Know Christ Better

 

The Answer Is Jesus

By Elder Ryan K. Olsen

Of the Seventy

While I was serving as a missionary in Argentina, President Howard W. Hunter invited us to do something that had a profound effect on my life. He said, “We must know Christ better than we know him; we must remember him more often than we remember him; we must serve him more valiantly than we serve him.”

Be More Willing Every "One More Day" to...

 “Mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. … Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. … Speak your love and then speak it again” 

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Howard W. Hunter [2015], 32; adapted from “What We Think Christmas Is,” McCall’s, Dec. 1959, 82–83).

Be Faithful

Be Faithful

“Be faithful in your marriage covenants in thought, word, and deed. Pornography, flirtations, and unwholesome fantasies erode one’s character and strike at the foundation of a happy marriage. Unity and trust within a marriage are thereby destroyed. One who does not control his thoughts and thus commits adultery in his heart, if he does not repent, shall not have the Spirit, but shall deny the faith and shall fear (see D&C 42:23; 63:16).”

President Howard W. Hunter (1907–1995), “Being a Righteous Husband and Father,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 50.

Know the Doctrine

"To teach doctine with power and authority, we need to know the doctrine. The Savior told Joseph and Hyrum Smith that befre they sought to declare His word, they must first seek to obtain it Then they would have His Spirit and His word, "the power of God unto the convincing of men" (D&C 11:21). This kind of understanding "requires more than casual reading" as President Howard W. Hunter taught. It requires daily, concentrated study.

Howard W. Hunter, "Reading the Scriptures," Ensign, Nov. 1979, 64.

Definition of Success

Because we are being constantly exposed to the world’s definition of success and greatness, it is understandable that we might frequently find ourselves making comparisons between what we are and what others are, or seem to be, and also between what we have and what others have. Although it is true that making comparisons can be beneficial and may motivate us to accomplish much good and improve our lives, yet we often allow unfair and improper comparisons to destroy our happiness when they cause us to feel unfulfilled or inadequate or unsuccessful. Sometimes, because of these feelings, we are led into error, and we dwell on our failures while ignoring aspects of our lives that may contain elements of true greatness.

True Greatness

Howard W. Hunter

Nothing Can Ever Go Permanently Wrong

“If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and His restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. … If our lives are not centered on the Savior and His teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right.”

Howard W. Hunter, “Fear Not, Little Flock” (Brigham Young University devotional, Mar. 14, 1989), 2, speeches.byu.edu.

Because we are being constantly exposed to the world’s definition of success and greatness, it is understandable that we might frequently find ourselves making comparisons between what we are and what others are, or seem to be, and also between what we have and what others have. … We often allow unfair and improper comparisons to destroy our happiness when they cause us to feel unfulfilled or inadequate or unsuccessful. Sometimes, because of these feelings, we are led into error, and we dwell on our failures while ignoring aspects of our lives that may contain elements of true greatness. …

To those who are doing the commonplace work of the world but are wondering about the value of their accomplishments; to those who are the workhorses of this Church, who are furthering the work of the Lord in so many quiet but significant ways; to those who are the salt of the earth and the strength of the world and the backbone of each nation—to you we would simply express our admiration. If you endure to the end, and if you are valiant in the testimony of Jesus, you will achieve true greatness and will live in the presence of our Father in Heaven.

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True Greatness

By President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95)

Fourteenth President of the Church

From “True Greatness,” Ensign, May 1982, 19–20.

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Four Categories for Goals

We don’t know much about Christ’s early life, but we do know that He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). This implies at least four categories for potential self-improvement goals: mental, physical, spiritual, and social. President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) suggested that we become engaged in “the personal pursuit of hobbies or crafts, the seeking of knowledge and wisdom, particularly of the things of God, and the development and honing of skills.”

When deciding on categories and goals, include Heavenly Father in the process. Make it a serious matter of prayer to find out how you can best improve your life and what His will is for you. After all, Heavenly Father knows best what things are going to make your life the most meaningful and fulfilling it can be....

By accomplishing small daily, weekly, and monthly goals, you’ll find that not only will you become a better person, but you’ll feel the empowerment and fulfillment of having a milestone-achieving, self-improving, ever-flowing, and all-around more meaningful life.

Mindy Anne Selu

Howard W. Hunter, “The Church Is for All People,”Ensign, June 1989, 77.

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Show the Spirit of Christmas

This Christmas, as the spirit of the season permeates our hearts, let us do something that expresses our feelings in an outward way, showing that we understand that the babe born in Bethlehem is the real Redeemer. President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) gave some practical advice that helps us do that:

“This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express yourgratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.”

Gary E. Stevenson, "The Reality of Christmas," Ensign, Dec 2014, 25.

Nothing Can Ever Go Permanently Wrong, IF...

President Howard W. Hunter taught, “I am aware that life presents many challenges, but with the help of the Lord, we need not fear. If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong.”

The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, ed. Clyde J. Williams (1997), 40.

A Successful Parent

"A successful parent is one who has loved, one who has sacrificed, and one who has cared for, taught, and ministered to the needs of a child. If you have done all of these and your child is still wayward or troublesome or worldly, it could well be that you are, nevertheless, a successful parent."

Howard W. Hunter, "Parents' Concern for Children," Ensign, 1983, 65.

Peace for the Restless Soul

 “Indifference to the Savior or failure to keep the commandments of God brings about insecurity, inner turmoil, and contention. These are the opposite of peace. Peace can come to an individual only by an unconditional surrender—surrender to him who is the Prince of Peace, who has power to confer peace. One may live in beautiful and peaceful surroundings but, because of inner dissension and discord, be in a state of constant turmoil. On the other hand, one may be in the midst of utter destruction and the bloodshed of war and yet have the serenity of unspeakable peace. If we look to man and the ways of the world, we will find turmoil and confusion. If we will but turn to God, we will find peace for the restless soul.”

The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, ed. Clyde J. Williams (1997), 172. 

In the Strength of the Lord

“With faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to his gospel, a step at a time improving as we go, pleading for strength, improving our attributes and our ambitions, we will find ourselves successfully in the fold of the Good Shepherd. That will require discipline and training and exertion and strength. But as the Apostle Paul said, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Philippians 4:13).”

President Howard W. Hunter (1907-95), “Developing Spirituality,” Ensign, May 1979, 26.

Honesty: True Joy

“We often speak of that scriptural reference, ‘Man is that he might have joy’. There is a joy that comes to one from being honest. Let me tell you how. By this means you can have the companionship of the Master and you can have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. Violations of the code of honesty will deprive you of these two great blessings….if we would have the companionship of the Master and the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, we must be honest with ourselves, honest with God, and with our fellowmen. This results in true joy."

Howard W. Hunter