Friday, October 18, 2013

Be righteous, build family, prepare to meet God

"Set Appropriate Goals...

"The essential elements are really quite simple for members who have received the saving ordinances: Be righteous. Build a family. Find an appropriate way to provide. Serve as called. Prepare to meet God."

- Elder Quentin L. Cook, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Act Well Your Part," Ensign, Oct 2013, p. 28
http://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/10/act-well-your-part?lang=eng&query=one+of+your+greatest+protections

Wanting to be anonymous is a sign of danger

"In our day, when being anonymous is easier than ever, there are important principles involved in not wearing a mask and in being 'true to the faith … for which martyrs have perished.'

"One of your greatest protections against making bad choices is not to put on any mask of anonymity. If you ever find yourself wanting to do so, please know it is a serious sign of danger and one of the adversary’s tools to get you to do something you should not do.

"It is common today to hide one’s identity when writing hateful, vitriolic, bigoted communications anonymously online. Some refer to it as flaming.

"The Apostle Paul wrote:

"'Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

"'Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God' (1 Corinthians 15:33–34).

"It is clear that evil communications are not just a matter of bad manners. If practiced by Latter-day Saints, they can adversely affect those who do not have knowledge of God or a testimony of the Savior.

"Any use of the Internet to bully, destroy a reputation, or place a person in a bad light is reprehensible. What we are seeing in society is that when people wear the mask of anonymity, they are more likely to engage in this kind of conduct, which is so destructive of civil discourse. It also violates the basic principles the Savior taught.

"The Savior explained that He had not come to condemn the world but to save the world. He then described what condemnation means:

"'And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

"'For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

"'But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God' (John 3:19–21; see also verses 17–18).

"The righteous need not wear masks to hide their identity."

- Elder Quentin L. Cook, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Act Well Your Part," Ensign, Oct 2013, p. 26
http://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/10/act-well-your-part?lang=eng&query=one+of+your+greatest+protections

What could being more joy to a couple than temple worship?

"What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?"

- Richard G. Scott, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need," Ensign, May 2009
http://www.lds.org/liahona/2009/05/temple-worship-the-source-of-strength-and-power-in-times-of-need?lang=eng&query=profound+happiness+for+a+couple

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

"Human Felicity is produc'd not so much by great Pieces of good Fortune that seldom happen, as by little Advantages that occur every Day." 

- Benjamin Franklin, as quoted at http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin, accessed  8 Oct 2013, from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin [Part III, p. 108]

Find or make a Reason for everything

"So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do." 

- Benjamin Franklin, as quoted at http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin , accessed 8 Oct 2013, from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin [Part I, p. 28]