We Must Not Take This Gift For Granted

“As with all gifts, this gift must be received and accepted to be enjoyed. When priesthood hands were laid upon your head to confirm you a member of the Church, you heard the words, ‘Receive the Holy Ghost.’ This did not mean that the Holy Ghost unconditionally became your constant companion. Scriptures warn us that the Spirit of the Lord will ‘not always strive with man’ (Genesis 6:3). When we are confirmed, we are given the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost, but it is a right that we must continue to earn through obedience and worthiness.”

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917-2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Unspeakable Gift,” Ensign, May 2003, 28. 

Saving Ordinances

 “The saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.”

President Thomas S. Monson, “The Holy Temple—a Beacon to the World,” Ensign, May 2011, 92. 

Personal Interview

 “In the sacramental prayers, God promises to send the Holy Ghost to be with us. I have found in that moment that God can give me what feels like a personal interview. He brings to me attention what I have done that pleases Him, my need for repentance and forgiveness, and the names and faces of people He would have me serve for Him.”

President Henry B. Eyring, “He Is Risen,” Ensign, Apr 2013, 4-5.

Sacrament

 “The Lord offers us a guide in this quest for eternal life in the sacramental prayers that help me and can help you. We are invited to renew our baptismal covenants in every sacrament meeting.

“We promise to always remember the Savior.  The emblems of His sacrifice help us appreciate the magnitude of the price He paid to break the bands of death, to offer us mercy, and to provide forgiveness of all our sins if we choose to repent.

“We promise to keep His commandments. Reading the scriptures and the words of the living prophets and listening to inspired speakers in our sacrament meetings remind us of our covenants to do so. The Holy Ghost brings to our minds and hearts the commandments we most need to keep that day.”

President Henry B. Eyring, “He Is Risen,” Ensign, Apr 2013, 4.

Consistent Study of the Scriptures

“I believe that few other activities will bring us greater spiritual benefit than the daily, consistent study of the scriptures.”

Elder Michael John U. Teh of the Seventy, “The Power of the Word of God,” Ensign, Mar 2013, 52. 

Rediscovering the Scriptures

“I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves—and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again.”

President Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball (2006), 62.

Strength Beyond Our Own

“Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have the power and the desire to help us overcome our feelings of grief, despair, inadequacy, discouragement, pain, and temptation. They constantly offer us comfort, peace, hope, love, and strength. They can heal our feelings of fear, distrust, anger, self-doubt, sorrow, discouragement, and inadequacy. They can be the best resource we have to help us get through difficult days and trying times. If we but come unto Christ, He will lead us to the Father and a fullness of joy in Their presence.”

Carolyn J. Rasmus, “The Enabling Power of the Atonement,” Ensign, Mar 2013, 21. 

Access the Power of the Atonement

“When we feel troubled, unsure, afraid, or discouraged, doing the following can help us access the power of grace and the Atonement:

·         Believe in the Father and in the Son and all They have promised to do for us.

·         Obey God’s commandments and partake of the sacrament regularly to build spiritual strength.

·         Pray, fast, study the scriptures, and worship in the temple to feel God’s love and know of His promises.

Carolyn J. Rasmus, “The Enabling Power of the Atonement,” Ensign, Mar 2013, 21. 

Feel Confident In God's Hands

On the eve of Jesus Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane, He issued this benediction to His disciples: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Of this invitation, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “[This] may be one of the Savior’s commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed; and yet I wonder whether our resistance to his invitation could be any ore grievous to the Lord’s merciful heart.” Elder Holland added, “I am convinced that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the living heart of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care or secure in his hands.”

Jeffrey R. Holland, “Come unto Me,” Ensign, Apr. 1998, 19. 

The Atonement Strengthens Us

“The enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.”

Elder David A. Bednar, “The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality,” Ensign, Apr. 2012, 42-43. 

Lessons of Resilience From Childhood

When I was a child, many adults in my life—parents, neighbors, teachers, and Church leaders—taught me and my brother and sisters the following lessons. These five principles may be helpful for your children:

1.       Paying the price for privileges.

I knew that freedom to play with my friends in the coming days depended on whether or not I came home on time.

2.       The law of the harvest.

If I wanted money, I had to deliver the newspapers for my route and collect the money each month.

3.       Personal accountability and responsibility.

I had to complete my own homework, science fair projects, and merit badges.

4.       The law of restitution.

I could make up for misbehavior by apologizing and repairing the wrong. My parents sometimes suggested that I complete extra chores, such as pulling weeds.

5.       Learning from mistakes.

If I made my bed poorly, did not wash the dishes properly, or did not pull weeds properly, I had to redo these tasks correctly.

-Lyle K. Burrup

Recommendations for Resilience

 “Here are some recommendations for how we might apply [helping children develop resilience] in our homes:

·         Pray to understand your children’s strengths and how to help them with their weaknesses.

·         Be patient and realize that children need time to develop resilience.

·         Strive to understand that mistakes and failures are opportunities to learn.

·         Allow natural, logical consequences to serve as the disciplinarian.

·         Respect children’s decisions, even if their poor choices lead to lost privileges.

·         Refrain from berating children for breaking the rules.

·         Do not discourage effort by criticizing harshly.

·         Rather than praising accomplishment, encourage and praise effort.

·         “Praise your children more than correct them. Praise them for even their smallest achievement.” (President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Honored Place of Women,” Ensign, Nov. 1981, 107).

Lyle J. Burrup, “Raising Resilient Children,” Ensign, Mar 2013, 15. 

Adversity and Resilience

 “We know two things about adversity and resilience: First, there is “an opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11). Second, obtaining anything of great worth often requires great sacrifice.

“As children become resilient, they understand and accept these two facts. They see life as challenging and ever changing, but they believe they can cope with those challenges and changes. They view mistakes and weaknesses as opportunities to learn, and they accept that losing may precede winning.

“As children develop resilience, they believe they can influence and even control outcomes in their lives through effort, imagination, knowledge, and skill. With this attitude, they focus on what they can do rather than on what is outside their control.

“Another mark of resilience is to see great purpose and meaning in life and people. A sense of purpose will help our children avoid giving up, in spite of setbacks and pressure to do so.”

Lyle J. Burrup, “Raising Resilient Children,” Ensign, Mar 2013, 13. 

Problems with Missionaries

“When an intelligent, talented missionary with no history of emotional problems struggled, priesthood leaders and others often wondered why. In many cases, the missionary just hadn’t learned how to deal with challenges well. Parents can help their children avoid such problems by teaching principles that foster greater resilience.”

Lyle J. Burrup, “Raising Resilient Children,” Ensign, Mar 2013, 13. 

Prophetic Promise

“The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and remove the burden of our sins. His atonement allows us to leave the past behind and move forward with clean hands, a pure heart, and a determination to do better and especially to become better.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Of Regrets and Resolutions,” Ensign, Nov. 2012, 24.

Find Joy in the Journey

 “Sometimes in life we become so focused on the finish line that we fail to find joy in the journey. I don’t go cycling with my wife because I’m excited about finishing. I go because the experience of being with her is sweet and enjoyable.

“Doesn’t it seem foolish to spoil sweet and joyful experiences because we are constantly anticipating the moment when they will end?

“Do we listen to beautiful music waiting for the final note to fade before we allow ourselves to truly enjoy it? No. We listen and connect to the variations or melody, rhythm, and harmony throughout the composition.

“Do we say our prayers with only the “amen” or the end in mind? Of course not. We pray to be close to our Heavenly Father, to receive His Spirit and feel His love.

“We shouldn’t wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover that happiness was already available—all the time! Life is not meant to be appreciated only in retrospect. “This is the day which the Lord hath made. . . ,” the Psalmist wrote. “Rejoice and be glad in it.” [Psalm 118:24.]

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Of Regrets and Resolutions,” Ensign, Nov. 2012, 23-24. 

Relief Society Saves Souls

Eliza R. Snow, second Relief Society general president, gratefully acknowledged the efforts of sisters in Ogden, Utah, USA, to strengthen one another. “I am well aware that a great deal is donated [in terms of service] that never reaches the [record] books,” she said.  But recognizing that a heavenly record is kept of the sisters’ work as they reach out to those whose hearts have grown cold, she said: “President Joseph Smith said this society was organized to save souls. . . . Another book is kept of your faith, your kindness, your good works, and words. . . . Nothing is lost.”

Ensign, Mar 2013, 7.