“Obedience brings success; exact obedience brings miracles."


- Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Elder Nelson Delivers Spiritual Thanksgiving Feast to MTCs," https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-nelson-delivers-spiritual-thanksgiving-feast-to-mtcs?lang=eng 

"Obedience is powerful spiritual medicine. It comes close to being a cure-all."

- By President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Leave It Alone," Ensign, June 2015, p. 80. from “Balm of Gilead,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 17–18.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/06/leave-it-alone?lang=eng

Story: Man wanted vengeance but followed priesthood counsel to "let it go"

"If you suffer from worry, from grief or shame or jealousy or disappointment or envy, from self-recrimination or self-justification, consider this lesson taught to me many years ago by a patriarch. He was as saintly a man as I have ever known. …

"He grew up in a little community with a desire to make something of himself. He struggled to get an education.

"He married his sweetheart, and presently everything was just right. He was well employed, with a bright future. They were deeply in love, and she was expecting their first child.

"The night the baby was to be born, there were complications. The only doctor was somewhere in the countryside tending to the sick. …

"Finally the doctor was located. In the emergency, he acted quickly and soon had things in order. The baby was born and the crisis, it appeared, was over.

"Some days later, the young mother died from the very infection that the doctor had been treating at another home that night.

"John’s world was shattered. Everything was not right now; everything was all wrong. He had lost his wife. He had no way to tend both the baby and his work.

"As the weeks wore on, his grief festered. “That doctor should not be allowed to practice,” he would say. “He brought that infection to my wife. If he had been careful, she would be alive today.”

"He thought of little else, and in his bitterness, he became threatening. …

"One night a knock came at his door. A little girl said simply, “Daddy wants you to come over. He wants to talk to you.”

“'Daddy' was the stake president. …

"This spiritual shepherd had been watching his flock and had something to say to him.

"The counsel from that wise servant was simply, “John, leave it alone. Nothing you do about it will bring her back. Anything you do will make it worse. John, leave it alone.” …

"He struggled in agony to get hold of himself. And finally, he determined that whatever else the issues were, he should be obedient.

"Obedience is powerful spiritual medicine. It comes close to being a cure-all.

"He determined to follow the counsel of that wise spiritual leader. He would leave it alone.

"Then he told me, '… It was not until I was an old man that I could finally see a poor country doctor—overworked, underpaid, run ragged from patient to patient, with little medicine, no hospital, few instruments, struggling to save lives, and succeeding for the most part.

“'He had come in a moment of crisis, when two lives hung in the balance, and had acted without delay.

"'I was an old man,' he repeated, 'before I finally understood! I would have ruined my life,' he said, “and the lives of others.”

Many times he had thanked the Lord on his knees for a wise spiritual leader who counseled simply, 'John, leave it alone.'"

- By President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Leave It Alone," Ensign, June 2015, p. 80. from “Balm of Gilead,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 17–18.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/06/leave-it-alone?lang=eng

 "Selective obedience brings selective blessings, and choosing something bad over something worse is still choosing wrong."

- Elder Jörg Klebingat, Of the Seventy, "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence," General Conference, Oct 2014
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/approaching-the-throne-of-god-with-confidence?lang=eng

"every world problem may be solved by obedience to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

- David O. McKay, as quoted in, "Helping Others Find Faith in Christ," Ensign, Dec 2014

Holiness is the strength of the soul

"Holiness is the strength of the soul. It comes by faith and through obedience to God’s laws and ordinances. God then purifies the heart by faith, and the heart becomes purged from that which is profane and unworthy. When holiness is achieved by conforming to God’s will, one knows intuitively that which is wrong and that which is right before the Lord. Holiness speaks when there is silence, encouraging that which is good or reproving that which is wrong."

- Pres. James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, "Standing in Holy Places," General Conference, Apr 2005
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/standing-in-holy-places?lang=eng

There is a price to pay for success

"...everything has a price. There is a price to pay for success, fulfillment, accomplishment, and joy. There are no freebies. If you don’t pay the price that is needed for success, you will pay the price of failure. Preparation, work, study, and service are required to achieve and find happiness. Disobedience and lack of preparation carry a terrible price tag."

- Pres. James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, "The Devil’s Throat," Ensign, may 2003, p. 52
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/the-devils-throat?lang=eng

Help from Heavenly Father in response to faith and obedience

"When we receive help from our Father in Heaven, it is in response to faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency."

- Elder Richard G. Scott, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer," Ensign, Nov 1989, p. 30
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/10/learning-to-recognize-answers-to-prayer?lang=eng

Those with testimonies do their duty

“When there throbs in the heart of an individual Latter-day Saint a great and vital testimony of the truth of this work, he will be found doing his duty in the Church. He will be found in his sacrament meetings. He will be found in his priesthood meetings. He will be found paying his honest tithes and offerings. He will be doing his home teaching. He will be found in attendance at the temple as frequently as his circumstances will permit. He will have within him a great desire to share the gospel with others. He will be found strengthening and lifting his brethren and sisters. It is conversion that makes the difference.”

- Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, as quoted in “Missionary Service, Activation, Temple Work Emphasized in Conference Leadership Meetings,” Ensign, May 1984

http://www.lds.org/ensign/1984/05/news-of-the-church/missionary-service-activation-temple-work-emphasized-in-conference-leadership-meetings?lang=eng

Conversion is the fruit of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience

“Stated simply, true conversion is the fruit of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience.”

- Elder Richard G. Scott, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Full Conversion Brings Happiness,” General Conference, Apr 2002

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/04/full-conversion-brings-happiness?lang=eng

If we are obedient, God will open a way

“I believe that if we will walk in obedience to the commandments of God, if we will follow the counsel of the priesthood, he will open a way even where there appears to be no way.”

- Gordon B. Hinckley, “If Ye Be Willing and Obedient,” General Conference, Oct. 1971

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1971/10/if-ye-be-willing-and-obedient?lang=eng

Commandments given to make us happy

“When you understand that Heavenly Father gives us commandments so we can be happy, you will learn to obey because you want to, not because you feel you have to.”

- Elder H. Bryan Richards, Of the Seventy, serving as Asia Area President at the time of this article, “Friend to Friend: ‘Follow the Prophet,’” Friend, Nov. 2001

http://www.lds.org/friend/2001/11/friend-to-friend-follow-the-prophet?lang=eng

This generation has a great capacity for obedience

“The youth of this generation have a greater capacity for obedience than any previous generation.”

- Elder Neal A. Maxwell, as quoted by Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Things as They Really Are," Ensign, Jun 2010, p. 24
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2010/06/things-as-they-really-are?lang=eng 

To obey is best; death the gate of life

Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best,
And love with fear the only God; to walk
As in his presence; ever to observe
His providence; and on him sole depend,
Merciful over all his works, with good
Still overcoming evil, and by small
Accomplishing great things, by things deemed weak
Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise
By simply meek: that suffering for truth's sake
Is fortitude to highest victory,
And, to the faithful, death the gate of life;
Taught this by his example, whom I now
Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest.

- John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book XII, Lines 561-573