AGENCY QUOTES

You and I were among those who used their agency to accept Heavenly Father’s plan to come to earth, to have a mortal life, to progress. “We shouted for joy … to have the opportunity of coming to the earth to receive bodies [for we knew] that we might become, through faithfulness, like unto our Father, God.”  Elder Robert D. Hales, To Act For Ourselves:  The Gift and Blessings of Agency, April 2006 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/to-act-for-ourselves-the-gift-and-blessings-of-agency?lang=eng

Although the devil laughs, his power is limited. Some may remember the old adage: “The devil made me do it.” Today I want to convey, in absolutely certain terms, that the adversary cannot make us do anything. He does lie at our door, as the scriptures say, and he follows us each day.  Every time we go out, every decision we make, we are either choosing to move in his direction or in the direction of our Savior. But the adversary must depart if we tell him to depart. He cannot influence us unless we allow him to do so, and he knows that! The only time he can affect our minds and bodies—our very spirits—is when we allow him to do so. In other words, we do not have to succumb to his enticements!  Elder Robert D. Hales, To Act For Ourselves:  The Gift and Blessings of Agency, April 2006 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/to-act-for-ourselves-the-gift-and-blessings-of-agency?lang=eng

Throughout His life our Savior showed us how to use our agency. As a boy in Jerusalem, He deliberately chose to “be about [His] Father’s business.”10 In His ministry, He obediently chose “to do the will of [His] Father.” 11 In Gethsemane, He chose to suffer all things, saying, “Not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” 12 On the cross, He chose to love His enemies, praying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” 13 And then, so that He could finally demonstrate that He was choosing for Himself, He was left alone. “[Father,] why hast thou forsaken me?” He asked. 14 At last, He exercised His agency to act, enduring to the end, until He could say, “It is finished.” 15

Though He “was in all points tempted like as we are,” 16 with every choice and every action He exercised the agency to be our Savior—to break the chains of sin and death for us. And by His perfect life, He taught us that when we choose to do the will of our Heavenly Father, our agency is preserved, our opportunities increase, and we progress.  Elder Robert D. Hales, To Act For Ourselves:  The Gift and Blessings of Agency, April 2006 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/to-act-for-ourselves-the-gift-and-blessings-of-agency?lang=eng

Latter-day Saints are not obedient because they are compelled to be obedient. They are obedient because they know certain spiritual truths and have decided, as an expression of their own individual agency, to obey the commandments of God.  Elder Boyd K. Packer, Agency and Control, April 1983 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1983/04/agency-and-control?lang=eng

But agency is ours as well. We look up, and in the universe we see the handiwork of God and measure things by epochs, by eons, by dispensations, by eternities. The many things we do not know we take on faith.  But this we know! It was all planned before the world was. Events from the Creation to the final, winding-up scene are not based on chance; they are based on choice! It was planned that way.  Elder Boyd K. Packer, Agency and Control, April 1983 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1983/04/agency-and-control?lang=eng

I experienced the joy of coming closer to the Savior and of His coming closer to me most often through simple acts of obedience to the commandments. Elder Henry B. Eyring, Come unto Me, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/come-unto-me?lang=eng

Be obedient to the prophetic teachings Christ would have you follow. Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts instead of applying sound gospel principles. Remember: little things lead to big things. Seemingly insignificant indiscretions or neglect can lead to big problems. More importantly, simple, consistent, good habits lead to a life full of bountiful blessings.  Elder Richard G. Scott, For Peace at Home, 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/for-peace-at-home?lang=eng

Agency is essential to the plan of happiness. It allows for the love, sacrifice, personal growth, and experience necessary for our eternal progression. This agency also allows for all the pain and suffering we experience in mortality, even when caused by things we do not understand and the devastating evil choices of others. The very War in Heaven was waged over our moral agency and is essential to understanding the Savior’s earthly ministry.  Elder Quentin L. Cook, Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/personal-peace-the-reward-of-righteousness?lang=eng

The Lord’s way is that we hearken to our leaders’ teachings, understand correct principles, and govern ourselves.  Elder Stanley G. Ellis, The Lord’s Way, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-lords-way?lang=eng

In addition, use your agency to develop yourself personally. As you discover your gifts and talents, remember that parents and mentors may assist you, but you must let the Spirit guide you. Choose and act for yourself. Be motivated from within. Make a plan for your life, including education or vocational training. Explore interests and skills. Work and become self-reliant. Set goals, overcome mistakes, gain experience, and finish what you begin. Elder Robert D. Hales, Stand Strong in Holy Places, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/stand-strong-in-holy-places?lang=eng

PRIESTHOOD QUOTES

God has freely given His power to those who accept and honor His priesthood, which leads to the promised blessings of immortality and eternal life.  Elder M. Russell Ballard, This is My Work and Glory, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/this-is-my-work-and-glory?lang=eng

 Some young people in the world say they are spiritual but not religious. Feeling spiritual is a good first step. However, it is in the Church that we are fellowshipped, taught, and nourished by the good word of God. More importantly, it is priesthood authority in the Church that provides for sacred ordinances and covenants that bind families together and qualify each of us to return to God the Father and Jesus Christ in the celestial kingdom. Elder Quentin L. Cook, Personal Peace:  The Reward of Righteousness, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/personal-peace-the-reward-of-righteousness?lang=eng

If you deacons quorum presidents will magnify your calling, you will be instruments in God’s hands even now, for the priesthood in the boy is just as powerful as the priesthood in the man when exercised in righteousness.  Elder Tad R Callister, The Power of the Priesthood in the Boy, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-power-of-the-priesthood-in-the-boy?lang=eng

The work of ministering is not confined to ordinances or home teaching visits or occasional service projects. We are always priesthood men—not just on Sunday and not only when we’re wearing white shirts and ties. We have a duty to minister wherever we stand. Ministering is not just something we do—it defines who we are. David L. Beck, Your Sacred Duty to Minister, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/your-sacred-duty-to-minister?lang=eng

 We who have been ordained to the priesthood of God are called to practice “the healer’s art.”  President Dieter F. Utchdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/four-titles?lang=eng

The Lord has put before us the divine promise that “whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods, … magnifying their calling, … [will] receive me, saith the Lord; … and he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; … therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.”9

It is beyond my power of thought to imagine all that this promise entails. But I do know it is grand, it is divine, it is eternal, and it is worth all of our efforts in life.  Knowing this, how can we not willingly and joyfully engage in serving the Lord and our fellowmen and living up to our responsibilities in the priesthood of God?  President Dieter F. Utchdorf, Four Titles, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/four-titles?lang=eng

The Lord made it clear at the very start of this last dispensation that we were to take the gospel to all the world. What He said to the few priesthood holders in 1831 He says to the many now. Whatever our age, capacity, Church calling, or location, we are as one called to the work to help Him in His harvest of souls until He comes again.  President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/we-are-one?lang=eng

I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to bring the gospel to all the world and that we will encourage people we love to be cleansed from sin and to be happy with us in the kingdom of God. President Henry B. Eyring, We Are One, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/we-are-one?lang=eng

Let us embrace and understand the wonder and privilege of the priesthood. Let us accept and love the responsibilities we are asked to fulfill.  Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Joy of the Priesthood, October 2012 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-joy-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng

But brethren, we are bearers of the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God! Each of us had hands laid upon our head, and we received the priesthood of God. We have been given authority and responsibility to act in His name as His servants on earth. Whether in a large ward or a small branch, we are called upon to serve, to bless, and to act in all things for the good of everyone and everything entrusted to our care. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Joy of the Priesthood, October 2012 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-joy-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng

ATONEMENT QUOTES

That brings us to the Atonement. Paul said, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”  The Atonement of Jesus Christ became the immortal creation. He volunteered to answer the ends of a law previously transgressed.  And by the shedding of His blood, His 16 and our physical bodies could become perfected. They could again function without blood, just as Adam’s and Eve’s did in their paradisiacal form. Paul taught that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; … this mortal must put on immortality. Elder Russell M. Nelson, The Atonement, October 1996 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/10/the-atonement?lang=eng

The Savior’s gift of immortality comes to all who have ever lived. But His gift of eternal life requires repentance and obedience to specific ordinances and covenants. Essential ordinances of the gospel symbolize the Atonement. Baptism by immersion is symbolic of the death, burial, and Resurrection of the Redeemer. Partaking of the sacrament renews baptismal covenants and also renews our memory of the Savior’s broken flesh and of the blood He shed for us. Ordinances of the temple symbolize our reconciliation with the Lord and seal families together forever. Obedience to the sacred covenants made in temples qualifies us for eternal life—the greatest gift of God to man 40 —the “object and end of our existence.”  Elder Russell M. Nelson, The Atonement, October 1996 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/10/the-atonement?lang=eng

That is why we respond to our own calls from the Lord. When we comprehend His voluntary Atonement, any sense of sacrifice on our part becomes completely overshadowed by a profound sense of gratitude for the privilege of serving Him.  Elder Russell M. Nelson, The Atonement, October 1996 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/10/the-atonement?lang=eng

Our testimonies, like yours, have been written in our hearts as we have faced assorted soul-stretching challenges and adversities. Without an understanding of Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of happiness and the Savior’s Atonement as the central feature of that plan, these challenges could seem unfair. We all share in the trials of life together. But in faithful hearts is written, “All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”  Sis. Linda K. Burton, Is Faith In The Atonement of Jesus Christ Written in Our Hearts?, October 2012 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2012/09/is-faith-in-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ-written-in-our-hearts?lang=eng

If we truly understood the Atonement and the eternal value of each soul, we would seek out the wayward boy and girl and every other wayward child of God. We would help them to know of the love Christ has for them. We would do all that we can to help prepare them to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel.  Elder M. Russell Ballard, The Atonement and the Value of One Soul, April 2004 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/the-atonement-and-the-value-of-one-soul?lang=eng

Before the Crucifixion and afterward, many men have willingly given their lives in selfless acts of heroism. But none faced what the Christ endured. Upon Him was the burden of all human transgression, all human guilt.

And hanging in the balance was the Atonement. Through His willing act, mercy and justice could be reconciled, eternal law sustained, and that mediation achieved without which mortal man could not be redeemed.  Elder Boyd K. Packer, Atonement, Agency, Accountability. April 1988 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1988/04/atonement-agency-accountability?lang=eng

Even with the trials of life, because of the Savior’s Atonement and His grace, righteous living will be rewarded with personal peace. Elder Quentin L. Cook, Personal Peace:  The Reward of Righteousness, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/personal-peace-the-reward-of-righteousness?lang=eng

The Savior’s Redemption has two parts. First, it atones for Adam’s transgression and the consequent Fall of man by overcoming what could be called the direct effects of the Fall—physical death and spiritual death. Physical death is well understood; spiritual death is the separation of man from God. In the words of Paul, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). This redemption from physical and spiritual death is both universal and without condition.  The second aspect of the Savior’s Atonement is redemption from what might be termed the indirect consequences of the Fall—our own sins as opposed to Adam’s transgression. By virtue of the Fall, we are born into a mortal world where sin—that is, disobedience to divinely instituted law—is pervasive. Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Redemption, April 2013 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/redemption?lang=eng

There is no greater expression of love than the heroic Atonement performed by the Son of God. Were it not for the plan of our Heavenly Father, established before the world began, in a very real sense, all mankind—past, present, and future—would have been left without the hope of eternal progression. As a result of Adam’s transgression, mortals were separated from God (see Rom. 6:23) and would be forever unless a way was found to break the bands of death. This would not be easy, for it required the vicarious sacrifice of one who was sinless and who could therefore take upon Himself the sins of all mankind.  M. Russell Ballard, The Atonement and the Value of One Soul, April 2004 General Conference,  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/the-atonement-and-the-value-of-one-soul?lang=eng

Concerning the importance of the Atonement, in Alma we learn, “For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; … or else all mankind must unavoidably perish.”  If you have made no mistakes, then you do not need the Atonement. If you have made mistakes, and all of us have, whether minor or serious, then you have an enormous need to find out how they can be erased so that you are no longer in darkness.   Boyd K. Packer, The Atonement, October 2012 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-atonement?lang=eng

CHARITY QUOTES

Said the Savior, “Judge not.” 1 He continued, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” 2 Or, to paraphrase, why beholdest thou what you think is dirty laundry at your neighbor’s house but considerest not the soiled window in your own house?

None of us is perfect. I know of no one who would profess to be so. And yet for some reason, despite our own imperfections, we have a tendency to point out those of others. We make judgments concerning their actions or inactions. President Thomas S. Monson, Charity Never Faileth, 2010 General Relief Society Meeting, http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2010/09/charity-never-faileth?lang=eng

Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who worked among the poor in India most of her life, spoke this profound truth: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” 5 The Savior has admonished, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” 6 I ask: can we love one another, as the Savior has commanded, if we judge each other? And I answer—with Mother Teresa: no, we cannot. President Thomas S. Monson, Charity Never Faileth, 2010 General Relief Society Meeting, http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2010/09/charity-never-faileth?lang=eng

Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Infinite Power of Hope, October 2008 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/the-infinite-power-of-hope?lang=eng

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity,” he told them, “I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”  Paul’s message to this new body of Saints was simple and direct: Nothing you do makes much of a difference if you do not have charity. You can speak with tongues, have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, and possess all knowledge; even if you have the faith to move mountains, without charity it won’t profit you at all.  “Charity is the pure love of Christ.” The Savior exemplified that love and taught it even as He was tormented by those who despised and hated Him.  Joseph B. Wirthlin, The Great Commandment, October 2007 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/the-great-commandment?lang=eng

Because the Savior laid down His life for us, we have a brightness of hope, a confidence and security that when we pass from this worldly existence, we will live again with Him. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed of sin and stand as partakers of the gift of our Almighty Father. Then we will know the glory that God “hath prepared for them that love him.”

This is the transforming power of charity.  Joseph B. Wirthlin, The Great Commandment, October 2007 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/the-great-commandment?lang=eng

The Book of Mormon provides insight into the relationship between patience and charity. Mormon, after pointing out that if a man “have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity,” goes on to name the 13 elements of charity, or the pure love of Christ. Robert C. Oaks, The Power of Patience, October 2006 General conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/the-power-of-patience?lang=eng

Moroni taught that “charity is the pure love of Christ.” (Moro. 7:47.) It was the suffering Redeemer who said, as he hung on Calvary’s cross and looked down upon those who had so brutally crucified him, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34.)

If there be any within the sound of my voice who have harbored grudges, who have let hatred develop in their hearts one toward another, I ask you to make the effort to turn around. Hatred always fails and bitterness always destroys, but “charity never faileth.” (1 Cor. 13:8.)

President Gordon B. Hinckley, Charity Never Faileth, October 1981 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1981/10/charity-never-faileth?lang=eng

We read in Moroni, “Cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all. … Whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” 8 Charity can be the outward expression of faith and hope. If sought and obtained, these three foundation elements of celestial character will abide with us in this life and beyond the veil into the next life. Remember that the “same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that [you] go out of this life … will have power to possess your body in [the] eternal world.” 9 We should not wait a single day to intensify our personal efforts to strengthen these virtuous, lovely, and praiseworthy attributes. Joseph B. Wirthlin, Cultivating Divine Attributes, October 1998 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1998/10/cultivating-divine-attributes?lang=eng

The pure love of Christ. Let’s look at that. What does this phrase mean? We find part of the answer in Joshua: “Take diligent heed … to love the Lord your God … and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 11 Charity is our love for the Lord, shown through our acts of service, patience, compassion, and understanding for one another. Sister Bonnie D. Parkin, Choosing Charity: That Good Part, October 2003 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/10/choosing-charity-that-good-part?lang=eng

Charity, the Savior’s pure love, is the “highest, noblest, strongest kind of love,” 1 which we “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart” 2 to possess. Elder Dallin H. Oaks teaches us that charity “is not an act but acondition or state of being [one becomes].” 3 Our day-to-day offerings of charity are “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; … in [the] fleshy tables of [our] heart[s].” Sis. Anne C. Pingree, Charity: One Family, One Home at a Time, October 2002 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/10/charity-one-family-one-home-at-a-time?lang=eng

HUMILITY/PRIDE QUOTES

From such teachings we conclude that the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks, The Challenge to Become, October 2000 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/the-challenge-to-become?lang=eng

In the premortal council, it was pride that felled Lucifer, “a son of the morning.” At the end of this world, when God cleanses the earth by fire, the proud will be burned as stubble and the meek shall inherit the earth. Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance.In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride—it is always considered a sin. Therefore, no matter how the world uses the term, we must understand how God uses the term so we can understand the language of holy writ and profit thereby. President Ezra Taft Benson, Beware of Pride, April 1989 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng#d

When pride has a hold on our hearts, we lose our independence of the world and deliver our freedoms to the bondage of men’s judgment. The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. The reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God, and the proud let go of the iron rod. President Ezra Taft Benson, Beware of Pride, April 1989 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng#d

Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. It limits or stops progression.The proud are not easily taught. They won’t change their minds to accept truths, because to do so implies they have been wrong.  Pride adversely affects all our relationships—our relationship with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child, employer and employee, teacher and student, and all mankind. Our degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers and sisters. Christ wants to lift us to where He is. Do we desire to do the same for others? President Ezra Taft Benson, Beware of Pride, April 1989 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng#d

Fortunately, the Savior has given us a model for developing humility. When His disciples approached Him and inquired, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He responded by placing a little child in their midst and stating, “Whosoever … shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Marlin K Jensen, To Walk Humbly With Thy God, April 2001 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/04/to-walk-humbly-with-thy-god?lang=eng

 It reminds us that the greatest act of courage and love in the history of mankind—Christ’s atoning sacrifice—was also the greatest act of humility and submissiveness. Some may wonder if those seeking to become humble must forever defer to the strongly held opinions and positions of others. Certainly the Savior’s life evidences that true humility is anything but subservience, weakness, or servility.  Marlin K Jensen, To Walk Humbly With Thy God, April 2001 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/04/to-walk-humbly-with-thy-god?lang=eng

The first obstacle of endurance, “the cares of the world,” is essentially pride. 6 Pride rears its ugly head in so many ways that are destructive. For example, intellectual pride is very prevalent in our day. Some people exalt themselves above God and His anointed servants because of their learning and scholarly achievements. We must never allow our intellect to take priority over our spirit. Our intellect can feed our spirit and our spirit can feed our intellect, but if we allow our intellect to take precedence over our spirit, we will stumble, find fault, and may even lose our testimonies. Joseph B. Wirthlin, Press On, October 2004 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/10/press-on?lang=eng

No one is immune from Satan’s influence and temptations. Do not be so proud to think that you are beyond the adversary’s influence. Be watchful that you do not fall prey to his deceptions. Stay close to the Lord through daily scripture study and daily prayer. We cannot afford to sit back and take our salvation for granted. We must be anxiously engaged our whole lives. Joseph B. Wirthlin, Press On, October 2004 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/10/press-on?lang=eng

I know there are many that suffer heartbreak, loneliness, pain, and setback. These experiences are a necessary part of the human experience. However, please do not lose hope in the Savior and His love for you. It is constant. He promised that He would not leave us comfortless. 12

When we face challenges in our lives, we are comforted by the words of the Lord in the 58th section of the Doctrine and Covenants: “Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.  “For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.”  Joseph B. Wirthlin, Press On, October 2004 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/10/press-on?lang=eng

So what is the difference between this kind of feeling and the pride that President Benson called “the universal sin”? 6 Pride is sinful, as President Benson so memorably taught, because it breeds hatred or hostility and places us in opposition to God and our fellowmen. At its core, pride is a sin of comparison, for though it usually begins with “Look how wonderful I am and what great things I have done,” it always seems to end with “Therefore, I am better than you.”

When our hearts are filled with pride, we commit a grave sin, for we violate the two great commandments. 7 Instead of worshipping God and loving our neighbor, we reveal the real object of our worship and love—the image we see in the mirror.

Pride is the great sin of self-elevation. It is for so many a personal Rameumptom, a holy stand that justifies envy, greed, and vanity. 8 In a sense, pride is the original sin, for before the foundations of this earth, pride felled Lucifer, a son of the morning “who was in authority in the presence of God.” 9 If pride can corrupt one as capable and promising as this, should we not examine our own souls as well? President Dieter F Uchtdorf, Pride and the Priesthood, October 2010 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/pride-and-the-priesthood?lang=eng

PORNOGRAPHY QUOTES

Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick but do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature records them in this marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t vomit back filth. Once recorded, it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in life.”  Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, April 2005 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/pornography?lang=eng

Patrons of pornography also lose the companionship of the Spirit. Pornography produces fantasies that destroy spirituality. “To be carnally minded is death”—spiritual death.  The scriptures repeatedly teach that the Spirit of the Lord will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle. When we worthily partake of the sacrament, we are promised that we will “always have his Spirit to be with [us].” To qualify for that promise we covenant that we will “always remember him”. Those who seek out and use pornography for sexual stimulation obviously violate that covenant. They also violate a sacred covenant to refrain from unholy and impure practices. They cannot have the Spirit of the Lord to be with them.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, April 2005 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/pornography?lang=eng

"No priesthood holder who wants to succeed will be careless about where his eyes may go. Choosing to look at images which incite lust will cause the Spirit to withdraw. You have been warned by Elder Clayton as well as you may ever be warned about the dangers of the Internet and the media in putting pornographic images before us. But immodesty is now so common that everyday life requires discipline—a conscious choice not to linger watching whatever might create in us feelings which would repel the Spirit. Henry B. Eyring, God Helps the Faithful Priesthood Holder, 2007 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/god-helps-the-faithful-priesthood-holder?lang=eng

"Avoid any semblance of pornography. It will desensitize the spirit and erode the conscience. We are told in the Doctrine and Covenants, “That which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.”  Such is pornography.

Thomas S. Monson, True To The Faith, April 2006 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/true-to-the-faith?lang=eng

Pornography, violence, intolerance, and ungodliness destroy families, marriages, and individual lives. These dangers are distributed through many media, including magazines, books, television, movies, and music, as well as the Internet. The Lord will help you to recognize and avoid those evils. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, A Matter of a Few Degrees, April 2008 Priesthood , http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/a-matter-of-a-few-degrees?lang=eng

Someone said once that true love must include the idea of permanence. True love endures. But lust changes as quickly as it can turn a pornographic page or glance at yet another potential object for gratification walking by, male or female. True love we are absolutely giddy about—as I am about Sister Holland; we shout it from the housetops. But lust is characterized by shame and stealth and is almost pathologically clandestine—the later and darker the hour the better, with a double-bolted door just in case. Love makes us instinctively reach out to God and other people. Lust, on the other hand, is anything but godly and celebrates self-indulgence. Love comes with open hands and open heart; lust comes with only an open appetite.  Jeffrey R. Holland, Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul, April 2010 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/place-no-more-for-the-enemy-of-my-soul?lang=eng

Satan has become a master at using the addictive power of pornography to limit individual capacity to be led by the Spirit. The onslaught of pornography in all of its vicious, corroding, destructive forms has caused great grief, suffering, heartache, and destroyed marriages. It is one of the most damning influences on earth. Whether it be through the printed page, movies, television, obscene lyrics, vulgarities on the telephone, or flickering personal computer screen, pornography is overpoweringly addictive and severely damaging. This potent tool of Lucifer degrades the mind and the heart and the soul of any who use it. All who are caught in its seductive, tantalizing web and remain so will become addicted to its immoral, destructive influence.  Richard G. Scott, To Acquire Spiritual Guidance, October 2009 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/to-acquire-spiritual-guidance?lang=eng

There is also great concern about some of the pernicious, addictive behaviors like gambling and evil pornography that are so personally destructive and so rampant in our society. Remember, brothers and sisters, any kind of addiction is to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent.  M. Russell Ballard, O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One, October 2010 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/o-that-cunning-plan-of-the-evil-one?lang=eng

Hence, I warn against pornography. It is degrading of women. It is evil. It is infectious, destructive, and addictive. The body has means by which it can cleanse itself from harmful effects of contaminated food or drink. But it cannot vomit back the poison of pornography. Once recorded, it always remains subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind, with power to draw you away from the wholesome things in life. Avoid it like the plague! Russell M. Nelson, Our Sacred Duty to Honor Women, April 1999 Priesthood session, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/our-sacred-duty-to-honor-women?lang=eng

Patrons of pornography also lose the companionship of the Spirit. Pornography produces fantasies that destroy spirituality. “To be carnally minded is death”—spiritual death.  The scriptures repeatedly teach that the Spirit of the Lord will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle. When we worthily partake of the sacrament, we are promised that we will “always have his Spirit to be with [us].” To qualify for that promise we covenant that we will “always remember him”.  Those who seek out and use pornography for sexual stimulation obviously violate that covenant. They also violate a sacred covenant to refrain from unholy and impure practices. They cannot have the Spirit of the Lord to be with them. All such need to heed the Apostle Peter’s plea: “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee” Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, April 2005 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/pornography?lang=eng