ATONEMENT

 

 

ATONEMENT

1. “That is the promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement: to take anyone who comes, anyone who will join, and put them through an experience so that at the end of their life, they can go through the veil having repented of their sins and having been washed clean through the blood of Christ.”

-Boyd K. Packer “The Atonement” October 2012

2. “Simply put, the good news is that death is not the end of existence and our separation from God is temporary. We have a Savior, Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, who by His Atonement has overcome death and hell so that all will be resurrected and all who will repent and be baptized in His name may have place in the heavenly kingdom of God forever.”

-D. Todd Christofferson “Building Faith in Christ” June 2011

3. “ Indeed, it is my personal belief that in all of Christ’s mortal ministry the Father may never have been closer to His Son than in these agonizing final moments of suffering. Nevertheless, that the supreme sacrifice of His Son might be as complete as it was voluntary and solitary, the Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone.”

-Jeffrey R. Holland “None Were With Him” April 2009

4. “Abandonment and, at least once, outright betrayal, must never be reenacted by us. He has walked alone once. Now, may I ask that never again will He have to confront sin without our aid and assistance, that never again will He find only unresponsive onlookers when He sees you and me along His Via Dolorosa in our present day. As we approach this holy week—Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb—may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,”²¹ for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone.”

-Jeffrey R. Holland “None Were With Him” April 2009

5. “There is an imperative need for each of us to strengthen our understanding of the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ so that it will become an unshakable foundation upon which to build our lives.”

-Richard G. Scott, “He Lives! All Glory to His Name!” May 2010

6. “There is no greater evidence of the infinite power and perfection of God’s love than is declared by the Apostle John: ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son’ (John 3:16). Another Apostle wrote that God ‘spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all’ (Romans 8:32). Think how it must have grieved our Heavenly Father to send His Son to endure incomprehensible suffering for our sins. That is the greatest evidence of His love for each of us!”

-Dallin H. Oaks, “Love and Law,” Ensign, Nov., 2009, 26

7. "Every incorrect choice we make, every sin we commit is a violation of eternal law. That violation brings negative results we generally soon recognize. There are also other consequences of our acts of which we may not be conscious. They are nonetheless real. They can have a tremendous effect on the quality of our life here and most certainly will powerfully affect it hereafter. We can do nothing of ourselves to satisfy the demands of justice for a broken eternal law. Yet, unless the demands of justice are paid, each of us will suffer endless negative consequences.

 

Only the life, teachings, and particularly the atonement of Jesus Christ can release us from this otherwise impossible predicament. Each of us has made mistakes, large or small, which if unresolved will keep us from the presence of God. For this reason, the atonement of Jesus Christ is the single most significant event that ever has or ever will occur. This selfless act of infinite consequence, performed by a single glorified personage, has eternal impact in the life of every son and daughter of our Father in Heaven—without exception. It shatters the bonds of death. It justifies our finally being judged by the Master. It can prevent an eternity under the control of the devil. It opens the gates to exaltation and eternal life for all who qualify for forgiveness through repentance and obedience."

-Richard G. Scott, "Finding Forgiveness," May 1995

8. "[The] testing of our limits in priesthood service is made necessary by God's plan to qualify His children to live with Him again forever. Heavenly Father loves His children. He offered us eternal life, to live with Him again in families and in glory forever. To qualify us to receive that gift, He gave us a mortal body, the opportunity to be tempted to sin, and a way to be cleansed from that sin and to rise in the First Resurrection. He gave us His Beloved Son, Jehovah, as our Savior to make that possible. The Savior was born in mortal life, was tempted but never sinned, and then in Gethsemane and on Golgotha paid the price of our sins so that we could be cleansed. The purifying can come only to those who have faith enough in Jesus Christ to repent of sin, be cleansed through the ordinance of baptism, and make and keep covenants to obey all His commandments. And there was to be a fierce enemy of our souls, Lucifer, who would with his legions relentlessly try to capture every child of God to keep him or her from having the joy of eternal life."

-Henry B. Eyring, "O Ye That Embark," Nov. 2008  

9. "The Atonement of Jesus Christ and the healing it offers do much more than provide the opportunity for repentance from sins. The Atonement also gives us the strength to endure 'pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind,' because our Savior also took upon Him 'the pains and the sicknesses of his people' (Alma 7:11). Brothers and sisters, if your faith and prayers and the power of the priesthood do not heal you from an affliction, the power of the Atonement will surely give you the strength to bear the burden."

-Dallin H. Oaks "He Heals the Heavy Laden" November 2006

10.” I energetically encourage you to establish a personal study plan to better understand and appreciate the incomparable, eternal, infinite consequences of Jesus Christ’s perfect fulfillment of His divinely appointed calling as our Savior and Redeemer. Profound personal pondering of the scriptures accompanied by searching, heartfelt prayer will fortify your understanding of and appreciation for His priceless Atonement. Another powerful way to learn of Jesus Christ and His Atonement is through consistent temple attendance.”

-Richard G. Scott “He Lives! All Glory to His Name” May 2010

Position Statement:

It is hard to put into words how I feel about the Atonement. It is the most important topic we can discuss. I know I do not completely understand the Atonement but I know it is real. I know there are so many times in this life when I cannot continue on by myself. When I keep His commandments, the Savior makes up the difference for my weakness and helps me keep pushing through. I know that through the Atonement, I can be forgiven of my sins and am so grateful for that. I have felt that cleansing power personally. I know Jesus Christ died for my sins and that he lives!

 



 



AGENCY

 

AGENCY

1.”Agency is more powerful than the adversary’s will, agency is precious. We can foolishly, blindly give it away, but it cannot be forcibly taken from us.”

 

-Boyd K. Packer “Cleansing the Inner Vessel” October 2012

 

2. “Let us resolve to follow the Savior and work with diligence to become the person we were designed to become. Let us listen to and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we do so, Heavenly Father will reveal to us things we never knew about ourselves. He will illuminate the path ahead and open our eyes to see our unknown and perhaps unimagined talents. The more we devote ourselves to the pursuit of holiness and happiness, the less likely we will be on a path to regrets. The more we rely on the Savior’s grace, the more we will feel that we are on the track our Father in Heaven has intended for us.”

 

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf “Of Regrets and Resolutions” October 2012 General Conference

 

3. “Agency—our power to choose—is fundamental to the gospel plan that brings us to earth. God does not intervene to forestall the consequences of some persons’ choices in order to protect the well-being of other persons—even when they kill, injure, or oppress one another—for this would destroy His plan for our eternal progress (compare Alma 42:8). He will bless us to endure the consequences of others’ choices, but He will not prevent those choices (compare Mosiah 24:14–15).”

 

-Dallin H. Oaks “Love and Law” November 2009

 

4. "We tend to think of agency as a personal matter. If we ask someone to define 'moral agency,' the answer will probably be something like this: 'Moral agency means I am free to make choices for myself.' Often overlooked is the fact that choices have consequences; we forget also that agency offers the same privilege of choice to others. At times we will be affected adversely by the way other people choose to exercise their agency. Our Heavenly Father feels so strongly about protecting our agency that he allows his children to exercise it, either for good or for evil."

 

-M. Russell Ballard “Answer to Life’s Questions” May 1995

 

5. "If pain and sorrow and total punishment immediately followed the doing of evil, no soul would repeat a misdeed. If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil--all would do good and not because of the rightness of doing good. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency. . . . There would also be an absence of joy, success, resurrection, eternal life, and godhood."

 

-Spencer W. Kimball “The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball” 1982

 

6.” Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation."

 

-David A. Bednar, “And Nothing Shall Offend Them” November 2006

 

7. "The way to exaltation is not a freeway featuring unlimited vision, unrestricted speeds, and untested skills. Rather, it is known by many forks and turnings, sharp curves, and controlled speeds. Our driving ability is being put to the test. Are we ready? We’re driving. We haven’t passed this way before. Fortunately, the Master Highway Builder, even our Heavenly Father, has provided a road map showing the route to follow. He has placed markers along the way to guide us to our destination."

 

-Thomas S. Monson, “Crisis at the Crossroads” November 2002

 

8. "You are to do the choosing here and now during this exciting and wonderful time on earth. Moral agency, the freedom to choose, is certainly one of God's greatest gifts next to life itself. We have the honorable right to choose; therefore, we need to choose the right. This is not always easy."

 

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf,"Your Right to Choose the Right” May 2005

 

9. "As we learn in [the] scriptures, the fundamental purposes for the gift of agency were to love one another and to choose God. Thus we become God's chosen and invite His tender mercies as we use our agency to choose God. . . .

". . . The Father's work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. Our work is to keep His commandments with all of our might, mind, and strength—and we thereby become chosen and, through the Holy Ghost, receive and recognize the tender mercies of the Lord in our daily lives."

 

-David A. Bednar, “The Tender Mercies of the Lord” May 2005

 

10. "Life's journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say, 'No,' the courage to say, 'Yes,' Decisions do determine destiny. The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. It has ever been so, and so shall it ever be."

 

-Thomas S. Monson, “The Call For Courage” May 2004

 

Position Statement:

 

The gift of choice from a loving Heavenly Father is such a blessing. To know that I have the opportunity to choose for myself, and to be blessed greatly when I do what is right is so important. However, I know that consequences follow when we use our agency in unrighteous ways. I am grateful for a loving God and His commandments that bring us happiness as we use our agency to follow Him and His ways.

 

PORNOGRAPHY

 



PORNOGRAPHY

 

1. “Please heed these warnings. Let us all improve our personal behavior and redouble our efforts to protect our loved ones and our environment from the onslaught of pornography that threatens our spirituality, our marriages, and our children.”

 

-Elder Oaks (Pornography) April 2005

 

2. “Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick but do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature records them in this marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t vomit back filth. Once recorded, it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in life… And young women, please understand that if you dress immodestly, you are magnifying this problem by becoming pornography to some of the men who see you.”

 

-Elder Oaks (Pornography) April 2005

 

3. “Pornography is like a raging storm, destroying individuals and families, utterly ruining what was once wholesome and beautiful. … The time has come for any one of us who is so involved to pull himself out of the mire.”³⁵ If you are tempted to violate the law of chastity in any form, follow Joseph of Egypt’s example, who “fled, and got him out.”

 

-Gordon B. Hinckley (A Tragic Evil Among Us) October 2004

 

4. We hope that our parents and leaders will not tolerate pornography. It is really garbage, but today is peddled as normal and satisfactory food. Many writers seem to take delight in polluting the atmosphere with it. Seemingly, it cannot be stopped by legislation. There is a link between pornography and the low, sexual drives and perversions. We live in a culture which venerates the orgasm, streaking, trading wives, and similar crazes. How low can humans plunge! We pray with our Lord that we may be kept from being in the world. It is sad that decent people are thrown into a filthy area of mental and spiritual pollution. We call upon all of our people to do all in their power to offset this ugly revolution.

 

-Spencer W. Kimball (Fortify Your Homes Against Evil) April 1979

 

5. In our day the dreadful influence of pornography is like unto a plague sweeping across the world, infecting one here and one there, relentlessly trying to invade every home, most frequently through the husband and father. The effect of this plague can be, unfortunately often is, spiritually fatal. Lucifer seeks to disrupt “the great plan of redemption,”¹¹ “the great plan of happiness.”

 

-Boyd K. Packer “Cleansing the Inner Vessel” October 2012

 

6. The priesthood holds consummate power. It can protect you from the plague of pornography—and it is a plague—if you are succumbing to its influence. If one is obedient, the priesthood can show how to break a habit and even erase an addiction. Holders of the priesthood have that authority and should employ it to combat evil influences. We raise an alarm and warn members of the Church to wake up and understand what is going on. Parents, be alert, ever watchful that this wickedness might threaten your family circle.

 

-Boyd K. Packer (Cleansing the Inner Vessel) October 2012

 

7. Like thieves in the night, unwelcome thoughts can and do seek entrance to our minds. But we don’t have to throw open the door, serve them tea and crumpets, and then tell them where the silverware is kept! (You shouldn’t be serving tea anyway.) Throw the rascals out! Replace lewd thoughts with hopeful images and joyful memories; picture the faces of those who love you and would be shattered if you let them down. More than one man has been saved from sin or stupidity by remembering the face of his mother, his wife, or his child waiting somewhere for him at home. Whatever thoughts you have, make sure they are welcome in your heart by invitation only. As an ancient poet once said, let will be your reason… Like Joseph in the presence of Potiphar’s wife,⁴ just run—run as far away as you can get from whatever or whoever it is that beguiles you. And please, when fleeing the scene of temptation, do not leave a forwarding address.

 

-Elder Holland “Place No More For the Enemy of My Soul” April 2010

 

8. How can a man, particularly a priesthood bearer, not think of the damage emotionally and spiritually caused to women from such abhorrent activity? The participation in pornography in any of its lurid forms is a manifestation of unbridled selfishness.

 

-Richard G. Scott “The Sanctity of Womanhood” May 2000

 

9. Pornography is especially dangerous and addictive. Curious exploration of pornography can become a controlling habit, leading to coarser material and to sexual transgression. Avoid pornography at all costs.

 

-Thomas S. Monson “Preparation Brings Blessings” May 2010

 

10. Strangely enough, it may be that the simplest and most powerful prevention and cure for pornography, or any unclean act, is to ignore and avoid it. Delete from the mind any unworthy thought that tries to take root. Once you have decided to remain clean, you are asserting your God-given agency. And then, as President Smith counseled, “Don’t look back.”

 

-Elder Boyd K. Packer (Cleansing the Inner Vessel) October 2010

 

Position Statement:

 

Sadly, this is a rampant evil in our time. It is readily available for anyone. The hurt and pain from it makes me so sad. I am grateful for leaders that warn us about it repeatedly to help keep us from hurting ourselves and those who love us. I know that it must be avoided at all costs and am committed to ALWAYS doing so.



VIRTUE AND CHASTITY

 

 



1. “Sexual relations out of wedlock are tolerated or advocated by many. So is the rapidly expanding culture of pornography. All who have belonged to these cultures of sin must repent and change if they are to become the people of God, for He has warned that “no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom.”

 

-Dallin H. Oaks (October 2003) Repent and Change

 

2.”Everyone is tested. One might think it is unfair to be singled out and subjected to a particular temptation, but this is the purpose of mortal life—to be tested. And the answer is the same for everyone: we must, and we can, resist temptations of any kind.”

 

-Boyd K. Packer “Guided By the Holy Spirit” April 2011

 

3. "Most people in trouble end up crying, 'What was I thinking?' Well, whatever they were thinking, they weren't thinking of Christ. Yet, as members of His Church, we pledge every Sunday of our lives to take upon ourselves His name and promise to 'always remember him' (D&C 20:77). So let us work a little harder at remembering Him."

 

-Jeffrey R. Holland, "Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul" May 2010"

 

4. "You will need [courage] to be chaste and virtuous. You live in a world where moral values have, in great measure, been tossed aside, where sin is flagrantly on display, and where temptations to stray from the strait and narrow path surround you. Many are the voices telling you that you are far too provincial or that there is something wrong with you if you still believe there is such a thing as immoral behavior. Isaiah declared, 'Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness' (Isaiah 5:20). Great courage will be required as you remain chaste and virtuous amid the accepted thinking of the times."

 

-Thomas S. Monson, "May You Have Courage," Ensign, May 2009

 

5. “A wise man once said, ‘Music is one of the most forceful instruments for governing the mind.’ Whether it governs in a positive way or a negative way is determined by what it brings onto the stage of your mind. If you can say that a song is spiritually inspiring or that it urges you to see yourself in a more noble perspective, the music is worthwhile. If it merely entertains or lifts your spirits, then it also has a useful place. But if it makes you want to respond in a carnal, sensual way or to consider unrighteous desires, then that music should be avoided. It is not worthy.”

 

-Boyd K. Packer, “The Message: Worthy Music, Worthy Thoughts,” April 2008

 

6. “Moral discipline is learned at home. While we cannot control what others may or may not do, the Latter-day Saints can certainly stand with those who demonstrate virtue in their own lives and inculcate virtue in the rising generation. . . . Our teaching should draw upon our own faith and focus first and foremost on instilling faith in God in the rising generation. We must declare the essential need to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before Him in soberness, or in other words, with reverence. Each must be persuaded that service and sacrifice for the well-being and happiness of others are far superior to making one’s own comfort and possessions the highest priority.”

 

-D. Todd Christofferson, “Moral Discipline” November 2009

 

7. "Supernal blessings are promised to those who walk in virtue before the Lord and before all men. How wonderful are the ways of our Lord. How glorious His promises."

 

-Gordon B. Hinckley, "A Tragic Evil among Us," November 2004

 

8. “Because sexual intimacy is so sacred, the Lord requires self-control and purity before marriage, as well as full fidelity after marriage. In dating, treat your date with respect, and expect your date to show that same respect for you. Tears inevitably follow transgression. Men, take care not to make women weep, for God counts their tears.”

 

-Thomas S. Monson, “Standards of Strength,” Octoberr 2008

 

9. “You cannot afford in any degree to become involved with pornography, whatever its form. You simply cannot afford to become involved in immoral practices--or to let down the bars of sexual restraint. The emotions that stir within you which make boys attractive to girls and girls attractive to boys are part of a divine plan, but they must be restrained, subdued, and kept under control, or they will destroy you and make you unworthy of many of the great blessings which the Lord has in store for you.”

 

-Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Chosen Generation,” May 1992

 

10. "A quarter of a century ago historian John Lukacs perceptively warned that sexual immorality was not merely a marginal development but, instead, was at the center of the moral crisis of our time (see John Lukacs, The Passing of the Modern Age, New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1970, p. 169). Some thought Lukacs was overstating it, but consider the subsequent and sobering tragedy of children having children, of unwed mothers, of children without parents, of hundreds of thousands of fatherless children, and of rampant spousal infidelity. These and related consequences threaten to abort society's future even before the future arrives! Yet carnalists are unwilling to deny themselves, even though all of society suffers from an awful avalanche of consequences!"

 

-Neal A. Maxwell, “Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness” May 1995

 

Position Statement:

In this world, it is so refreshing to be reminded of virtue and chastity. We know the Lord “delights in chastity”. I know the peace of conscience that comes when we live a chaste and virtuous life and it is worth it. There is nothing in this world that feels better than that. I am grateful for the Savior who leads us along as we strive to live our lives in such a way.

 



REPENTANCE

 

 

1. “Every soul confined in a prison of sin, guilt, or perversion has a key to the gate. The key is labeled ‘repentance.’ If you know how to use this key, the adversary cannot hold you. The twin principles of repentance and forgiveness exceed in strength the awesome power of the tempter. If you are bound by a habit or an addiction that is unworthy, you must stop conduct that is harmful. Angels will coach you, and priesthood leaders will guide you through those difficult times.

 

-Boyd K. Packer “Cleansing the Inner Vessel” –October 2010

 

2. Throughout your life there may be times when you have gone places you never should have gone and done things you never should have done. If you will turn away from sin, you will be able one day to know the peace that comes from following the pathway of complete repentance.

No matter what our transgressions have been, no matter how much our actions may have hurt others, that guilt can all be wiped out. To me, perhaps the most beautiful phrase in all scripture is when the Lord said, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more."

 

-Boyd K. Packer “The Atonement” - October 2012

 

3. The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to “re-turn” toward God.¹⁴It is the beckoning of a loving Father and His Only Begotten Son to be more than we are, to reach up to a higher way of life, to change, and to feel the happiness of keeping the commandments. Being Disciples of Christ, we rejoice in the blessing of repenting and the joy of being forgiven. They become part of us, shaping the way we think and feel… I am amazed at the Savior’s encircling arms of mercy and love for the repentant, no matter how selfish the forsaken sin. I testify that the Savior is able and eager to forgive our sins. Except for the sins of those few who choose perdition after having known a fullness, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven.

 

-Neil L. Anderson “Repent That I May Heal You” October 2009

 

4. The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change. “Repent” is its most frequent message, and repenting means giving up all of our practices—personal, family, ethnic, and national—that are contrary to the commandments of God. The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.

 

-Dallin H. Oaks “Repentance and Change” October 2003

 

5. Repentance plays a prominent role in building faith in Christ. Receiving the word of Christ generates the faith needed for repentance, and repentance, in turn, nourishes a growing faith. Mormon declares, “And [Christ] hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved”

 

-D. Todd Christofferson “Building Faith In Christ” June 2011

 

6. We all depend on the Savior; none of us can be saved without Him. Christ’s Atonement is infinite and eternal. Forgiveness for our sins comes with conditions. We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others. Jesus taught: “Forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not … [stands] condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin”³ and “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

 

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf “The Merciful Obtain Mercy” April 2012

 

7. If some of you are carrying such wounds—and I know that you are—to you is extended the peace and renewal of repentance available through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. In such serious matters the path of repentance is not easily begun nor painlessly traveled. But the Savior of the world will walk that essential journey with you. He will strengthen you when you waver. He will be your light when it seems most dark. He will take your hand and be your hope when hope seems all you have left. His compassion and mercy, with all their cleansing and healing power, are freely given to all who truly wish complete forgiveness and will take the steps that lead to it.

 

-Jeffrey R. Holland “Personal Purity” November 1998

 

8. "If one of you has seriously sinned, repent—now. It is not good to violate the commandments of the Lord. It is worse to do nothing about it. Sin is like cancer in the body. It will never heal itself. It will become progressively worse unless cured through the medicine of repentance."

-Richard G. Scott, "Don't Face the World Alone," February 2007

 

9. "If any has stumbled in his journey, there is a way back. The process is called repentance. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Though the path is difficult, the promise is real: 'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow' (Isaiah 1:18)."

 

-Thomas S. Monson, "Preparation Brings Blessings," May 2010

10. “The truth is that we all need repentance. If we are capable of reason and past the age of eight, we all need the cleansing that comes through applying the full effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

 

-Henry B. Eyring, "Do Not Delay,” November 1999

 

Position Statement:

 

As a very imperfect individual, I know I NEED repentance every day of my life. I know the Atonement makes that repentance possible. I know when I sincerely repent I can be cleansed from sin through my Savior. Through the Savior, I know I can repent and strive to become better. The Savior guides me and lifts me up as I keep His commandments and offer Him my heart. Repentance is hard but it provides healing and relief that nothing else can.

 

 



SERVICE

 

 

1. I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished. I can’t see it. Instead I see the compassionate and caring Son of God purposefully living each day. When He interacted with those around Him, they felt important and loved. He knew the infinite value of the people He met. He blessed them, ministered to them. He lifted them up, healed them. He gave them the precious gift of His time.

 

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf “Of Regrets and Resolutions” October 2012

 

2. These simple, daily acts of service may not seem like much in and of themselves, but when considered collectively they become just like the one-twelfth teaspoon of honey contributed by a single bee to the hive. There is power in our love for God and for His children, and when that love is tangibly manifest in millions of acts of Christian kindness, it will sweeten and nourish the world with the life-sustaining nectar of faith, hope, and charity.

 

-M. Russell Ballard “Be Anxiously Engaged” October 2012

 

3. "Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Savior to the Garden of Gethsemane to make Himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation; it is the source of happiness, the ever-renewing spring of healing, the precious fountain of hope. As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit."

 

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "You Are My Hands,” May 2010

 

4. “My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”

 

-Thomas S. Monson, “What Have I Done for Someone Today?” November 2009

 

5. “Help others in their race of life. Remember that when you help another up a mountain, you are a little nearer the top yourself.”

 

-Thomas S. Monson, “Great Expectations,” CES fireside for young adults, Jan. 11, 2009

 

6. “It is not easy to give up our personal priorities and desires. . . . [But] ‘he who lives only unto himself withers and dies, while he who forgets himself in the service of others grows and blossoms in this life and in eternity’ (Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 588).”

 

-Dallin H. Oaks, “Unselfish Service,” May 2009

 

7. "As we look heavenward, we inevitably learn of our responsibility to reach outward. To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty, the fulfillment of which brings true joy. We do not live alone—in our city, our nation, or our world. There is no dividing line between our prosperity and our neighbor's wretchedness. 'Love thy neighbor' is more than a divine truth. It is a pattern for perfection."

 

-Thomas S. Monson, "The Joy of Service," October 2009

 

8. “When we seek to serve others, we are motivated not by selfishness but by charity. This is the way Jesus Christ lived His life and the way a holder of the priesthood must live his. The Savior did not care for th ehonors of men; Satan offered Him all the kingdoms and glory of the world, and Jesus rejectet the offer immediately and completely (see Matthew 4:8-10). Throughout His life, the Savior must have often felt tired and pressed upon, with scarcely a moment to Himself; yet He always made time for the sick, the sorrowful, and the overlooked.”

 

-Dieter F. Ucthdorf “Lift Where You Stand” October 2008

 

9. “My brothers and sisters, I thank you for your faith and devotion to the gospel. I thank you for the love and care you show to one another. I thank you for the service you provide in your wards and branches and in your stakes and districts. It is such service that enables the Lord to accomplish His purposes here upon the earth.”

 

-Thomas S. Monson, “Welcome to Conference,” May 2009

 

10. “‘No one can assist in this work [unless] he shall be humble and full of love' (D&C 12:8). 'By love serve one another' (Gal. 5:13). Just as service is a natural consequence of love, so is love a natural consequence of service. Husbands, serve your wives. Wives, serve your husbands. Husbands and wives, serve your children. And to all we say, serve God and neighbor. As we do so, we will come to love the object of our devotion and thus be obedient to the first and great commandment of love."

 

-Robert F. Orton, "The First and Great Commandment," November 2001

 

Position Statement:

 

The Savior’s life was a life completely full of service. He did so much for others in His day to day living, and of course when he completed the Atonement. The Lord asks me to have hands willing to serve. I know that from serving others, most often the one more blessed or touched is the one who gives the service. I know the Lord places opportunities for such service in my path and that I must have open eyes and a willing heart to do these things.

 

FORGIVENESS

 

1. Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. One of these reasons is waiting for the wrongdoers to repent before we forgive them. Yet such a delay causes us to forfeit the peace and happiness that could be ours. The folly of rehashing long-past hurts does not bring happiness…If we can find forgiveness in our hearts for those who have caused us hurt and injury, we will rise to a higher level of self-esteem and well-being. Some recent studies show that people who are taught to forgive become “less angry, more hopeful, less depressed, less anxious and less stressed,” which leads to greater physical well-being.⁹ Another of these studies concludes“that forgiveness … is a liberating gift [that] people can give to themselves.”

 

-James E Faust (The Healing Power of Forgiveness) April 2007

 

2. “If you have been offended, forgive, forget it, and leave it alone.”

 

-Boyd K. Packer “Guided by the Holy Spirit” April 2011

 

3. “I testify that the Savior is able and eager to forgive our sins. Except for the sins of those few who choose perdition after having known a fulness, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven (see Boyd K. Packer, “The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 19). What a marvelous privilege for each of us to turn away from our sins and to come unto Christ. Divine forgiveness is one of the sweetest fruits of the gospel, removing guilt and pain from our hearts and replacing them with joy and peace of conscience. Jesus declares, ‘Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?’ (3 Nephi 9:13).”

 

-Neil L. Andersen, “Repent . . . That I May Heal You,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 40–41

 

4. “Is there someone in your life who perhaps needs forgiveness? Is there someone in your home, someone in your family, someone in your neighborhood who has done an unjust or an unkind or an unchristian thing? All of us are guilty of such transgressions, so there surely must be someone who yet needs your forgiveness? Jesus Christ was the purest and only perfect person who ever lived. He is the one person in all the world from Adam to this present hour who deserved adoration and respect and admiration and love, and yet He was persecuted, abandoned, and put to death. Through it all, He would not condemn those who persecuted Him.”

 

-Jeffrey R. Holland, “Amazed at the Love Jesus Offers Me,” December 2008

 

5. "Sometimes we carry unhappy feelings about past hurts too long. We spend too much energy dwelling on things that have passed and cannot be changed. We struggle to close the door and let go of the hurt. If, after time, we can forgive whatever may have caused the hurt, we will tap 'into a life-giving source of comfort' through the Atonement, and the 'sweet peace' of forgiveness will be ours ("My Journey to Forgiving," Ensign, Feb. 1997. 43). Some injuries are so hurtful and deep that healing comes only with help from a higher power and hope for perfect justice and restitution in the next life. . . . You can tap into that higher power and receive precious comfort and sweet peace."

 

-James E. Faust, "Instruments in the Hands of God," Nov. 2005

 

6. "Of all the necessary steps to repentance, the most critically important is for you to have a conviction that forgiveness comes in and through Jesus Christ. It is essential to know that only on His terms can you be forgiven. You will be helped as you exercise faith in Christ. That means you trust Him and His teachings. Satan would have you believe that serious transgression cannot be entirely overcome. I testify that the Savior gave His life so that through repentance the effects of all sin can be put behind you, save the shedding of innocent blood and the denial of the Holy Ghost."

 

-Richard G. Scott, "Peace of Conscience and Peace of Mind," November 2004

 

7. "If there be trouble existing between me and anybody else, I would meet them half way, yes, I would meet them three quarters or even all of the way. I would feel like yielding; I would say, I do not want to quarrel, I want to be a Saint. I have set out for purity, virtue, brotherhood, and for obedience to the laws of God on earth, and for thrones and principalities and dominions in the eternal worlds, and I will not allow such paltry affairs to interfere with my prospects. I am for life, eternal lives and eternal exaltations in the kingdom of God."

 

-John Taylor, “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor”, pg. 26

 

8. "Don't treasure up past wrongs, reprocessing them again and again. In a marriage relationship, festering is destructive; forgiving is divine (see D&C 64:9-10). Plead for the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord to forgive wrongs . . . , to overcome faults, and to strengthen relationships."

 

-Dallin H. Oaks, "Divorce," May 2007

9. "I know of no more beautiful story in all literature than that found in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. It is the story of a repentant son and a forgiving father. It is the story of a son who wasted his inheritance in riotous living, rejecting his father's counsel, spurning those who loved him. When he had spent all, he was hungry and friendless, and 'when he came to himself' (Luke 15:17), he turned back to his father, who, on seeing him afar off, 'ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him' (Luke 15:20). I ask you to read that story. Every parent ought to read it again and again. It is large enough to encompass every household, and enough larger than that to encompass all mankind, for are we not all prodigal sons and daughters who need to repent and partake of the forgiving mercy of our Heavenly Father and then follow His example?"

 

-Gordon B. Hinckley, "Of You It Is Required to Forgive," June 1991

 

10. "There is a glorious miracle awaiting every soul who is prepared to change. Repentance and forgiveness make a brilliant day of the darkest night. When souls are reborn, when lives are changed—then comes the great miracle to beautify and warm and lift. When spiritual death has threatened and now instead there is resuscitation, when life pushes out death—when this happens it is the miracle of miracles. And such great miracles will never cease so long as there is one person who applies the redeeming power of the Savior and his own good works to bring about his rebirth. . . .

"The essence of the miracle of forgiveness is that it brings peace to the previously anxious, restless, frustrated, perhaps tormented soul. In a world of turmoil and contention this is indeed a priceless gift."

 

-Spencer W. Kimball, “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball “Pg. 35

 

Position Statement:

 

I think forgiving people is one of the hardest things to do for me. In my efforts to forgive, I know I need to remember my Savior, who so willingly forgives me as I repent and turn to Him. I know that it is not my place to hold grudges in this life because I know that I have been in desperate need of forgiveness throughout my life. I am grateful for a merciful God and the Savior of the world who provide me with an opportunity to receive and extend forgiveness.