Quotes for Back to School

My kids started school today and it made me reflect on some quotes that helped me through high school.

"Powerful is not he who knocks the other down.  Indeed powerful is he who controls himself in a fit of anger."  --Muhammed

"I am only one; but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do."  --Helen Keller

"A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge." --Thomas Carlyle

"True education does not consist of merely in the acquiring of a few facts of science, history, literature, or art, but in the development of character." --David O. McKay

"Seek not to be well known; seek, instead, to be worth knowing."  --Anonymous

And this is one of my favorite poems:

Outwitted
"He drew a circle that shut me out--
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!"
--Edwin Markham

Personal Application

I chose to incorporate the teachings concerning family into my life more for the past several weeks.  I kept a record of whether we held Family Home Evening, family scripture study, and family prayer.  The chart below illustrates our efforts.  (Note: The small x's under "Family Prayer" show evening prayers while the large x's show morning family prayer.)

For Family Home Evening, I made sure we had the lessons well planned and thought out.  They were much more meaningful and brought our family together even more.  We are usually very good with having Family Home Evening, but I really wanted to make sure we planned and prepared for them rather than throw together things at the last minute.  Preparing beforehand seemed to invite the Spirit more into our home and the whole night ran smoother.  

Family scripture study is harder for us, especially in the summer when we tend to stay up later than we should.  With a concerted effort from all family members, we were able to read more often than when we began, but we still seem to miss at least one day a week.  When we remembered early enough in the evening, we were able to discuss what we were reading more and my children were able to apply it to their lives.  I know reading the scriptures together as a family will help us face trials and temptations.  We can help and support each other when we have time to read and study the scriptures together.  

Family prayer was the other thing I really tried to focus on these past few weeks.  Evening prayers are much easier for us to remember as a family, but I know morning family prayer is just as important, if not even more so.  This is something we will continue to work on, but as we make a united effort, I know we can do it.  I hope that as my children start school again next week, it will be easier to all gather together for family prayer before heading out of the house for the day.

I am so grateful for my family and for living prophets who guide us and counsel us on how to best raise our families in this ever-changing world.  

Virtue

“Your Heavenly Father loves you and wants you to be happy. The way to do this is to “walk in the paths of virtue” and “cleave unto [your] covenants.”  Young women, in a world ever growing in moral pollution, tolerance of evil, exploitation of women, and distortion of roles, you must stand guard of yourself, your family, and all those with whom you associate. You must be guardians of virtue.

“What is virtue and what is a guardian? “Virtue is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. It includes chastity and [moral] purity.”  And what is a guardian? A guardian is someone who protects, shields, and defends.  Thus, as a guardian of virtue, you will protect, shield, and defend moral purity because the power to create mortal life is a sacred and exalted power and must be safeguarded until you are married. Virtue is a requirement to have the companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost. You will need that guidance in order to successfully navigate the world in which you live. Being virtuous is a requirement to enter the temple. And it is a requirement to be worthy to stand in the Savior’s presence. You are preparing now for that time. Personal Progress and the standards found in For the Strength of Youth are important. Living the principles found in each booklet will strengthen and help you become “more fit for the kingdom.”
-              Elaine S. Dalton, April 2011 General Conference, “Guardians of Virtue”  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/guardians-of-virtue?lang=eng&query=royal

“I see young women, radiant in the beauty of youth, whose virtue is more precious than rubies—young women who are bright and who study with enthusiasm and diligence to learn the word of the Lord and also to equip themselves to take their places with honor and ability in the world in which they will live. I see young women who know the word of God and can quote it; who know the standards of the Church and live by them; who have a sense of worth and a wondrous sensitivity to the beauties of life and nature, music and art; who treasure truth and seek to enlarge their understanding of it; who have determined that worthiness to enter the house of the Lord for a divine endowment and an eternal sealing is the most desirable of all goals. Can anyone doubt that there is something divine within such?”
-              President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Rise to the Stature of the Divine within You,” October 1989 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/10/rise-to-the-stature-of-the-divine-within-you?lang=eng&query=divine+nature

“Some years ago another First Presidency made this statement, and your First Presidency today echoes the appeal. I quote: “To the youth … , we plead with you to live clean [lives], for the unclean life leads only to suffering, misery, and woe physically,—and spiritually it is the path to destruction. How glorious and near to the angels is youth that is clean; this youth has joy unspeakable here and eternal happiness hereafter. Sexual purity is youth’s most precious possession; it is the foundation of all righteousness.”

 “May you have the courage to be chaste and virtuous.”
-              Thomas S. Monson, April 2009 General Conference, “May You Have Courage” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/04/may-you-have-courage?lang=eng&query=virtuous+people

“Peter goes on to say that we must add to our faith virtue. A priesthood holder is virtuous. Virtuous behavior implies that he has pure thoughts and clean actions. He will not lust in his heart, for to do so is to “deny the faith” and to lose the Spirit (D&C 42:23)—and there is nothing more important in this work than the Spirit.”
-              Ezra Taft Benson, October 1986 General Conference, “Godly Characteristics of the Master” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/godly-characteristics-of-the-master?lang=eng&query=virtuous+people

“Moral discipline is learned at home. While we cannot control what others may or may not do, the Latter-day Saints can certainly stand with those who demonstrate virtue in their own lives and inculcate virtue in the rising generation.”
-              D. Todd Christofferson, October 2009 General Conference, “Moral Discipline” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/moral-discipline?lang=eng&query=virtue

“Just as the pure spring was polluted when not protected, we live in a time when virtue and chastity are not safeguarded. The eternal significance of personal morality is not respected. A loving Father in Heaven has provided us with the means to bring His spirit children into this world to fulfill the full measure of their creation. He has instructed us that the wellsprings of life are to be kept pure, just as the beautiful spring on the ranch required protection in order to sustain life. This is one of the reasons why virtue and chastity are so important in our Father in Heaven’s plan.”
-              Quentin L. Cook, October 2009 General Conference, “Stewardship—a Sacred Trust” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/stewardship-a-sacred-trust?lang=eng&query=virtue

“We cannot hope to influence others in the direction of virtue unless we live lives of virtue. The example of our living will carry a greater influence than will all the preaching in which we might indulge. We cannot expect to lift others unless we stand on higher ground ourselves. … The home is the cradle of virtue, the place where character is formed and habits are established.”
-              Gordon B. Hinckley, “Opposing Evil,” Ensign, Nov. 1975, pp. 38–39.

“Above all, courtesy to companions cannot be defiled by disobedience to the law of chastity. That sin is joy’s deadly poison. The first morning’s glance in the mirror cannot reflect joy if there is any recollection of misdeeds the night before. The surest step toward joy in the morning is virtue in the evening! Virtue includes courtesy to companions all day long.”
-              Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Joy Cometh in the Morning,” Ensign, November 1986 https://www.lds.org/ensign/1986/11/joy-cometh-in-the-morning?lang=eng&query=virtue+in+the+Ensign

“You must have honesty, integrity, chastity, virtue, and a willingness to forego something attractive, even apparently desirable for the moment, for greater good in the future. I speak of the willingness when circumstance demands to lay everything on the altar to defend true principle.”
-              Richard G. Scott, “Living Right,” BYU Commencement Address, April 22, 2004 http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1321

“In all events, a mother can exert an influence unequaled by any other person in any other relationship. By the power of her example and teaching, her sons learn to respect womanhood and to incorporate discipline and high moral standards in their own lives. Her daughters learn to cultivate their own virtue and to stand up for what is right, again and again, however unpopular. A mother’s love and high expectations lead her children to act responsibly without excuses, to be serious about education and personal development, and to make ongoing contributions to the well-being of all around them.”
-              Elder D.Todd Christofferson, October 2013 General Conference, “The Moral Force of Women” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/the-moral-force-of-women?lang=eng&query=virtue

Position Statement:

A man or woman of virtue is something each of us should try to be.  We must be virtuous to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  A person of virtue is clean and pure, even in his or her thoughts.  We must teach our children to be virtuous and clean in all things.  If we chose not to be virtuous, we will not be happy in this life or the next.  We must be virtuous in order to live with our Father in Heaven again. If we want to help others, we need to seek for virtue in our own lives.  It is much easier to help others when they see the happiness and joy we enjoy because we hold virtue sacred.  

Work

“In your pursuit of excellence, real effort is required. Remember, “he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).” -       Thomas S. Monson, CES Fireside, January 11, 2009, “Great Expectations” http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=1818

“Our Heavenly Father has described His vast plan for His children by saying, “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39; emphasis added). Consider the significance of the Lord’s use of the word work. What He is doing so lovingly and redemptively is, nevertheless, work—even for Him! We, likewise, speak of “working out our salvation,” of the “law of the harvest,” and of the “sweat of the brow” (see Moses 5:1; see also Inspired Version, Gen. 4:1). These are not idle phrases. Instead, they underscore the importance of work. In fact, brethren, work is always a spiritual necessity even if, for some, work is not an economic necessity.”
-              Neal A. Maxwell, April 1998 General Conference, “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1998/04/put-your-shoulder-to-the-wheel?lang=eng&query=work

“Work is an antidote for anxiety, an ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility. Whatever our circumstances in life, my dear brethren, let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do. Let us set our minds and bodies to the glorious opportunity for work that each new day presents.”
-              Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2009 General Conference, “Two Principles for Any Economy” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/two-principles-for-any-economy?lang=eng&query=work

“Work can be ennobling and fulfilling, but remember Jacob’s warning not to “spend … your labor for that which cannot satisfy.” If we devote ourselves to the pursuit of worldly wealth and the glitter of public recognition at the expense of our families and our spiritual growth, we will discover soon enough that we have made a fool’s bargain. The righteous work we do within the walls of our homes is most sacred; its benefits are eternal in nature. It cannot be delegated. It is the foundation of our work as priesthood holders.”
-              Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2009 General Conference, “Two Principles for Any Economy” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/two-principles-for-any-economy?lang=eng&query=work

“Finally, let each of us cultivate a willingness to work. President J. Reuben Clark, many years ago a counselor in the First Presidency, said: ‘I believe that we are here to work, and I believe there is no escape from it. I think that we cannot get that thought into our souls and into our beings too soon. Work we must, if we shall succeed or if we shall advance. There is no other way.’

“’Put your shoulder to the wheel, push along’ is more than a line from a favorite hymn; it is a summons to work.

“Perhaps an example would be helpful. Procrastination is truly a thief of time—especially when it comes to downright hard work. I speak of the need to study diligently as you prepare for the tests of school and, indeed, the tests of life.”
-              Thomas S. Monson, April 2002 General Conference, “Pathways to Perfection” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/04/pathways-to-perfection?lang=eng&query=work

“Teaching children the joy of honest labor is one of the greatest of all gifts you can bestow upon them. I am convinced that one of the reasons for the breakup of so many couples today is the failure of parents to teach and train sons in their responsibility to provide and care for their families and to enjoy the challenge this responsibility brings. Many of us also have fallen short in instilling within our daughters the desire of bringing beauty and order into their homes through homemaking.

“Oh, how essential it is that children be taught early in life the joy that comes from starting and fashioning a job that is the workmanship of their own hands. Teach children the joy of honest labor. Provide a foundation for life that builds confidence and fulfillment in each life. “Happy is the man who has work he loves to do. … Happy is the man who loves the work he has to do” (Anonymous).”
-              L. Tom Perry, October 1986 General Conference, “The Joy of Honest Labor” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/the-joy-of-honest-labor?lang=eng&query=work

“God has designed this mortal existence to require nearly constant exertion. I recall the Prophet Joseph Smith’s simple statement: “By continuous labor [we] were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance” (Joseph Smith—History 1:55). By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience. Hard-earned achievement brings a sense of self-worth. Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God. A consecrated life is filled with work, sometimes repetitive, sometimes menial, sometimes unappreciated but always work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires.”
-              D. Todd Christofferson, October 2010 General Conference, “Reflections on a Consecrated Life” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/reflections-on-a-consecrated-life?lang=eng&query=work

“We have tried to prepare our boys for manly work and our girls for work that would suit the opportunities that womanhood will bring them. In defense of our doing that, I can only observe that in this Church we are not exempt from using common sense.

“There are so few nowadays who are really willing to work. We must train our children and ourselves to give, in work, the equivalent of the pay we receive and perhaps just a little extra.”
-              Boyd K. Packer, April 1982 General Conference, “The Gospel—The Foundation for Our Career” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1982/04/the-gospel-the-foundation-for-our-career?lang=eng&query=work

“Sisters, we have work to do. The Prophet Joseph charged the Relief Society with the work of saving souls (see History of the Church, 5:25), for it is our very nature to nurture and to search after those who are lost. And yet, President Spencer W. Kimball lamented that there was a power in Relief Society that had not “yet been fully exercised to … build the Kingdom of God” (“Relief Society—Its Promise and Potential,” Ensign, Mar. 1976, 4). For all the good it has done in the past, Relief Society has yet to help move this latter-day work forward as it must. Sisters, the time has come to unleash the power of righteous happiness that exists among women of God. The time has come for us to be anxiously engaged in the work of saving souls. The time has come for the sisters of Relief Society to stand with and for the prophet in helping build the kingdom. The time has come for us each to stand tall and to stand together.”
-              Sheri L. Dew, October 2000 General Conference, “Stand Tall and Stand Together” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/stand-tall-and-stand-together?lang=eng&query=work

“Loving and leading—these words summarize not only the all-consuming work of the Father and the Son, but the essence of our labor, for our work is to help the Lord with His work.”
-              Sheri L. Dew, October 2001 General Conference, “Are We Not All Mothers?” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/10/are-we-not-all-mothers?lang=eng&query=work

Position Statement:

Work is required for our salvation.  Work can bring joy and satisfaction into our lives.  When we work hard to do our best in all things, we can feel at peace knowing we have done all we could.  Work can drive away feelings of loneliness, sadness, and unworthiness.  When we work, we serve others, God, and ourselves.  Our confidence is increased as we work and learn to love the work.  It is imperative as parents to teach our children to work.  Even our Father in Heaven has work to do, and we must help Him do it.  We are His hands on earth and must work hard to help Him.

Pornography

"We as parents and leaders need to counsel with our children and youth on an ongoing basis, listening with love and understanding. They need to know the dangers of pornography and how it overtakes lives, causing loss of the Spirit, distorted feelings, deceit, damaged relationships, loss of self-control, and nearly total consumption of time, thought, and energy."
-- Linda S. Reeves, April 2014 General Conference “Protection from Pornography—a Christ-Focused Home” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/protection-from-pornography-a-christ-focused-home

“The constant, consuming march of the pornography beetle blights neighborhoods just as it contaminates human lives. It has just about destroyed some areas. It moves relentlessly closer to your city, your neighborhood, and your family.”
-              Thomas S. Monson, Ensign July 2001, “Pornography, the Deadly Carrier” https://www.lds.org/topics/pornography/audiences/spouses/pornography-the-deadly-carrier?lang=eng

“Pornography, though billed by Satan as entertainment, is a deeply poisonous, deceptive snake that lies coiled up in magazines, the Internet, and the television. Pornography destroys self-esteem and weakens self-discipline. It is far more deadly to the spirit than the rattlesnake my father warned me not to pet.”
-              Elder David E. Sorensen, “You Can’t Pet a Rattlesnake,” Ensign, May 2001 https://www.lds.org/topics/pornography/audiences/individuals/you-cant-pet-a-rattlesnake?lang=eng

“If we stop chopping at the branches of this problem and strike more directly at the root of the tree, not surprisingly we find lust lurking furtively there. Lust is an unsavory word, and it is certainly an unsavory topic for me to address, but there is good reason why in some traditions it is known as the most deadly of the seven deadly sins.”
-              Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2010 General Conference, “Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul” https://www.lds.org/topics/pornography/audiences/individuals/place-no-more-for-the-enemy-of-my-soul?lang=eng

“We see a rapid increase in cyberporn, involving sexual addiction over the Internet. Some become so addicted to viewing Internet pornography and participating in dangerous online chat rooms that they ignore their marriage covenants and family obligations and often put their employment at risk. Many run afoul of the law. Others develop a tolerance to their perverted behavior, taking ever more risks to feed their immoral addiction. Marriages crumble and relationships fail, as addicts often lose everything of real, eternal value.”
-              Elder M. Russell Ballard, “Let Our Voices Be Heard,” Ensign November 2003, pgs. 16-19 https://www.lds.org/topics/pornography/audiences/leaders/let-our-voices-be-heard?lang=eng

“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.”
-              Dallin H. Oaks, April 2005 General Conference, “Pornography” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/pornography?lang=eng&query=pornography#1-

“The immediate spiritual consequences of such hypocrisy are devastating. Those who seek out and use pornography forfeit the power of their priesthood. The Lord declares: “When we undertake to cover our sins, … behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man” (D&C 121:37).

“Patrons of pornography also lose the companionship of the Spirit. Pornography produces fantasies that destroy spirituality. “To be carnally minded is death”—spiritual death (Rom. 8:6; see also 2 Ne. 9:39).”
-              Dallin H. Oaks, April 2005 General Conference, “Pornography” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/pornography?lang=eng&query=pornography#1-

“If you are ensnarled in pornography, make a total commitment to overcome it now. Find a quiet place; pray urgently for help and support. Be patient and obedient. Don’t give up.

“Parents, be aware that the addiction of pornography can begin with youth at a very early age. Take preventative action to avoid that tragedy. Stake presidents and bishops, warn of this evil. Invite anyone you consider captured by it to come to you for help.”
-              Richard G. Scott, October 2009 General Conference, “To Acquire Spiritual Guidance” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/to-acquire-spiritual-guidance?lang=eng&query=pornography

“First, let each of us resolve this day to keep our minds, our bodies, and our spirits free from the corrupting influence of pornography, including everything that is obscene and indecent. Let it have no place in our homes, our minds, or our hearts. The psalmist David wrote, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart.” (Ps. 24:3–4.)”
-              David B. Haight, October 1984 General Conference, “Personal Morality” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1984/10/personal-morality?lang=eng&query=pornography

“Pornography is not a victimless crime. Who are its victims? First, those who either intentionally, or sometimes involuntarily, are exposed to it. Pornography is addictive. (See Ensign, March 1984, pp. 32–39.) What may begin as a curious exploration can become a controlling habit. Studies show that those who allow themselves to become drawn to pornography soon begin to crave even coarser content. Continued exposure desensitizes the spirit and can erode the conscience of unwary people. A victim becomes a slave to carnal thoughts and actions. As the thought is father to the deed, exposure can lead to acting out what is nurtured in the mind.”
-              David B. Haight, October 1984 General Conference, “Personal Morality” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1984/10/personal-morality?lang=eng&query=pornography

"[C]onsider the plague of pornography sweeping across the world. The Lord’s standard of worthiness gives no allowance for pornography among those officiating in the ordinances of the priesthood. The Savior said:

“Repent of your … secret abominations.”

“The light of the body is the eye. … If thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.”

“[For] whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” "
-              Neil L. Andersen, April 2014 General Conference, “Power in the Priesthood” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/power-in-the-priesthood

Position Statement:

Agency

“We have been given agency, we have been given the blessings of the priesthood, and we have been given the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost for a reason. That reason is our growth and happiness in this world and eternal life in the world to come. Today I ask, have we received that Spirit? Are we following on the strait and narrow path that leads to God and eternal life? Are we holding onto the iron rod, or are we going another way? I testify that how we choose to feel and think and act every day is the way we get on the path, and stay on it, until we reach our eternal destination.”
-              Elder Robert D. Hales, April 2006 General Conference, “To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/to-act-for-ourselves-the-gift-and-blessings-of-agency?lang=eng&query=agency

“How supernally precious freedom is; how consummately valuable is the agency of man.”
-              Boyd K. Packer, April 1988 General Conference, “Atonement, Agency, Accountability” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1988/04/atonement-agency-accountability?lang=eng&query=agency

“God reveals to His prophets that there are moral absolutes. Sin will always be sin. Disobedience to the Lord’s commandments will always deprive us of His blessings. The world changes constantly and dramatically, but God, His commandments, and promised blessings do not change. They are immutable and unchanging. Men and women receive their agency as a gift from God, but their liberty and, in turn, their eternal happiness come from obedience to His laws. As Alma counseled his errant son Corianton, “Wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10).”
-              Elder L. Tom Perry, April 2013 General Conference, “Obedience to Law Is Liberty” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/obedience-to-law-is-liberty?lang=eng&query=agency

“You may be tired of others trying to run your life—always telling you what to do. After all, you have the right to make your own choices. That is correct. You have that right. It is your agency. The secret to solve problems in your life will be found in understanding and using the eternally beneficial interaction of your agency and His truth.”
-              Richard G. Scott, October 1992 General Conference, “Healing Your Damaged Life” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1992/10/healing-your-damaged-life?lang=eng&query=agency

“Through Christ and his valiant defense of our Father’s plan, the course of agency and eternal aspirations prevailed. In that crucial, premortal setting, a major milestone was passed, a monumental victory was won. As a result, we would be allowed to continue to pursue what President David O. McKay once described as the “eternal principle of progress.” Later Christ himself would come to earth, President McKay noted, “to perfect society by perfecting the individual, and only by the exercising of Free Agency can the individual even approach perfection.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1940, p. 118.)”
-              Howard W. Hunter, October 1989 General Conference, “The Golden Thread of Choice” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/10/the-golden-thread-of-choice?lang=eng&query=agency

“We tend to think of agency as a personal matter. If we ask someone to define “moral agency,” the answer will probably be something like this: “Moral agency means I am free to make choices for myself.” Often overlooked is the fact that choices have consequences; we forget also that agency offers the same privilege of choice to others. At times we will be affected adversely by the way other people choose to exercise their agency. Our Heavenly Father feels so strongly about protecting our agency that he allows his children to exercise it, either for good or for evil.

“The plan of happiness is available to all of his children. If the world would embrace and live it, peace, joy, and plenty would abound on the earth. Much of the suffering we know today would be eliminated if people throughout the world would understand and live the gospel.”
-              M. Russell Ballard, April 1995 General Conference, “Answers to Life’s Questions” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/04/answers-to-lifes-questions?lang=eng&query=agency

“Agency is a divine gift to you. You are free to choose what you will be and what you will do. And you are not without help. Counsel with your parents is a privilege at any age. Prayer provides communication with your Heavenly Father and invites the promptings of personal revelation. And in certain circumstances, consultation with professional advisers and with your local leaders in the Church may be highly advisable, especially when very difficult decisions must be made.”
-              Russell M. Nelson, October 1990 General Conference, “Choices” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1990/10/choices?lang=eng&query=agency

“Life is meant to be a test to see if we will keep the commandments of God. (See 2 Ne. 2:5.) We are free to obey or to ignore the spirit and the letter of the law. But the agency granted to man is a moral agency. (See D&C 101:78.) We are not free to break our covenants and escape the consequences.”
--Boyd K. Packer, October 1990 General Conference, “Covenants” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1990/10/covenants?lang=eng&query=agency

“As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.”
-              David A. Bednar, October 2006 General Conference, “And Nothing Shall Offend Them” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/and-nothing-shall-offend-them?lang=eng&query=agency

“I knew what agency was and knew how important it was to be individual and to be independent, to be free. I somehow knew there was one thing the Lord would never take from me, and that was my free agency. I would not surrender my agency to any being but to Him! I determined that I would give Him the one thing that He would never take—my agency. I decided, by myself, that from that time on I would do things His way.

“That was a great trial for me, for I thought I was giving away the most precious thing I possessed. I was not wise enough in my youth to know that because I exercised my agency and decided myself, I was not losing it. It was strengthened!”
-              Boyd K. Packer, April 1976 General Conference, “Spiritual Crocodiles” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1976/04/spiritual-crocodiles?lang=eng&query=agency

Position Statement:

Agency is one of the most precious gifts we have been given.  And not only were we given agency, we fought for it in our premortal lives.  We continue to “fight” for our freedom and agency when we choose the right and stay out of Satan’s grasp.  When we make choices that lead to addictions or other forms of slavery, we surrender our agency to outside forces.  We should never take our agency for granted.  We should protect it and use it for good.  We were given agency to prove ourselves and we must make this life a testament of who we are.  

Atonement

“It is a fundamental truth that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed. We can become virtuous and pure. However, sometimes our poor choices leave us with long-term consequences. One of the vital steps to complete repentance is to bear the short- and long-term consequences of our past sins.”
-              Elder Richard G. Scott, October 2013 General Conference, “Personal Strength Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,”    https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/personal-strength-through-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng

“No matter what our transgressions have been, no matter how much our actions may have hurt others, that guilt can all be wiped out. To me, perhaps the most beautiful phrase in all scripture is when the Lord said, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”  That is the promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement: to take anyone who comes, anyone who will join, and put them through an experience so that at the end of their life, they can go through the veil having repented of their sins and having been washed clean through the blood of Christ.”
-              President Boyd K. Packer, October 2012 General Conference, “The Atonement” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-atonement?lang=eng

“The Atonement was absolutely essential for men to cleanse themselves from sin and overcome the second death, which is the spiritual death, which is separation from our Father in Heaven. For the scriptures tell us, seven times they tell us, that no unclean thing may enter the presence of God.”
-              Boyd K. Packer, April 1988 General Conference, “Atonement, Agency, Accountability” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1988/04/atonement-agency-accountability?lang=eng&query=agency

“We have a champion, a Savior, who walked through the valley of the shadow of death on our behalf. He gave Himself as a ransom for our sins. No one has ever had greater love than this—Jesus Christ, the Lamb without blemish, willingly laid Himself on the altar of sacrifice and paid the price for our sins to “the uttermost farthing.” He took upon Himself our suffering. He took our burdens, our guilt upon His shoulders. My dear friends, when we decide to come to Him, when we take upon ourselves His name and boldly walk in the path of discipleship, then through the Atonement we are promised not only happiness and “peace in this world” but also “eternal life in the world to come.”
-              President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2013 General Conference, “You Can Do It Now!” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/you-can-do-it-now?lang=eng

“Sometimes in the depth of pain, we are tempted to ask, “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?” I testify the answer is yes, there is a physician. The Atonement of Jesus Christ covers all these conditions and purposes of mortality.”
-              Kent F. Richards, April 2011 General Conference, “The Atonement Covers All Pain” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/the-atonement-covers-all-pain

“But do we also understand that the Atonement is for faithful men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully? I wonder if we fail to fully acknowledge this strengthening aspect of the Atonement in our lives and mistakenly believe we must carry our load all alone—through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline and with our obviously limited capacities.

“It is one thing to know that Jesus Christ came to the earth to die for us. But we also need to appreciate that the Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to enliven us—not only to guide but also to strengthen and heal us.”
-              David A. Bednar, April 2014 General Conference, “Bear Up Their Burdens With Ease” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/bear-up-their-burdens-with-ease

“There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power. Indeed, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.”
-              David A. Bednar, April 2014 General Conference, “Bear Up Their Burdens With Ease” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/bear-up-their-burdens-with-ease

“That brings us to the Atonement. Paul said, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” The Atonement of Jesus Christ became the immortal creation. He volunteered to answer the ends of a law previously transgressed.  And by the shedding of His blood, His and our physical bodies could become perfected. They could again function without blood, just as Adam’s and Eve’s did in their paradisiacal form. Paul taught that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; … this mortal must put on immortality.”
-              Russell M. Nelson, October 1996 General Conference, “The Atonement” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/10/the-atonement?lang=eng&query=atonement

“The Creation required the Fall. The Fall required the Atonement. The Atonement enabled the purpose of the Creation to be accomplished. Eternal life, made possible by the Atonement, is the supreme purpose of the Creation. To phrase that statement in its negative form, if families were not sealed in holy temples, the whole earth would be utterly wasted. 

“The purposes of the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement all converge on the sacred work done in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The earth was created and the Church was restored to make possible the sealing of wife to husband, children to parents, families to progenitors, worlds without end.”
-              Russell M. Nelson, October 1996 General Conference, “The Atonement” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/10/the-atonement?lang=eng&query=atonement

“May the Atonement of Jesus Christ cause a “mighty change” to be wrought in our hearts.  As we awaken to this doctrine, declared by an angel of God to be “glad tidings of great joy,” I promise that we will feel as King Benjamin’s people felt. After they had prayed mightily that the Atonement would be applied in their lives, “they were filled with joy” and were “willing to enter into a covenant with … God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things.” Making, keeping, and rejoicing in our covenants will be the evidence that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is truly written in our hearts. Please remember these three principles, sisters:

1. “All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

2. There is power in the Atonement to enable us to overcome the natural man or woman and become true disciples of Jesus Christ.

3. The Atonement is the greatest evidence we have of the Father’s love for His children.”
-              Linda K. Burton, October 2012 General Conference, “Is Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ Written in Our Hearts?” https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/is-faith-in-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ-written-in-our-hearts?lang=eng&query=atonement

Position Statement:

The Atonement is the greatest of all gifts.  Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered for all our sins and transgressions, all our pains and disappointments.  He understands our struggles.  He has borne our burdens.  Not only does the Atonement allow us to become clean again, it can strengthen and guide us throughout our lives.  Christ paid the price and made it possible for us to return to our Father in Heaven.  We should never take this gift for granted.  The gift of forgiveness that comes through the Atonement is available to us if we apply it.  The strengthening power we can find through Christ is offered to all.