Bless the Whole Human Race

 “A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 426).

Consistent and Persistent in Following the Prophet

Fear Not to Do Good

By President Henry B. Eyring

First Counselor in the First Presidency

 As we accept President Monson’s invitation to plant in our hearts a testimony of Jesus Christ, we gain the power, the desire, and the courage to go to the rescue of others without concern for our own needs....

The way to optimism as we go forward was given by the Lord: “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36). President Monson told us how to do that. We are to ponder and apply the Book of Mormon and the words of prophets. Pray always. Be believing. Serve the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. We are to pray with all the energy of our hearts for the gift of charity, the pure love of Christ (see Moroni 7:47–48). And above all, we are to be consistent and persistent in following prophetic counsel.

Creativity Fosters Gratitude

Our Campfire of Faith

By Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Elder Scott said painting helped him observe and create. He has written: “Attempt to be creative, even if the results are modest. … Creativity can engender a spirit of gratitude for life and for what the Lord has woven into your being. … If you choose wisely, it doesn’t have to absorb a lot of time.”

Richard G. Scott, Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy (2007), 162–63; quoted in Elder Richard G. Scott Art Exhibit: A Self-Guided Tour (pamphlet, 2010).

The Abundant Life

Believe, Love, Do

By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

When silent sorrows creep into the corners of our lives. When sadness saturates our days and casts deep shadows over our nights. When tragedy and injustice enter the world around us, including in the lives of those we love. When we journey through our own personal and lonely path of misfortune, and pain darkens our stillness and breaches our tranquility—we might be tempted to agree with Solomon that life is vain and devoid of meaning.

The good news is, there is hope. There is a solution to the emptiness, vanity, and Weltschmerz of life. There is a solution to even the deepest hopelessness and discouragement you might feel.

This hope is found in the transformative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and in the Savior’s redemptive power to heal us of our soul-sickness.

We achieve that abundant life not by focusing on our own needs or on our own achievements but by becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ—by following in His ways and engaging in His work. We find the abundant life by forgetting ourselves and engaging in the great cause of Christ....

#vacations and #sod

We seek to strengthen the Church as a place where we forgive one another. Where we resist the temptation to find fault, gossip, and bring others down. Where, instead of pointing out flaws, we lift up and help each other to become the best we can be.

Repentance is a Key Part of Obedience

A Still, Small Voice among Big Decisions

By M. Joseph Brough

Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency

From a devotional address, “Heeding the Voice of the Lord,” delivered at Brigham Young University–Idaho on October 17, 2017.

“Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles.”

I do not completely understand what exact obedience means, but here is what I have come to understand. It does not mean that we are perfectly obedient right now in all things, although we can be perfect in obeying many of the Lord’s commandments. Hence, repentance must be a key part of exact obedience. Exact obedience requires a commitment to all the warnings and promptings and commandments Heavenly Father gives us.

Thoughts About the new Come Follow Me 2019

Making Your Life a Soul-Stirring Journey of Personal Growth

By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Also, Church research in the United States has found that children and youth in Latter-day Saint families who have daily family prayer, family scripture study at least several times a week, and weekly family home evening are about 20 percent more likely than others to attend church weekly, be endowed, or marry in the temple when they become adults....

The true measure of success will not be how smoothly the lesson went, how well we filled the time, how many compliments the teacher gets afterwards, or even how many class members participated. Success depends on what happens in the life of the learner....

All of this may mean that, if you are a teacher, what you see in one of our new teaching resources will be somewhat different from what you’re used to seeing in our old manuals. You may find less specific instruction about what to do and how to do it. That was by design, to urge you to pray for, watch for, and draw on your own experiences and your own inspiration, as well as that of the people you teach....

So let’s assume the course of study is the New Testament and I’m the Sunday School teacher. I don’t necessarily come to class with a quiver full of factoids about the setting of Matthew 5, inspirational quotes from wise people regarding the Sermon on the Mount, and creative activities about how to be a peacemaker, all organized and timed to take us right up to five minutes before the hour. Instead, I study and live the principles in Matthew 5 just as I expect the learners to do. The only difference is that I might do it with more thought and prayer about each of my class members and how these principles might be meaningful to them. Then, in class, under the influence of the Spirit, I encourage them to edify and support one another in their strivings to study and live by Matthew 5. I help them see connections between their lives and the precious doctrine in the scriptures. Above all, I pray for inspiration in the moment to turn a fact into faith, to turn a question into a quest...

If so, let me reassure you with two thoughts: (1) You are teaching people, not lessons, and you know the people better than any lesson manual possibly can. (2) Your personal efforts to learn and live the gospel are the best possible preparation to teach the gospel to others. Remember that the best way to invite the Spirit into our lives—and into our teaching—is to learn and live the gospel ourselves. The Spirit is the ultimate teacher in this Church, and fortunately, there is no limit to that influence.

Satan Discourages Childbearing

Truth and the Plan

By President Dallin H. Oaks

First Counselor in the First Presidency

[Satan] also seeks to confuse gender, to distort marriage, and to discourage childbearing—especially by parents who will raise children in truth.

What is Means to Take on the Name of Christ

All Must Take upon Them the Name Given of the Father

By Elder Paul B. Pieper

Of the Seventy

The Savior’s name has singular and essential power. ...

 By taking upon ourselves the name of Christ, we commit to take His teachings, His characteristics, and ultimately His love deep into our beings so that they become part of who we are. Thus the importance of President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to the young adults to “prayerfully and vigorously [seek] to understand what each of [the Savior’s] various titles and names means personally for [them]”9 and to feast on the words of Christ in the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon....

When we take upon us the name of Christ, we accept Him as our Savior and continually embrace His teachings as the guide for our lives. In every meaningful decision we make, we can take His gospel to be true and obediently live it with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength....

When we take upon ourselves the name of Christ, we take upon us the responsibilities of a true disciple, we advocate His cause, and we “stand as witnesses of [Him] at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in.”.....

In the process of taking the Savior’s name upon us, we must understand that the cause of Christ and of His Church are one and the same. They cannot be separated. Similarly, our personal discipleship to the Savior and active membership in His Church are also inseparable. If we falter in our commitment to one, our commitment to the other will be diminished, as surely as night follows day.....

 Just as we take His name upon us, He takes our sins and sorrows upon Him, and yet His “arm of mercy is extended”17 to encircle us in the arms of His love....

And when we find ourselves weak and incapable to act on our righteous desires, we will plead for the strength that comes only through His name, and He will come to our aid.

Pure Love

Pure Love: The True Sign of Every True Disciple of Jesus Christ

By Elder Massimo De Feo

Of the Seventy

True disciples love to serve. They know that serving is an expression of true love and a covenant they made at baptism.3 Regardless of their callings in the Church or their role in the community, they feel an increasing desire to love and serve the Lord and one another.

True disciples love to forgive. They know that the Atonement of the Savior covers all sins and mistakes of each one of us. They know that the price He paid is an “all-inclusive price.” Spiritual taxes, fees, commissions, and charges related to sins, mistakes, or wrongdoings are all covered. True disciples are quick to forgive and quick to ask for forgiveness.

My dear brothers and sisters, if you are struggling to find the strength to forgive, don’t think of what others have done to you, but think of what the Savior has done for you, and you will find peace in the redemptive blessings of His Atonement....

Pure love is the true sign of every true disciple of Jesus Christ....

President Thomas S. Monson said: “As we arise each morning, let us determine to respond with love and kindness to whatever might come our way.”

#aang pray for her, buy from baby registry

King David's Fall

• OCTOBER 2018
• WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM KING DAVID’S FALL

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What We Can Learn from King David’s Fall

By Frank F. Judd Jr.

Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University

The story of David and Bathsheba begins with the Israelite army fighting a battle against the Ammonites at Rabbath-Ammon, modern-day Amman, Jordan. But the account adds what turns out to be an ominous detail: it was the time of year “when kings go forth to battle … but David tarried still at Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 11:1). Kings were expected to lead their armies into battle, but David decided to stay home instead.

Elder Hartman Rector Jr. of the Seventy encouraged Church members to “be where you should be when you should be there.”3Whether it is attending Church meetings, helping with a service project, or magnifying callings, we should always fulfill our covenant responsibility to be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right things. Being “anxiously engaged in a good cause” (D&C 58:27) can safeguard us against many temptations, because, as President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) taught, “idleness leads to evil.”...

However, as President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, taught, David “allowed himself to look upon something he should not have viewed.”5 Another pivotal mistake was that when David found out Bathsheba was married, he did not let the issue go. The king knew Jehovah had commanded Israel to honor marital vows with complete fidelity (see Exodus 20:14, 17), yet “David sent messengers, and took her” (2 Samuel 11:4).....

Yet in the face of temptation, David gave in to lustful desire. Modern revelation again teaches us that “he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:23). The loss of the companionship of the Spirit certainly hindered David’s ability to choose wisely.

Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the Seventy observed that David “somehow developed too much confidence in his own ability to handle temptation. He was tragically willing to flirt with evil, and it ultimately destroyed him.”....

As President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) counseled: “The time to protect against the calamity is when the thought begins to shape itself. Destroy the seed and the plant will never grow.”...

The loss of the companionship of the Spirit as well as of his priesthood authority continued to erode the king’s capacity to make righteous decisions. It was while in this diminished spiritual state that David arranged for the murder of Uriah....

David’s downfall was not determined by one fatal mistake but rather a series of increasingly unwise and selfish decisions. It is important to remember that at any time during this devastating progression, David could have chosen to humble himself and seek repentance. Tragically, however, David admitted his guilt only after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan (see 2 Samuel 12:13).....

One of the central lessons for us from the story of David and Bathsheba is the importance of the Holy Ghost and its role in helping us make good choices. Nephi taught that if you “receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:5), thus helping us to be in the right place at the right time to avoid temptation. By extension, the Holy Ghost can also show us what we should not do, giving us courage to flee temptation when we are confronted by it.....

 In our own lives, it is critical that we live worthy of the companionship of the Spirit so that this precious gift may help us navigate the difficult roads of life.

Teaching the Gospel with the Earnestness it Demands

“I feel sometimes that we do not sufficiently sense the importance of [the gospel], that we do not teach it with the earnestness it demands.”

Teachings: George Albert Smith, 150.

The Spirit of God

President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901), First Counselor in the First Presidency, stated: “Whenever darkness fills our minds, we may know that we are not possessed of the Spirit of God. … When we are filled with the Spirit of God, we are filled with joy, with peace and with happiness no matter what our circumstances may be; for it is a spirit of cheerfulness and of happiness.”

Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of George Q. Cannon, sel. Jerreld L. Newquist (1987), 17.

Improve Relationships

Jesus Christ gives us a perfect example of how to connect with others. “His communication with others radiated love, care, and concern. He spoke gently and loved purely. … He listened attentively and demonstrated charity. Likewise, if we want our relationships to improve, we must learn to speak in positive ways that edify and build those around us.”

Mark Ogletree, “Speak, Listen, and Love,” Ensign, Feb. 2014, 17.

#aang

Give Our All to the Lord

Sisters, are we giving our all to the Lord without reservation? Are we sacrificing of our time and talents so the rising generation can learn to love the Lord and keep His commandments? Are we ministering both to those around us and to those we are assigned with care and with diligence—sacrificing time and energy that could be used in other ways? Are we living the two great commandments—to love God and to love His children?5 Often that love is manifest as service.

The Joy of Unselfish Service

By Cristina B. Franco

Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

Happiness Doesn't Come Through World Travel

Family: The Fountain of Happiness

By Elder Erich W. Kopischke

Of the Seventy

From a devotional address, “What Do You Envision in Life?” delivered at Brigham Young University on December 2, 2014. For the full text, visit speeches.byu.edu.

Mar 2018 Ensign pg 58

Nothing has provided more happiness and satisfaction in our lives than the joy we have found in one another and in our posterity. Once we understood that these are just the beginnings of our eternal progression and therefore only the very first levels of our joy and happiness, we were—and are—willing to sacrifice all we have to live the doctrine of the family and to see our vision fully realized.

I invite you to ponder this doctrine and to come to know for yourself what really matters most. This type of happiness is at the heart of our existence. And the happiness that stems from congenial relationships among husband, wife, and children always grows.

I invite you to set personal goals regarding your vision. In Preach My Gospel we read: “Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision of what we can accomplish. Through goals and plans, our hopes are transformed into action. Goal setting and planning are acts of faith.”

11 Day Journey in 40 Years

• MARCH 2018
• ISRAEL’S EXODUS AND DELIVERANCE—THEN AND NOW

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Israel’s Exodus and Deliverance—Then and Now

By Kerry Muhlestein

Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University

The book of Deuteronomy begins with a striking verse. In parentheses between verses 1 and 3, verse 2 reads, “(There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea)” (Deuteronomy 1:2). Because it is set within parentheses and because it seems to be relaying minutia, this verse is easily passed over. But, at closer examination, it can be one of the most thought-provoking verses in the Old Testament.

Identifying two of the sites in the verse makes this clearer. Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, and Kadesh-barnea is the place where Moses and the children of Israel camped as they sent men into the promised land as spies. Kadesh-barnea was on the border of the promised land, and it was intended that the children of Israel would go from there and inherit the land.

In other words, it took the children of Israel 40 years to travel the distance they could have traveled in 11 days.

Healing Blessings

Elder Dallin H. Oaks has taught: “Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a ‘healing’ cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are ‘healed’ by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.”

Dallin H. Oaks, “He Heals the Heavy Laden,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 7–8.

Turn to the Savior

Turn to the Lord

By Bishop W. Christopher Waddell

Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

In this mortal experience, we cannot control all that happens to us, but we have absolute control over how we respond to the changes in our lives...

In these latter days, the Lord has provided us with numerous resources, our “brazen serpents,” all of which are designed to help us look to Christ and place our trust in Him. Dealing with the challenges of life is not about ignoring reality but rather where we choose to focus and the foundation upon which we choose to build.

These resources include, but are not limited to:

• Regular study of the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets.
• Frequent, sincere prayer and fasting.
• Worthily partaking of the sacrament.
• Regular temple attendance.
• Priesthood blessings.
• Wise counseling through trained professionals.
• And even medication, when properly prescribed and used as authorized.

Whatever change in life’s circumstance may come our way, and whatever unexpected path we may have to travel, how we respond is a choice. Turning to the Savior and grasping His outstretched arm is always our best option.

What were you born to do?

Wendy Watson Nelson

"My dear brothers and sisters, it's time to stop comparing ourselves with others. It's time to put away those erroneous views of ourselves and others. The truth is that we are not as hopelessly flawed as we may think, and others are not are perfect as they may appear- all except, of course, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The only think that really matters is that you and I are doing exactly what we committed- even covenanted- premortally with our Heavenly Father we would do while we are here on earth. 

So, let me ask you are question: What were you born to do?"

Behold the Man!

By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Those who find a way to truly behold the Man find the doorway to life’s greatest joys and the balm to life’s most demanding despairs.

So, when you are encompassed by sorrows and grief, behold the Man.

When you feel lost or forgotten, behold the Man.

When you are despairing, deserted, doubting, damaged, or defeated, behold the Man.

He will comfort you.

He will heal you and give meaning to your journey. He will pour out His Spirit and fill your heart with exceeding joy....

As you accept His sacrifice, become His disciple, and finally reach the end of your earthly journey, what will become of the sorrows you have endured in this life?

They will be gone.

The disappointments, betrayals, persecutions you have faced?

Gone.

The suffering, heartache, guilt, shame, and anguish you have passed through?

Gone.

Forgotten.

Change Hearts and Minds on the Importance of Children

• MARCH 2018
• WHEN EVIL APPEARS GOOD AND GOOD APPEARS EVIL

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When Evil Appears Good and Good Appears Evil

By Elder Quentin L. Cook

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

From a devotional address, “A Banquet of Consequences: The Cumulative Result of All Choices,” given at Brigham Young University on February 7, 2017. For the full address, visit speeches.byu.edu.

Nevertheless, Lucifer has supported abortion and in a horrific paradigm shift has convinced many people that children represent lost opportunity and misery instead of joy and happiness.

As Latter-day Saints, we must be at the forefront of changing hearts and minds on the importance of children. The attacks on the family I just described ultimately result in grief and misery.

Fashionable, Sophisticated, and Fun? Nope

The statistics today with respect to cigarette smoking are not in dispute. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Smoking is estimated to increase the risk of lung cancer by 25 times.6

So what the adversary portrayed as fashionable, sophisticated, and fun has in fact resulted in misery and untimely death for millions of people.

Alcohol is another example. Over many years I have followed a research project that commenced in the 1940s. Initially, 268 men attending Harvard University were periodically studied over their entire lives. Later, others, including women, became part of the study. The goal of the original study was to find out about success and happiness.

This study contains three significant insights. First, adult happiness has a high correlation with childhood familyhappiness, especially love and affection from parents.7Second is the importance of a healthy, stable marriage to lifelong happiness.8 Third is the negative effect of alcohol on marital and lifetime success and happiness. Alcohol abuse touches one-third of families in the United States and is involved in one-fourth of hospital admissions. It plays a major role in death, bad health, and diminished accomplishment.9

A recent Washington Post front-page article based on U.S. federal health data reported that “women in America are drinking far more, and far more frequently, than their mothers or grandmothers did, and alcohol consumption is killing them in record numbers.” The article concluded that “the current and emerging science does not support the purported benefits of moderate drinking” and that “the risk of death from cancer appears to go up with any level of alcohol consumption.”

• MARCH 2018
• WHEN EVIL APPEARS GOOD AND GOOD APPEARS EVIL

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When Evil Appears Good and Good Appears Evil

By Elder Quentin L. Cook

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

From a devotional address, “A Banquet of Consequences: The Cumulative Result of All Choices,” given at Brigham Young University on February 7, 2017. For the full address, visit speeches.byu.edu.