking us to live a disciple's life."
Church History Gems - 14 December 2009
Same Revelations
"President Young had said, 'If the people of the United States will let us alone for ten years we will ask no odds of them' (Brigham Young, "Remarks," Deseret News, Sept. 23, 1857, 228).
"Eight years to the day after the 1849 celebration, the Saints were in Big Cottonwood Canyon to celebrate another 24th of July. Four horsemen rode in to report that an army 2,500 soldiers strong was on the plains. The army of the United States, commanded by Colonel Albert Sydney Johnston, was ordered by President James Buchanan to crush a nonexistent Mormon rebellion.
"The Saints broke camp and headed for home to prepare their defenses. . . .
"Neither mobbings nor the army could turn the Saints aside from what they knew to be true. A settlement was negotiated, and the Utah War (later called Buchanan's Blunder) was over.
"We are guided by the same revelations and led by a prophet. When the Prophet Joseph Smith died, another took his place. The order of succession continues today. . . .
"The senior leaders of the Church will virtually always be seasoned by decades of preparation.
"President Monson is ideally suited for the challenges of our day. He is sustained by two counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—all prophets, seers, and revelators."
Daily Gems - 4 November 2009
The Examples We Need to Be
“May I suggest that our ability and our credibility to exemplify reverence for God is strengthened as we show respect for each other. In today’s society, the standards of decorum, dignity, and courtesy are assailed on every side and in every form of media. As parents and leaders, our examples of respect for each other are critical for our youth and children because they are watching not only the media—they are watching us! Are we the examples we need to be?”
Topics: Parenthood, Example
Daily Gems - 22 October 2009
Be an Example
“May each of us strive to be ‘an example of the believers.’ May we live the gospel of Jesus Christ and do all that is asked of us, and may we do these things in faith, nothing wavering, with a pure and virtuous heart.”
Topics: Example
Daily Gems - 8 October 2009
A More Righteousness Generation
“With all my heart I hope and pray that you will be wise enough to learn the lessons of the past. You don’t have to spend time as a Laman or a Lemuel in order to know that it’s much better to be a Nephi or a Jacob. You don’t have to follow the path of Cain or Gadianton in order to realize that ‘wickedness never was happiness’ (Alma 41:10).”
Topics: Example, Righteousness
Church History Gems - 2 October 2009
Two Different Backgrounds
"Brigham Young and John Taylor came from widely different backgrounds which affected their outlook and perceptions and gave balance to the early leadership of the Church. President Young had spent his infancy, childhood, and young adulthood in rural communities of Vermont and New York, communities which were comparatively unknown and undistinguished. Farm families in these areas were so preoccupied with the business of wrestling a living from the soil that little time was left for cultural and intellectual pursuits, even had facilities been available to them. Brigham Young's upbringing brought him deep understanding of God's working with the things of the land and how to tame a wild environment. John Taylor, on the other hand, was born in an area that had been under cultivation for hundreds of years, in England. Nearby were large commercial centers that over the centuries had acquired the jewels of civilization—libraries, museums, theaters, and universities. The different environments in which Brigham Young and John Taylor were reared to maturity were calculated to prepare one to tame the wilderness and the other to combat the intellectual enemies of the Church with teachings of the restored gospel couched in well-honed sentences."
Family Gems - 28 September 2009
Set Your Homes in an Order Pleasing to the Lord
Topics: Righteousness, Example
Family Gems - 14 September 2009
Seek to Create the Ideal Family
“Through the restored gospel we learn there is an ideal family. It is a family composed of a righteous Melchizedek Priesthood bearer with a righteous wife sealed to him and children born in the covenant or sealed to them. With a mother in the home in an environment of love and service, the parents teach their children, through example and precept, the ways of the Lord and His truths. They fulfill their divinely appointed roles mentioned in the family proclamation. Their children mature by living teachings instilled from birth. They develop characteristics of obedience, integrity, love of God, and faith in His holy plan. In due course, each of those children seeks a companion with similar ideals and aspirations. They are sealed in the temple, bear children, and the eternal plan continues, with generation strengthening generation.”
Topics: Melchizedek Priesthood, Example, Family
Family Gems - 7 September 2009
Families Are Strengthened through Gospel Activities
“One example of great importance for humanity is strengthening our own families. The principle of family home evening was given to us in 1915. President McKay reminded parents again in 1964 that ‘no other success can compensate for failure in the home’ (Quoted from J. E. McCulloch, Home: The Savior of Civilization (1924), 42; in Conference Report, Apr. 1964, 5). In 1995 the prophets of our day called upon all the world to strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society (see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).”
Daily Gems - 3 September 2009
Commitment to Be Virtuous
“As I hear the young women of the Church quote the Young Women theme, my desire and commitment to be virtuous and to be holy are strengthened. As bearers of the holy priesthood, we should see that the sisters are not the only examples of virtue.
“The Lord has commanded each of us, in section 38 of the Doctrine and Covenants, to be virtuous: ‘And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practise virtue and holiness before me’ (D&C 38:24).”
Daily Gems - 1 September 2009
Example of Service
“Growing up during the Great Depression, President Thomas S. Monson learned how to serve others. Often his mother asked him to deliver food to needy neighbors, and she would give homeless men odd jobs in exchange for home-cooked meals. Later as a young bishop, he was taught by President J. Reuben Clark, ‘Be kind to the widow and look after the poor’ (in Thomas S. Monson, “A Provident Plan—A Precious Promise,” Ensign, May 1986, 62). President Monson looked after 84 widows and cared for them until they passed away.”
Topics: Example, Serving Others
Young Single Adult Gems - 6 July 2009
The Lord Loves You
“The voice of the Lord is clear and unmistakable. He knows you. He loves you. He wants you to be eternally happy. But according to your God-given agency, the choice is yours. Each one of you has to decide for yourself if you are going to ignore the past and suffer the painful mistakes and tragic pitfalls that have befallen previous generations, experiencing for yourself the devastating consequences of bad choices. How much better your life will be if you will follow the noble example of the faithful followers of Christ such as the sons of Helaman, Moroni, Joseph Smith, and the stalwart pioneers—and choose, as they did, to remain faithful to your Heavenly Father’s commandments.”
Topics: Example
Youth Gems - 4 November 2008
Don't Be Afraid to Be Different!
"Sisters, don't be afraid to be different in our century! Sometimes we have to be different in order to maintain Church standards. So I repeat, don't be afraid to be different, but be as good as you can be."
Topics: Example
Youth Gems - 30 October 2008
Are You a Standard for Others?
"My call to you is the same as Moroni's call: 'Awake, and arise . . . , O daughter[s] of Zion' (Moroni 10:31). He saw you. He saw this day. These are your days! It is up to you to decide that you will 'arise and shine forth.' I believe that as you awake and arise, your light will be a standard to the nations, but I also believe your standards will be a light to the nations. You are set apart. You distinguished yourselves in the premortal existence. Your lineage carries with it a covenant and promises. You have inherited the spiritual attributes of the faithful—even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Your very nature reflects your divine heritage and destiny."
Topics: Example
Youth Gems - 28 October 2008
The Strength of Youth
"Living the standards set in For the Strength of Youth will make you feel good about yourself. Write those standards into your heart and mind, and live accordingly. Compare each of those standards with where you are today. Listen to the Spirit, who will teach you what you need to do to become more like Jesus."
Topics: Example
Daily Gems - 7 October 2008
Expanding Our Circle of Love
"We must strive to manifest the love of Christ, who always sought to please His Father by doing His will. . . . We must make every effort to follow His supreme example--to demonstrate such love through our thoughts, our speech, our actions--in all the things we do and are. We must not allow pride or vanity, selfishness or personal agendas to displace our reaching out to others in love. Quite simply and profoundly, we must first allow ourselves to be encircled by God's love. We do this best by embracing the Savior's eternal Atonement. Then we can expand that circle to include our family and all others. Such a circle is indeed heaven."
Topics: Jesus Christ, Example
Young Single Adult Gems - 15 September 2008
Even as I Am
"'Follow me,' the Savior said. And we realize that to follow him is not impossible. The miles which he traveled, each of us can travel, for he took them one step at a time, one journey at a time. You could walk from Jerusalem to Nazareth. You could walk to the Sea of Galilee from Nazareth. You could follow Joseph and Mary and Jesus to Egypt. You could walk to the Mount of Transfiguration and back and forth from Jerusalem to
Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Bethany, the River Jordan. All these, you could do. But this is not the kind of following that he expected. He meant for us to follow his teachings and his example. Anyone with normal health can walk those miles and climb those hills and ford those streams. But it is quite another thing to be 'even as I am,' (3 Ne. 27:27) as he said to the Nephites."
Topics: Jesus Christ, Example
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