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