“Our Heavenly Father allows us to use earthly resources according to our own free will. Yet our agency should not be interpreted as license to use or consume the riches of this world without wisdom or restraint. The Lord gave this admonition: “And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.” Our stewardship over God’s creations also includes, at its pinnacle, a sacred duty to love, respect, and care for all human beings with whom we share the earth. They are sons and daughters of God, our sisters and our brothers, and their eternal happiness is the very purpose of the work of creation. The author Antoine de…
“Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”
“... Jesus Christ invites us to become, like Him, a good Samaritan, to make His Inn (His Church) a refuge for all from life’s bruises and storms. We prepare for His promised Second Coming as each day we do unto “the least of these” as we would unto Him. “The least of these” is each of us. ...we come to the Inn as we are, with the foibles and imperfections we each have. Yet we all have something needed to contribute. Our journey to God is often found together. We belong as united community—whether confronting pandemics, storms, wildfires, droughts or quietly meeting daily needs. We receive inspiration as we counsel together, listening to each person, including each sister, and the Spirit. As our hearts change and we receive His image…
“He trusts us to help make the Inn the place He needs it to be. As we offer our talents and best efforts, His spiritual gifts also strengthen and bless. A Spanish language interpreter told me, “Elder Gong, I knew by the Spirit what you were going to say so I could translate,” this faithful brother said, “by the gift of tongues.” Gifts of faith and assurance come, manifest differently in different situations.”
“I hope you realize how extraordinary it is that you have been given the gift of being able to communicate in more than one language. ... Just as having the ability to communicate in another language will expand your intellectual horizons. ...You will get to know and come to love other peoples—and you will do so with a depth of feeling and understanding that would not otherwise be possible.” And for those who already speak a foreign language he said... “As suggested by the need for deliberate practice, advanced language learning is not a do-it-yourself project—but resources are available to help you improve your skills. So take the pledge: “I won’t let my language languish.” Say that ten times quickly!”
“Three or four days ago I was presented with a treasured volume... It is the old textbook that I used 75 years ago when I was one of four students who studied Greek at the University of Utah. I have long since lost my ability to read Greek and also Latin which I took at that time. But in the course of my studies I had the opportunity of reading the New Testament in the original Greek and gained from that a great insight of love and appreciation for my Savior and the great and glorious things which He taught. ...My love for the wisdom that comes of teaching and learning stems from the mandate given this people through divine revelation. Said the Lord: “And I give unto you a…
“We must not be partisans of any doctrine of ethnic superiority. We live in a world of diversity. We can and must be respectful toward those with whose teachings we may not agree. We must be willing to defend the rights of others who may become the victims of bigotry.”
“Racism is enticing because it provides individuals a feeling of pride. The feeling of pride is frequently justified by continued notions of biological superiority, misinterpretations of scripture, and myopic knowledge of the accomplishments of various racial and ethnic groups. The adversary uses pride, intrinsic to racism, to attempt to distort a foundational tenet of the plan of salvation—that we are all equal spirit children of heavenly parents. He twists this foundational tenet with racism to falsely claim that racial groups are inherently different and that certain racial groups are better than others. Despite the relative simplicity of this strategy, it can be highly effective. Undoubtedly, the poisonous perfume of pride can lure innocent individuals who are searching for a sense of purpose and destiny to the philosophy of racial supremacy.…
“Pride as it relates to race and racism can manifest with great subtlety, making it difficult to root out. As I mentioned before, being White is not simply another racial category; in our society, White individuals are at the top of the racial hierarchy, making them the default group that other racial groups are compared against. Because of this, it is not surprising that some major skin care companies sell skin-lightening lotion specifically targeted to people of color. These products imply that looking lighter and whiter is better. The root of this scheme is found in the adversary. In contrast, I invite you to not only come to know but to feel that you are a child of loving heavenly parents who created you to look just as you do.…
“We join with many throughout this nation and around the world who are deeply saddened at recent evidences of racism and a blatant disregard for human life. We abhor the reality that some would deny others respect and the most basic freedoms because of the color of his or her skin. . . . The Creator of us all calls on each of us to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group of God’s children. Any of us who has prejudice toward another race needs to repent! President Nelson joined with three top leaders of the NAACP—Derrick Johnson, Leon Russell, and the Rev. Amos C. Brown—in a powerful joint statement that declared, “Solutions will come as we open our hearts . . . , as we work to build bonds…
