Mormon Musings

"The purpose of mortality is to learn and to grow to be more like our Father, and it is often during the difficult times that we learn the most, as painful as the lessons may be." -Thomas S. Monson, "God Be with You Till We Meet Again", Ensign, November 2012

We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.  Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you are becoming...Righteous character is more valuable than any material object you own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you have attained. Elder Richard G. Scott, Ensign, November 2010, page 43

History with its flickering lamps stumbles along the trail of the past, trying to reconstruct its scenes, to revive its echoes, and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days...The only guide to a man is his conscience; the only shield to his memory is rectitude and sincerity of his actions.  It is very imprudent to walk through life without this shield, because we are so often mocked by the failure of our hopes and the upsetting of our calculations; but with this shield, however the fates may play, we march always in the ranks of honor. Winston Churchill

There is no liberty that men enjoy or pretend to enjoy in the world that is not founded in the will and in the law of God, and that does not have truth for its underlying principle and foundation.  It is error that makes bondsmen.  It is untruth that degrades mankind.  It is error and lack of knowledge of God's laws and God's will that leaves men in the world on a par with the brute creation. Joseph F. Smith

“What was learned from the First Vision?” The existence of God our Father as a personal being, and proof that man was made in the image of God. That Jesus is a personage, separate and distinct from the Father. That Jesus Christ is declared by the Father to be his Son. That Jesus was the conveyer of revelation as taught in the Bible. The promise of James to ask of God for wisdom was fulfilled. The reality of an actual being from an unseen world who tried to destroy Joseph Smith. That there was a falling away from the Church established by Jesus Christ–Joseph was told not to join any of the sects, for they taught the doctrines of men. Joseph Smith became a witness for God and his Son, Jesus Christ.” President James E. Faust -in Conference Report, Apr. 1984, 92-93;  Ensign,  May 1984, 68

Can we appreciate this and realize our position? Can we really appreciate our blessings? Do we really feel as we ought to in relation to these matters? Why, we begin to experience, in part, the riches of eternity. They begin to be unfolded before we can fully appreciate them. We are favored at the present time, but we cannot comprehend our blessings fully: we can only see in part, comprehend in part, and shall not fully comprehend until the fulness of the blessings of God shall be revealed; then we shall be able to appreciate our position, our relationship to God, and the great blessings we enjoy, as servants of the Most High. We are only little children now. This is the way I feel. I feel as a little child, and I pray to God, O God, expand my mind that I may understand and comprehend the things of God, and not act the fool, but be a wise man, and be able to comprehend the blessings that are around me. John Taylor 5:264

"We are challenged to move through a process of conversion toward that status and condition called eternal life.  This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the right reason–for the pure love of Christ.  The Apostle Paul illustrated this in his famous teaching about the importance of charity.  The reason charity never fails and the reason charity is greater than even the most significant acts of goodness he cited is that charity, ‘the pure love of Christ,’ is no an  act  but a  condition  or state of being.  Charity is attained through a succession of acts that result in a conversion.  Charity is something one becomes.  Thus, as Moroni declared, ‘except men shall  have  charity they cannot inherit’ the place prepared for them in the mansions of the Father." Elder Dallin H. Oaks, October 2000 General Conference - Ensign , Nov. 2000, 32-34