Sometimes (most of the time), it doesn’t matter what I say, the Brethren say it best. This Priesthood session had some really important thoughts in it, so I’m just going to let you read them. My few thoughts are in green italics.

Elder L. Tom Perry quoting Pres. Spencer W. Kimball:

“’I made up my mind then, as a little boy; I will never touch those things (speaking of the Word of Wisdom). And so, having made up my mind, it was easy to follow it, and I did not yield. There were many temptations that came along, but I did not even analyze it; I did not stop and measure it and say, ‘Well, shall I or shall I not?’ I always said to myself: ‘But I made up my mind I would not. Therefore, I do not.’”

“President Kimball continues, “I want to just say that I will soon go into another year and that I have never tasted tea, nor coffee, nor tobacco, nor liquor of any kind, nor drugs. Now that may sound very presumptuous and boasting to you, but I am only trying to make this point: that if every boy and girl—as he or she begins to grow a little more mature and becomes a little more independent of his friends and his family and all—if every boy and girl would make up his or her mind, ‘I will not yield,’ then no matter what the temptation is: ‘I made up my mind. That’s settled.’”

(This also applies to pornography, gambling, cheating, and other vises.)

William R. Bradford:  

“Even if television were not filled with foolishness, violence, immorality, and filth, its entertainment value would still not justify the time drain. You are here to work to govern the Lord’s affairs, not to be entertained.”

(Besides television, add video games and Social Media)

Marion G. Romney:

“Brethren, I have decided to talk to you and to myself tonight about ‘faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. … Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is indispensable to the attainment of salvation.”

(I love how he includes himself in continuing his study of faith. Clearly, he doesn’t see himself as exempt … ever, in living and learning about the gospel.)

N. Eldon Tanner:

“I would like to tell you something about the way the Church operates from headquarters. We often hear the Church referred to as a democracy, when in reality, instead of being a church where the body is governed by officers elected by the members, the Church is a theocracy, where God directs his church through representatives chosen by him.”

(I often think about this when groups decide the church needs to change. Don’t they know that this is The Church of Jesus Christ? This talk is well worth reading if you want to learn how the church is officially run, even today.)

He continues:

“I would like to explain to you exactly what took place following the unexpected death of President Harold B. Lee on 26 December 1973. I was in Phoenix, Arizona, to spend Christmas with my daughter and her family, when a call came to me from Arthur Haycock, secretary to President Lee. He said that President Lee was seriously ill, and he thought that I should plan to return home as soon as possible. A half-hour later he called and said: “The Lord has spoken. President Lee has been called home.”

“President Romney, Second Counselor, in my absence was directing the affairs of the Church, and was at the hospital with Spencer W. Kimball, President of the Council of the Twelve. Immediately upon the death of President Lee, President Romney turned to President Kimball and said, ‘You are in charge.’ Remember, the Prophet Joseph Smith had said that without the President there was no First Presidency over the Twelve.”

(We recently experienced this as a church. Isn’t it comforting to know that the church runs so smoothly and that everyone recognizes Who is really in charge?)

Spencer W. Kimball

“Christ led by love, example, and selfless service. He sacrificed himself for us. So, it must be if we are leader-servants and humble patriarchs in our homes. …We simply cannot fulfill our responsibilities as men of God if we neglect the women of God.”

(Our world has become extremely intolerant. Shouldn’t members of the church—who know better—set the example that stands as a light to the world? This last paragraph I would like to echo as my own words, because he says it best.)

“I know that God lives, my brethren (it is a great joy to say that many, many times), that Christ, the Redeemer of the world, is our Lord, and that this is his Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Christ at its head.”

 

Other posts:

Impossible unity  Marilyn Nielson