Mormon Musings

The earth is spherical. If all the . . . people in the world think it flat, they are in error. That is an absolute truth, and all the arguing in the world will not change it. . . . God, our Heavenly Father, . . . lives. That is an absolute truth. All . . . the children of men on the earth might be ignorant of him and his attributes and his powers, but he still lives. All the people on the earth might deny him and disbelieve, but he lives in spite of them. They may have their own opinions, but he still lives, and his form, powers, and attributes do not change according to men’s opinions. In short, opinion alone has no power in the matter of an absolute truth. Spencer W. Kimball, “First Presidency Message: Absolute Truth,” Ensign, September 1978.

“Do you get answers to your prayers? If not, perhaps you did not pay the price. Do you offer a few trite words and worn-out phrases, or do you talk intimately to the Lord? Do you pray occasionally when you should be praying regularly, often, constantly? Do you offer pennies to pay heavy debts when you should give dollars to erase that obligation? “When you pr ay, do you just speak, or do you also listen? Your Savior said, ‘Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.’ (Rev. 3:20) “…Should we ever fail to get an answer to our prayers, we must look into our lives for a reason.” - Pres. Spencer W. Kimball, ”Prayer," New Era, Mar. 1978, 17

Scripture study deepens understanding. The years have taught me that if we will energetically pursue this worthy personal goal in a determined and conscientious manner, we shall indeed find answers to our problems and peace in our hearts. President Spencer W. Kimball

Spencer W. Kimball,  Conference Report , April 1952, pp. 20-24 I pray for the Spirit of the Lord to accompany my remarks. My brothers and sisters, my heart goes out to you who are attempting to live the commandments of the Lord. The "strength of the hills" is with you. It is a great joy to me, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude, to shake your hands, to look into your smiling faces, and to feel your spirit. We heard this morning that seventeen thousand newly converted people are today enjoying the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, are pointed in the right direction, and are on their way toward eternal life and exaltation. Ten thousand foreign and stake missionaries have been instrumental in bringing the message to them. These new members are here because these thousands have borne witness and testimony to them. To all the millions of good, honorable people who live among us, we extend an invitation to investigate the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the po...

The ancient prophets knew that after the darkness there would come light.  We live in that light--but do we fully comprehend it?  With the doctrines of salvation easily within our grasp, I fear that some are still overcome with the "spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear." (Romans 11:8)...I ask us all to honestly evaluate our performance in scripture study.  It is a common thing to have a few passages of scripture at our disposal, floating in our minds, as it were, and thus to have the illusion that we know a great deal about the Gospel.  In this sense, having a little knowledge can be a problem indeed.  I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves--and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again. President Spencer W. Kimball " How Rare a Possession--the Scriptures !" Ensign, September 1976, pp 2, 4 I...

Integrity (the willingness and ability to live by our beliefs and commitments) is one of the foundation stones of good character, and without good character one cannot hope to enjoy the presence of God here or in the eternities. Integrity is a state or quality of being complete, undivided, or unbroken. It is wholeness and unimpaired. It is purity and moral soundness. It is unadulterated genuineness and deep sincerity. It is courage, a human virtue of incalculable value. It is honesty, uprightness, and righteousness. Take these away and there is left but an empty shell. Integrity in man should bring inner peace, sureness of purpose, and security in action. Lack of it brings the reverse: disunity, fear, sorrow, unsureness. It would be well if all of us would take frequent inventory to see if hidden away under the rugs and in the corners of our lives there might be some vestige of hypocrisy and ugliness or error. Or could there be hidden under the blankets of personal excuse and rational...