Missionary Work

1. Each one of you young men and young women was commissioned by your Heavenly Father to build up the kingdom of God on earth right now and prepare a people to receive the Savior when He will rule and reign as the millennial Messiah.

Russell M. Nelson-What Will You Choose?-Sept. 09, 2013 Church News- 
 https://www.lds.org/church/news/what-will-you-choose-elder-nelson-asks-young-adults?lang=eng

2. You will never regret serving a mission, but you most probably will regret not serving if that is your choice.

                                          Richard G. Scott-Now is The Time To Serve Mission-April 2006 General Conference 
 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/now-is-the-time-to-serve-a-mission?lang=eng&query=You+will+never+regret+serving+a+mission,+but+you+most+probably+will+regret+not+serving+if+that+is+your+choice

3. If you will respond to the invitation to share your beliefs and feelings about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, a spirit of love and a spirit of courage will be your constant companion, for perfect love casteth out fear. 

L. Tom Perry Perfect Love Caseth Out Fear-
October 2011 General Conference-  
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear?lang=eng&query=If+you+will+respond+to+the+invitation+to+share+your+beliefs+and+feelings+

4. As you go forth and share our core beliefs and the fruits of our doctrines, misperceptions will dissolve, prejudices will diminish, and people will come to see Latter-day Saints as devout disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

People Will Come See Quinten L. Cook- Seminar for New Mission Presidents October 25, 2012 Deseret News October 29^th, 2012

5. God is preparing people to receive your testimony of restored truth. He requires your faith and then your action to share fearlessly what has become so precious to you and those you love.

Henry B. Eyring-Sharing the Gospel Heart to Heart-September 2012 Ensign- 
 https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/09/sharing-the-gospel-heart-to-heart?lang=eng

6. As your circumstances allow, as you are eligible for retirement, and as your health permits, I encourage you to make yourselves available for full-time missionary service. Both husband and wife will have a greater joy as they together serve our Father’s children.

Thomas S. Monson-As We Meet Together Again-
October 2010 General Conference
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/as-we-meet-together-again?lang=eng

7. God will put prepared people in the way of His prepared servants who want to share the gospel. You have had that happen in your own life. How often it happens depends on the preparation of your mind and your heart.

Henry B. Eyring-Sharing the Gospel Heart to Heart Sept. 2012 Ensign         
 https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/09/sharing-the-gospel-heart-to-heart?lang=eng

8. For the Master I extend thanks for your work to serve the children of our Heavenly Father. He knows you, and He sees your effort, diligence, and sacrifice. I pray that He will grant you the blessing of seeing the fruit of your labors in the happiness of those you have helped and with whom you have helped for the Lord.

Henry B. Eyring-Opportunities To Do Good-April 2011 General Conference 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/opportunities-to-do-good?lang=eng

9. We encourage you to keep all that is good and true and then see if we can add more. In this world filled with challenges, we do need help from time to time. Religion, eternal truth, and our missionaries are vital parts of that help.

Russell M. Nelson-Ask The Missionaries They Can Help You 
October 2012 General Conference

www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/ask-the-missionaries-they-can-help-you?lang=eng

10. Missionaries return home with a love for the people they have served and taught. They are true ambassadors spreading goodwill for the peoples in whose countries they have lived and worked. They are not concerned with income levels and have no racial bias. They are not out to build any worldly kingdoms. They are, in the words of Mormon, ‘the peaceable followers of Christ.

L. Tom Perry October 1989 Ensign-The Peaceable Followers of Christ
 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/10/the-peaceable-followers-of-christ?lang=eng&query=Missionaries+return+home+with+a+love+for+the+people+they+have+served+and+taught

I chose missionary work because I never had the chance to serve a mission. I have learned you don’t have to go away on a mission to teach, you can do it from being a friend to someone, and by setting an example. I became friends with a gal that wrote a letter to have her name removed off the records of the church. We moved into this ward and one Sunday she came to church. In Relief Society they were talking about the upcoming meeting she looked over at me and I asked her if she wanted to go. ­­­­­­­­She was unaware that she would have to take the discussions again and be re-baptized. Since that time she has had two missionary discussions and I have been there with her for both. She has her baptism all planned and who she wants to be speakers.  I am glad that I can be a member missionary by helping her or anyone else that I can come back to the fold. 

Temple Work

1. Temple and family history work is one work divided into two parts. They are connected together like the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some members may not be able to do both works because of health or distances to temples.

Richard G. Scott- Church News Oct. 7, 2012-

www.lds.org/church/news/elder-scott-urges-more-involvement-in-family-history-and-temple-work?lang=eng

2. Focusing on family history work has turned his heart to the temple in a very special way. He feels a sacred spirit in it. And it is helping him stay on the path to making and keeping his own sacred temple covenants.

Thomas S. Monson Focusing on Family History Work

3. He has invited and commanded us to participate in His work to lift up those in need. We make a covenant to do that in the waters of baptism and in the holy temples of God. We renew the covenant on Sundays when we partake of the sacrament.

Henry B. Eyring-Opportunities To Do Good-April 2011 General Conference- https://www.lds.org/liahona/2011/05/opportunities-to-do-good?lang=eng&query=He+has+invited+and+commanded+us+to+participate+in+His+work+to+lift+up+those+in+need

4. Preparing children to enter the temple and participate in sacred ordinances is a vital part of the Lord’s work of salvation.

Thomas S. Monson-August 2010 Liahona-Worthy To Enter The Temple https://www.lds.org/liahona/2010/08/being-worthy-to-enter-the-temple?lang=eng&query=Preparing+children+to+enter+the+temple+and+participate+in+sacred+ordinances+is+a+vital+part+of+the+Lord%E2%80%99s+work+of+salvation

5. Our temples are living, working testimonies to our faith in the reality of the resurrection.

Dallin H. Oaks-April 2000 General Conference-Resurrection- https://www.lds.org/ensign/2000/05/resurrection?lang=eng&query=Our+temples+are+living,+working+testimonies+to+our+faith+in+the+reality+of+the+resurrection.

6. If they seek to do mischief with the priesthood and with the sacred things of the temple, the Lord has said he would “blind their minds, that they may not understand his marvelous workings.

                                Boyd K. Packer-April 1993 General Conference- 
                                               The Temple, The Priesthood

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1993/05/the-temple-the-priesthood?lang=eng&query=If+they+seek+to+do+mischief+with+the+priesthood+and+with+the+sacred+things+of+the+temple

7. One of the bellwether marks of the growth and vitality of the Church is the construction of temples. We will keep on working to bring the temples to the people, making it more convenient for Latter-day Saints everywhere to receive the blessings which can only be had in these holy houses.”

Gordon B. Hinckley- The Work Goes On-April 2001 General Conference

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2001/05/the-work-goes on?lang=eng&query=One+of+the+bellwether+marks+of+the+growth+and+vitality+of+the+Church+is+the+construction+of+temples

8. What a glorious thing it is for us to have the privilege of going to the temple for our own blessings. Then after going to the temple for our own blessings, what a glorious privilege to do the work for those who have gone on before us.

Howard W. Hunter-A Temple Motivated People-

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2004/03/a-temple-motivated-people?lang=eng&query=What+a+glorious+thing+it+is+for+us+to+have+the+privilege+of+going+to+the+temple+for+our+own+blessings

9. Just as our Redeemer gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for all men, and in so doing became our Savior, even so we, in a small measure, when we engage in proxy work in the temple, become as saviors to those on the other side.

Gordon B. Hinckley-Closing Remarks- October 2004 General Conference
 https://www.lds.org/liahona/2004/11/closing-remarks?lang=eng&query=Just+as+our+Redeemer+gave+His+life+as+a+vicarious+sacrifice+for+all+men,+and+in+so+doing+became+our+Savior,+even+so+we,

10. While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living.

Russell M Nelson-Generations Linked In Love-
April 2010 General Conference https://www.lds.org/liahona/2010/05/generations-linked-in-love?lang=eng&query=While+temple+and+family+history+work+has+the+power+to+bless+those+beyond+the+veil,+it+has+an+equal+power+to+bless+the+living.+.

I love to be able to go to the temple and do work for the dead. It means even more when it’s for my own ancestors. I didn’t get my endowments until my husband and I were sealed together five years after we were married. This sealing led to my mother being baptized a little under four years later. I am glad that she got baptized. Unfortunately she passed away three months after her baptism. I went a year later and took out her endowments. I have been searching for more ancestors to do their work as well. I had the opportunity to do the work for some of my ancestors on both sides of my family.  One of the most important proxy work I have done is when I had my parents sealed together and then my sister and I sealed to them. Whether my father accepted the sealing or not it was a special day. 

Adversary/Adversity

1. 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.

L. Tom Perry-Obedience to Law is Liberty-

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/05/obedience-to-law-is-liberty?lang=eng&query=Today+we+find+ourselves+in+another+war.+This+is+not+a+war+of+armaments

2. Today we find ourselves in another war. This is not a war of armaments. It is a war of thoughts, words, and deeds. It is a war with sin, and more than ever we need to be reminded of the commandments.

L. Tom Perry-Obedience To Law Is Liberty

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/05/obedience-to-law-is-liberty?lang=eng&query=Today+we+find+ourselves+in+another+war.+This+is+not+a+war+of+armaments

3. Second, some addictions or predilections, while not inherently evil, can use up our precious allotment of time which could otherwise be used to accomplish virtuous objectives. These can include excessive use of social media, video and digital games, sports, recreation, and many others.

Quinten L. Cook-Lamentations of Jerimiah-Beware of Bondage https://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/11/sunday-afternoon-session/lamentations-of-jeremiah-beware-of bondage?lang=eng&query=Second,+some+addictions+or+predilections,+while+not+inherently+evil,+can+use+up+our+precious

4. Adversity can come as a great storm to blow us off course and threaten to cast us against the rocks. But sometimes we are also in danger when everything appears to be safe—the winds soft and the waters smooth.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf- April 2014 General Conference-

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2014/04/a-firmly-set-anchor?lang=eng&query=Adversity+can+come+as+a+great+storm+to+blow+us+off+course+and+threaten+to+cast+us+against+the+rocks.

5. The other reason for adversity is to accomplish the Lord’s own purposes in our life that we may receive the refinement that comes from testing. It is vitally important for each of us to identify from which of these two sources come our trials and challenges, for the corrective action is very different.

Richard G. Scott-Trust In The Lord

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/10/trust-in-the-lord?lang=eng&query=The+other+reason+for+adversity

6. “When was anything really worthwhile easy?”

Richard G. Scott -Realize Your Full Potential

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/10/realize-your-full-potential?lang=eng&query=%E2%80%9Cwhen+was+anything+really+worthwhile+easy%3f%E2%80%9D+October+2003+General+Conference.

7. If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.

Joseph B. Wirthlin October 2008 General Conference-Come What May and Love https://www.lds.org/liahona/2008/11/come-what-may-and-love-it?lang=eng&query=If+we+approach+adversities+wisely,+our+hardest+times+can+be+times+of+greatest+growth,+which+in+turn+can+lead+toward+times+of+greatest+happiness.

8. The devil is ready to blind our eyes with the things of this world, and he would gladly rob us of eternal life, the greatest of all gifts. But it is not given to the devil, and no power will ever be given to him to overthrow any Latter-day Saint that is keeping the commandments of God.

Elder M. Russell Ballard May 2002 Ensign

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2002/05/the-peaceable-things-of-the-kingdom?lang=eng&query=The+devil+is+ready+to+blind+our+eyes+with+the+things+of+this+world

9. It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf-April 2010 General Conference

https://www.lds.org/search?q=It+is+your+reaction+to+adversity&domains=magazines&lang=eng

10. We mortals have a limited view of life from the eternal perspective. But if we know and understand Heavenly Father’s plan, we realize that dealing with adversity is one of the chief ways we are tested.

M. Russell Ballard Answers to Life’s Questions May 1995 Ensign  https://www.lds.org/ensign/1995/05/answers-to-lifes-questions?lang=eng&query=We+mortals+have+a+limited

The adversary is the evil one. He will tempt us and laugh in amusement when we do wrong and follow his path. What happens in our life all depends on how we react to adversity, as long as we approach the adversities wisely we can grow spiritually, if we don’t it will be like we are being tossed against the rocks. We are meant to have some trials in life and this is the way we are tested. It is all part of Heavenly Father’s plan so we can live with him again. I have gone through many trials and tribulations.  I know there are more to come. If I approach them with caution and ask for the Lord’s help, I will be able to pass the test and move on to the next one brought my way.

Wayward Children

1. “It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children, for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons or daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should.”

          
Boyd K. Packer Hope For Parents of Wayward Children

www.lds.org/ensign/2002/09/hope-for-parents-of-wayward-children?lang=eng

2. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return.

David A. Bednar Faithful Parents and Wayward Children

www.lds.org/ensign/2014/03/faithful-parents-and-wayward-children-sustaining-hope-while-overcoming-misunderstanding?lang=eng

3. No enduring improvement can occur without righteous exercise of agency.  Do not attempt to override agency. The Lord himself would not do that.  Forced obedience yields no blessings.

Richard G. Scott, Helping a Loved one In Need

www.lds.org/ensign/1988/05/to-help-a-loved-one-in-need?lang=eng&query=No+enduring+improvement

4. You parents of the willful and the wayward! Don’t give them up. Don't cast them off.  They are not utterly lost. The Shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours--long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the path of right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fullness of knowledge brings the fullness of accountability. Our Heavenly Feather is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable than even the best of his servants, and the everlasting gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend.

Boyd K. Packer 1992 April General Conference, Our Moral Environment 

www.lds.org/search?q=Our+Moral+Environment+&domains=general-conference&lang=eng

5. Even firm foundations cannot prevent life’s problems. Wayward children cause parents to grieve. Some broken families don’t fixed. Gender disorientation is poorly misunderstood.

Russell M. Nelson- April 2002 Conference

www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/04/how-firm-our-foundation?lang=eng&query=Wayward+children

 6. One of the greatest heartaches a valiant parent in Zion can suffer is a child who strays from the gospel path. Questions of “Why?” or “What did I do wrong?” and “How can this child now be helped?” are pondered without ceasing in the minds and hearts of such parents.

David A. Bednar-Faithful Parents and Wayward Children   

www.lds.org/ensign/2014/03/faithful-parents-and-wayward-children-sustaining-hope-while-overcoming-misunderstanding?lang=eng

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7. To those brokenhearted parents who have been righteous, diligent, and prayerful in the teaching of their disobedient children, we say to you, the Good Shepherd is watching over them.”

James E. Faust- Dear To The Sheep Who have Wandered- April 2003 General Conference www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/dear-are-the-sheep-that-have-wandered?lang=eng

8. By your faith in him and in the gospel, you stand as a light to him. But as in any matter, faith without works is dead.

Gordon B. Hinckley – Family Home Evening Manual

www.lds.org/manual/family-home-evening-resource-book/building-a-strong-family/reclaiming-a-wayward-child?lang=eng&query=lds+quotes+on+wayward+children

9. You can’t force your boys, nor your girls into heaven. You may force them to hell, by using harsh means in the efforts to make them good… Our children are like we are; we couldn’t be driven; we can’t be driven now… We won’t be driven.  Men are not in the habit of being driven; they are not made that way.

Teachings of the President of the Church – Joseph F. Smith, p.253

10. You can coax them; you can lead them by holding out inducements to them and by speaking kindly to them.

Joseph F. Smith- Improvement Era Jan 1910 www.lds.org/search?q=You+can+coax+them+Jan+1910&domains=general-conference&lang=eng

I chose wayward children as one of my topics because I have two boys that did go astray. Being a mom it was very hard on me. When one of them thought he was gay and moved away to a state far away to be with some guy. He wasn't gone very long. My other son got into drugs and alcohol. He dropped out of high school.  He ended up moving to Oregon and living with one of my step-sisters. He changed his life around and moved back home. I did not push or force my kids to go back to church.

We ended up having Sister Missionaries come to the house and visit with the whole family. In time both my boys decided to start going to church again. One received his Melchezidek Priesthood and the other one still working on it.

When our children go astray, we need to love them and set an example for them. Just as President Joseph F. Smith said “we can’t force them in to heaven, but we can force them to hell by using harsh words.” So, we need to watch what we say as well.