- One of my most vivid memories is attending priesthood meeting as a newly ordained deacon and singing the opening hymn "Come, All Ye Sons of God." Tonight I echo the spirit of that special hymn and say to you, "Come, all ye sons of God who have received the priesthood." Let us consider our callings, let us reflect on our responsibilities, and let us follow Jesus Christ, our Lord.
- You men, I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary. One . . . tool is the booklet entitled "For the Strength of Youth". It features standards from the writings and teachings of Church leaders and from scripture, adherence to which will bring the blessings of our Heavenly Father and the guidance of His Son to each of us.
- Begin to prepare for a temple marriage as well as for a mission. Proper dating is a part of that preparation. In cultures where dating is appropriate, do not date until you are 16 years old. "Not all teenagers need to date or even want to . . . When you begin dating, go in groups or on double dates. . . . Make sure your parents meet [and become acquainted with] those you date." Because dating is a preparation for marriage, "date only those who have high standards." (For the Strength of Youth, 2001, p. 24-25)
- Servants of the Lord have always counseled us to dress appropriately to show respect for our Heavenly Father and for ourselves. The way you dress sends messages about yourself to others and often influences the way you and others act. Dress in such a way as to bring out the best in yourself and those around you.
- Everyone needs good friends. Your circle of friends will greatly influence your thinking and behavior, just as you will theirs. When you share common values with your friends, you can strengthen and encourage each other. Treat everyone with kindness and dignity. Many nonmembers have come into the Church through friends who have involved them in Church activities.
- Honesty [is] the best policy." A Latter-day Saint young man lives as he teaches and as he believes. He is honest with others. He is honest with himself. He is honest with God. He is honest by habit and as a matter of course. When a difficult decision must be made, he never asks himself, "What will others think?" but rather, "What will I think of myself?"
- How you speak and the words you use tell much about the image you choose to portray. Use language to build and uplift those around you. Profane, vulgar, or crude language and inappropriate or off-color jokes are offensive to the Lord. Never misuse the name of God or Jesus Christ.
- Our Heavenly Father has counseled us to seek after "anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy." Whatever you read, listen to, or watch makes an impression on you.
- Pornography is especially dangerous and addictive. Curious exploration of pornography can become a controlling habit, leading to coarser material and to sexual transgression. Avoid pornography at all costs.
- If you have any question about whether a particular movie, book, or other form of entertainment is appropriate, don't see it, don't read it, don't participate.
- Hard drugs, wrongful use of prescription drugs, alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco products destroy your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Any form of alcohol is harmful to your spirit and your body. Tobacco can enslave you, weaken your lungs, and shorten your life.
- Music can help you draw closer to your Heavenly Father. It can be used to educate, edify, inspire, and unite. However, music can, by its tempo, beat, intensity, and lyrics, dull your spiritual sensitivity. You cannot afford to fill your minds with unworthy music.
- Because sexual intimacy is so sacred, the Lord requires self-control and purity before marriage as well as full fidelity after marriage. In dating, treat your date with respect and expect your date to show that same respect for you. Tears inevitably follow transgression.
- President David O. McKay advised, "Every action is preceded by a thought. If we want to control our actions, we must control our thinking."
- Whenever temptation comes, remember the wise counsel of the Apostle Paul, who declared, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)
- When challenged or tempted, you do not need to feel alone. Remember that prayer is the passport to spiritual power.
- Don't put your eternal life at risk. Keep the commandments of God. If you have sinned, the sooner you begin to make your way back, the sooner you will find the sweet peace and joy that come with the miracle of forgiveness. Happiness comes from living the way the Lord wants you to live and from service to God and others.
Showing posts with label Preparation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preparation. Show all posts
President Thomas S. Monson: Preparation Brings Blessings
President Monson gave excellent counsel on a variety of topics during this priesthood session talk. I am choosing to record them in bullet format so I can more easily refer back to them.
President Henry B. Eyring: Be Ready
President Eyring started out with a story about being prepared to use the priesthood to bless (literally) others:
When the call came, I was ready. The preparation was far more than having consecrated oil close at hand. It must begin long before the crisis which requires priesthood power. Those who are prepared will be ready to answer.
The preparation begins in families, in Aaronic Priesthood quorums, and mostly in the private lives of young men. The quorums and the families must help, but the preparation that counts will be made by the young men making choices to rise to their great destiny as priesthood servants of God.
The destiny of the rising generation of priesthood holders is far more than to be ready to bring God's power down to heal the sick. The preparation is to be ready to go and do whatever the Lord wants done as the world is preparing for His coming. None of us know exactly what those errands will be. But we know what it will take to be ready, so each of us can prepare.
He then talked about "two of the things you will need and the preparation it takes to be ready."
The first is to have faith. So you must have faith that God lives and that you have won the confidence to allow you to use the power for His purposes.
He also added a caution: Not all of the youth choose to prepare. That choice must be their own. They are responsible for themselves. That is the Lord's way in His loving plan. But many young men have little or no support from those who could help as they prepare. Those of us who can help will be held accountable by the Lord.
The second thing they will need is confidence that they can live up to the blessings and the trust which God has offered them.
Young men need to listen to the Spirit, even when their peers and others around them are suggesting they choose sin: If young men choose sin, those messages from God will become more faint. We can help them even more by our example of a faithful and inspired servant.
President Eyring then talked about his bishop and how he watched out for President Eyring and the other young men in their ward:
The bishop had a system. Every adviser of every quorum was to contact every young man he had not spoken to that Sunday. They were not to go to bed until they had either talked to the boy who had been missing, to his parents, or to a close friend. The bishop promised them that he would not turn out his light until he had heard a report about every boy. I don't think he gave them an order. He simple made it clear that he did not expect their lights to go out until they had given that report.
He and those who served under him were doing far more than watching over us. They were showing us by example what it means to care for the Lord's sheep. I have no idea whether they thought any one of us was going to be anything special. But they treated us as if they did by being willing to pay any personal price to keep us from losing faith.
When the call came, I was ready. The preparation was far more than having consecrated oil close at hand. It must begin long before the crisis which requires priesthood power. Those who are prepared will be ready to answer.
The preparation begins in families, in Aaronic Priesthood quorums, and mostly in the private lives of young men. The quorums and the families must help, but the preparation that counts will be made by the young men making choices to rise to their great destiny as priesthood servants of God.
The destiny of the rising generation of priesthood holders is far more than to be ready to bring God's power down to heal the sick. The preparation is to be ready to go and do whatever the Lord wants done as the world is preparing for His coming. None of us know exactly what those errands will be. But we know what it will take to be ready, so each of us can prepare.
He then talked about "two of the things you will need and the preparation it takes to be ready."
The first is to have faith. So you must have faith that God lives and that you have won the confidence to allow you to use the power for His purposes.
He also added a caution: Not all of the youth choose to prepare. That choice must be their own. They are responsible for themselves. That is the Lord's way in His loving plan. But many young men have little or no support from those who could help as they prepare. Those of us who can help will be held accountable by the Lord.
The second thing they will need is confidence that they can live up to the blessings and the trust which God has offered them.
Young men need to listen to the Spirit, even when their peers and others around them are suggesting they choose sin: If young men choose sin, those messages from God will become more faint. We can help them even more by our example of a faithful and inspired servant.
President Eyring then talked about his bishop and how he watched out for President Eyring and the other young men in their ward:
The bishop had a system. Every adviser of every quorum was to contact every young man he had not spoken to that Sunday. They were not to go to bed until they had either talked to the boy who had been missing, to his parents, or to a close friend. The bishop promised them that he would not turn out his light until he had heard a report about every boy. I don't think he gave them an order. He simple made it clear that he did not expect their lights to go out until they had given that report.
He and those who served under him were doing far more than watching over us. They were showing us by example what it means to care for the Lord's sheep. I have no idea whether they thought any one of us was going to be anything special. But they treated us as if they did by being willing to pay any personal price to keep us from losing faith.
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