Doesn't Know Thoughts

Another significant limitation is that Satan does not know our thoughts unless we tell him. The Lord explained, “There is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart” (D&C 6:16).

Perhaps this is why the Lord has given us commandments such as “Do not murmur” (D&C 9:6) and “Thou shalt not speak evil of thy neighbor” (D&C 42:27). If you can learn to bridle your tongue (see James 1:26), you won’t end up giving too much information to the devil. When he hears murmuring, complaining, and criticizing, he takes careful notes. Your negative words expose your weaknesses to the enemy.

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• APRIL 2017

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The War Goes On

By Elder Larry R. Lawrence

Of the Seventy

Contention

The devil has learned from centuries of experience that where there is contention, the Spirit of the Lord will depart. Ever since he convinced Cain to kill Abel, Satan has influenced siblings to quarrel. He also stirs up problems in marriages, among ward members, and between missionary companions. He delights in seeing good people argue. He tries to start family arguments right before church on Sunday, right before family home evening on Monday night, and whenever a couple plans to attend a temple session. His timing is predictable.

When there is contention in your home or workplace, immediately stop whatever you are doing and seek to make peace. It doesn’t matter who started it.

Contention often begins with faultfinding. Joseph Smith taught that “the devil flatters us that we are very righteous, when we are feeding on the faults of others.”6 When you think about it, self-righteousness is just a counterfeit for real righteousness.

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The War Goes On

By Elder Larry R. Lawrence

Of the Seventy

Temptation

The devil is brazen when it comes to putting wicked ideas into our minds. The Book of Mormon teaches that Satan whispers unclean and unkind thoughts and sows thoughts of doubt. He nags us to act on addictive urges and to entertain selfishness and greed. He doesn’t want us to recognize where these ideas are coming from, so he whispers, “I am no devil, for there is none” (2 Nephi 28:22).

How can we resist this direct temptation? One of the most effective tools is to simply send Satan away. That’s what Jesus would do.

The New Testament account of the Savior on the mount of temptations is instructive. After each temptation the devil presented to Him, Jesus used a two-step defensive technique: first, He ordered Satan to leave; then He quoted scripture.

Let me give you an example: “Get thee hence, Satan,” commanded Jesus, “for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). The next verse records, “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him” (Matthew 4:11). The Savior’s defense was very effective!

The biography of President Heber J. Grant (1856–1945) gives insight into how President Grant, as a young man, resisted the devil. When President Grant recognized that Satan was whispering to him, trying to plant doubts in his heart, he simply said out loud, “Mr. Devil, shut up.”4

You have the right to tell Satan to leave when you are confronted with temptation. The scriptures teach, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

The other part of the Savior’s defense was to quote scripture. There is great power in memorizing scripture, as Jesus did. Scriptural verses can become an arsenal of spiritual ammunition.

When you are tempted, you can recite commandments such as “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy,” “Love your enemies,” or “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly” (Exodus 20:8; Luke 6:27; D&C 121:45). Scripture power not only intimidates Satan, but it also brings the Spirit into your heart, reassures you, and fortifies you against temptation.

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The War Goes On

By Elder Larry R. Lawrence

Of the Seventy

Give More of Yourself

"May I suggest that we give more of ourselves... It might be something as simple as smiling more on your home. What would you think of speaking more cheerfully? Try more often to say please and thank you? What would you think of finding an opportunity for one sincere compliment for each person each day, then watching them respond? What if you decided to be more cheerful at the dinner table, and in spite of what others might do or say, hold to your course. See how long you can uplift your whole family."

H. Burke Peterson

Body of Deity

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has put it this way: “If having a body is not only not needed but not desirable by Deity, why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem His body, redeeming it from the grasp of death and the grave, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from His spirit in time or eternity? Any who dismiss the concept of an embodied God dismiss both the mortal and the resurrected Christ.”

Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent,” Ensign, Nov. 2007, 42.

No Young Woman Should Be Judged For Not Serving a Mission

No Young Woman Should Be Judged for Not Serving a Mission

“President Monson never intended for all of the young women in the Church to go on missions by dropping [the] age [to 19]. We’re very grateful for those who go. It’s changed the face of the Church. … But we do not want anyone feeling inadequate or left out or undignified or tarnished because she did not choose to serve a mission. And we’re a little irritated with young men who say, ‘Well, I’m not going to date you because you didn’t serve a mission.’ … We do not want that kind of climate over dating or marriages. … It isn’t our place to pass a judgment.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Face to Face broadcast, Mar. 8, 2016, facetoface.lds.org.

The Promise of Protection

Let’s read in Ezekiel chapter 47:

“Afterward he [an angel] brought me [Ezekiel] again unto the door of the house [of the Lord]; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

“Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

“And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.

“Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.

“Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. …

“Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

“And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh” (Ezekiel 47:1–5, 8–9).

Ezekiel sees a river that increases as it flows from the house. The water that is moving forth from the temple represents blessings that flow from the temples to heal families and give them life....

ELDER RENLUND: I feel grateful to add my testimony to theirs—to be one more apostolic voice in support of this temple challenge. I extend the promise of protection that has been offered in the past. Brothers and sisters, I promise protection for you and your family as you take this challenge to find as many names to take to the temple as ordinances you perform in the temple and to teach others to do the same.

If you accept this challenge, blessings will begin to flow to you and your family like the power of the river spoken of by Ezekiel. And the river will grow as you continue to perform this work and teach others to do the same. You will find not only protection from the temptation and ills of the world, but you will also find personal power—power to change, power to repent, power to learn, power to be sanctified, and power to turn the hearts of your family members to each other and heal that which needs healing.

• FEBRUARY 2017
• FAMILY HISTORY AND TEMPLE BLESSINGS

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Family History and Temple Blessings

By Elder Dale G. Renlund

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

And by Ruth L. Renlund and Ashley R. Renlund

From a presentation at the RootsTech 2016 Family History Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, on February 6, 2016. To watch a recording of the presentation, visit lds.org/go/217Renlund.