Mormon Musings

By emulating the Master, who endured temptations but “gave no heed unto them,” we, too, can live in a world filled with temptations “such as [are] common to man” (1 Cor. 10:13). Of course Jesus noticed the tremendous temptations that came to him, but He did not process and reprocess them. Instead, He rejected them promptly. If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us! Turning these unwanted lodgers away at the doorstep of the mind is one way of giving “no heed.”--  Neal A. Maxwell

What's ahead is made more clear only as the adversary is put behind us.  Lucifer clouds not only our view of the present but also our perception of the future. Neal A. Maxwell, "Even As I Am" p. 77

Brooding over temptations can produce self pity and a false sense of nobility. Prolonged consideration of the temptation only increases the risks—but it does not increase our options; the two options and the consequences remain the same regardless of our dallying. Moreover, protracted consideration of a temptation does not increase the justification to succumb—only our rationalization. When we are well taught we know, initially, what must be done. Therefore, to give heed to temptation is, in effect, to “give place” for Satan’s seeds to grow and sprout and to bring forth its bitter harvest. So it was that Jesus, for the first recorded time, met the awful if . It was a word to be repeated later when the stress was even greater. So we should do likewise. Otherwise, to host an if is like hosting an insect that breeds and multiplies in the sun of circumstance. Soon one is crawling with ifs and thereby overcome. Some doubters who are overcome even become proud of their doubts—rather like...

At general conference I shared some thoughts about avoiding temptation by seeking Jesus Christ in every thought and following Him with all our hearts. Metaphorically speaking, yielding to temptation is like approaching a magnet with a metal object. The magnet’s invisible force attracts the metal object and holds it tightly. The magnet loses its power over it only when the metal object is placed far from it. Therefore, just as the magnet is unable to exercise power over a faraway metal object, as we resist temptation it fades away and loses its power over our mind and heart and, consequently, over our actions. My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify that as we rely upon the rock of salvation, the Savior of our souls, and follow Moroni’s counsel (see Mosiah 2:4; Mormon 9:27–29), our ability to control our thoughts will increase significantly. I can assure you that our spiritual maturity will grow at an increasing pace, changing our heart, making us more like Jesus Christ. Additionally...

Another advantage of dispatching temptations is this: The human mind is remarkably retentive. We must be careful of what we allow in our mind, for it will be there for a long time, reasserting itself at those very times when we may be most vulnerable. Just as harmful chemicals heedlessly dumped in a vacant lot can later prove lethal, so toxic thoughts and the mulching of the wrong memories in the vacant corner of the mind also take their toll. What happens, of course, when we persist in savoring temptations, whether they are temptations of wealth, power, status, or sensuality, is well portrayed by what we read of another people in another time: "Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride,  tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches , and the vain things of the world." (3 Nephi 6:15. Italics added.) This people actually lost b...

Perhaps it is true in discipleship as it is in athletics that the legs go first. Good spiritual legs such as those of ancient Joseph, in the face of temptation from Potiphar’s wife, are so crucial. In that terse verse we read of Joseph that he “fled” (Genesis 39:12). It takes courage to run away from evil, and good legs. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, BYU Devotional January 1999 http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=805

The men and women who desire to obtain seats in the celestial kingdom will find that they must battle with the enemy of all righteousness every day...Thus let every Saint protect and guard his little castle against every effort of the enemy to assail, and secure a foothold therein.  Let us see to it that we are ready for the enemy, to baffle him at every point, contending bravely against him until he is successfully repulsed. Brigham Young Journal of Discourses 11:14

"All beings who have bodies have power of those who have not.  The devil has no power over us only as we permit him."   Joseph Smith (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 181)

“The devil has no power over us--only as we permit him; the moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.” ~ Joseph Smith

"Jesus then went into the wilderness; Lucifer came tempting Him. Jesus deflected each temptation with scripture. 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.' 'It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.' 'It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' Think on it carefully. When facing Perdition himself, the Lord drew upon scriptures for protection. " President Boyd K. Packer,  April 2000 General Conference

“Everyone is tested. One might think it is unfair to be singled out and subjected to a particular temptation, but this is the purpose of mortal life—to be tested. And the answer is the same for everyone: we must, and we can, resist temptations of any kind.”  ― President Boyd K. Packer 

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/04/we-are-doing-a-great-work-and-cannot-come-down?lang=eng

"There are two influences ever present in the world. One is constructive and elevating and comes from our Heavenly Father; the other is destructive and debasing and comes from Lucifer. We have our agency and make our own choice in life subject to these unseen powers. There is a division line well defined that separates the Lord's territory from Lucifer's.  If we live on the Lord's side of the line Lucifer cannot come there to influence us, but if we cross the line into his territory we are in his power. By keeping the commandments of the Lord we are safe on His side of the line, but if we disobey His teachings we voluntarily cross into the zone of temptation and invite the destruction that is ever present there. Knowing this, how anxious we should always be to live on the Lord's side of the line ." (emphasis added) George Albert Smith,  Improvement Era,  May 1935, p. 278

"All of us experience temptations. So did the Savior, but He 'gave no heed unto them' (D&C 20:22). Similarly, we do not have to yield simply because a temptation surfaces. We may want to, but we don't have to." D. Todd Christofferson ,  "Moral Discipline," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 107

“The battle for our souls is no less important that the battle fought by David. The enemy is no less formidable, the help of Almighty God no farther away. What will our action be? Like David of old, ‘our cause is just.’ We have been placed upon earth not to fail or fall victim to temptation’s snare, but rather to succeed. Our giant, our Goliath, must be conquered.” Thomas S. Monson ,  “Meeting Your Goliath,” New Era, June 2008, 5