"every one of our Heavenly Father’s children, on both sides of the veil, deserves to hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ"

" My dear young brothers and sisters, these surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!

When we speak of the gathering, we are simply saying this fundamental truth: every one of our Heavenly Father’s children, on both sides of the veil, deserves to hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. They decide for themselves if they want to know more."

- President Russell M. Nelson, "Hope of Israel," New Era, Aug 2018

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2018/08-se/hope-of-israel?lang=eng

What in you is merely casualness may become hostility in your children

 "A very real danger of not enthusiastically supporting Children and Youth is the unintended message we would send to our children that the Church is a buffet where we can simply pick and choose which practices and commandments we want to follow and somehow opt out of the rest without consequence.

"Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles powerfully taught, 'What in you is merely casualness about Christianity may, in your children, become hostility; for what you have not defended, your children may reject angrily.'"

- Steven J. Lund, Young Men General President, Liahona, March 2022. quoting Neal A. Maxwell, Neal A. Maxwell, “Why Not Now?,” Ensign, Nov. 1974, 12.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2022/03/united-states-and-canada-section/how-the-children-and-youth-program-strengthens-families?lang=eng

Neal A. Maxwell, “Why Not Now?,” October 1974 general conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1974/10/why-not-now?lang=eng 

Children and Youth program improves mental health

 “The best way to help youth improve their mental health is by engaging them in Children and Youth because of the consistent emphasis on growth in a variety of areas.

“Children who understand the wonders of the covenant path will not be looking for off-ramps. Through Primary and Children and Youth, the covenants and the milestones will be clear to them, especially when life gets confusing.”

- Dr. Sheldon Martin, mental health expert interviewed about the Children and Youth program, as quoted in "How the Children and Youth Program Strengthens Families" by By Steven J. Lund, Young Men General President, Liahona, Mar 2022

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2022/03/united-states-and-canada-section/how-the-children-and-youth-program-strengthens-families?lang=eng

Home-centered, Church-supported curriculum will dramatically change families

 "The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith. I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining."

- President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church, "Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints," General Conference, Oct 2018, https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/10/becoming-exemplary-latter-day-saints?lang=eng

The purpose of gospel habits is primarily to receive the Holy Ghost

 "everything the Savior’s gospel teaches us to do and become is intended to bless us with the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

"Consider the reasons we pray and study the scriptures. Yes, we yearn to communicate in prayer with Heavenly Father in the name of His Son. And yes, we desire to obtain the light and knowledge available in the standard works. But please remember that these holy habits primarily are ways whereby we always remember Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son and are prerequisites to the ongoing companionship of the Holy Ghost.

"Reflect on the reasons we worship in the house of the Lord and in our Sabbath meetings. Yes, we serve our kindred dead in the temple—and our families and friends in the wards and branches in which we live. And yes, we enjoy the righteous sociality we find among our brothers and sisters. But we primarily gather together in unity to seek the blessings of and instruction from the Holy Ghost.

"Praying, studying, gathering, worshipping, serving, and obeying are not isolated and independent items on a lengthy gospel checklist of things to do. Rather, each of these righteous practices is an important element in an overarching spiritual quest to fulfill the mandate to receive the Holy Ghost. The commandments from God we obey and the inspired counsel from Church leaders we follow principally focus upon obtaining the companionship of the Spirit. Fundamentally, all gospel teachings and activities are centered on coming unto Christ by receiving the Holy Ghost in our lives."

- Elder David A. Bednar, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Receive the Holy Ghost," General Conference, Oct 2010, https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/10/receive-the-holy-ghost?lang=eng 

The natural man is not what constitutes our individuality

 "Too often when we seek to excuse ourselves, it is, ironically, “the natural man” we are excusing. Yet scriptures inform us “the natural man” is to be “put off” (see Mosiah 3:19). “He” certainly should not be “kept on” because of a mistaken sense that the natural man constitutes our individuality."

- Elder Neal A Maxwell, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “In Him All Things Hold Together," BYU Devotional, 31 March 1991 

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/neal-a-maxwell/in-him-all-things-hold-together/

Vulgarity and innuendo repel the Holy Ghost

 There are certain things you simply cannot do if you want to have the Holy Ghost with you. It is not possible to listen to vulgar lyrics, watch movies filled with sexual innuendo, tamper with pornography on the Internet (or anywhere else for that matter), take the name of the Lord in vain, wear revealing clothing, compromise in any way the law of chastity, or disregard the values of true manhood and womanhood and expect the Holy Ghost to remain with you. Whenever anyone participates in those kinds of activities, it should not be a surprise if feelings of loneliness, discouragement, and unworthiness follow. Do not make the choice to go it alone rather than have the Spirit of the Lord to guide, to protect, to prompt, to warn, and to fill you with peace. Repent if you need to so you can enjoy the companionship of the Spirit.

- M. Russell Ballard, "Here Am I, Send Me," https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/m-russell-ballard/send/

Conflict is inevitable, contention is a choice

 "Conflict is inevitable. It is a condition of mortality. It is part of our test. Contention, however, is a choice. It is one way that some people choose to respond to conflict.

"When we contend with others, we cause discord, dissension, resentment, and even rage. Harmful emotions almost always accompany contention: anger, hurt, jealousy, hostility, revenge, and malice—to name just a few.

...

"We cannot adjust the volume on others’ bitterness, wrath, or rage. We can, however, choose our response. We can choose a better way—the Lord’s way. Of course this is easy to say and difficult to do.

"To refrain from contending requires great discipline. But that’s what it means to be a disciple.

...

"We cannot force anyone to change. But we can love them. We can be an example of what the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. And we can invite all to come and belong.

"When others throw insults at us, do we return fire?

"There is a better way—the Lord’s way: To some, we say nothing. To others, we state with quiet dignity who we are, what we believe, and why we believe. We stand confident in our faith in God, trusting that He will uphold us in our trials.

"Let us emulate the gentle Christ. And we do that through learning to love God and reaching out to bless others. Yes, there will still be conflict. But our all-powerful Father in Heaven has promised that He will fight our battles for us."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Five Messages That All of God’s Children Need to Hear," 17 Aug 2021, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dieter-f-uchtdorf/five-messages-that-all-of-gods-children-need-to-hear/

As adapted in BYU Magazine, Winter 2022 issue, https://magazine.byu.edu/article/5-messages/

The Lord purposely chooses the humble and "not good enough"

"You say you’re not perfect? You’re not good enough? Well, welcome to the club! You may be just the person God is looking for.

...

The Lord chooses the humble and meek—partly because they are humble and meek. In this way, there is never a question regarding the reason for their success. These wonderful, ordinary people accomplish great things not because of who they are but because of who God is!

For “what is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27, NIV)

...

God does not need people who are flawless. He seeks those who will offer their “heart and a willing mind,” (D&C 64:34) and He will make them “perfect in Christ" (Moroni 10:32-33)."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Five Messages That All of God’s Children Need to Hear," 17 Aug 2021, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dieter-f-uchtdorf/five-messages-that-all-of-gods-children-need-to-hear/