Mormon Musings

Years ago, Elder S. Dilworth Young of the Seventy taught me a lesson about reading the scriptures. A stake was struggling with tensions and difficulties among the members, and counsel needed to be given.   I asked President Young, “What should I say?”   He answered simply, “Tell them to read the scriptures.”   I asked, “Which scriptures?”   He said, “It really doesn’t matter. Tell them to open up the Book of Mormon , for instance, and begin to read. Soon the feeling of peace and inspiration will come, and a solution will present itself.”   President Boyd K. Packer, October 2013 General Conference   http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/the-key-to-spiritual-protection?lang=eng

...men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are free to chose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to chose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. 2 Nephi 2:27

I do not care very much what men say of me, provided that God approves of me. Sir Thomas More, A Letter to Erasmus, 1532

Like it or not, therefore, reality requires that we acknowledge our responsibility for our desires.   Brothers and sisters, which do we really desire: God's plans for us or Satan's [plans for us]?    Righteous desires need to be relentless, therefore, because, said President Brigham Young "the men and women to desire to obtain seats in the Celestial Kingdom will find that they must battle every day."   Therefore, true Christian Soldiers are more than mere weekend warriors.   Elder Neal A. Maxwell

"Whatever God commands is right,...although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire." Joseph Smith Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith

“If we will follow the advice and counsel that the Lord has given, our pathway will be one of happiness. It will be a pathway, perhaps not of ease and comfort always, but in the end it will terminate in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and glory, immortality and eternal lives will be our portion.”  ― George Albert Smith

On occasion, the biting of the tongue can be as important as the gift of tongues. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (Ensign, November 1990, p. 16)