President Henry B. Eyring on confidence in the storms of life

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"Life will have its storms. We can and must have confidence. God our Heavenly Father has given us the right to know the truth. He has shown that the way to receive that truth is simple, so simple that a child can follow it. Once it is followed, more light comes from God to enlighten the understanding of His faithful spirit child. That light will become brighter even as the world darkens. The light that comes to us with truth will be brighter than the darkness that comes from sin and error around us. A foundation built on truth and illuminated by the light of God will free us from the fear that we might be overcome.

"I testify that God the Father lives. He knows us. We are His beloved children. His Son, Jesus Christ, is the Savior of the world. He came down into mortality, where we would have been forever lost without Him, to give us the incomprehensible gift of the Atonement. He went below all things so that we might be exalted if we choose to follow Him."

- Henry B. Eyring, "A Life Founded in Light and Truth," BYU devotional, 15 August 2000; see Ensign, July 2001, 13
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Church leaders often speak of the challenges or "storms" that confront us all in life. They will come; that is part of our mortal experience. But President Eyring testifies that light will push back the storms as we allow it to enter our lives:

Light comes to us as we receive and accept truth. Light is a growing, self-reinforcing principle: as we receive light, we become qualified or prepared for more light. It doesn't matter how dark the world is; each act of faith or obedience brightens our world and pushes back the darkness, and with it, "the fear that we might be overcome." Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we know that all storms in our life are temporary and will be overcome by the Light of Christ.

President Harold B. Lee on the blessing of daily scripture study

President Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1941. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1970-1972, then as Church president from July 1972 until his passing less than 18 months later in December 1973.

"Are you... continually increasing your testimony by diligent study of the scriptures? Do you have a daily habit of reading the scriptures? If we're not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner, our spirituality isn't increasing in depth. We, ourselves, must be studying the scriptures and have a daily habit."

- Harold B. Lee, Regional representatives seminar, 12 Dec. 1970; see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 66

As I have commented previously in talking about President Lee, he was one of the great scriptorians of our dispensation. He knew how to find answers to the challenges of life in that great resource, because he had become familiar with it through many years of careful personal study. And so that is the source of this advice; we must be studying the scriptures; and the greatest power and benefit come from consistent, daily study!

President David O. McKay on the power and blessing of family prayer

President David O. McKay (1873-1970) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1906.  He served as a counselor in the First Presidency to Heber J. Grant and George Albert Smith beginning in 1945, then then as the president of the Church from 1951 to his death in 1970 at age 96.

"Herein we get a glimpse of one thing in which this people may be the saviors, in a way, of this great nation. The home is the place where the perpetuation of the principles of liberty as well as the instructions in the gospel of Jesus Christ should be given to the children. When the home breaks up, the children begin to wander off into sin. Then the law must reach out to bring them back and try to teach them principles of service and of true government; but, oh, how helpless, how helpless the state when the home has failed!

"The inspiration of God is seen in requiring the Latter-day Saints to keep their homes intact and to teach their children the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.... The gospel of Jesus Christ should radiate in every home, that the prayer night and morning should be offered up in sincerity, that the children daily should realize that we desire in our home the presence of God. If we can invite the Savior there, we may know that the angels will be not only willing but also eager to protect our boys and girls.

"I believe that in most homes boys and girls are taught to pray before retiring for the night. I believe, however, that too generally, the morning prayers are neglected. When we come to think of it, though, it is during the waking hours that our boys and girls need the protection of God, and the guidance of his Holy Spirit, more even than when they are asleep. The dangers surrounding them today are the dangers that come to them out in society, out in the darkness of the night, when they are away from parental influence."

- David O. McKay, "Conserving Priceless Possessions," Improvement Era, October 1952, pp. 15-16
Click here to read the full article

President McKay's lament is tender: "oh, how helpless, how helpless the state when the home has failed!" Instead, he encouraged us to become "saviors" of the nation as we strengthen our homes, teaching principles of liberty as we allow the gospel to "radiate." I love this summary of how we can strengthen our home through family prayer, both night and morning:

The lessons we teach children by our actions and habits are more profound than we often recognize.

President McKay especially encouraged his listeners to take advantage of the blessings of morning prayer, inviting God's help with our families through the coming day. I've noticed in my life, and in those I've counseled with, that we do have the tendency he describes to forget or neglect the morning prayers. How eager we should be to invite God's help, guidance, and protection through the day.

Elder Neil L. Andersen on life's experiences and central purpose

Elder Neil L. Andersen (b. August 9, 1951) served as a Seventy beginning in 1993, and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2009.

"The power of the Savior and the power of the devil are not truly comparable. (See Moses 1:1-22.) On this planet, however, evil has been allowed a position of influence to give us the chance to choose between good and evil. The scripture says: 'God gave unto man that he should act for himself. [And] man could not act for himself... [unless] he was enticed by... one or the other' (2 Ne. 2:16).

"The choice between good and evil is at the very heart of our experience on earth. In the final review of our lives, it will not really matter if we were rich or poor, if we were athletic or not, if we had friends or were often forgotten.

"We can work, study, laugh and have fun, dance, sing, and enjoy many different experiences. These are a wonderful part of life, but they are not central to why we are here. The opportunity to choose good over evil is precisely why we are here. (See 2 Ne. 2:27.)

"Not one of us would say, 'I want to choose evil.' We all want to choose the right. However, the choice of good over evil is not always easy, because evil frequently lurks behind smiling eyes."

- Neil L. Andersen, "Beware of the Evil behind the Smiling Eyes," Ensign May 2005, pp. 46-47
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Andersen's analysis of the purposes of mortality gives us valuable insight into the nature of our life here. There is indeed much evil in the world, but the power of good always surpasses the power of evil, so we need not fear in the end.

The crucial choice of mortality, then, is that frequent and even constant battle between good and evil. The so-called "worldly achievements" of this experience matter nothing in comparison. We must learn to use our agency appropriately. The danger, Elder Andersen warns in this sermon, is how cleverly evil is often disguised, making that choice much more difficult.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on living with faith in God

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940 - 76 years ago today!) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. So a more theological way to talk about Lot's wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord's ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind....

"To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now; to be perennially dissatisfied with present circumstances and have only dismal views of the future; to miss the here-and-now-and-tomorrow because we are so trapped in the there-and-then-and-yesterday—these are some of the sins, if we may call them that, of ... Lot's wife."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Remember Lot's Wife," BYU Devotional, 13 January 2009
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

This is, for me, one of the most memorable of Elder Holland's many remarkable speeches. In addressing an assembly of BYU students, he spoke about what he identified as the second shortest verse in all the scriptures: "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32). He explained that in the original story in Genesis 19, when Lot's family is fleeing God's destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, his wife disobeyed the Lord's instruction to "look not behind thee;" but her greater problem was that in her heart, she wanted to be back in Sodom enjoying the pleasures of the city. At least one aspect of the sin she committed was to doubt that God could give her something better than what she had already experienced. A parallel danger is to focus too much on the trials and hardships, forgetting the promises of "good things to come."

Faith in God reminds us to look forward, not backward. It is anticipation and expectation of the good to come, trusting in God's promises and the ultimate deliverance He will provide. We must remember that He truly is the “high priest of good things to come” (Hebrews 9:11).

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on living a consecrated life

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (b. January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"Our life on earth is a stewardship of time and choices granted by our Creator. The word stewardship calls to mind the Lord's law of consecration (see, for example, D&C 42:32, 53), which has an economic role but, more than that, is an application of celestial law to life here and now (see D&C 105:5). To consecrate is to set apart or dedicate something as sacred, devoted to holy purposes. True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives—that is, our time and choices—to God's purposes (see John 17:1, 4; D&C 19:19). In so doing, we permit Him to raise us to our highest destiny....

"A consecrated life is a beautiful thing. Its strength and serenity are 'as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit' (D&C 97:9). Of particular significance is the influence of a consecrated man or woman upon others, especially those closest and dearest. The consecration of many who have gone before us and others who live among us has helped lay the foundation for our happiness. In like manner future generations will take courage from your consecrated life, acknowledging their debt to you for the possession of all that truly matters. May we consecrate ourselves as sons and daughters of God, 'that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope' (Moroni 7:48; see also 1 John 3:2)."

- D. Todd Christofferson, "Reflections on a Consecrated Life," Ensign, November 2010, pp. 16-19
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

This was a very fascinating talk by Elder Christofferson. What does it mean to live a "consecrated life"? What would our actions and thoughts be if we were truly and fully consecrated to God?

The first sentence of this excerpt provides a thought-provoking beginning; mortal life is "a stewardship of time and choices granted by our Creator." Do we understand that? Do we recognize the sacred nature of a stewardship, and how it includes the unpredictable amount of time we are granted on earth, and how we choose to use that time?

Elder Christofferson then introduces consecration as "an application of celestial law to life here and now." We're not just going through some arbitrary motions of attempted obedience; we are implementing the elements of celestial law that will bring the greatest joy to us:

As we learn to consecrate our time and our actions, life becomes far more blessed, and our ability to make a difference in those around us grows correspondingly. It will influence not only those around us now, but generations to come—just as each of us is blessed by the consecrated efforts of those who have preceded us.

Elder Quentin L. Cook on demonstrating love and unity through service

Elder Quentin L. Cook (b. 1940) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.

"The Savior also emphasized love and unity and declared that we would be known as His disciples if we have love one to another. In the face of the eternity-shaping Atonement He was about to undertake, such a commandment requires our obedience. We manifest our love for God when we keep His commandments and serve His children. We don't fully comprehend the Atonement, but we can spend our lives trying to be more loving and kind, regardless of the adversity we face.

"The Savior's charge to His disciples to love one another—and the dramatic and powerful way He taught this principle at the Last Supper—is one of the most poignant and beautiful episodes from the last days of His mortal life.

"He was not teaching a simple class in ethical behavior. This was the Son of God pleading with His Apostles and all disciples who would come after them to remember and follow this most central of His teachings. How we relate and interact with each other is a measure of our willingness to follow Jesus Christ."

- Quentin L. Cook, "We Follow Jesus Christ," Ensign, May 2010, p. 83
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

This is one of the keys to the Savior's message: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13:35.)  Elder Cook teaches that we show our love for God by how we serve one another, and how we keep His commandments. The Savior set the example by serving as He approached the greatest challenge of mortality; and so "we can spend our lives trying to be more loving and kind, regardless of the adversity we face." What a beautiful challenge.