Mormon Musings

When the Latter-day Saints make up their minds to endure, for the Kingdom of God's sake, whatsoever shall come, whether poverty or riches, whether sickness or to be driven by mobs, they will say it is all right, and will honor the hand of the Lord in it, and in all things, and serve Him to the end of their lives, according to the best of their ability...If you have not made up your minds for this, the quicker you do so the better. Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:338

On 28 July 1847, four days after his arrival in that valley, Brigham Young stood upon the spot where now rises the magnificent Salt Lake Temple and exclaimed to his companions: "Here [we will build] the Temple of our God!" (James H. Anderson, "The Salt Lake Temple,"  Contributor  [The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations of Zion], no. 6, April 1893, p. 243). Its grounds would cover an eighth of a square mile, and it would be built to stand through eternity. Who cares about the money or stone or timber or glass or gold they don't have? So what that seeds are not even planted and the Saints are yet without homes? Why worry that crickets will soon be coming--and so will the United States Army? They just marched forth and broke ground for the most massive, permanent, inspiring edifice they could conceive. And they would spend forty years of their lives trying to complete it. The work seemed ill-fated from the start. The excavation for the basement

http://lds.org/ensign/2007/12/jesus-of-nazareth-savior-and-king?lang=eng

God's ways of educating our desires are, of course, always the most perfect...And what are God's ways?  Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting.  We want things a long time before we get them, and the fact that we wanted them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come.  In nature we have our seedtime and harvest; and if children were taught that the desires that they sow may be reaped by and by through patience and labor, they will learn to appreciate whenever a long-looked-for goal has been reached.  Nature resists us and keeps admonishing us to wait; indeed, we are compelled to wait. President Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine  pp. 297-298

Let me now address the question of why the spiritual gift of being quick to observe is so vital for us in the world in which we do now and will yet live. Simply stated, being quick to observe is an antecedent to and is linked with the spiritual gift of discernment. And for you and for me, discernment is a light of protection and direction in a world that grows increasingly dark. Much like faith precedes the miracle, much like baptism by water comes before the baptism by fire, much like gospel milk should be digested before gospel meat, much like clean hands can lead to a pure heart, and much like the ordinances of the Aaronic Priesthood are necessary before a person can receive the higher ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, so being quick to observe is a prerequisite to and a preparation for the gift of discernment. We can only hope to obtain that supernal gift of discernment and its light of protection and direction if we are quick to observe—if we both look and obey. Presiden

When we reach a point of consecration, our afflictions will be swallowed up in the joy of Christ.  It does not mean we won't have afflictions, but they will be put in perspective that permits us to deal with them. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Brim With Joy" (BYU Devotional, January 23, 1996)

Within each of our circles of friendship there lie so many unused opportunities to love, to serve, and to be taught.  Indeed, one could apply the scriptural phrase about there being "enough and to spare" (D&C 104:17).  None of us ever fully utilizes the people--opportunities allocated to us within our circles of friendship.  You and I may call these intersecting "coincidence."  This word is understandable for mortals to use, but coincidence is not an appropriate word to describe the workings of an omniscient God.  He does not do things by "coincidence," but instead by "divine design".   Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Brim With Joy" (BYU Devotional January 23, 1996)