Just You and Your Words: C

Charity

Alma 34:29 "If ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men"

"Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets of life. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will come to love him… if you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less… The difference between a true Christian and a wordly man is that the wordly man treats certain people kindly because he likes them: the Christian, trying to treat everyone kindly, finds himself liking more and more people as he goes on- including people he could not have even imagined himself liking in the beginning" -C.S. Lewis

3 Nephi 18:28-32 "ye shall not cast him out from among you.. Pray for him"

Ether 12:34 "This love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father"

Moroni 7:44 "he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing"

Moroni 7:45 "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things"

Moroni 7:46 "If he have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail. But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him"

Moroni 10:20 "There must be faith and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity. And except ye have chairty ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neitehr can ye if ye have no hope. And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity. And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me"

Matthew 1:19 "Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily… but while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost"

Joseph was kind and patient and slow to anger
The spirit does not come when we are angry or worked up- Joseph had to be willing and open to the spirit in order for him to come

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Chastity

"God hates the sin. He doesn't hate the sinner" -Hank Smith

Alma 39:5 "Know ye not 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?"

There are three steps to committing sexual sin:

Pride and not listening
Putting yourself in a dangerous situation
Sexual sin

-Hank Smith

Alma 39:8 "Ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day"

Moroni 9:9 chastity and virtue are "the most dear and precious above all things"

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Christ & Heavenly Father

Christ's birth: Matthew 1,2

Matthew 14:27 "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid"

Isaiah 41:10 - "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged for I am your God. I will strengthen you"

"He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, he would have done no less" - C.S. Lewis

"Christ cares more about where you are going than where you have been" -Professor Hank Smith

D&C 76:22-24 (This is the last testimony of him: That he lives!)

"What thinks Christ of me? Love him, trust him, believe him, and follow him, you will feel his love and approval" -Neil A. Anderson

"Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ" -Shelia Walsh

Sermon on the Mount- Matthew 4-6 (Private victory precedes public victory)

Build a foundation- you cannot tape fruit to a tree

Flesh vs. Spirit

Vanity vs. Humility

Aspiration vs. Consecration (my will vs. God's will)

Luke 4,5,7- Savior's hometown, Savior fills nets and tells them to walk away, woman washes his feet (all give something up)

Luke 9: 51-56 Samaritan City

Luke 10: Good Samaritan

-Man traveling from Jerusalem (heaven, temple here) to Jericho (Earth, Dead Sea here- only takes water from other sources, does not give back)

-Man goes from heaven to earth- falls among thieves (Satan)- strip him from his clothes (his identity) and wound him, leaving him half dead (spiritual death due to sin)

-Priest (Law of Moses, cannot save us from the fall, although designed to do good) walks by, pretends not to notice him

-Levite (temple worker, represents priesthood and prophets- even they cannot save us from the fall) walks by, wants to help, but he too passes on the other side

-Samaritan walks by him (Christ)

-Samaritan is half Jew, half Gentile (Christ: half God, half mortal)

-Samaritan goes to him and binds his wounds, pouring in oil and wine (atonement/sacrament- blood of Christ)

-Samaritan takes him and places him on his own beast (Isaiah 53:4- he caries our sorrows)

-Takes him to an inn (church)

-Pays the host and says he will repay him for any other charges

Samaritan has done this before - they have established a relationship of trust with the inn keeper

This inn keeper himself may have even fallen victim to these thieves and was saved by the Samaritan, therefore devoting his life to helping others who have fallen

Luke 10: 38-41 Mary and Martha (good, better, and best)

Luke 12:15-21 Treasure for himself

Luke 14: 7-11 Sit in the Lowest Room

Luke 15: prodigal son

Luke 16: 19-31 Lazarus and Rich man

Luke 19: 1-10 Zachaeus and Publican

John 3- Nicodemus meets Jesus

John 4- woman at the well- stages of change

John 5: 2-7 man waiting by pool for a miracle

John 6: testing Phillip- "how will we feed them?"

John 6:68- "Where else will I go?

John 8- Woman taken in adultery

Matthew 14:22-33 Fear makes you sink

Matthew 21:18-19/Mark 11:12-14- Cursing the fig tree

Matthew 21:12-16/Mark 11:15-18/Luke 19:45-48- Second temple cleansing

Mark 12:41- widow's mite (penny: in God we trust)

Matthew 25:1-13 10 virgins

Matthew 25:14-30 Parable of talents

Garden of Gethsemane

-Matthew 26:33-35, 36, 39

-Luke 22:39, 40, 43-44

-Isaiah 53:4-5

-Mosiah 3:7

-Alma 7:11-12

-James Talmage- Jesus the Christ pg. 613

-Neal Maxwell- ensign may 1985

-Jeffrey R. Holland- Ensign May 1999

-"In that most burdensome moment in all of human history, with blood appearing at every pore and an anguished cry upon his lips, Christ sought him who he had always sought- his Father. "Abba" he cried, "Papa", or from the lips of a younger child, "Daddy". This is such a personal moment that is almost seems a sacrilege to cite it. A son in unrelieved pain, a Father his only true source of strength, both of them staying the course, making it through the night- together".

-President Bateman "Personal one by one"

"Savior lived your Life"- Ensign November 2005 pg. 74

"For many years, I thought of the Savior's experience in the garden and on the cross as places where a large mass of sin was heaped upon Him. Through the words of prophets, my view has changed. Instead of an impersonal mass of sin, there was a long line of people, as Jesus felt our 'infirmities', bore our grief's, carried our sorrows, was bruised for our iniquities. The atonement was an intimate, personal experience in which Jesus came to know how to help each of us".

Christ arrested and crucified

John 18:10,11,13,15
Matthew 26:61,64,67
John 18:28,33-37
Matthew 27:19
John 19:4-13
Matthew 27:46
Luke 23:34
Video: None were With Him- Holland "on this Easter Sunday"
"I have wondered what that reunion must have been like: the Father that loved this Son so much, the Son that honored and revered His Father in every word and deed. For two who were one as these two were one, what must that embrace have been like? What must that divine companionship be yet? We can only wonder and admire. And we can, on an Easter weekend, yearn to live worthily of some portion of that relationship ourselves" -Jeffery R. Holland

Matthew 27:51

Resurrection

Bible Dictionary: Miracles

"An important element in the work of Jesus Christ, being not only divine acts, but forming also a part of the divine teaching. Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be improbable.

John 20:11-17/Luke 24:13-32/Luke 24:33-49/John 21:1-25

Luke 24:36-39/John 1-25 (verses 15-17,25)
Video: He lives: Testimony of Jesus Christ

Witnesses to the resurrection:

John 20:11-17 "Why weepest thou?" Mary does not recognize him, not until he calls her by name.
John 21:1-25- disciples don't recognize Christ- then realize they had this exact experience before. Christ has personalized blessings for us

Sister Dalton- called to young women general president. Overwhelmed. As a young girl in girl scouts, they were asked to choose a symbol that represented them. She chose a white rose. Years later, she was overwhelmed leaving the prophet's office. President Hinckley called her back and went over to his desk and pulled a white rose from his vase, handing her one. He had no idea what this meant, but for Sister Dalton, it was a sign and personalized blessing that only she and the Lord knew about.

Mosiah 14

Alma 7:11-12 - "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind…"

Alma 33:22- "cast your eyes and begin got believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works"

Alma 34:8-10,14-16 "For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice"

"Mercy satisfies the demands of justice"

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 "And ye said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong"

"All this trying leads up to the vital moment at which you turn to God and say, "You must do this. I can't"'. -CS Lewis

Alma 38:9- "There is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness"

"I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun- not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else" -CS Lewis

"Although his time is not always our time, we can be sure that the Lord keeps his promises" -Henry B. Eyring

"If, in the end, you have not chosen Jesus Christ, it will not matter what you have chosen" Neil A. Maxwell

Helaman 5:12 "remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall"

Helaman 13:15-19

"The most important anchor I can share: Anchor your life in Jesus Christ, your redeemer. Make your eternal Father and his Beloved Son the most important priority in your life- more important than life itself, more important than a beloved companion or children or anyone on earth. Make their will your central desire. Then all that you need for happiness will come to you" -Elder Richard G. Scott

3 Nephi 8:21 "And there could be no light, because of the darkness"

Christ's object lesson- without Christ, there is only darkness

3 Nephi 9:14 "If ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me"

"Just think of it: You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe! You are loved by the king of infinite space and everlasting time" -Uchtdorf

3 Nephi 11:3 "it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice, it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn"

3 Nephi 11:15 "one by one"

Not easier, but it related to the sacrament, baptisms for the dead, etc

More personal than just all at once (he DOES have the power to just do all at once, chooses not to)

3 Nephi 13:24 "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon"

"The future of this world has long been declared; the final outcome between good and evil is already known. There is absolutely no question as to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard. The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the field trying to decide which team's jersey we want to wear" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"You are his child all the time- not just when you are good. You are his child even when you are bad" -President Hinckley

"When a relationship with God is good, you have a never failing source of guidance and comfort from Heavenly Father"- David O. McKay

"When that relationship is good, you have access to the most potent antidepressant known to man" -Dallin H. Oaks

3 Nephi 15:9 "Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life"

3 Nephi 18:16 "I am the light; I have set an example for you"

3 Nephi 11-18- Christ's first day with the Nephites

3 Nephi 19-26- Christ's second day with the Nephites

20-22: the gathering

3 Nephi 27-28- Christ's third visit with the Nephites

3 Nephi 22: Christ is the groom, the church is his bride.

Vs. 5- loyalty, the bride takes on his name, become one
Adulterer, leaves Christ for money (cheat on him with "great whore") (lifestyle)

Christ takes her back, forgiving

Mercy: you don't deserve it, just accept it (Hank Smith)

3 Nephi 24: 6 "For I am the Lord, I change not"

"If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing" -Henry B. Eyring

Ezekiel 34:16 "I will seek that which was lost… bring again that which was driven away… will bind up that which was broken… will strengthen that which was sick"

John 13:15 "For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you"

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths"

Mormon 9:10 "Behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles"

Mormon 9:19 "And fi there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles"

Ether 2:25 "Ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea"

Ether 3:8 "I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood"

Ether 6:5-7 "God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters towards the promised land"

Wind (trials)- the Lord takes you where he wants you- he moves you forward. You may feel buried at times, but the Lord will always bring you back up

Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weaknesses. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them"

"We want to see Jesus Christ now, but our certain reunion with Him at the judgment bar will be more pleasing if we first do the things that make Him familiar to us as we are to Him. As we serve Him, we come like Him, and we feel closer to Him as we approach that day when nothing will hide our view" -Henry B. Eyring

Moroni 6:4 "Christ… the author and the finisher of their faith"

Moroni 7:12-13 "Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually. But behold, that which is if God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God"

Moroni 7:33 "If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me"

Moroni 7:46 "If he have not charity, ye are nothing, for chairty never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail. But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him"

Moroni 8:18 "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity"

"No force beneath the heavens could hold back the power of the Son of God. It was as if His Almighty Father could stand no more. The earth trembled. The guards fled. The stone was moved. The Lord arose… and stepped forth to become the first fruits of them that slept. The empty tomb bore testimony of this greatest of all miracles" -Gordon B. Hinckley

Moroni 9:25 "May Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever"

Moroni 10:3 "remember how merciful the Lord hath been… and ponder it in your hearts"

Moroni 10:6 "Whatsoever thing is good is just and true; nothing that is good denieth Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is"

Moroni 10:7 "And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever"

Moroni 10:32 "Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God"

D&C 76:22 "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: that he lives!"

"Now, the most important principle I can share: Anchor your life in Jesus Christ, your Redeemer. Make your Eternal Father and his Beloved Son the most important priority in your life—more important than life itself, more important than a beloved companion or children or anyone on earth. Make their will your central desire. Then all that you need for happiness will come to you" -Richard G. Scott

Matthew 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"

Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon"

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you"

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"

"From time to time, our lives may seem to be touched by darkness... Nevertheless, I bear witness that our living hope is in Jesus Christ. I testify that with Christ, darkness cannot succeed" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"God's light is real, it is available to all. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound" -President Uchtdorf

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Christmas

"The more commercialized and busy the Christmas season becomes, the easier it is for the sublime message of the Savior’s life to get lost along the way. If we notice that planning for parties and scrambling for presents begin to detract from the peaceable message of Jesus Christ and distance us from the gospel He preached, let us take a step back, slow down a little, and reconsider what matters most." —Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Seeing Christmas through New Eyes"

"Are you part of the Inn crowd, or are you one of the Stable few?"

"Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus" -Neil A. Maxwell

Matthew 1-2

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Comfort

Ether 12:27 - I give weaknesses so that they might be humble- make weak things strong

"Never forget to be patient with yourself, that some sacrifices are better than others and to be happy now that the "why" of the gospel will uplift you and that your Heavenly Father loves you" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Keep trying… Keep believing… Be happy… Don't get discouraged. Things will work out"- Gordon B. Hinckley

"It may be true that man is nothing in comparison to the greatness of the universe. At times we may feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten. But always remember- you matter to Him!" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Try a little harder to be a little better" -Gordon B. Hinckley

"Everything happens for a reason. People change, so you can learn to let go. Things go wrong, so you can appreciate when they're right. Good things fall apart so better things can fall together" -Marilyn Monroe

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us" -Joseph Campbell

"God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect. Let me add, God is fully aware that the people you think are perfect are not. And yet, we spend so much time and energy comparing ourselves to others- usually comparing our weaknesses to their strengths… As a result we never celebrate our good efforts because they seem to be less than what someone else does". -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I am learning to sail my ship". -Louisa May Alcott

"Don't give up. Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. You keep your chin up. It will all be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come". -Jeffrey R. Holland

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make" Gordon B. Hinckley

"We are not asking for perfection. The works of the Lord is done by ordinary people who work in an extraordinary way. The Lord magnifies those who put forth the effort… With small means the Lord accomplishes His marvelous work" - Gordon B. Hinckley

"Just when all seems to be gong right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more… He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get from where you are to where he wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His beloved son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love" -Elder Scott

"We cannot always expect to succeed, but we should try the best we can" -Boyd K. Packer

D&C 1:23- the fullness of my gospel will be proclaimed by the weak and the simple

"I do not think it pleased the Lord when we worry because we think we never do enough or that what we do is never good enough" -Boyd K. Packer

Jacob 3:1 - pray unto him with exceeding faith and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause

"Often it's the deepest pain which empowers you to grow into your highest self" -Karen Salmansohn

"Some blessings come soon, some blessings come late, and some don't come until Heaven. But for those who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they come" -Jeffrey R. Holland

D&C 121:7-8 "peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment"

"Ah yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it" -Rafiki from Lion King

(on the challenge of sin)- "But there is an answer to this challenge for you every bit as there is for that investigator to whom you will go. Whoever you are and whatever you have done, you can be forgiven. Every one of you can leave behind any transgression with which you may struggle. It is the miracle of forgiveness; it is the miracle of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you cannot do it without an active commitment to the gospel, and you cannot do it without repentance where it is needed. I am asking you to be active and be clean. If required, I am asking you to get active and get clean" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"We must constantly remind ourselves that He is God and we are not" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future" -Oscar Wilde

Mosiah 24:15- "The lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully with patience to al the will of the Lord"

Alma 34:41- "But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions"

When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place" -Ezra Taft Benson

"I've always hated being gossiped about. When I heard that people were talking about me, I consoled myself with what my mother, Ruthie used to say: "Birds peck at the best fruit"" -anon

"As we give, we find that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven, and in the end, we learn it was no sacrifice at all" -Spencer W. Kimball

Alma 36:3 "...whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day"

"Although his time is not always our time, we can be sure that the Lord keeps his promises" -Henry B. Eyring

"In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike… you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we could see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"The very beauty of the word repentance is the promise of escaping old problems and old habits and old sorrows and old sins. It is among the most hopeful and encouraging—and yes, most peaceful—words in the gospel vocabulary. In seeking true peace some of us need to improve what has to be improved, confess what needs to be confessed, forgive what has to be forgiven, and forget what should be forgotten in order that serenity can come to us. If there is a commandment we are breaking, and as a result it is breaking us and hurting those who love us, let us call down the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to help us, to free us, to lead us through repentance to that peace “which passeth all understanding.” (Jeffrey R. Holland)

"God doesn’t care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"You are his child all the time- not just when you are good. You are his child even when you are bad" -President Hinckley

"It hurt because it mattered" -John Green

Ezekiel 34:16 "I will seek that which was lost… bring again that which was driven away… will bind up that which was broken… will strengthen that which was sick"

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths"

"There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind" -C.S. Lewis

"Come what may and love it" -Joseph B. Wirthlin

Ether 6:5-7 "God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters towards the promised land"

Wind (trials)- the Lord takes you where he wants you- he moves you forward. You may feel buried at times, but the Lord will always bring you back up

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"

Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God"

Moroni 7:33 "If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me"

"Stars can't shine without darkness" -anon

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow" -Proverb

"Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair, to strength and beauty and happiness" -Floyd W. Tomkins

"The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served" -President Gordon B. Hinckley

"See how far you've come, not how far you have to go" -Kent Brooks

"We don't have to wait to cross the finish line to receive God's blessings" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Hold on. Hope on. Fan the flame of your faith, for all things are possible to them that believe" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"From time to time, our lives may seem to be touched by darkness... Nevertheless, I bear witness that our living hope is in Jesus Christ. I testify that with Christ, darkness cannot succeed" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"God's light is real, it is available to all. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound" -President Uchtdorf

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Communication

Mosiah 20:14 - Lamanites go to war against the people of Limhi, for they think he broke they broke the oath. It turns out neither of them had broken the oath, they just had a miscommunication about who had kidnapped the Lamanites' wives (King Noah's evil priests)

Alma 60/61- Moroni writes an angry letter to Pahoran, threating him, but has no idea what Pahoran is dealing with on his side of things. Pahoran responds kindly and patiently, rather than also jumping the gun and making harsh judgments and conclusions

Communication is three parts:

Sending (tactics, articulation, tone, motive, don't exaggerate, etc)

Receiving (Don't jump to conclusions or assume things, give each other benefit of the doubt, don't focus on words, focus on feelings)

Understanding

2 Nephi 25 "I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err"

Send a clear message, and receive clearly

Communication is like a wife pond and a husband pond. If you don't allow things to come in or out, it will get stagnant! -Kent Brooks

Communication to a relationship is what breathing is to a life… you cannot sustain the life of a relationship without it! -Kent Brooks

Relationships will stay interesting if individuals stay interesting. Keep growing and expanding and you will always have something to talk about. It is a conscious decision. -Kent Brooks

Make time to communicate each day, only loving words, appreciation, etc. No bills, calendaring, complaining, etc.

The underlying problem with communication is pride. You are too selfish to care about one's feelings -Kent Brooks

Communication is not a problem dealing with skills. It is a problem dealing with the heart.

"You cannot hide the heart when the mouth is open" -Brigham Young

Matthew 15:11 "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man"

5 constructive patterns of communication (as taught by Kent Brooks)

clarity: give a message so it's understood, and not misunderstood... think before you speak (know what you feel and think so you can convey it)... know if it is relevant of not, clear vs. unclear, important vs. not important (the past usually isn't important or relevant... identify what NEEDS to be said, not just what you want to say... think of how to say it and when
Brevity: keep it brief, or the message will get lost. Get to the point, stay focused, stay in the present, don't just repeat yourself over and over again... Don't just state the problem- get to the solution!
Learn to really listen: "Learn to listen and listen to learn" (Elder Nielson)... good listening requires a commitment of time (usually when we need to listen is when it is the hardest, the Lord will help make up the different)... Good listening involves the ears, eyes, mind, and heart. Listening is just hearing or being quiet. Listen to their tone, intensity of emotion, body language, and eyes. Know how you come across to others. Don't just "Sports Center" listen (where you can give the highlights, but never watched the game- make eye contact, and listen!)
Seek first to understand, and THEN to be understood: understand their point of view
Couple Prayer: President Hinckley said this is the single most important thing that will sweeten a relationship. If you are too prideful to pray together, you are too prideful to communicate and resolve conflicts

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Courage

D&C 60:2 - God is not pleased with those who hide their talents due to fear of man

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them" -Walt Disney

"Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, 'I'll try again tomorrow'" -President Monson

"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?" -Dr. Seuss

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great" -Mark Twain

"May we ever be courageous and prepared to stand for what we believe, and if we must stand alone in the process, may we do so courageously, strengthened by the knowledge that in reality we are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven"-President Thomas S. Monson

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you will be criticized anyway" -Eleanor Roosevelt

"The things that make me different are the things that make me" -Winnie the Pooh

"I never look back, darling. It distracts me from the now" -Edna Mode from 'The Incredibles'

"I don't know what my future holds, but I do know who holds my future" -Tim Tebow

"Fall seven times, stand up eight" -Japanese Proverb

"Promise me you'll always remember- you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know" -Christopher Robin in Winnie the Pooh

"The nearer a person approaches the Lord, a great power will be manifested by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of His purposes" -Joseph Smith

"And though she is but little, she is fierce" -Shakespeare

Mosiah 17:20- Abinadi dies because he will not recall his testimony- things will not always end well, but you cannot give up or deny your faith

Proverbs 34:25- "She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future"

"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten" -G.K. Chesterton

"If you focus on what you have left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead" -Ratatouille

"Let faith act and courage come in" - F. Enzio Busche

"It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life story will develop" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back everything is different" -C.S. Lewis

"Sometimes you need to walk alone just to show you can" -anon

"He who kneels before God can stand before any man" -Ezra Taft Benson

"I cannot see a Bishop in myself, but if you say it's the Lord's will, I'll try" -Newel K. Whitney

-"Go and ask Father" - Joseph Smith

-"Thy strength is in me" -voice from heaven to Newel K. Whitney

"We must be our own before we can be another's" -Emerson

Alma 1:25- "Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith: nevertheless they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them"

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future" -Oscar Wilde

Mosiah 24:15- "The lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully with patience to al the will of the Lord"

Alma 20:9-19, 24 While we are commanded to honor our father and mother, we see in the scriptures that sometimes we must stand up to our parents, defending what is righteous

Alma 34:41- "But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions"

You can never cross the Ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" -Eleanor Roosevelt

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged: For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you may go"

"Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do" -H. Jackson Brown, Jr

"We must all make the choice between what is right and what is easy" -Professor Dumbledore, Harry Potter

Alma 53/56/57- 2000 stripling warriors

Alma 57:20-21 "firm and undaunted… obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness"

"To live greatly, we must develop the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility" -Thomas S. Monson

"God doesn’t care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived" -Jeffrey R. Holland

"Don't flee Babylon- attack it!" -Jeffrey R. Holland

Mormon 3:11 "And it came to pass that I, Mormon did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination"

You can still be a kind, good person and choose to not associate yourself with bad people

"Not shrinking is more important than surviving" -Neil A Maxwell

"Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm" -Abraham Lincoln

"Remember who you are and who God expects you to become" -Thomas S. Monson

"The heavenly grandstands are cheering you on. We are fast coming to the close of this game. The opposition is real and is scoring. But we have scored, we are scoring, and we will score in the future. The Lord is our coach and manager. His team will win and we can be a valiant part of it if we so desire" -Ezra Taft Benson

"Don't give up when the pressure mounts. Face your doubts. Master your fears" -Jeffery R. Holland

"Come what may and love it" -Joseph B. Wirthlin

Mormon 9:28 "Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but hat ye will serve the true and living God"

Ether 2:19- 3:16 "There is no light, and we cannot breathe"… The Lord answers him in verse 20, but only addresses the breathing situation. The brother of Jared asks again in 22 about lighting. The Lord answers with simply what he cannot do- fire or windows. The Lord will make your idea work. Figure it out and move forward, don't wait for a confirmation. You know what not to do, but you don't know what to do. Look for a solution then ask him. The rocks work as a result of his faith and effort. The Lord will give you more of a "no" than a "yes". "You are the child of a creator… so create! You are the creative force of your life" (Hank Smith). The brother of Jared goes to the Lord with sixteen stones and is embarrassed and feels completely incompetent (3:2-5), but shows extreme faith, diligence, and selflessness.

"There are times when you simply have to righteously hang on and outlast the devil" -Ezra Taft Benson

Ether 12:26 "Fools mock, but they shall morn ; and my grace is sufficient for the meek that they shall take no advantage of your weakness"

Moroni 1:3 "I will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life"

Moroni 7:33 "If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me"

"Ordinary people who faithfully, diligently, and consistently do simple things that are right before God will bring forth extraordinary results" -Elder David A. Bednar

"Stars can't shine without darkness" -anon

"Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for a relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul" -Marjorie P. Hinckley

Moroni 9:6 "not withstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God"

"The prophet Joseph Smith faced temptation. Can you imagine the ridicule, the scorn, the mocking that must have been heaped upon him as he declared that he had seen a vision? I suppose it became almost unbearable for the boy. He no doubt knew that it would be easier to retract his statements concerning the vision and just get on with a normal life. He did not, however, give in. There are his words; "I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and thoguh I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true… I had seen a vision; I knew it, and knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it." Joseph Smith taught courage by example. HE faced temptation and withstood it" -President Monson

"Remember, faith and doubt cannot exist in the mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other. Cast out doubt. Cultivate faith. Strive always to retain that childlike faith which can move mountains and bring heaven closer to heart and home" -President Monson

Daniel 3- "We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve they gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up"

Nebuchadnezzar wants Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to worship his golden image, but they refuse
They were not careful to answer the king, because they had already made decisions on where they stood, what they believed in, and how they felt
They were confident in their answer and held to their values and commitment, but also to God's will

"A timid and fearing people cannot do their work well, and cannot do God's work at all" -President Howard W. Hunter

Matthew 10:22 "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but ye that endureth to the end shall be saved"

Matthew 14:27-33 Peter is walking on water, but then he becomes afraid and begins to sink. Jesus catches him, and says, "Oh thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Fear causes you to sink!

"Hold on. Hope on. Fan the flame of your faith, for all things are possible to them that believe" -Jeffrey R. Holland

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