President Heber C. Kimball on living in kindness to all creatures

President Heber C. Kimball (June 14, 1801-1868) was a member of the first Quorum of Twelve Apostles ordained in this dispensation in 1835. He served as first counselor to Brigham Young from 1847 until his death in 1868 at age 67. He was the grandfather of Spencer W. Kimball, who became an apostle in 1943 and served as president of the Church from 1973-1985. His great-great-grandson, Quentin L. Cook, currently serves as an apostle.

"It has been said, 'A man needs a portion of the Spirit to drive oxen.' [Voice in the stand: 'Yes, a double portion of it.'] I know, as well as I know my name is Heber C. Kimball, that a spirit of kindness in a man will beget the same in his animal, in his child, or in persons over whom he exercises control. The Holy Ghost in the people of God will control not only our domestic animals, our families, our servants, and our handmaids, but it will control the armies of men that are in the world, the mountains, seas, streams of water, tempests, famines, and pestilence, and every destructive power, that they come not nigh unto us, just as much as we can keep sickness from us by the power of faith and prayer and good works. If we live our religion, we shall never suffer as the world suffers. We shall not be perplexed with famine and pestilence, with the caterpillar, and other destructive insects, which the Lord will send in the last days to afflict the wicked.

"God will sustain us, if we will sustain him and be his friends. But how can you be his friends, except you are friends to his cause and to his servants? You cannot find favor with your God while you are opposed to his authority, or to the ordinances and regulations of his house."

- Heber C. Kimball, remarks delivered in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, October 7, 1859; see Journal of Discourses 7:330
Click here to read the complete talk

I love this insight. The virtue of kindness is not frequently discussed, but according to President Kimball, it has remarkable power to influence for good—starting with animals, but extending to our relationships with those close to us, and with the larger situations we encounter in the world.

It's interesting how closely the Holy Ghost is associated with kindness in this description. As we act with kindness, the Holy Ghost is more able to attend our actions and our service.

Kindness is certainly an attribute we would attribute to the Savior; his tender affection towards children, to those who struggle with disease or afflictions, and even towards sinners are some of the best-known examples from His mortal life. We would do well to emulate that spirit!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Boyd K. Packer on the proper source of revelation

President Boyd K. Packer (1924-2015) served as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve (a position that no longer exists) from 1961 to 1970, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He served as president of that Quorum from 1994 until his death on July 3, 2015 at age 90.

"The point I make is that this phrase from Timothy strikes me as being monumentally important. 'But continue thou in the things which thou has learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou has learned them.' (See 2 Timothy 3:13–17) In the pattern of constituted authority in the Church we always know where revelation comes from. Revelation is always vertical. There is no horizontal revelation in the Church. It is all vertical. A bishop will get no revelation from a fellow bishop, or a stake president from a fellow stake president; but a bishop will receive it from the stake president, and his stake president from the general officers of the Church.

"In your youth you can learn that the scriptures are powerful, that they’re righteous; that in this Church we learn the scriptures, that we accept them, that we determine to live by them. Learn that there is a constituted authority—that our leaders are ordained by those who are in authority, and it is known throughout the Church. Nothing is done in the corner where there might be room for doubt or confusion or misunderstanding. We all have the right to go before the Lord to appeal in prayer and to receive inspiration and revelation for ourselves, so that each of us will know.

"One of the things the scriptures do is to make it very clear that we’re to follow the prophets. In the Doctrine and Covenants section after section states, 'I the Lord am speaking,' or 'It is I, God, who speaks,' and so on. Those declarations show that there is no doubt who is speaking."

- Boyd K. Packer, "Follow the Rule," BYU Devotional, Jaunary 14, 1977
Click here to read the full talk

This was a fascinating address by President Packer, filled with personal insights and anecdotes. Read the whole talk!

In this excerpt, he focuses on the importance of knowing whom we are listening to for critical instruction. There is a "pattern of constituted authority" established by the Lord for doctrine and principle that will bless us if we heed it:

We find that "doubt or confusion or misunderstanding" often result from forgetting this principle. We can learn from each other in wonderful ways, and be inspired by the examples and teachings of others. But it should always be in the context of the doctrinal foundation that comes from the Lord through His designated channels.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Marvin J. Ashton on having deep and enduring testimonies

Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915-1994) served as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1971 until his death in 1994 at age 78.

"They are those without commitment or testimony. These are those who would be convenience members. Some testimonies spring up quickly and flourish for a while until the heat comes on or a stony place is encountered. Then the withering starts to take place.

"'Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth' (Matt. 13:5; italics added).

"Deep and enduring testimonies grow and strengthen as they are daily nurtured. They increase as they are shared. Meaningful testimonies have roots planted in fertile soil. The sun, the rain, and even the storms make them stronger and more durable. As the events of daily life come upon us, some testimonies wither under the heat of everyday occurrences. Roots are shallow, testimonies fade, and there is no harvest.

"Let us seek to be totally committed. Then we will not fall upon stony places, wither away, or stray from the paths of security and happiness. Those who serve with complete dedication wherever called do not wilt, wither, wonder, or wander. Their roots are deep and solidly planted in the fertile soils of the kingdom. The harvest is enjoyed with every passing day as they serve."

- Marvin J. Ashton, "Who Will Forfeit the Harvest?," General Conference, October 1978
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

It's important to remember that testimony can not only be gained, but also lost—and perhaps more easily lost than gained. That seems to be particularly true in our time, when dissension and doubt seem to overcome "even the very elect" in too many cases. It's the deepness that becomes crucial, and Elder Ashton gives wise counsel:

So regular, thorough nourishment is critical for our testimonies to have deep roots. Elder Ashton counsels us to "be totally committed" and to "serve with complete dedication wherever called." Giving of ourselves brings nourishment and strength in ways that will keep our roots "deep and solidly planted in the fertile soils of the kingdom."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin on living a life without guile

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917-2008) served as a Seventy from 1976 to 1986, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1986 until his passing in 2008 at age 91.

"I believe the necessity for the members of the Church to be without guile may be more urgent now than at other times because many in the world apparently do not understand the importance of this virtue or are indifferent to it. We see and hear reports of fraud and deception in all levels of our society. A few citizens of some nations betray their country by exchanging sensitive information for money, information they have stolen or with which they have been entrusted. The entertainment industry seems to have lost, in large measure, the concept of moral values. Employees falsify expense accounts. These few examples of guile illustrate how pervasive it is.

"Of far greater concern than the outward acts of guile are the inner feelings and the attitudes that motivate them. Fraud and deception appear to be increasingly acceptable; the only wrongdoing seems to be in being caught. The objective often is to get gain or to profit, regardless of the injury, loss, or damage to others. This attitude is totally contrary to the principles of the gospel. It hinders or thwarts the spiritual progress of anyone afflicted by it. The practice of guile prevents the Holy Ghost from prompting, guiding, and instructing us, leaving us ever more susceptible to the buffetings of Satan. When we break the commandments, we close ourselves to God’s influence and open ourselves to Satan’s influence."

- Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Without Guile," General Conference April 1988
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Wirthlin taught in this message that "To be without guile is to be free of deceit, cunning, hypocrisy, and dishonesty in thought or action." That seems to be increasingly rare in our world, and so the challenge for us to provide the contrast is increasingly important, even "more urgent now than at other times."

But it's not just the outward actions that are a concern; it's the inward attitudes that create them that Elder Wirthlin warns about. Any attitude "contrary to the principles of the gospel" can create those dangerous circumstances by masking the influence of the Holy Ghost from our lives:

Our careful, thoughtful obedience is so critical in light of that eternal truth: "When we break the commandments, we close ourselves to God’s influence and open ourselves to Satan’s influence."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Thomas S. Monson on resisting the calls of the world

President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1963. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency with Presidents Benson, Hunter, and Hinckley and then became Church president in 2008. He led the Church for almost a decade until his passing in January 2018.

"The unsatisfied yearnings of the soul will not be met by a never-ending quest for joy midst the thrills of sensation and vice. Vice never leads to virtue. Hate never points to love. Cowardice never reflects courage. Doubt never inspires faith.

"It is not difficult to withstand the mockings and unsavory remarks of foolish ones who would ridicule chastity, honesty, and obedience to God's commands. The world has ever belittled adherence to principle. Times change. Practices persist. When Noah was instructed to build an ark, the foolish populace looked at the cloudless sky, then scoffed and jeered—until the rain came.

"In the Western Hemisphere, those long centuries ago, people doubted, disputed, and disobeyed until the fire consumed Zarahemla, the earth covered Moronihah (3 Ne. 8:8-10) and water engulfed the land of Moroni. Jeering, mocking, ribaldry, and sin were no more. They had been replaced by sullen silence, dense darkness. The patience of God had expired, his timetable fulfilled.

"Must we learn such costly lessons over and over again? When we fail to profit from the experiences of the past, we are doomed to repeat them with all their heartache, suffering, and anguish. Haven't we the wisdom to obey him who designed the plan of salvation—rather than that serpent who despised its beauty?"

- Thomas S. Monson, "Come, Follow Me," General Conference April 1967
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

It's interesting to consider how the world has changed in the 50 years since President Monson offered these remarks. The world's standards continue to drift further away from the Lord's eternal principles; and the disciples of Christ must occasionally deal with the things President Monson describes. He witnesses that the "thrills and sensation and vice" that the world offers will never satisfy the "yearnings of the soul," though they appeal to short-term satisfaction. Those who are wise see through that temporary pleasure to understand the lasting joy that comes from obedience to God's commands.

And when the pressure of the world increases, when there are occasional taunts and jests, or pressures to succumb—how do we respond? President Monson reminds us that this problem is as old as the world:

If we are wise, we will learn from the examples of the past, and truly develop in ourselves "the wisdom to obey him who designed the plan of salvation—rather than that serpent who despised its beauty."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Gordon B. Hinckley on the divine witness of nature

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1961. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1981-1995, then as Church President until his death in 2008.

"John says of the creation that 'all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.' (John 1:3.)

"Can any man who has walked beneath the stars at night, can anyone who has seen the touch of spring upon the land doubt the hand of divinity in creation? So observing the beauties of the earth, one is wont to speak as did the Psalmist: 'The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.' (Ps. 19:1–2.)

"All of beauty in the earth bears the fingerprint of the Master Creator, of those hands which, after they took the form of mortality and then immortality, Thomas insisted on touching before he would believe."

- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be Not Faithless," General Conference April 1978
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

What a privilege it is to enjoy the majesty of God's creations each day! In the springtime we seem particularly blessed by the beauty of the awakening land, and our thoughts are led to the Creator in gratitude.

The day before sharing this post, I had the privilege of spending the entire daylight hours (and a few non-daylight ones) in a somewhat remote, inaccessible wilderness area. I did walk beneath the stars at night, and witnessed many of those touches of spring. I had countless opportunities through the day to ponder President Hinckley's message about the world displaying God's handiwork, and the majesty of "the fingerprint of the Master Creator" all through the earth!

Truly, the hand of the "Master Creator" is visible throughout the earth. May we notice it more frequently, and pause to give thanks when we do!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell on keeping perspective in the ironies and hardships of life

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) served as a Seventy from 1976-1981, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve until his death from cancer in 2004.

"In coping with irony, as in all things, we have an Exemplary Teacher in Jesus. Dramatic irony assaulted Jesus’ divinity almost constantly.

"For Jesus, in fact, irony began at His birth. Truly, He suffered the will of the Father 'in all things from the beginning.' (3 Ne. 11:11.) This whole earth became Jesus’ footstool (see Acts 7:49), but at Bethlehem there was 'no room... in the inn' (Luke 2:7) and 'no crib for his bed' (Hymns, 1985, no. 206.)

"At the end, meek and lowly Jesus partook of the most bitter cup without becoming the least bitter. (See 3 Ne. 11:11; D&C 19:18–19.) The Most Innocent suffered the most. Yet the King of Kings did not break, even when some of His subjects did unto Him 'as they listed.' (D&C 49:6.) Christ’s capacity to endure such irony was truly remarkable.

"You and I are so much more brittle. For instance, we forget that, by their very nature, tests are unfair.

"In heaven, Christ’s lofty name was determined to be the only name on earth offering salvation to all mankind. (See Acts 4:12; 2 Ne. 25:20; see also Abr. 3:27.) Yet the Mortal Messiah willingly lived so modestly, even, wrote Paul, as a person 'of no reputation.' (Philip. 2:7.)

"What a contrast to our maneuverings over relative recognition and comparative status. How different, too, from the ways in which some among us mistakenly see the size and response of their audiences as the sole verification of their worth. Yet those fickle galleries we sometimes play to have a way of being constantly emptied. They will surely be empty at the Judgment Day, when everyone will be somewhere else, on their knees."

- Neal A. Maxwell, "Irony: The Crust on the Bread of Adversity," General Conference April 1989
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

In this typically fascinating discourse, Elder Maxwell discusses the "irony" that often fills our lives. We obey but don't always see immediate blessings; we live righteously but still suffer difficulties, disappointments, and trials. It's part of the challenge of living in the school of mortality. But we can profit much by observing the example of the Savior in his mortal experience. Truly, "The Most Innocent suffered the most" of any who experience this realm.

We forget what really matters when we become so concerned about status and recognition in our lives. We think our worth is defined by the size of our audience. Elder Maxwell refutes this notion and challenges us to remember what really matters in the eyes of God.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)