Russell M. Nelson
A saint serves others, knowing that the more one serves, the greater the opportunity for the Spirit to sanctify and purify.
Preparation for a mission is important. A mission is a voluntary act of service to God and humankind. Missionaries support that privilege with their personal savings. Parents, families, friends, and donors to the General Missionary Fund may also assist.
I fear that there are too many priesthood bearers who have done little or nothing to develop their ability to access the powers of Heaven.
From an eternal perspective, the only death that is truly premature is the death of one who is not prepared to meet God.
I doubt that the Lord cares much which honorable vocation you choose. But He does care if you love one another and serve one another.
Many institutions of higher learning will grant an 18- to 30-month deferral to prospective missionaries. This will enable you elders and sisters to serve without worrying about where you will begin your advanced education. We are very grateful to leaders of educational institutions who are making such planning possible!
I feel impressed to counsel those engaged in personal challenges to do right. In particular, my heart reaches out to those who feel discouraged by the magnitude of their struggle.
I worry about all who are impure in their thoughts, feelings, or actions or who demean their wives or children, thereby cutting off priesthood power.
The only length of life that seems to satisfy the longings of the human heart is life everlasting.
Married or single, you sisters possess distinctive capabilities and special intuition you have received as gifts from God. We brethren cannot duplicate your unique influence.
He chose to honor us with His priesthood. So we honor Him by honoring His priesthood - both its power and those who bear it.
Our Creator expects His children everywhere to educate themselves.
As apostles and prophets, we are concerned not only for our children and grandchildren but for yours as well - and for each of God's children.
We make the Sabbath a delight when we teach the gospel to our children.
Saints can be happy under every circumstance.
Heavenly Father loves every one of His children. After all, He is their Father.
Every religious group, while perhaps a majority somewhere, is also inevitably a minority somewhere else. Thus, religious organizations should and do show tolerance toward members of other religious denominations.
Service of any type requires preparation.
A worthy woman personifies the truly noble and worthwhile attributes of life.
Contention does not usually begin as strife between countries. More often, it starts with an individual, for we can contend within ourselves over simple matters of right and wrong. From there, contention can infect neighbors and nations like a spreading sore.
All leaders in the Lord's Church are called by proper authority. No prophet or any other leader in this Church, for that matter, has ever called himself or herself. No prophet has ever been elected.
A saint is tolerant and is attentive to the pleadings of other human beings, not only to spoken messages but to unspoken messages as well.
Parents and teachers, learn to listen, then listen to learn from children.
To rule children by force is the technique of Satan, not of the Savior.
Generally, the younger the victim, the greater the grief. Yet even when the elderly or infirm have been afforded merciful relief, their loved ones are rarely ready to let go.
All that the future holds in store for each sacred child of God will be shaped by his or her parents, family, friends, and teachers. Thus, our faith now becomes part of our posterity's faith later.
Contention existed before the earth was formed.
If one accepts the terms of the covenant and obeys God's law, he or she receives the blessings associated with the covenant.
Sometimes a nickname is used instead of the real name. But a nickname may offend either the one named or the parents who gave the name.
In one thousand years of Russia's existence, its first popular national election ever to be held occurred in June 1991. Six days later, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed in Moscow!
I first found delight in the Sabbath many years ago when, as a busy surgeon, I knew that the Sabbath became a day for personal healing. By the end of each week, my hands were sore from repeatedly scrubbing them with soap, water, and a bristle brush. I also needed a breather from the burden of a demanding profession.
We are eternal beings - spirit children of heavenly parents.
Many shoulder heavy burdens of righteous responsibility which, on occasion, seem so difficult to bear. I have heard those challenges termed impossible.
Sisters, do you realize the breadth and scope of your influence when you speak those things that come to your heart and mind as directed by the Spirit?
Imagine the privilege the Lord has given us of sustaining His prophet, whose counsel will be untainted, unvarnished, unmotivated by any personal aspiration, and utterly true!
Whether full-time missionaries or members, we should all be good examples of the believers in Jesus Christ.
Through the ages, many of His children have had access to the blessings of the gospel, but many more have not.
When I think of the love I feel for each member of our family, I sense, to a slight degree, the love that our Heavenly Father bears for His children.
We need more missionaries - more worthy missionaries.
While musical experts of the world focus on what choir members can do, I would like to focus on what choir members can be.
All missionaries, younger and older, serve with the sole hope of making life better for other people.
Because of our sacred regard for each human intellect, we consider the obtaining of an education to be a religious responsibility.
The Lord has often chosen to instruct His people in their times of trial.
Many religious confessions share common values. They teach that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us.
Differences exist in practice and organization between the Lord's Church and man-made institutions.
Men and women may form associations for and among themselves and be governed by stipulations that are mutually acceptable.
I believe that in the pursuit of education, individual desire is more influential than institution, and personal faith more forceful than faculty.
As a member of the Church, you have made sacred covenants with the Lord.
Counsel with your parents is a privilege at any age.