2015
Divine Attributes of Jesus Christ: Virtue
June 2015


“Divine Attributes of Jesus Christ: Virtue,” Ensign, June 2015, 7

Visiting Teaching Message

Divine Attributes of Jesus Christ: Virtue

Prayerfully study this material and seek to know what to share. How will understanding the divine attributes of the Savior increase your faith in Him and bless those you watch over through visiting teaching? For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.

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Faith, Family, Relief

“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven” (D&C 121:45).

What is virtue? President James E. Faust (1920–2007) said: “Virtue in its fuller sense encompasses all traits of righteousness that help us form our character.”1 President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) added: “Love of God is the root of all virtue, of all goodness, of all strength of character.”2

Of the relationship between women and virtue, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “Women bring with them into the world a certain virtue, a divine gift that makes them adept at instilling such qualities as faith, courage, empathy, and refinement in relationships and in cultures. …

“Sisters, of all your associations, it is your relationship with God, your Heavenly Father, who is the source of your moral power, that you must always put first in your life. Remember that Jesus’s power came through His single-minded devotion to the will of the Father. … Strive to be that kind of disciple of the Father and the Son, and your influence will never fade.”3

Additional Scriptures

Psalm 24:3–5; Philippians 4:8; 2 Peter 1:3–5; Alma 31:5; Doctrine and Covenants 38:23–24

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Thy Faith Hath Made Thee Whole

From the Scriptures

Today, virtuous women, full of faith, reach out to the Savior. In Luke 8 we read of a woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years that could not be healed. She sought healing when she “came behind [Christ], and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood [stopped]. … And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue4 is gone out of me.” This virtuous faithful woman fell down before Him, declaring “unto him before all the people” that “she had touched him” and “was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole” (see Luke 8:43–48; see also 6:17–19).

Through His virtue,5 Christ can heal, enable, strengthen, comfort, and cheer when we choose with courage and faith to reach out to Him.

Notes

  1. James E. Faust, “The Virtues of Righteous Daughters of God,” Ensign, May 2003, 108.

  2. Gordon B. Hinckley, “Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley,” Ensign, Apr. 1996, 73.

  3. D. Todd Christofferson, “The Moral Force of Women,” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 29, 31.

  4. Virtue has power (see Mark 5:30).

  5. In Guide to the Scriptures, “Priesthood” is defined as “the authority and power that God gives to man to act in all things for the salvation of man (D&C 50:26–27).”