Instructive Moments

Resolve to follow the Savior

2013-01-01T12:05:00.001-07:00

"Let us resolve to follow the Savior and work with diligence to become the person we were designed to become. Let us listen to and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we do so, Heavenly Father will reveal to us things we never knew about ourselves. He will illuminate the path ahead and open our eyes to see our unknown and perhaps unimagined talents. The more we devote ourselves to the pursuit of holiness and happiness, the less likely we will be on a path to regrets. The more we rely on the Savior’s grace, the more we will feel that we are on the track our Father in Heaven has intended for us."

--President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Of Regrets and Resolutions", November 2012 Ensign

an anchor

2012-12-26T14:40:00.001-07:00

"Hope is the anchor of our souls. I know of no one who is not in need of hope—young or old, strong or weak, rich or poor. As the prophet Ether exhorted, “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

--JAMES E. FAUST, "Hope, an Anchor of the Soul", OCTOBER 1999 Ensign

Christmas is love

2012-12-20T13:15:00.002-07:00

"Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values. It is peace because we have found peace in the Savior’s teachings. It is the time we realize most deeply that the more love is expended, the more there is of it for others."

—Thomas S. Monson, "Christmas Is Love", 2012 First Presidency Christmas Devotional, December 2012

You are cherished

2012-12-13T17:17:00.002-07:00

"In whatever country you live, however young or inadequate you feel, or however aged or limited you see yourself as being, I testify you are individually loved of God, you are central to the meaning of His work, and you are cherished and prayed for by the presiding officers of His Church. The personal value, the sacred splendor of every one of you, is the very reason there is a plan for salvation and exaltation."

--Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "Because of Your Faith", October 2010 General Conference

Our efforts are enough

2012-12-10T19:22:00.003-07:00

I do not think it pleases the Lord when we worry because we think we never do enough or that what we do is never good enough. (President Boyd K Packer, Gen Conf Oct 2004, "The Least of These")

Give thanks daily

2012-11-20T17:47:00.001-07:00

"In reality, there aren’t many things in a day that are totally without significance. Even the mundane and repetitious can be tiny but significant building blocks that in time establish the discipline and character and order needed to realize our plans and dreams. Therefore, as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against. As you retire to bed, think about the successes and failures of the day and what will make the next day a little better. And thank your Heavenly Father for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day."

—D. Todd Christofferson, "Recognizing God's Hands in Our Daily Blessings", Liahona and Ensign, January 2012
Topics: Heavenly Father, Blessings

Prayer

2012-11-14T20:28:00.001-07:00

"Not a day has gone by that I have not communicated with my Father in Heaven through prayer. It is a relationship I cherish—one I would literally be lost without. If you do not now have such a relationship with your Father in Heaven, I urge you to work toward that goal. As you do so, you will be entitled to His inspiration and guidance in your life."

—Thomas S. Monson, "Stand in Holy Places", Liahona and Ensign, November 2011

This is the day...

2012-11-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

"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.' Brothers and sisters, no matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it."

--President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Of Regrets and Resolutions", November 2012 Ensign

We are all imperfect

2012-11-10T20:16:00.001-07:00

"We must recognize that we are all imperfect—that we are beggars before God. Haven’t we all, at one time or another, meekly approached the mercy seat and pleaded for grace? Haven’t we wished with all the energy of our souls for mercy—to be forgiven for the mistakes we have made and the sins we have committed? Because we all depend on the mercy of God, how can we deny to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves?"

--DIETER F. UCHTDORF, "The Merciful Obtain Mercy", April 2012 Ensign

Labor tirelessly

2012-10-27T12:49:00.003-06:00

How different the world would be if there were not those greatest and most beloved of men, our prophets and apostles... who labor tirelessly and without ceasing in our behalf. Those glorious holders of the priesthood have put behind themselves all personal agendas,... all worldly titles and vestments, and have subjugated themselves totally to the priesthood. They epitomize through their service the Savior's admonition that the greatest shall be servant to the least. (Beverly Campbell, Eve and the Choice Made in Eden, 2003, p 144)

The Monument

2012-10-24T12:14:00.001-06:00

The Monument
God, before He sent His children to earth gave each of them a very carefully selected package of problems.
These, He promised, smiling, are yours alone. No one else may have the blessings these problems will bring you.
And only you have the special talents and abilities that will be needed to make these problems your servants.
Now go down to your birth and to your forgetfulness. Know that I love you beyond measure. These problems that I give you are a symbol of that love.
The monuments you make of your life with the help of your problems will be a symbol of your love for me, your Father.
--Blaine M Yorgason

How did God bless me today?

2012-10-17T12:03:00.001-06:00

As you start to write you could ask yourself, "How did God bless me today?" If you do that long enough, and with faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes, you will have gifts brought to your mind which you failed to notice during the day, but which you will then know were a touch of God's hand in your life. (Henry B. Eyring, "Remembrance and Gratitude", Ensign, Nov 1989, 13)

Defeat or Victory?

2012-10-12T19:53:00.002-06:00

"We can talk ourselves into defeat. We can talk ourselves into victory." (President Gordon B Hinckley, March 6, 1994, BYU Fireside address.)

The very thought of Thee

2012-09-24T20:43:00.004-06:00

Jesus, the very thought of Thee fills my heart with inexpressible joy. It controls every part of my being. My life, my loves, my ambitions are molded, enlivened, and given purpose because I know that Thou art the Christ, the Holy One. (Keith B McMullin, "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," Ensign, May 2004, 3)

Procrastination

2012-09-18T21:10:00.002-06:00

Procrastination is the father of a countless family of things that come too late. Procrastination means making an appointment with opportunity to "call again tomorrow." It kills self-control, saps mental energy, makes man a creature of circumstances instead of their creator. There is one brand of procrastination that is a virtue. It is never doing today a wrong that can be put off till tomorrow, never performing an act today that may make tomorrow ashamed. (William George Jordan, "The Power of Truth", Improvement Era, May 1934, 273)

Satan has declared war on mothers

2012-09-11T11:41:00.002-06:00

"For Satan has declared war on motherhood. He knows that those who rock the cradle can rock his earthly empire. And he knows that without righteous mothers loving and leading the next generation, the kingdom of God will fail."

--Sheri L. Dew, "Are We Not All Mothers?", September 2001 Church News

Open the window of inspiration

2012-09-10T12:58:00.000-06:00

Asking for a testimony of truth opens the window of inspiration. Prayer is the most common and powerful way to invite inspiration. Merely asking a question, even in our minds, will start to open the windows. The scriptures teach, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (Luke 11:9)" -Elder Allan F. Packer, "Finding Strength in Challenging Times!," General Conference, Ensign, May 2009

Walk Confidently

2012-08-28T15:01:00.002-06:00

I testify that by the Spirit of Christ and by the Holy Ghost, you may walk confidently in whatever difficulties will come. Because you are so valuable, some of your trials may be severe. You need never be discouraged or afraid. The way through difficulties has always been prepared for you, and you will find it if you exercise faith. (Pres. Henry B Eyring, General Young Women's Meeting, March 29 2008)

God never leaves us alone

2012-08-18T16:16:00.001-06:00

I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. "Nor will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man (or woman or child) upon the face of thereof to be saved. (Moroni 7:36)" -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Ministry of Angels," Ensign, Nov 08, p 31

to be full of love

2012-08-11T18:12:00.000-06:00

Alma instructed his brethren to humble themselves before the Lord, to pray continually about temptation, and be led by the Holy Spirit. And if they did these three things, they would become "humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering" (Alma 13:28). In sum, basically, Alma instructs us to humble ourselves, to pray and then to listen as we are led by the Holy Spirit. Following these three steps will assist us in acquiring the ability to become full of love. (Paul R. Cheesman, ed, The Book of Mormon: The Keystone Scripture, 1988, 153)

Seedlings of God

2012-08-10T20:38:00.002-06:00

As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven. (Russel M. Nelson, Perfection Pending and Other Favorite Discourses, 1998, p. 137)

Show me how to help

2012-07-26T12:27:00.001-06:00

I heard a man of prominence say the other day, "I have amended the language of my prayers. Instead of saying, 'Bless the poor and the sick and the needy,' I now say, 'Father, show me how to help the poor and the sick and the needy, and give me resolution to do so.'" (Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 1997, 458)

God teaches us with his blessings

2012-07-25T20:57:00.004-06:00

How can you and I remember, always, the goodness of God, that we can retain a remission of our sins?... The Holy Ghost brings back memories of what God has taught us. And one of the ways God teaches us is with his blessings; and so, if we choose to exercise faith, the Holy Ghost will bring God's kindness to our remembrance. (Henry B. Eyring, To Draw Closer to God: A Collection of Discourses, 1997, 77-78)

Why do we need prophets?

2012-07-23T19:44:00.001-06:00

"Today is not different from ages past. The Lord does not love the people of our day any less than in past times. One of the glorious messages of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ is that God continues to speak to His children! He is not hidden in the heavens but speaks today as He did in ancient days."

—Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Why Do We Need Prophets?", Liahona and Ensign, March 2012
Topics: Prophets

Freedom must be carefully chosen

2012-07-21T16:20:00.002-06:00

"Now listen to me, people for this is the key—evil can be twisted into virtue if you phrase it just right. Any vice is acceptable if you cloak it as an issue of freedom. Any immorality is worth fighting for if you tell them they are fighting for choice, if you wrap it in the mantle of privacy and freedom. So take their moral agency and turn it on them. But be patient… be patient… it takes time to turn the truth upside down." Prologue: The Brothers, Chris Stewart, page 101, 2003