Elder L. Tom Perry - The Message of the Restoration

How Do I Love Thee?

Virtue: For Such a Time as This (Esther 4:14)

How Can I Find Happiness?

Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

The Pride Cycle

                                                Prosperity
               
                  Obedience and Service         Material Comforts

          Righteousness                                                      Greed

Change                             PRIDE CYCLE                                Pride

          Repentance                                                      Wickedness

                      Humility                            Collapse of Morality

                                            Calamities

                                WHERE ARE YOU?

Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple (continued)

Taught From on High

• "Before going to the temple for the first time, or even after many times, it may help you to realize that the teaching of the temples is done in symbolic fashion."
• "The temple is a house of learning."

"'The temple ordinances encompass the whole plan of salvation, as taught from time to time by the leaders of the Church, and elucidate matters difficult of understanding. There is no warping or twisting in fitting the temple teachings into the great scheme of salvation. The philosophical completeness of the endowment is one of the great arguments for the veracity of the temple ordinances. Moreover, this completeness of survey and expounding of the Gospel plan, makes temple worship one of the most effective methods of refreshing the memory concerning the whole structure of the gospel.

"'Another fact has always appealed to me as a strong internal evidence for the truth of temple work. The endowment and the temple work as revealed by the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith...fall clearly into four distinct parts: the preparatory ordinances; the giving of instruction by lectures and representations; covenants; and, finally, tests of knowledge. I doubt that the Prophet Joseph, unlearned and untrained in logic, could of himself have made the thing so logically complete.'"

• "If you will go to the temple and remember that the teaching is symbolic you will never go in the proper spirit without coming away with your vision extended, feeling a little more exalted, with your knowledge increased as to things that are spiritual."
• "The temple itself becomes a symbol."
• "The temple ceremony will not be fully understood at first experience."
• "What we gain from the temple will depend to a large degree on what we take to the temple in the way of humility and reverence and a desire to learn."
• "If we are teachable we will be taught by the Spirit, in the temple."
• "...ponder the deeper meaning of what you see demonstrated before you (when you are in the temple)...keep these things in your mind...prayerfully review them...your knowledge will increase"
• "Look toward the temple"
• "Point your children toward the temple"
• "Drink deeply from the teachings--the symbolic, deeply spiritual teachings--available only in the temple."

To be continued...

Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple

"Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple"

by Boyd K. Packer

Come to the Temple

• "When we organize families according to the order that the Lord has revealed, we organize them in the temples."
• "Temple marriage, that sealing ordinance, is a crowning blessing that you may claim in the holy temple."
• "'Come to the temple'"
• "The temple transforms the individual and makes abundantly worthwhile any efforts made to get there."
• "Keep your faith and your hope and determine that you will come--that you will be worthy and that you will come to the temple."

These Things Are Sacred

• "We do not discuss the temple ordinances outside the temples."
• "With great effort we urge every soul to qualify and prepare for the temple experience."
• "Someday every living soul and every soul who has ever lived shall have the opportunity to hear the gospel and to accept or reject what the temple offers (If this opportunity is rejected, the rejection must be on the part of the individual)."
• "The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple...are beautiful..are sacred...are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared."
• "Preparation for the ordinances includes preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house of the Lord."
• "We must be prepared before we go to the temple."
• "We must be worthy before we go to the temple."
• "The restrictions and conditions set are established by the Lord and not by man."

To be continued....

"Have I seen His hand in my life?"

"Some people have a journal, I have an older brother"

1, 2, 3...

I found a sheet of paper with a list of 3 things that I must have received from a church class...I like it, so I thought I would share with you....

1."You will notice in each situation in which Joseph [Smith] found himself that the Lord was with him. Is was easy to recognize the special spirit in him because of the way he lived and heeded the voice of the Lord to direct him. That same recognition will surely be with each of us as we are led and directed by His Holy Spirit. Listen to the still, small voice when you are faced with a time of decision. It will surely be a strong warning voice to tell you to turn off the wrong kind of music, to flee from the degrading television programs, or to get out of a web page that will only bring evil throughts into your mind. The Holy Spirit will let you know when you are in forbidden territory. I promise you, if you will heed the voice of warning of the Holy Ghost and will follow His direction, you will be blessed with the ministering of angels, which will add wisdom, knowledge, power, and glory to your life. Remember, the Lord is bound by solemn covenant to bless our lives according to our faithfulness. Only He can turn us into men in whom the Spirit of God namely the Holy Ghost, is."
        --L. Tom Perry, "Becoming Men in Whom the Spirit of God Is," Ensign, May 2002

2. "Elder Hartman Rector Jr. Explained: '[The] ability to turn everything into something good appears to be a godly characteristic. Our Heavenly Father always seems able to do this. Everything, no matter how dire, becomes a victory to the Lord. Joseph, although a slave and wholly undeserving of this fate, nevertheless remained faithful to the Lord and continued to live the commandments and made something very good of his degrading circumstances. People like this cannot be defeated.'"
        --In Conference Report, Oct. 1972

3. "Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable. Pornography in all it's forms is especially dangerous and addictive. What may begin as a curious indulgence can become a destructive habit that takes control of your life. It can lead you to sexual transgression and even criminal behavior. Pornography is a poison that weakens your self control, changes the way you see others, causes you to lose the guidance of the Spirit, and can even affect your ability to have a normal relationship with your future spouse."
        --For the Strength of Youth

Visiting Teaching Message, March 2010

Strengthening Faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ through Personal Scripture Study

"When I was a new bride,...I was invited to a lunch for all of the Relief Society sisters in my ward who had read either the Book of Mormon or a short Church history book. I had become casual in my scripture reading, so I qualified to attend the luncheon by reading the short book because it was easier and took less time. As I was eating my lunch, I had a powerful feeling that though the history book was a good one, I should have read the Book of Mormon. The Holy Ghost was prompting me to change my scripture reading habits. That very day I began to read the Book of Mormon, and I have never stopped...Because I started reading the scriptures daily, I have learned about my Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and what I need to do to be like Them...

"...Every woman can be a gospel doctrine instructor in her home, and every sister in the Church needs gospel knowledge as a leader and teacher. If you have not already developed the habit of daily scripture study, start now and keep studying in order to be prepared for your responsibilities in this life and in the eternities."

        -- Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president

"A study of the scriptures will help our testimonies and the testimonies of our family members. Our children today are growing up surrounded by voices urging them to abandon that which is right to pursue, instead, the pleasures of the world. Unless they have a firm foundation in the gospel of Jesus Christ, a testimony of the truth, and a determination to live righteously, they are susceptible to these influences. It is our responsibility to fortify and protect them."

         --President Thomas S. Monson

"We want our sisters to be scholar of the scriptures...You need an acquaintanceship with his eternal truths for your own well being, and for the purposes of teaching your own children and all others who come within your influence.

"We want our homes to be blessed with sister scriptorians--whether you are single or married, young or old, widowed or living in a family...Become scholars of the scriptures--not to put others down, but to lift them up!"

          --President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985)

John 5:39

2 Timothy 3: 14-17

2 Nephi 9:50-51; 31:20; 32:3-5

D&C 138:1-11

Visiting Teaching Message, April 2010

"Prayer is your personal key to heaven. The lock is on your side of the veil. But that is not all. To one who thought that revelation would flow without effort, the Lord said:
            'You have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
            'But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.'"

--President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"The temple is a house of learning. Much of the instruction imparted in the temple is symbolic and learned by the Spirit. This means we are taught from on high...Our understanding of the meaning of the ordinances and covenants will increase as we return to the temple often with the attitude of learning and contemplating the eternal truths taught...Let us enjoy the spiritual strength and the revelation we receive as we attend the temple regularly."

--Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency

An Attitude of Gratitude

"Through divine intervention, those who were lepers were spared from a cruel, lingering death and given a new lease on life. The expressed gratitude by one merited the Master's blessing, the ingratitude shown by the nine, His disappointment. Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give Him the divine gift of gratitude."
              President Thomas S. Monson

Sunday School June 8th, 2008

• With baptism we come closer to Christ
• After we are baptized, we need to take the sacrament to remember those covenants that we made
• Mosiah 18-24
• What blessings have you seen in your life as a result of baptism?
• Try to remember your baptismal day and continue to remember it--write down your thoughts and feelings you have when you think about your baptismal day
• Write down all your feelings that you have when you have a spiritual moment so that you can read back and remember those feelings.
• What do you remember about your baptism that made it all special?
• Moroni 8:14 "Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell"
• A covenant is like a contract that you have made with your Heavenly Father
• Mosiah 18:8-9 "And it came to pass that he said unto them; Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yeah, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yeah, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life--"
• Focus not on your needs, but on others and the things that they may need help with
• Mosiah 18:11-14 "And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts. And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart. And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may be grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world. And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit."
• When do we have that desire to change?
• When we have a change of heart we have a desire to reach out further [to others] and try to find ways to help others.

• Alma 5:26 "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, 'can ye feel so now?'"
• John 12:24-25 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."
• We are always blessed when we sacrifice something in our lives for God.
• Charity will come to us when we serve others.
• A medicine for self pity is to help others in their lives.
• Magnify your calling, it's as simple as that.
• Serve willingly with love and compassion
• Temple work is one of the greatest ways you can serve
• D&C 58: 27-28 "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."
• We must lose ourselves in service
• Be an example.
• 3 Nephi--Christ coming to the America's, "Come unto me, I will heal you"
• 3 Nephi 12:14-16 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hit. Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house; Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
• D&C 20:16 "For the Lord God has spoken it; and we, the elders of the church, have heard and bear witness to the words of the glorious Majesty on high, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
• Some of the important things in your life are based on your desires and choices--friends play a big part.
• What are the "walking sticks" in your life? What are the things in your life that hold you up and keep you strong?
• We need to walk with God
• He wants all of us to return to His presence, which is determined by us and how we make our life decisions.

GOALS

This is what I received from one of my church classes a while back...

1. Make and keep covenants with Him
2. Are worthy and worship His temples
3. Study His doctrine in the scriptures and the words of the prophets
4. Qualify for, recognize, and follow the Holy Ghost
5. Share and defend His gospel
6. Participate in sincere personal and family prayer
7. Have family home evening
8. Live principles of self-reliance and provident living

The Great Plan of Happiness

I had lost a couple people in my life a couple years ago, and I was struggling with it. I needed some comfort and guidance, and this is what I came across.

Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy
"Just like a fish needs water, you need the gospel and the companionship of the Holy Ghost to be truly, deeply happy."

"When I was a deacon like many of you young men, my father and I hiked to a mountain stream to fish for trout. As my dad attached the bait to the hook on the end of my fishing line, he told me that I would need to set the hook in the fish’s mouth when it tried to take the bait, or it would get away. I did not understand what it meant to set the hook, so he explained to me that the hook needed to be embedded in the fish’s mouth when it struck at the bait so it could not shake the hook loose and that the hook would be set if I quickly pulled back on the pole when the fish tried to take the bait. Now, I really wanted to catch a fish, so I stood on the bank of that mountain stream like a coiled spring, every muscle taut, waiting for the telltale movement at the end of my pole which would signal that the fish was trying to take the bait. After a few minutes I noticed movement at the end of my pole, and in that instant I jerked back on the pole with all of my strength, expecting a big fight with the fish. To my surprise, I watched as that poor trout—with the hook now set very firmly in his mouth—was launched from the water into the air over my head and landed on the ground flopping behind me.
I have two observations from that experience: First, a fish out of water is miserable. Although its gills, fins, and tail work very well in water, they are all but useless on land. Second, the unfortunate fish I caught that day perished because it was deceived into treating something very dangerous—even fatal—as worthwhile or at least as sufficiently intriguing to warrant a closer look and perhaps a nibble.
My dear brethren of the Aaronic Priesthood, there are a couple of lessons to be learned from this: First, a basic purpose of your life, as Lehi taught, is “[to] have joy” (A). In order to have joy, you need to understand that, as a child of your Heavenly Father, you inherited divine traits and spiritual needs—and just like a fish needs water, you need the gospel and the companionship of the Holy Ghost to be truly, deeply happy. Because you are the offspring of God (B), it is incompatible with your eternal nature to do wrong and feel right. It cannot be done. It is part of your spiritual DNA, as it were, that peace, joy, and happiness will be yours only to the degree you live the gospel.
In contrast, to the degree that you choose not to live the gospel, you will be as miserable as a fish out of water (C). As Alma stated to his son Corianton:
“Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
“And now, my son, all men that are … in a carnal state … are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness” (D).
Note that to be without God in the world—in other words, to refuse to live His gospel and therefore lack the companionship of the Spirit—is to be in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. The gospel of Jesus Christ is, in fact, the—note that this is singular, meaning it is the only—“great plan of happiness” (E). If you opt for any other way of life or try to live only the parts of the gospel that seem convenient, such a choice will cheat you of the full, resplendent joy and happiness for which you were designed by our loving Father in Heaven and His Son.
Now to the second lesson from my fishing experience: just as a fish in a mountain stream must be careful of the lures placed in its path to avoid being pulled away from the water, so must you and I be wise in order to avoid being pulled away from a happy, gospel-centered life. Remember that, as Lehi observed, the devil “seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” and obtains “power to captivate” (F) us when we involve ourselves in unclean and evil things. Thus, do not be deceived into even nibbling at unworthy things, for Satan stands ready to set the hook. It was the very real risk of the hook being set subtly or suddenly that led the ancient prophet Moroni—who actually saw our day (G)—to pointedly warn you and me to “touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing” (H; emphasis added).
There is much that is evil and unclean in music, the Internet, movies, magazines, and in alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. As to any evil and unclean thing, my young friends, do not even touch it! Disguised in such things is a hook that sets subtly and much more suddenly than you dare think—and it can be an excruciatingly painful process to extract the hook. Alma described that for him the process of repentance was “nigh unto death” (I); indeed, he stated that “nothing [could be] so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains” (J).
There may be some of you who have been involved with that which is evil or unclean. Take hope in the doctrinal and historical fact that Alma’s faith in the Lord led him to repent, and as a direct result of his repentance he experienced such happiness through the power of the Atonement of Christ that, in his words, “there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy” (J). Such will be your experience as you seek the Lord through repentance.
Each of us needs to repent to some degree or another. To repent means to make the real changes in your life the Savior desires you to make for your happiness. Repentance is the great enabling principle of the gospel: when your faith in the Lord causes personal change, such action on your part, as Helaman states, “bringeth [you] unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of [your] souls” (K). As you seek to change, remember that our loving Savior, as Alma states, has “all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance” (L). This is powerful, liberating, hope-filled doctrine!
The Prophet Joseph Smith learned from firsthand experience that the Lord expects us to avoid misery by living His gospel and wants us to understand that we can repent. When he lost the 116 pages of the manuscript of the Book of Mormon translation by giving in to the persuasions of men, Joseph was miserable. The Lord told him: “You should have been faithful; and [God] would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble” (M). Such is the case for each of you young men: be faithful, and you will be supported by the hand of God. The Prophet was then reminded that—as with each of us—he would be forgiven if he repented. Imagine what joy he felt when he heard the Lord state, “But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen” (N).
My invitation to each of you tonight is to live the gospel to be truly happy, avoid evil and the misery it brings, and if you have become involved with the evil or unclean thing, make the changes the Lord desires of you for your own happiness—and I witness that He will enable you to succeed through His matchless power.
As you accept this invitation, you will reap lasting happiness and build the foundation of your life upon “the rock of our Redeemer,” such that when the shafts of the evil one and the storms of the world assail you, they will, as Helaman taught, have “no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (O; emphasis added). Of the Lord Jesus Christ I bear my ardent witness: He is the Rock, the one sure foundation for happiness and healing. He lives, has all power in heaven and earth, knows your name, and He loves you. In the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen."

A: 2 Nephi 2:25
B: Acts 17:28
C: Mosiah 4:30
D: Alma 41: 10-11
E: Alma 42:8
F: 2 Nephi 2:27, 29
G: Mormon 8:35
H: Moroni 10:30
I: Mosiah 27:28
J: Alma 36:21
K: Helaman 5:11
L: Alma 12:15
M: Doctrine & Covenants 3:8
N: Doctrine & Covenants 3:10
O: Helaman 5:12

Our Conscience

I absolutely love this. My husband showed me this in church one day and I have often thought about it since...

The Bible Dictionary: Conscience

"The concept is that we are born with a natural capacity to distinguish between right and wrong, due to the light of Christ that is given to every person...The possession of it at once makes us responsible beings. Like other faculties it needs to be trained, and may be deadened through misuse."

The Holy Ghost

"The gift of the Holy Ghost quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use...It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features...It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being." ---Parley P. Pratt

The Bible Dictionary states: "The power can come upon one before baptism, and is the convincing witness that the gospel is true. It gives one a testimony of Jesus Christ and of his work and of the work of his servants upon the earth....the gift of the Holy Ghost is the right to have, whenever one is worthy...When a person speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost that same power carries a conviction of the truth into the heart of the hearer...the Holy Ghost knows all things and can lead one to know of future events...Comforter"

Visiting Teaching Message; March 2009

Why Must I Defend the Doctrine of the Family?

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity"


Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general presidents: "As a disciple of Jesus Christ, every woman in this Church is given the responsibility for upholding, nurturing, and protecting families. Women have distinct assignments given to them from before the foundation of the world. And as a covenant-keeping Latter-day Saint woman, you know that raising your voice in defense of the doctrine of the family is critical to the strength of families the world over"

How Can I Defend the Family?

D&C 88:119; "Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God"

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985): "Home is a haven against the storms and struggles of life. Spirituality is born and nurtured by daily prayer, scripture study, home and gospel discussions and related activities, home evenings, family councils, working and playing together, serving each other, and sharing the gospel with those around us. Sirituality is also nurtured in our actions of patience, kindness, and forgiveness toward each other and in our applying gospel principles in the family circle"

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "I call upon members of the Church and on committed parents, grandparents, and extended family members everywhere to hold fast to [the family] proclamation, to make it a banner not unlike General Moroni's 'title of liberty,' and to commit ourselves to live by its precepts...
"In today's world, where Satan's aggression against the family is so prevalent, parents must do all they can to fortify and defend their families. But their efforts may not be enough. Our most basic institution of family desperately needs help and support from the extended family and the public institutions that surround us"

Elder Robert S. Wood of the Seventy: "For too many, responsibility seems to end with hand-wringing and exclamations of dismay. Yet talk without action accomplishes little. We need to be vigorously engaged in the world. If our schools are inadequate or destructive of moral values, we must work with fellow members of the community to bring about change. If our neighborhoods are unsafe of unhealthy, we must join with the civic-minded to devise solutions. If our cities and towns are polluted, not only with noxious gases but soul destroying addictions and smut, we must labor to find legitimate ways to eliminate such filth...We have the responsibility to be a blessing to others, to our nation, to the world"

Until We Meet Again

Forgiveness

Motherhood