Application Project Write Up

Topic Selected: Family

My Plan: To improve my relationship with my husband by being deliberately aware of our interactions. I want our interactions to be more positive, more uplifting, and to increase the amount of one-on-one time my husband and I spend together.

1. think before I speak---Are my words kind? Are they necessary?
2. Make a conscious effort to thank my husband for all he does for our family. This can be verbally, thru text, or with an email.
3. Plan dates with my husband. Yes, babysitters are expensive. Yes, the toddler will cry almost the entire time we're gone. Go anyway.

Application Project Write Up:

Since having children, my husband and I have stopped going on regular dates. Our excuses for not dating are common: babysitters cost money, it is hard to find a babysitter that will do more than watch a movie with our kids, and it is hard to spend money on an activity for the date when we are already spending money for a sitter. My husband and I have tried to do “date-like” things after the kids are in bed. We will watch a movie together or share a bowl of ice cream while we talk, but it is just not the same.

We have two sons. Our oldest loves people and will happily stay with any sitter we choose. Our youngest, however, is a Mama's boy through and through. I can barely leave his side without him falling apart. I have been hesitant to leave him with a sitter for this reason. Nonetheless, this project motivated me to find a sitter and go out with my husband. We went to a play and it was fantastic. I remembered how much I enjoy watching plays with my husband. My husband and I were able to enjoy great conversation without any interruption or talking in code so that our kids do not understand what we are saying. It went so well that my husband and I made plans to go out again.

The next step in my plan is to make a greater effort to thank and praise my husband. He is a great guy and I am lucky to have him. His love language is words of affirmation so I knew that he would like this part of the project. I found that I enjoyed it, too. As I set goals to send my husband a kind text or email, I found myself becoming aware of the many unnoticed things that my husband does regularly. He pulls the trash cans in from the curb every Friday night. One day he went into work early so that he could get off early because I had a doctor's appointment. I think that this part of the project helped my husband know that I appreciate him.

The last part of my project was the hardest. I am a stay-at-home mom. My days are long and repetitive. There are times when I would do anything to escape the monotony of my life. Who wants to wash dishes again? Or change another dirty diaper? All too often my husband is my dumping ground. When I am overwhelmed by the responsibilities of motherhood, he is the one I vent to. He hears all my complaints and that is not really fair. He works hard all day, too. There are times when he would rather not go to work. However, he goes anyway and he goes without complaint. I am trying to reframe my retelling of the day's events. My husband still hears about the hard parts of my day, but I am trying to be more aware of the cute things our boys say or the funny things they do so that I can share them with my husband.

Overall, this project has reminded me that I am married to a great man. I need to do my part to strengthen our marriage and I am thankful that this project provided me with an opportunity to do that. 

Position Statement: Family

My family matters a lot to me. There is no one I would rather be with than my husband and my two boys. I am grateful that the Church values family, and that an emphasis is placed on marriage between a man and a women, with children being raised by two parents that love one another.

My application portion of this project focuses on the family because I want to strengthen my ties with the people I love most.

Position Statement: Agency

Growing up, I always envisioned myself as the perfect mother, raising beautiful, perfectly behaved children. I have since learned that motherhood is complicated and my children are opinionated. It is difficult to watch my children make choices other than what I think is best. I enjoyed studying about agency because I was reminded that every day I make choices, too. I choose whether or not to obey God's commandments, just as my children choose whether or not to obey our family rules. This topic was a good reminder to me that every person has the ability to choose and I need to respect their agency.

Position Statement: Pornography

Pornography scares me. I am a mom of all boys, and I worry about how to teach them about the dangers of pornography. I have also watched a dear friend's marriage crumble because her husband is so caught up in pornography that his family no longer matters to him. Pornography is one of the sins of this day and age, and I am grateful that the apostles and prophets give clear warnings about the issue. I am thankful for their strong stance regarding media and for their counsel about how to avoid pornography.

Position Statement: Patience

Patience is not one of my virtues. I understand that patience is a godly attribute and that obtaining patience is necessary to enter heaven. However, I had hoped that my husband's patience would be enough for both of us because when two people are married they become one. Sadly, my study of patience has made it clear that everyone (including me) must learn to be patient. I must try every day to improve my patience. This is a skill I will have to work my entire life to gain, but the words of the prophets and apostles give me guidance as I do so.

Position Statement: Prayer

I am thankful for the opportunity to study about prayer. There are times when prayer feels natural to me: I understand how to communicate with God and I am happy to do it. Then there are times when prayer feels awkward and ineffective. It feels as though God is far away and his responses to my prayers are delayed or hard to understand. Thus, I am grateful for the simple, beautiful way that the apostles describe prayer. Their words are a good reminder that I should pray sincerely and often. Prayer is a skill that I must work to improve.

Position Statement: Temple Attendance

My family recently moved closer to a temple. It is nice that attending the temple is no longer an all day event. It makes it easier to coordinate babysitting. However, living close to a temple also makes it harder to attend regularly because temple attendance can become so commonplace that we fail to plan to attend. It is easier to get caught up in daily routines instead. I am thankful for quotes regarding temple attendance because they remind me of the temple covenants I have made. The words of the prophets strengthen my resolve to attend the temple regularly, no matter how hard or easy it may be.

Position Statement: Debt

My husband recently started a new job. The new job includes a pay increase. As such, my husband and I are now accountable for a higher amount of money each month. It is easy to feel rich and to spend with reckless abandon. It is better to plan, follow a budget, and save for rainy days that are sure to come. I am grateful that the prophets teach us to live within our means, and I am glad that paying tithing teaches us to contribute to a cause greater than ourselves.

Position Statement: Atonement

One thing I recognized as a result of this project is that the Atonement is all encompassing. It seems that no matter the topic of the many general conference talks I read, the Atonement was mentioned in some way. I believe that the Atonement is mentioned so frequently because it is central to the Plan of Salvation. Without Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, we are nothing. Without the Atonement, we would be overwhelmed by sin, disappointment, and failures of the flesh. I am grateful for the Atonement and all that it does for me.

Debt Quote 10

 Live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day. Incorporate in your lives the discipline of budgeting that which the Lord has blessed you with. As regularly as you pay your tithing, set aside an amount needed for future family requirements.

 Elder L. Tom Perry, If Ye are Prepared, Ye Shall Not Fear, October 1995 General Conference

Debt Quote 9

I urge you, brethren, to look to the condition of your finances. I urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt to the extent possible. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from bondage.

This is a part of the temporal gospel in which we believe. May the Lord bless you, my beloved brethren, to set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, To the Boys and to the Men, October 1998 General Conference

Debt Quote 8

We are carrying a message of self-reliance throughout the Church. Self-reliance cannot obtain when there is serious debt hanging over a household. One has neither independence nor freedom from bondage when he is obligated to others.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, To the Boys and to the Men, October 1998 General Conference

Debt Quote 7

Yes, financial strength is realized by keeping God’s commandments, by the payment of an honest tithe, by developing habits of work, by being thrifty and living within one’s income, as well as by using our means wisely. May each of us this night commit ourselves to incorporate these great principles into our lives.

Elder Franklin D. Richards, Personal and Family Financial Preparedness, April 1979 General Conference

Debt Quote 6

If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means,and if there is any one thing that is grinding, and discouraging and disheartening it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet.
President Heber J. Grant, Relief Society Magazine, May 1932, p. 302. 

Debt Quote 5

Brethren, compliance with the law of tithing opens the windows of heaven, bringing material and spiritual blessings through sacrifice and obedience. It is truly the first step towards personal and family financial preparedness.As long as one is honest with the Lord, the amount of tithing paid is not material. The widow’s or child’s mite is as important and acceptable as the rich man’s offerings.

Elder Franklin D. Richards, Personal and Family Financial Preparedness,  April 1979 General Conference

Debt Quote 4

I would like to suggest a three-point formula to attain and maintain financial preparedness:

1. Pay your tithes and offerings.
2. Get out of debt and stay out of debt.
3. Use your surplus funds wisely.
This formula is equally applicable to young and old.

Elder Franklin D. Richards, Personal and Family Financial Preparedness, April 1979 General Conference

Debt Quote 3

Teach your children while they are young. Teach them that they cannot have something merely because they want it. Teach them the principles of hard work, frugality, and saving.

Elder Joseph Worthlin, Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts, April 2004 General Conference

Debt Quote 2

The wise understand the importance of saving today for a rainy day tomorrow. They have adequate insurance that will provide for them in case of illness or death. Where possible, they store a year’s supply of food, water, and other basic necessities of life. They set aside money in savings and investment accounts. They work diligently to reduce the debt they owe to others and strive to become debt free.

Elder Joseph B. Worthlin, Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts April 2004 General Conference

Debt Quote 1

Interest never sleeps nor sickens nor dies; it never goes to the hospital; it works on Sundays and holidays; it never takes a vacation. … Once in debt, interest is your companion every minute of the day and night; you cannot shun it or slip away from it; you cannot dismiss it; it yields neither to entreaties, demands, or orders; and whenever you get in its way or cross its course or fail to meet its demands, it crushes you.

President J. Reuben Clark Jr., In Conference Report, Apr. 1938, 103

Temple Attendance Quote 10

The moment we step into the house of the Lord, the atmosphere changes from the worldly to the heavenly, where respite from the normal activities of life is found, and where peace of mind and spirit is received. It is a refuge from the ills of life and a protection from the temptations that are contrary to our spiritual well-being.

Elder David B. Haight, Temples and Work Therein, October 1990 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 9

There may be a time when we may not be able to do the research [family history] required, but this should not deter us from receiving the blessings of temple attendance. With forty-four functioning temples located in various parts of the world, the privilege of participating in temple activity is becoming more and more available. Should you or I neglect either of these responsibilities?

Elder David B. Haight,Temples and Work Therein, October 1990 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 8

Temples are the most sacred places of worship on earth where sacred ordinances are performed—ordinances which pertain to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God. Each one is literally a house of the Lord—a place where He and His spirit may dwell, where He may come or send others to confer priesthood blessings and to give revelation to His people.

Elder David B. Haight,Temples and Work Therein, October 1990 General Conference

Patience Quote 10

Is patience important and worthy of our pondering and pursuit? It certainly is if we would avoid the demeaning classification of “nothing” used to label those without charity. It is if we desire to be less a natural-man enemy of God. It is if we would be heavenly. It is if we would seek to become after the manner of Christ.

Elder Robert C. Oaks, The Power of Patience, October 2006 General Conference

Patience Quote 9

 Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Patience,” Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28.

Patience Quote 8

Today in our hurried and hectic lives, we could well go back to an earlier time for the lesson taught us regarding crossing dangerous streets. “Stop, look, and listen” were the watchwords. Could we not apply them now? Stop from a reckless road to ruin. Look upward for heavenly help. Listen for His invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

President Thomas S. Monson, Patience---a Heavenly Virtue, October 1995 General Conference

Patience Quote 7

Who can count the vast throngs of the lonely, the aged, the helpless—those who feel abandoned by the caravan of life as it moves relentlessly onward and then disappears beyond the sight of those who ponder, who wonder, and who sometimes question as they are left alone with their thoughts. Patience can be a helpful companion during such stressful times.

President Thomas S. Monson, Patience---a Heavenly Virtue, October 1995 General Conference

Patience Quote 6

Waiting upon the Lord gives us a priceless opportunity to discover that there are many who wait upon us. Our children wait upon us to show patience, love, and understanding toward them. Our parents wait upon us to show gratitude and compassion. Our brothers and sisters wait upon us to be tolerant, merciful, and forgiving. Our spouses wait upon us to love them as the Savior has loved each one of us.

Elder Robert D. Hales, Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will be Done, October 2011 General Conference

Patience Quote 5

What, then, does it mean to wait upon the Lord? In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust. To hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end.

To wait upon the Lord means planting the seed of faith and nourishing it “with great diligence, and… patience.

Elder Robert D. Hales, Waiting upon the Lord: Thy  Will be Done, October 2011 General Conference

Patience Quote 4

Don’t assume you can fix everything, but fix what you can. If those are only small victories, be grateful for them and be patient. Dozens of times in the scriptures, the Lord commands someone to “stand still” or “be still”—and wait. Patiently enduring some things is part of our mortal education.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Like a Broken Vessel, October 2013 General Conference

Patience Quote 3

Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith. It means being “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father.” Ultimately, patience means being “firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord” every hour of every day, even when it is hard to do so.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Continue in Patience, April 2010 General Conference

Patience Quote 2

Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter.

Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Continue in Patience, April 2010 General Conference

Patience Quote 1

 I learned that patience was far more than simply waiting for something to happen—patience required actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn’t appear instantly or without effort.

There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!

Impatience, on the other hand, is a symptom of selfishness. It is a trait of the self-absorbed.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Continue in Patience, April 2010 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 7

When you have a recommend, use it often. Schedule a regular time to be in the temple. Don’t let anyone or anything prevent you from being there.

Elder Richard G. Scott, Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority, October 2014 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 6

My brothers and sisters, in our lives we will have temptations; we will have trials and challenges. As we go to the temple, as we remember the covenants we make there, we will be better able to overcome those temptations and to bear our trials. In the temple we can find peace.

President Thomas S. Monson, Blessings of the Temple, April 2015 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 5

As I think of temples, my thoughts turn to the many blessings we receive therein. As we enter through the doors of the temple, we leave behind us the distractions and confusion of the world. Inside this sacred sanctuary, we find beauty and order. There is rest for our souls and a respite from the cares of our lives.

President Thomas S. Monson, Blessings of the Temple, April 2015 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 4

As we go to the holy house, as we remember the covenants we make therein, we will be able to bear every trial and overcome each temptation. The temple provides purpose for our lives. It brings peace to our souls—not the peace provided by men but the peace promised by the Son of God...

President Thomas S. Monson, Blessings of the Temple, www.lds.org

Temple Attendance Quote 3

What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent.

Elder Richard G. Scott, Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need, April 2009 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 2

I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. 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?

Elder Richard G. Scott, Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need, April 2009 General Conference

Temple Attendance Quote 1

I have seen that many times individuals have made great sacrifices to go to a distant temple. But when a temple is built close by, within a short time, many do not visit it regularly. I have a suggestion: When a temple is conveniently nearby, small things may interrupt your plans to go to the temple. Set specific goals, considering your circumstances, of when you can and will participate in temple ordinances. Then do not allow anything to interfere with that plan.

Elder Richard G. Scott, Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need, April 2009 General Conference

Pornography Quote 10

Young people and adults, if you are caught in Satan’s trap of pornography, remember how merciful our beloved Savior is. Do you realize how deeply the Lord loves and cherishes you, even now? Our Savior has the power to cleanse and heal you. He can remove the pain and sorrow you feel and make you clean again through the power of His Atonement.

Linda S. Reeves, Protection from Pornography, April 2014 General Conference

Pornography Quote 9

Many children, youth, and adults are innocently exposed to pornography, but a growing number of both men and women are choosing to view it and are drawn back repeatedly until it becomes an addiction. These individuals may desire with all of their hearts to get out of this trap but often cannot overcome it on their own. How grateful we are when these loved ones choose to confide in us as parents or a Church leader. We would be wise not to react with shock, anger, or rejection, which may cause them to be silent again.

Linda S. Reeves, Protection from Pornography, April 2014 General Conference

Prayer Quote 10

We do not have to cry unto him with many words. We do not have to weary him with long prayers. What we do need, and what we should do as Latter-day Saints, for our own good, is to go before him often, to witness unto him that we remember him and that we are willing to take upon us his name, keep his commandments, work righteousness; and that we desire his Spirit to help us.

President Joseph F. Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith (1998), 23.

Agency Quote 10

The wise use of your freedom to make your own decisions is crucial to your spiritual growth, now and for eternity. You are never too young to learn, never too old to change. Your yearnings to learn and change come from a divinely instilled striving for eternal progression.

Elder Russell M. Nelson, Decisions for Eternity, October 2013 General Conference

Prayer Quote 9

 Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.

Bible Dictionary, “Prayer”

Prayer Quote 8

To those within the sound of my voice who are struggling with challenges and difficulties large and small, prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace. Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us. Speak to Him in prayer and then listen for the answer. Miracles are wrought through prayer.

 President Thomas S. Monson, “Be Your Best Self,” Ensign, May 2009, 68.

Prayer Quote 7

Like learning a foreign language, [effective prayer] takes practice and effort. Please know, though, that you can learn the language of the Spirit, and when you do, it will give you great faith and power in righteousness.

J Devn Cornish, The Privilege of Prayer, October 2011 General Conference

Prayer Quote 6

We must not only say our prayers; we must also live them. The Lord is much more pleased with the person who prays and then goes to work than with the person who only prays. Much like medicine, prayer works only when we use it as directed.

Elder J. Devn Cornish, The Privilege of Prayer, October 2011 General Conference

Prayer Quote 5

Little children, young people, and adults alike, please believe how very much your loving Heavenly Father wants to bless you. But because He will not infringe upon our agency, we must ask for His help. This is generally done through prayer. Prayer is one of the most precious gifts of God to man.

Elder J. Devn Cornish, The Privilege of Prayer, October 2011 General Conference

Prayer Quote 4

 I am led to believe that our Heavenly Father loves us so much that the things that are important to us become important to Him, just because He loves us. How much more would He want to help us with the big things that we ask, which are right?

Elder J. Devn Cornish, The Privilege of Prayer, October 2011 General Conference

Prayer Quote 3

The language of prayer is easier and sweeter to learn than any other tongue. We should give our children the privilege of learning this language by listening to their parents use it in the various prayers offered daily in our homes.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, The Language of Prayer, April 1993 General Conference

Prayer Quote 2

In all our prayers, it is well to use the pronouns thee, thou, thy, and thine instead of you, your, and yours inasmuch as they have come to indicate respect.

President Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972, p. 201

Prayer Quote 1

The words we use in speaking to someone can identify the nature of our relationship to that person. They can also remind speaker and listener of the responsibilities they owe one another in that relationship. The form of address can also serve as a mark of respect or affection....When we address our Heavenly Father, we should put aside our working words and clothe our prayers in special language of reverence and respect.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, The Language of Prayer, April 1993 General Conference

Agency Quote 9

It may seem unusual at first to foster self-control by centering on freedom of choice, but it is a very sound doctrinal approach...It is not easy to foster self-control when the world is teaching indulgence.

Elder Boyd K. Packer, Agency and Control, April 1983 General Conference

Family Quote 10

It is the mothers of young children I would like to address first. These are golden years for you. These are years when you will probably do the most important work of your lives. Don’t wish away your years of caring for small children. Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans. This is a time of great opportunity for you to build the kingdom. When you teach children to love their Heavenly Father, you have done one of the greatest things you will ever do. If you can be a full-time homemaker, be grateful. If not, you must do what is best for you. I for one have never felt a need to apologize for my role as a full-time homemaker.

Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley, “Building the Kingdom from a Firm Foundation,” in Mary E. Stovall and Carol Cornwall Madsen, eds., As Women of Faith:Talks Selected from the BYU Women’s Conferences, SaltLake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989, p. 5

Family Quote 9

No single issue causes more concern among the leaders of churches and the leaders of nations than the alarming rate of breakup of marriages today. Statistics show that strong marriages produce strong families.The breakup of the family is causing serious social problems that are destroying our communities—including increases in poverty, crime, and delinquency.

Elder L. Tom Perry, An Elect Lady, April 1995 General Conference

Family Quote 8

Over the years I have frequently taught an important principle: the end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman with their children are happy at home, sealed together for time and for all eternity.

Married couples are tried by temptation, misunderstandings, financial problems, family crises, and illness, and all the while love grows stronger. Mature love has a bliss not even imagined by newlyweds.

President Boyd K. Packer, The Plan of Happiness, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 10

Our spirits are damaged when we make mistakes and commit sins. But unlike the case of our mortal bodies, when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The promise is: “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:42).

President Boyd K. Packer, The Plan of Happiness, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 9

His Atonement is infinite—without an end.It was also infinite in that all humankind would be saved from never-ending death. It was infinite in terms of His immense suffering. It was infinite in time, putting an end to the preceding prototype of animal sacrifice. It was infinite in scope—it was to be done once for all. And the mercy of the Atonement extends not only to an infinite number of people, but also to an infinite number of worlds created by Him. It was infinite beyond any human scale of measurement or mortal comprehension. Jesus was the only one who could offer such an infinite atonement, since He was born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father. Because of that unique birthright, Jesus was an infinite Being.

Elder Russell M. Ballard, The Atonement, October 1996 General Conference

Family Quote 7

The most important setting to forgo contention and practice respect for differences is in our homes and family relationships. Differences are inevitable—some minor and some major... Following the Savior’s example, we can show loving-kindness and still be firm in the truth by forgoing actions that facilitate or seem to condone what we know to be wrong.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Loving Others and Living with Differences, October 2014 General Conference

Agency Quote 8

I encourage everyone, young and old, to review goals and objectives and strive to exercise greater discipline. Our daily conduct and choices should be consistent with our goals. We need to rise above rationalizations and distractions. It is especially important to make choices consistent with our covenants to serve Jesus Christ in righteousness

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Choose Wisely, October 2014 General Conference

Agency Quote 7

My concern is not only about the big tipping-point decisions but also the middle ground—the workaday world and seemingly ordinary decisions where we spend most of our time. In these areas, we need to emphasize moderation, balance, and especially wisdom. It is important to rise above rationalizations and make the best choices.

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Choose Wisely, October 2014 General Conference

Agency Quote 6

I believe it is of particular importance in our day, when Satan is raging in the hearts of men in so many new and subtle ways, that our choices and decisions be made carefully, consistent with the goals and objectives by which we profess to live. We need unequivocal commitment to the commandments and strict adherence to sacred covenants. When we allow rationalizations to prevent us from temple endowments, worthy missions, and temple marriage, they are particularly harmful. It is heartbreaking when we profess belief in these goals yet neglect the everyday conduct required to achieve them.

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Choose Wisely, October 2014 General Conference

Agency Quote 5

I know that beyond desiring His help, we must exert ourselves, repent, and choose God for Him to be able to act in our lives consistent with justice and moral agency. My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so that there is something for God to help us with.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Free Forever, to Act for Themselves, October 2014 General Conference

Agency Quote 4

Resenting the law of gravity won’t keep a person from falling if he steps off a cliff. The same is true for eternal law and justice. Freedom comes not from resisting it but from applying it. That is fundamental to God’s own power. If it were not for the reality of fixed and immutable truths, the gift of agency would be meaningless since we would never be able to foresee and intend the consequences of our actions.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Free Forever, to Act for Themselves, October 2014 General Conference

Agency Quote 3

It is His plan and His will that we have the principal decision-making role in our own life’s drama. God will not live our lives for us nor control us as if we were His puppets, as Lucifer once proposed to do. Nor will His prophets accept the role of “puppet master” in God’s place.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Free Forever, to Act for Themselves, October 2014 General Conference

Agency Quote 2

“There is a line of demarcation,” said President George Albert Smith, “well defined, between the Lord’s territory and the devil’s. If you will stay on the Lord’s side of the line, you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil’s side of the line one inch, you are in the tempter’s power, and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly, because you will have lost the Spirit of the Lord.”
(The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 232.)

Pornography Quote 8

Parents, discuss with your children of appropriate age,and in sensitive ways, the harmful effects and addictive nature of such material. Rigidly monitor the selection of television programs, movies, videocassettes, music, and other forms of entertainment for your family. Let us never, by purchasing these damaging materials, contribute to the financial success of those who deal in this material.We would encourage you to foster in your homes a love of knowledge through uplifting literature; wholesome books; selective movies and television; classical and exemplary popular music; entertainment that uplifts and edifies the spirit and mind. 

Elder David B. Haight, Personal Morality, October 1984 General Conference

Pornography Quote 7

This spreading evil has been aided by a failure to enforce laws designed to prohibit or regulate it.Although some additional legislation may be helpful,those who have been fighting the discouraging battle against pornography in recent years are in agreement that nearly 90 percent of all obscene materials could be eliminated from our communities if existing obscenity laws were strictly enforced.

Elder David B. Haight, Personal Morality, October 1984 General Conference

Pornography Quote 6

We have the capacity and the responsibility to stand as a bulwark between all we hold dear and the fatal contamination of the pornography beetle.

1) Return to righteousness
2) Quest for the good life
3) A pledge to wage war against permissiveness

President Thomas S. Monson, Pornography---The Deadly Carrier, October 1979 General Conference

bulwark= a defensive wall, fortification

Pornography Quote 5

Plead with the Lord out of the depths of your soul that He will remove from you the addiction which enslaves you. And may you have the courage to seek the loving guidance of your bishop and, if necessary, the counsel of caring professionals.

President Gordon B.  Hinckley,  A Tragic Evil Among Us, Ensign, Nov. 2004, p. 62

Pornography Quote 4

Brethren, you have noticed that I am not discussing the effects of pornography on mental health or criminal behavior. I am discussing its effects on spirituality—on our ability to have the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and our capacity to exercise the power of the priesthood.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, April 2005 General Conference

Pornography Quote 3

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.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Agency Quote 1

Every day each of us faces a test. It is the test of our lifetimes: will we choose to believe in Him and allow the light of HIs gospel to grow within us, or will we refuse to believe and insist on traveling alone in the dark? The Savior provides His gospel as a light to guide those who choose to believe in and follow Him.

Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Choose to Believe, April 2015 General Conference

Family Quote 6

It was remarkable for me to see how marriage and family-centered priorities cut across and superseded any political, economic, or religious differences. When it comes to love of spouse and hopes, worries, and dreams for children, we are all the same.

Elder L. Tom Perry, Why Marriage Family Matter---Everywhere in the World, April 2015 General Conference

Family Quote 5

What the restored gospel brings to the discussion on marriage and family is so large and so relevant that it cannot be overstated: we make the subject eternal! We take the commitment and the sanctity of marriage to a greater level because our belief and understanding that families go back to before this earth was and that they can go forward into eternity.

Elder L. Tom Perry, Why Marriage and Family Matter---Everywhere in the World, April 2015 General Conference

Family Quote 4

My brothers and sisters, the restored gospel centers on marriage and family. It is also on marriage and family where we can unite most with other faiths. It is around marriage and family where we will find our greatest commonality with the rest of the world.

As "family people"  no matter where we live or what our religious beliefs may be--we share many of the same struggles, the same adjustments, and the same hopes, worries and dreams for our children.

Elder L. Tom Perry, Why Marriage and Family Matter---Everywhere in the World, April 2015 General Conference

Family Quote 3

God ordained that men and women should marry and give birth to children, thereby creating, in partnership with God, the physical bodies that are key to the test of mortality and essential to eternal glory with Him.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Why Marriage, Why Family, April 2015 General Conference

Family Quote 2

A family built on the marriage of a man and woman supplies the best setting for God's plan to thrive--the setting for the birth of children, who come in purity and innocence from God, and the environment for the learning and preparation they will need for a successful mortal life and eternal life in the world to come.

Elder. D. Todd Christofferson, Why Marriage, Why Family, April 2015 General Conference

Family Quote 1

The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward this God-given responsibility. We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities.

First Presidency letter, February 11, 1999

Pornography Quote 2

The challenges facing human society today, including immorality, pornography, armed conflict, pollution, substance abuse, and poverty, flourish because many in the world have turned themselves over by choice "to the will of the devil and the flesh" rather than to the will of God.

Elder Joseph W. Sitati, Be Fruitful, Multiply, and Subdue the Earth, April 2015 General Conference

Pornography Quote 1

We need to be alert to this danger. We cannot allow ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt of our society to justify sin.

Elder Ulisses Soares, Yes, We Can and Will Win!, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 8

I invite all to trust in the merits and in the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through His atoning sacrifice, we can gain the courage to win all the wars of our time, even in the midst of our difficulties, challenges, and temptations. Let us trust in His love and power to save us.

Elder Ulisses Soares, Yes, We Can and Will Win!, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 7

If the grim realities you are facing at this time seem dark and heavy and almost unbearable, remember that in the soul-wrenching darkness of Gethsemane and the incomprehensible torture and pain of Calvary, the Savior accomplished the Atonement, which resolves the most terrible burdens that can occur in this life. He did if for you,  and He did it for me. He did it because He loves us and because He obeys and loves His Father.

Elder Quentin L. Cook, The Lord is My Light, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 6

Whether we suffer because of troubled relationships, economic challenges, or illnesses or as a consequence of someone else's sins, the Savior's infinite Atonement can heal even---and perhaps especially---those who have innocently suffered. He understands perfectly what it is like to suffer innocently as a consequence of another's transgression.

Elder Dale G. Renlund, Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 5

With confidence we testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has anticipated and, in the end, will compensate all deprivation and loss for those who turn to Him. No one is predestined to receive less than all that the Father has for His children.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Why Marriage, Why Family, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 4

And since none of us will have been perfectly and consistently obedient to the gospel law, His Atonement also redeems us from our own sins on condition of repentance. With the Savior's atoning grace providing forgiveness of sins and sanctification of the soul, we can spiritually be born again and reconciled to God.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Why Marraige, Why Family, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 3

Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement, in the Resurrection and eternal life. Such faith and hope invite into our lives the sweet peace of conscience for which we all yearn. The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways that we never could recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.

Elder David A. Bednar, Therefore They Hushed Their Fears, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 2

Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Gift of Grace, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 1

"The Savior's Atonement cannot become commonplace in our teaching, in our conversation, or in our hearts. It is sacred and holy, for it was through this "great and last sacrifice" that Jesus the Christ brought salvation to all those who believe on his name."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Gift of Grace, April 2015 General Conference