"The longer we delay corrective action, the larger the needed changes become, and the longer it takes to get back on the correct course—even to the point where a disaster might be looming."
. . .
"New technologies . . . make it possible for the gospel message to be spread throughout the world. . . . They can be a blessing . . . Be cautious. These same technologies can allow evil
influences to cross the threshold of your homes. These dangerous traps are only
a mouse click away. . . . Minor decisions can lead to major consequences."
"Remember: the heavens
will . . . [be] filled with those . . . who
recognized that they were off course and who corrected their ways to get back
in the light of gospel truth."
"The more we treasure the words of the prophets and apply
them, the better we will recognize when we are drifting off course—even if only
by a matter of a few degrees."
"We proclaim the good news that is the gospel of
redemption and salvation. No matter how terribly off course you are . . . Have
faith, and believe in the cleansing power of the infinite Atonement of Jesus the
Christ . . . confess and repent of our sins, God is faithful and just to
forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 “Though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be [made] as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18"
"It may not be an easy path, and it requires self-discipline
and determination, but its end is glorious beyond description. You are not
doomed to a tragic end." (My emphasis.)
ELDER DEITER F UCHTDORF,
Second Counselor in the First Presidency,
“A Matter of a Few Degrees,”
178th Annual General Conference, April 2008
Ensign, May 2008, 60.
2. “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are proper only between a man and a woman in the marriage relationship prescribed in God’s plan. Such relations are not merely a curiosity to be explored, an appetite to be satisfied, or a type of recreation or entertainment to be pursued selfishly. They are not a conquest to be achieved or simply an act to be performed. Rather, they are in mortality one of the ultimate expressions of our divine nature and potential and a way of strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife. We are agents blessed with moral agency and are defined by our divine heritage as children of God—and not by sexual behaviors, contemporary attitudes, or secular philosophies. …
“… Obedience to the law of chastity will increase our
happiness in mortality and make possible our progress in eternity.”
ELDER DAVID A.
BEDNAR
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
“We Believe in Being Chaste,”
183rd Annual General Conference,
Saturday afternoon, 6 April 2013
3. “Tolerance is a virtue, but, like all virtues, when exaggerated it transforms itself into a vice. We need to be careful of the ‘tolerance trap’ so that we are not swallowed up in it. The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate legalized acts of immorality does not reduce the serious spiritual consequences that result from the violation of God’s law of chastity.”
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
“We Believe in Being Chaste,”
183rd Annual General Conference,
Saturday afternoon, 6 April 2013
3. “Tolerance is a virtue, but, like all virtues, when exaggerated it transforms itself into a vice. We need to be careful of the ‘tolerance trap’ so that we are not swallowed up in it. The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate legalized acts of immorality does not reduce the serious spiritual consequences that result from the violation of God’s law of chastity.”
4. “Many of us have a personal electronic device that fits into
our pocket. We are seldom without its company; we may refer to it many times a
day. Unfortunately, these devices can be a source of filth and wasted time.
But, used with discipline, this technology can be a tool of protection from the
worst of society.
“Who could have imagined not very many years ago that the
full standard works and years of general conference messages would fit into
your pocket? Just having them in your pocket will not protect you, but
studying, pondering, and listening to them during quiet moments of each day
will enhance communication through the Spirit.
“Be wise in how you embrace technology. Mark important
scriptures on your device and refer back to them frequently. If you . . . review a verse of scripture as often as some
of you send text messages, you could soon have hundreds of passages of
scripture memorized. Those passages would prove to be a powerful source of
inspiration and guidance by the Holy Ghost in
times of need.” (My emphasis.)
ELDER RICHARD G.
SCOTT
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
“For Peace at Home”
183rd Annual General Conference,
Saturday afternoon, 6 April 2013
5. "The adversary is jealous toward all who have the power to beget life. He cannot beget life; he is impotent. He and those who followed him were cast out and forfeited the right to a mortal body. His angels even begged to inhabit the bodies of swine. (See Matt. 8:31.) And the revelations tell us that “he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Ne. 2:27.)
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
“For Peace at Home”
183rd Annual General Conference,
Saturday afternoon, 6 April 2013
5. "The adversary is jealous toward all who have the power to beget life. He cannot beget life; he is impotent. He and those who followed him were cast out and forfeited the right to a mortal body. His angels even begged to inhabit the bodies of swine. (See Matt. 8:31.) And the revelations tell us that “he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Ne. 2:27.)
"With ever fewer exceptions, what we see and read and hear
have the mating act as a central theme. Censorship is forced offstage as a
violation of individual freedom.
"That which should be absolutely private is disrobed and
acted out center stage. In the shadows backstage are addiction, pornography,
perversion, infidelity, abortion, and—the saddest of them all—incest and
molestation. In company with them now is a plague of biblical proportion. And
all of them are on the increase. Society excuses itself from responsibility . . . [with] the
protest . . . “You are imposing religion upon us, infringing upon our freedom. . . .
"If we pollute our fountains of life, there will be penalties “exquisite” and “hard to bear” (see D&C 19:15), more than all of the physical pleasure ever could be worth. Alma told his son Corianton, “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?” (Alma 39:5.) . . .
"If we pollute our fountains of life, there will be penalties “exquisite” and “hard to bear” (see D&C 19:15), more than all of the physical pleasure ever could be worth. Alma told his son Corianton, “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?” (Alma 39:5.) . . .
"Civilizations, like Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed themselves
by disobedience to the laws of morality. “For the Spirit of the Lord will not
always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then
cometh speedy destruction.” (2 Ne. 26:11;
see also Gen. 6:3;
Ether 2:15;
D&C
1:33; Moses 8:17.)
"God grant that we will come to our senses and protect our
moral environment from this mist of darkness which deepens day by day. The fate
of all humanity hangs precariously in the balance. And may we have the protection of Him who is our Father and
our God,
PRESIDENT BOYD K.
PACKER,
President of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
“Our
Moral Environment,”
162nd Annual General Conference,
162nd Annual General Conference,
Sunday
morning, April 1992
6.“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,” (Jacob 6:8; Alma 34:31) “the great plan of happiness.” (Alma 42:8)
"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. . . .
'I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.' (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10)
6.“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,” (Jacob 6:8; Alma 34:31) “the great plan of happiness.” (Alma 42:8)
"Pornography will always repel the Spirit of Christ and will
interrupt the communications between our Heavenly Father and His children and
disrupt the tender relationship between husband and wife.
"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.
'I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.' (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10)
“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, (See 2 Nephi 32:3)
and priesthood leaders will guide you through those difficult times. (My
emphasis.)
“Nowhere are the generosity and the kindness and mercy of
God more manifest than in repentance. Do you understand the consummate
cleansing power of the Atonement made by the Son of God, our Savior, our
Redeemer? He said, “I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might
not suffer if they would repent (Doctrine
and Covenants 19:16).” In that supernal act of love, the Savior paid
the penalties for our sins so that we might not have to pay.
“For those who truly desire it, there is a way
back. Repentance is like unto a detergent. Even ground-in stains of sin will
come out.
“Priesthood holders carry with them the antidote to remove
the terrible images of pornography and to wash away guilt. The priesthood has
the power to unlock the influence of our habits, even to unchain from
addiction, however tight the grip. It can heal over the scars of past mistakes.
. . ."
PRESIDENT
BOYD K.
PACKER,
President
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
Sunday
morning, October 2010
7. "The repenting sinner must suffer for his sins but this suffering has a different purpose than punishment or payment. It's purpose is change."
ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
11. “We are living in the last days, in ‘perilous times’ (2 Timothy 3:1). . . . Bearers of the priesthood . . . have the responsibility to stand strong with a shield of faith . . . [as] role models to the world, protecting God-given, inalienable rights and freedoms. We stand in defense of our homes and our families. . . . If we are faithful in the priesthood, this armor, [the Apostle Paul taught about in Ephesians 6:13–17], will be given to us as a gift from God. We need this armor!”
“Your fathers and grandfathers never faced the temptations that you face on a regular basis. You are living in the last days. . . .Today temptation finds you! Please remember that! Satan desires to have you . . . How will you resist his aggressive tactics? Put on the whole armor of God.”
“ ‘The world has gone far afield . . . the Church will remain constant, and the world will keep moving—that gap is [becoming] wider and wider. … Therefore, be very careful. If you judge your actions and the standards of the Church on the basis of where the world is and where it’s going, you will find that you are not where you should be.’ (Robert D. Hales, “This Is the Way; and There Is None Other Way,” in Brigham Young University 1981–82 Speeches (1982), 3–4; available at speeches.byu.edu.) As the Lord said, ‘The truth abideth forever and ever’ (Doctrine and Covenants 1:39).”
7. "The repenting sinner must suffer for his sins but this suffering has a different purpose than punishment or payment. It's purpose is change."
ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
The Lord's Way page 223
8. “In its widest application, sin includes every irregularity of behavior, every source of uncleanliness,”
8. “In its widest application, sin includes every irregularity of behavior, every source of uncleanliness,”
“Some . . . wrongly think repentance is easy [and] a person
is better off after he has sinned and repented. ‘Get a little experience with
sin,’ one argument goes, ‘and then you will be better able to counsel and
sympathize with others. You can always repent.’ I plead with you . . . avoid
transgression! [These ideas] . . . are devilish lies of the adversary.”
“We can benefit from someone else’s . . . we don’t have to
have personal experience with the effects of serious transgressions to know
that they are injurious to our souls and destructive of our eternal welfare.”
“When we are young, we sometimes behave as if there were no
tomorrow. When we are young, it is easy to forget that we will grow up, marry,
raise a family, and—note this significant point—continue to associate with some
of the same people who are witnesses to, or participants in, our teenage pranks
or transgressions . . . Conduct your life today so your tomorrows are not
burdened with bad or embarrassing memories.”
ELDER DALLIN H.
OAKS
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
July 1992 Ensign
9. “All of us must come to an honest, open self-examination, an awareness within as to who and what we want to be.”
9. “All of us must come to an honest, open self-examination, an awareness within as to who and what we want to be.”
“Keep foremost in mind the sacred covenants
[we] have made with the Lord … Our main goal should be to seek ‘immortality
and eternal life’ (Moses 1:39).”
“Eliminate from our lives the things that
clamor for and consume our thoughts, feelings, and energies without
contributing to our reaching …our main goal . . . ‘immortality and eternal life’ (Moses 1:39).”
“Just do the very best you can each day. Do the basic things and, before you realize
it, your life will be full of spiritual understanding that will confirm to you
that your Heavenly Father loves you. When a person knows this, then life will
be full of purpose and meaning, making balance easier to maintain.”
ELDER M. RUSSELL
BALLARD
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
157th Annual General
Conference, April 1987
10. “When we obey a law,
we receive a blessing. When we break a law, there is nothing left over from
prior obedience to satisfy the demands of justice for that broken law.”
“The best way to make a permanent change for good is to make
Jesus Christ your model and His teachings your guide for life.”
Sunday Morning, April 2010
11. “We are living in the last days, in ‘perilous times’ (2 Timothy 3:1). . . . Bearers of the priesthood . . . have the responsibility to stand strong with a shield of faith . . . [as] role models to the world, protecting God-given, inalienable rights and freedoms. We stand in defense of our homes and our families. . . . If we are faithful in the priesthood, this armor, [the Apostle Paul taught about in Ephesians 6:13–17], will be given to us as a gift from God. We need this armor!”
“Your fathers and grandfathers never faced the temptations that you face on a regular basis. You are living in the last days. . . .Today temptation finds you! Please remember that! Satan desires to have you . . . How will you resist his aggressive tactics? Put on the whole armor of God.”
“ ‘The world has gone far afield . . . the Church will remain constant, and the world will keep moving—that gap is [becoming] wider and wider. … Therefore, be very careful. If you judge your actions and the standards of the Church on the basis of where the world is and where it’s going, you will find that you are not where you should be.’ (Robert D. Hales, “This Is the Way; and There Is None Other Way,” in Brigham Young University 1981–82 Speeches (1982), 3–4; available at speeches.byu.edu.) As the Lord said, ‘The truth abideth forever and ever’ (Doctrine and Covenants 1:39).”
“Stand
Strong in Holy Places,”
183rd Annual General Conference
183rd Annual General Conference
Priesthood Session, 6 April 2013
12. “Avoid the “promotional literature of illicit sexual relations” in what [you] read and [view]. I g[i]ve this analogy: 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 (Challenges for the Year Ahead (pamphlet, 1974), 4–5; reprinted in ‘Things They’re Saying,’ New Era, Feb. 1974, 18).”
12. “Avoid the “promotional literature of illicit sexual relations” in what [you] read and [view]. I g[i]ve this analogy: 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 (Challenges for the Year Ahead (pamphlet, 1974), 4–5; reprinted in ‘Things They’re Saying,’ New Era, Feb. 1974, 18).”
ELDER DALLIN H.
OAKS
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Pornography,”
175th Annual General Conference,
Sunday
afternoon, April 2005
13. “One way you can learn to control your thoughts . . . has to do with music. . . .The mind is like a stage. . . . There is always some act being performed on that stage. . . . Have you noticed that without any real intent on your part, in the middle of almost any performance, a shady little thought may creep in from the wings and attract your attention? These delinquent thoughts will try to upstage everybody. If you permit them to go on, all thoughts of any virtue will leave the stage. You will be left, because you consented to it, to the influence of unrighteous thoughts. . . . If you let them, they will devise the most clever persuasions . . ."
"What do you do at a time like that, when the stage of your mind is commandeered by the imps of unclean thinking?—whether they be the gray ones that seem almost clean or the filthy ones which leave no room for doubt. . . . Choose from among the sacred music of the Church a favorite hymn, one with words that are uplifting and music that is reverent, one that makes you feel something akin to inspiration. . . .
"Go over it in your mind carefully. Memorize it. Even though you have had no musical training, you can think through a hymn. Now, use this hymn as the place for your thoughts to go. Make it your emergency channel. Whenever you find these shady actors have slipped from the sidelines of your thinking onto the stage of your mind, put on this record, as it were.
13. “One way you can learn to control your thoughts . . . has to do with music. . . .The mind is like a stage. . . . There is always some act being performed on that stage. . . . Have you noticed that without any real intent on your part, in the middle of almost any performance, a shady little thought may creep in from the wings and attract your attention? These delinquent thoughts will try to upstage everybody. If you permit them to go on, all thoughts of any virtue will leave the stage. You will be left, because you consented to it, to the influence of unrighteous thoughts. . . . If you let them, they will devise the most clever persuasions . . ."
"What do you do at a time like that, when the stage of your mind is commandeered by the imps of unclean thinking?—whether they be the gray ones that seem almost clean or the filthy ones which leave no room for doubt. . . . Choose from among the sacred music of the Church a favorite hymn, one with words that are uplifting and music that is reverent, one that makes you feel something akin to inspiration. . . .
"Go over it in your mind carefully. Memorize it. Even though you have had no musical training, you can think through a hymn. Now, use this hymn as the place for your thoughts to go. Make it your emergency channel. Whenever you find these shady actors have slipped from the sidelines of your thinking onto the stage of your mind, put on this record, as it were.
"As the music begins and as the words form in your thoughts,
the unworthy ones will slip shamefully away. It will change the whole mood . .
. while virtue, by choice, will not associate with filth, evil cannot tolerate
the presence of light. In due time you will find yourself, on occasion, humming
the music inwardly. As you retrace your thoughts, you discover some influence
from the world about you encouraged an unworthy thought to move on stage in
your mind, and the music almost automatically began.
"'Music,' said Gladstone, 'is one of the most forceful
instruments for governing the mind and spirit of man.'"
PRESIDENT BOYD K.
PACKER,
President of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
No comments:
Post a Comment