FOR PEACE AT HOME: ELDER RICHARD G. SCOTT

One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.

deep inside each of us is a need to have a place of refuge where peace and serenity prevail, a place where we can reset, regroup, and reenergize to prepare for future pressures.
The ideal place for that peace is within the walls of our own homes, where we have done all we can to make the Lord Jesus Christ the centerpiece.

Be certain that every decision you make, whether temporal or spirtual, is conditioned on what the Savior would have you do.
when He is the center of your home, there is peace and serenity.
There is a spirit of assurance that pervades the home, and it is felt by all who dwell there.

The prophetic counsel to have:

1. DAILY PERSONAL AND FAMILY PRAYER
2. DAILY PERSONAL AND FAMILY SCRIPTURE STUDY
3. WEEKLY FAMILY HOME EVENING

are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home.
Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world.

Just having the full standard works in your pocket will not protect you, but studying, pondering, and listening to them during quiet moments of each day will enhance communication through the spirit.

Doing all we can to invite the gentle, guiding influence of the Holy Ghost into our lives is critical in our attempts to center our homes on the Savior. Acting obediently on those promptings strengthens us even more.

Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord,
His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace.

When you feel that there is only a thin thread of hope, it is really not a thread but a mssive connecting link, like a life preserver to strengthen and lift you.
It will provide comfort so you can cease to fear.
Strive to live worthily and place your trust in the Lord.

COME UNTO ME- PRESIDENT HENRY B. EYRING

By His words and His example, Christ has shown us how to draw closer to Him

"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and  ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Every covenant servant of His within His kingdom on earth and in the spirit world will receive His guidance by the spirit as they bless and serve others for Him.
And they will feel His love and find joy in being drawn closer to Him.

THIS IS MY WORK AND GLORY- ELDER M. RUSSELL BALLARD

The power of the priesthood is a sacred and essential gift of God.
It is different from priesthood authority, which is the authorization to act in God's name.
The authorization or ordination is given by the laying on of hands.
The power of the priesthood comes only when those who exercise it are worthy and acting in accordance with God's will.

Brothers and sisters, as the literal spirit children of our loving Heavenly Father, we have unlimited, divine potential.
But if we are not careful, we can become like the wilted tomato plant.
We can drift away from the true doctrine and gospel of Christ and become spiritually undernourished and wilted, having removed ourselves from the divine light and living waters of the Savior's eternal love and priesthood power.

If any one of you feels your faith or your testimony of Heavenly Father's plan is less than you know it should be, then turn more fully to the Savior.
Let His light and His living water do for you and your family what a little water and light did in bringing life back to the weakened tomato plant.

THE SAVIOR WANTS TO FORGIVE- ELDER CRAIG A. CARDON

Savior forgives sins "upon earth" and not just at the final judgment. He does not excuse us in our sins. He does not condone our return to past sins. But when we repent and obey His gospel, He forgives us.

The Lord's compassion and grace are the means whereby "in process of time" we overcome the world through the enabling power of the Atonement. As we humbly seek this precious gift,"weak things become strong unto us," and by his strength, we are made able to do that which we could never do alone.

The Lord looks upon the light we have received, the desires of our hearts, and our actions, and when we repent and seek His forgiveness, He forgives. As we consider our own lives and the lives of our loved ones and acquaintances, we should be equally willing to forgive ourselves and others.

WE ARE DAUGHTERS OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER- ELAINE S. DALTON

As Daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences.
And yet our part matters-because we matter.

"what-e'er thou art, act well thy part."

Virtue is the strength and power of Daughters if God

A SURE FOUNDATION- BISHOP DEAN M. DAVIES

Let us accept the Savior's invitation to come unto Him.
Let us build our lives upon a safe and a sure foundation.

In the development of modern-day temples, careful attention is given to the design, engineering, and use of building materials.

Like the designers and builders of our time, our loving and kind Father in Heaven and His Son have prepared plans, tools, and other resources for our use so that we can build and frame our lives to be sure and unshaken.

THE PLAN IS THE PLAN OF SALVATION, THE GREAT PLAN OF HAPPINESS
The plan lays out for us a clear picture and understanding of the beginning and the end and the essential steps, including ordinances, which are necessary for each of Father's children to be able to return to his presence and dwell with him forever.

Faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end are part of the "blueprints" of life. They help to form the appropriate building blocks that will anchor our lives to the Atonement of Christ. These shape and frame the supporting structure of a person's life.

Then, just as temple plans have specifications that give detailed instructions about how to form and integrate essential components, praying, reading the scriptures, partaking of the sacrement, and receiving essential priesthood ordinances become the "specifications" that help integrate and bind together the structure of life.

If we do not provide for an appropriate balance in our lives of daily personal prayer and feasting from the scriptures, weekly strengthening from partaking of the sacrament, and frequent participation in priesthood ordinances such as temple ordinances, we too are at risk of being weakened in our spirtual structural strength.

Prayer is one of the most basic and important foundational building blocks of our faith and character. Through prayer we are able to express our gratitude, love, and devotion to God.
Through prayer we can submit our will to His and in return receive the strength to conform our lives to His teachings.
Prayer is the avenue we can follow to seek His influence in our lives, even revelation.

SHARING OUR THOUGHTS, FEELINGS,  AND DESIRES WITH GOD THROUGH SINCERE AND HEARTFELT PRAYER SHOULD BECOME TO EACH OF US AS IMPORTANT AND NATURAL AS BREATHING AND EATING.

Searching the scriptures on a daily basis will also fortify our faith and character. Just as we need food to nourish our physical bodies, our spirits and souls will be replenished and strengthened by feasting upon the words of Christ as contained in the writings of the prophets.

SEARCHING, PONDERING, AND APPLYING THE WORDS OF CHRIST AS TAUGHT IN THE SCRIPTURES WILL BRING WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE BEYOND OUR MORTAL UNDERSTANDING

This will strengthen our commitment and provide the spiritual reserves to do our best in all situations

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO STRENGTHEN OUR LIVES AND REMAIN FIRMLY ATTACHED TO THE FOUNDATION OF THE SAVIOR IS TO WORTHILY PARTAKE OF THE SACREMENT EACH WEEK.

The sacrament ordinance affords every Church member the opportunity to ponder his or her life in advance, to consider the actions or nonactions that may need to be repented of, and then to partake of the bread and water as sacred emblems in remembrance of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, a witness of His atonement.

 



If  we partake with sincerity and in humility, we renew eternal covenants, are cleansed and sanctified, and receive the promise that we will have His spirit to be with us.
Worthily partaking of the sacrament strengthens our personal connection to the foundation rock, even to Jesus Christ.

THESE THINGS I KNOW- BOYD K. PACKER

THE THOUGHT WAS THIS:
When I was young, I wasn't 68
I could walk without a limp;
I had no shoulder pain.
I could read a line through twice
And quote it back again.
I could work for endless hours
And hardly stop to breathe.
And things that now I cannot do
I mastered then with ease.
If I could now turn back the years,
If that were mine to choose,
I would not barter age for youth,
I'd have too much to lose.
I am quite content to move ahead,
To yield my youth, however grand.
The thing I'd lose if I went back
Is what I understand.

Each of us must stay in condition to respond to inspiration and the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, and to warn us. Each son or daughter of God can know the things they need to know instantly. Learn to receive and act on inspiration and revelation.