Mormon Musings

Obedience to commandments is the way we build a foundation of truth. Here is the way that works, in words that are so simple a child could understand. The truth of most worth is to know God our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and Their plan for us to have eternal life with them in families. When God communicates that priceless truth to us, He does it by the Spirit of Truth. We have to ask for it in prayer. Then He sends us a small part of that truth by the Spirit. It comes to our hearts and minds. It feels good, like the light from the sun shining through the clouds on a dark day. He sends truth line upon line, like the lines on the page of a book. Each time a line of truth comes to us, we get to choose what we will do about the light and truth God has sent to us. If we try hard to do what that truth requires of us, God will send more light and more truth. It will go on, line after line, as long as we choose to obey the truth. That is why the Savior said that the man who obeyed ...

"What then is this integrity that is such a dominating force in determining greatness?" he asked. "Integrity is a purity of mind and heart that knows no deception, no excuses, no rationalization, nor any coloring of the facts. It is an absolute honesty with one's self, with God, and with our fellow man." "Integrity is the foundation upon which character and a Christlike life are built," he said. "If there are cracks in that foundation, then it will not support the weight of other Christlike attributes that must be built upon it." Elder Tad L. Callister, BYU Devotional, Dec 6, 2011

If it takes us years to gain that experience which we could learn in a day, it is our own fault. The Lord declared to his disciples that he had many things to say to them, but they could not bear them at that time, for they could not bear all things; therefore he had to give them instructions by piecemeal, because they could not bear the fullness of the light. It is so now. It is but little that the Saints can bear, and I want you to bear it in your minds, for ever? ...the Holy Spirit softens the hearts of the people: there is with it an accompanying blessing; there is something that warms the conscience and makes the spirit tender. The heart should be susceptible and pliable to the touch of the Spirit. Do not forsake that—do not drive that out of your heart, but make yourself more and more acquainted with the Spirit and power of God. A man may pass through all the ordinances of the house of God, but he must have the impress of the Holy Ghost upon his mind, or he cannot receive that fu...

There is an old maxim, and in many cases an excellent one: it is, "Think twice before you speak, and three times before you act."  If we train ourselves to think what we are about to do, before we do it, and have understanding to know, and the power to perform the good, we can thereby avoid the evil that is present with us. Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:92

It is a precious gift, that some people seem to be possessed of, to have enough [sense] not to talk until they can say something to advantage and benefit themselves, or others, or both. Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 9:86

Men's and nations' finest hours consist of those moments when extraordinary challenge is met by extraordinary response.  Hence in those darkest hours, we must light our individual candles rather than vying with others to call attention to the enveloping darkness.  Our indignation about injustice should lead to illumination, for if it does not, we are only adding to the despair--and the moment of gravest danger is when there is so little light that darkness seems normal. Neal A. Maxwell, The Smallest Part, p. 75

How can you and I really expect to glide naively through life as if to say, "Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken.  Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art!  Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!" Neal A Maxwell (Ensign, May 1991, p. 88)