General Authority Gems: Keep On Trying

"Some years ago a wonderful young man named Curtis was called to serve a mission. He was the kind of missionary every mission president prays for. He was focused and worked hard. At one point he was assigned a missionary companion who was immature, socially awkward, and not particularly enthusiastic about getting the work done.

"One day, while they were riding their bicycles, Curtis looked back and saw that his companion had inexplicably gotten off his bike and was walking. Silently, Curtis expressed his frustration to God; what a chore it was to be saddled with a companion he had to drag around in order to accomplish anything. Moments later, Curtis had a profound impression, as if God were saying to him, “You know, Curtis, compared to me, the two of you aren’t all that different.” Curtis learned that he needed to be patient with an imperfect companion who nonetheless was trying in his own way.

"As God encourages us to keep on trying, He expects us to also allow others the space to do the same, at their own pace." (from Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying)

~  Elder Dale G. Renlund, of the Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Words of a Prophet

Joseph Fielding Smith was the 10th president and prophet 

of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

He shared this important teaching with us 

about our relationship to one another.

Words of a Prophet

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe we are led by modern day prophets. (Click here to read more about prophets, both ancient and modern.)

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He called prophets to speak for him from the beginning of mortal time: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and many, many more. We believe that God continues to call prophets to lead us today.

President Ezra Taft Benson served as President and Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from November 1985-May 1994. Here is some important and insightful counsel he offered to the world during that time.

“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.

“Yes, Christ changes men, and changed men can change the world.”

(Read the rest of this talk, Born of God.)

Words of a Prophet

President Thomas S. Monson is accepted as a latter-day prophet by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is some of the counsel he gave, not just to members of the Church, but to all the world at the last General Conference of the Church (October 2014).

“We need not walk by the shores of Galilee or among the Judean hills to walk where Jesus walked. All of us can walk the path He walked when, with his words ringing in our ears, His Spirit filling our hearts, and His teachings guiding our lives, we choose to follow Him as we journey through mortality.

“Jesus walked the path of disappointment. Jesus walked the path of temptation. Jesus walked the path of pain. Each of us will walk the path of disappointment. The path of temptation too will be the path of each. Likewise shall we walk the path of pain.

“We, with Jesus, can walk the path of obedience. We, like Jesus, can walk the path of service. Jesus walked the path of prayer.

“In His Sermon on the Mount, He tells us to be merciful, to be humble, to be righteous, to be pure in heart, to be peacemakers. He instructs us to stand up bravely for our beliefs, even when we are ridiculed and persecuted. He asks us to let our lights shine so that others may see them and may desire to glorify our Father in Heaven. He teaches us to be morally clean in both our thoughts and our actions. He tells us it is far more important to lay up treasures in heaven than on earth.

“As we strive to place Christ at the center of our lives by learning His words, by following His teachings, and by walking in His path, He has promised to share with us the eternal life that He died to gain. There is no higher end than this, that we should choose to accept His discipline and become His disciples and do His work throughout our lives. Nothing else, no other choice we make, can make of us what He can.

“The Savior’s example provides a framework for everything that we do, and His words provide an unfailing guide. His path will take us safely home.” (Italics added)

Read President Monson's full talk on LDS.org, Ponder the Path of Thy Feet