Agency

"Men and women receive their agency as a gift from God, but their liberty and, in turn, their eternal happiness come from obedience to His laws."
(Elder L. Tom Perry, "Obedience to Law Is Liberty", April 2013 General Conference)

"Each choice you and I make is a test of our agency - whether we choose to be obedient or disobedient to the commandments of God is actually a choice between 'liberty and eternal life' and 'captivity and death.'"
(Elder L. Tom Perry, "Obedience to Law Is Liberty", April 2013 General Conference)

"Agency is a divine gift to you. You are free to choose what you will be and what you will do. And you are not without help. Counsel with your parents is a privilege at any age. Prayer provides communication with your Heavenly Father and invites the promptings of personal revelation. And in certain circumstances, consultation with professional advisers and with your local leaders in the Church may be highly advisable, especially when very difficult decisions must be made."
(Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Choices", October 1990 General Conference)

"Agency is defined in the scriptures as 'moral agency,' which means that we can choose between good and evil. The adversary seeks to tempt us to misuse our moral agency."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "These Things I Know", April 2013 Conference)

"We receive help from our Father in Heaven in response to our faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency."
(Elder Richard G. Scott, "How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life", April 2012 General Conference)

"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)

"The cost of the Atonement was borne by the Lord without compulsion, for agency is a sovereign principle. According to the plan, agency must be honored. It was so from the beginning, from Eden."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "Atonement, Agency, Accountability", April 1988 General Conference)

"Agency was manifested in the Council in Heaven as we chose to follow our Heavenly Father's plan and come to mortality for this probationary period. Agency allows us to be tested and tried to see whether or not we will endure to the end and return to our Heavenly Father with honor. Agency is the catalyst that leads us to express our inward spiritual desires in outward Christlike behavior. Agency permits us to make faithful, obedient choices that strengthen us so that we can lift and strengthen others. Agency used righteously allows light to dispel the darkness and enables us to live with joy and happiness in the present, look with faith to the future, even into the eternities, and not dwell on the things of the past. Our use of agency determines who we are and what we will be."
(Robert D. Hales, "To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency",  April 2006 General Conference)

"Agency is to act with accountability and responsibility for our actions. Our agency is essential to the plan of salvation. With it we are 'free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.'"
(Elder Robert D. Hales, "Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life", October 2010 General Conference)

"We all participated in the councils of heaven that provided for moral agency, knowing that there would be mortal pain and even unspeakable tragedy because of the abuse of agency. We understood that this could leave us angry, bewildered, defenseless, and vulnerable. But we also knew that the Savior's Atonement would overcome and compensate for all of the unfairness of mortal life and bring us peace."
(Elder Quentin L. Cook, "Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness", April 2013 General Conference)

"We are agents blessed with moral agency and are defined by our divine heritage as children of God"
(Elder David A. Bednar, "We Believe in Being Chaste", April 2013 General Conference)

"As we press forward along the strait and narrow path, we build progressive spiritual strength--strength in using our agency to act for ourselves"
(Elder Robert D. Hales, "Stand Strong in Holy Places", April 2013 General Conference)

"Sometimes we confuse differences in personality with sin. We can even make the mistake of thinking that because someone is different from us, it must mean they are not pleasing to God. This line of thinking leads some to believe that the Church wants to create every member from a single mold - that each one should look, feel, think, and behave like every other. This would contradict the genius of God, who created every man different from his brother, every son different from his father. Even identical twins are not identical in their personalities and spiritual identities.
   "It also contradicts the intent and purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ, which acknowledges and protects the moral agency - with all its far-reaching consequences - of each and every one of God's children. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are united in our testimony of the restored gospel and our commitment to keep God's commandments. But we are diverse in our cultural, social, and political preferences."
(President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Four Titles", April 2013 General Conference)

"The old saying 'The Lord is voting for me, and Lucifer is voting against me, but it is my vote that counts' describes a doctrinal certainty that our agency is more powerful than the adversary's will. Agency is precious. We can foolishly, blindly give it away, but it cannot be forcibly taken from us."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "Cleansing the Inner Vessel", October 2010, General Conference)

"...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."
(Elder Robert D. Hales, "Stand Strong in Holy Places", April 2013 General Conference)

Position Statement

I know that agency is a key component of the Father's plan for us in this life and that without it the Father's plan would not work. We are on this life to be tested and without agency how would this be a test to see if we would obey Him. Sometimes it can be hard not try to force someone to make the right decision especially when you can see that they are heading down the path of self destruction, such as those who basically want to live there life on welfare (I know that not all who are on welfare want to stay on it, but some do). Though I do know that I learn a lot from my mistakes and I know that people tend to learn best when they are the one making the mistakes and that you learn patience as you deal with other peoples mistakes. I am glad that agency exist and I hope that in the end more people then not decide to do the things that are necessary to return to our Father's presence.

(Picture from freudsigmund.blogspot.com)

A Expiacao/The Atonement

"We all participated in the councils of heaven that provided for moral agency, knowing that there would be mortal pain and even unspeakable tragedy because of the abuse of agency. We understood that this could leave us angry, bewildered, defenseless, and vulnerable. But we also knew that the Savior's Atonement would overcome and compensate for all of the unfairness of mortal life and bring us peace."
(Elder Quentin L. Cook, "Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness", April 2013 General Conference)

"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", April 2013 General Conference)

"The Savior's Atonement lifts from us not only the burden of our sins but also the burden of our disappointments and sorrows our heartaches and our despair. I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now. When He says to the poor in spirit, 'Come unto me,' He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows the way because He is the way."
(Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "Broken Things to Mend", April 2006 General Conference)

"As you bind up the wounds of those in need and offer the cleansing of His Atonement to those who sorrow in sin, the Lord's power will sustain you. His arms are outstretched with your to succor and bless the children of our Heavenly Father, including those in your family."
(President Henry B. Eyring, "Come unto Me", April 2013 General Conference)

"I bear testimony that living an obedient life, firmly rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, provides the greatest assurance for peace and refuge in our homes. There will still be plenty of challenges or heartaches, but even in the midst of turmoil, we can enjoy inner peace and profound happiness. I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the source of that abundant peace."
(Elder Richard G Scott, "For Peace at Home", April 2013 General Conference)

"Understanding what we can of the Atonement and the Resurrection of Christ helps us to obtain a knowledge of Him and of His mission. Any increase in our understanding of His atoning sacrifice draws us closer to Him. Literally, the Atonement means to be 'at one' with Him. The nature of the Atonement and its effects is so infinite, so unfathomable, and so profound that it lies beyond the knowledge and comprehension of mortal man."
(Elder James E. Faust, "The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope", October 2001 General Conference)

"We long for the ultimate blessing of the Atonement-to become one with Him, to be in His divine presence, to be called individually by name as He warmly welcomes us home with a radiant smile, beckoning us with open arms to be enfolded in His boundless love. How gloriously sublime this experience will be if we can feel worthy enough to be in His presence! The free gift of His great atoning sacrifice for each of us is the only way we can be exalted enough to stand before Him and see Him face-to-face. The overwhelming message of the Atonement is the perfect love the Savior has for each and all of us. It is a love which is full of mercy, patience, grace, equity, long-suffering, and, above all, forgiving."
(Elder James E. Faust, "The Atonement; Our Greatest Hope", October 2001 General Conference)

"The precise nature of the test of mortality, then, can be summarized in the following question: Will I respond to the inclinations of the natural man, or will I yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the natural man and become a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord (see Mosiah 3:19)? That is the test. Every appetite, desire, propensity, and impulse of the natural man may be overcome by and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We are here on the earth to develop godlike qualities and to bridle all of the passions of the flesh."
(David A. Bednar, "We Believe in Being Chaste", April 2013 General Conference)

"...however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don't have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines."
(Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Laborers in the Vineyard", April 2012 General Conference)


"The Savior's suffering in Gethsemane and His agony on the cross redeem us from sin by satisfying the demands that justice has upon us. He extends mercy and pardons those who repent. The Atonement also satisfies the debt justice owes to us by healing and compensating us for any suffering we innocently endure. 'For behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam" (2 Nephi 9:21; see also Alma 7: 11-12)"
(Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "Redemption", April 2013 General Conference)

"No matter how hard we work, no matter how much we obey, no matter how many food things we do in this life, it would not be enough were it not for Jesus Christ and His loving grace. On our own we cannot earn the kingdom of God - no matter what we do. Unfortunately, there are some within the Church who have become so preoccupied with performing food works that they forget that those works - as food as they may be - are hollow unless they are accompanied by a complete dependence on Christ. It is this dependence that causes us to want to sing what Alma eloquently referred to as 'the song of redeeming love' (Alma 5:26)"
(Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Building Bridges of Understanding", 17 February 1998 at the Logan [Utah] Institute of Religion)

"Perhaps there is nothing to compare with the peace that comes from a sin-wracked soul unloading his or her burdens on the Lord and claiming the blessings of the Atonement."
(Elder Quentin L. Cook, "Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness", April 2013 General Conference)

Position Statement

I am so grateful for the atonement in my life and the life of all those who have lived on this earth. I know that I don't know all those who have lived on this earth but I am glad that all have the opportunity to make it back to the presence of our Heavenly Father even those who have or are doing very harmful things because it means that there is equal opportunity for all to return especially knowing that even if they didn't hear the gospel during there life they still have the opportunity to hear and except after this life. Also I am grateful to know that the atonement covers those with mental handicaps. I hope that as I continue to learn more about the atonement that I will be able to apply it more in my life and that I will serve as a better and better example of His love for all men and the miracle of the atonement.

(Top image is part of Greater Love by Darin Ashby)

Family

"We will not always be safe from the adversary's influence, even within our own homes. We need to protect our nestlings."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "These Things I Know", April 2013 General Conference)

"I offer some final thoughts for those who love a family member who is not making good choices. That can challenge our patience and endurance. We need to trust in the Lord and in His timing that a positive response to our prayers and rescue efforts can occur. We do all that we can to serve, to bless, and to submissively acknowledge God’s will in all things. We exercise faith and remember that there are some things that must be left to the Lord. He invites us to set our burdens down at His feet. With faith we can know that this straying loved one is not abandoned but is in the watchcare of a loving Savior."
 (Elder Richard G. Scott, "For Peace at Home", April 2013 General Conference)

"In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is more important than ever to make our families the center of our lives, and the top of our priorities. Families lie at the center of our Heavenly Father's plan."
(Elder L. Tom Perry, "The Importance of the Family", April 2003 General Conference)

"Latter-day Saints recognize the transcendent importance of the family and strive to live in such a way that the adversary cannot steal into our homes. We find safety and security for ourselves and our children in honoring the covenants we have made and living up to the ordinary acts of obedience required of the followers of Christ."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "These Things I Know", April 2013 General Conference)

"While our individual salvation is based on our individual obedience, it is equally important that we understand that we are each an important and integral part of a family and the highest blessings can be received only within an eternal family. When families are functioning as designed by God, the relationships found therein are the most valued of mortality. The plan of the Father is that family love and companionship will continue into the eternities. Being one in a family carries a great responsibility of caring, loving, lifting, and strengthening each member of the family so that all can righteously endure to the end in mortality and dwell together throughout eternity. It is not enough just to save ourselves. It is equally important that parents, brothers, and sisters are saved in our families. If we return home alone to our Heavenly Father, we will be asked, 'where is the rest of the family?' This is why we teach that families are forever. The eternal nature of an individual becomes the eternal nature of the family."
(Robert D. Hales, "The Eternal Family", October 1996 General Conference)

"We need to make our homes a place of refuge from the storm, which is increasing in intensity all about us. Even if the smallest openings are left unattended, negative influences can penetrate the very walls of our homes."
(Elder L. Tom Perry, "The Importance of the Family", April 2003 General Conference)

"As we give devoted service to Him, He draws closer to those we love in our families. Every time I have been called in the Lord's service to move or to leave my family, I have come to see that the Lord was blessing my wife and my children. He prepared loving servants of His and opportunities to draw my family closer to Him."
(President Henry B. Eyring, "Come unto Me". April 2013 General Conference)

"Your prayers and the prayers of those who exercise their faith will bring the Lord's servants to help your family members. They will hep them choose the way home to God, even as they are attacked by Satan and his followers, whose purpose it is to destroy families in this life and in eternity."
(President Henry B. Eyring, "Come unto Me", April 2013 General Conference)

"The greatest service we can provide to others in this life, beginning with those of our own family, is to bring them to Christ through faith and repentance so they may experience His Redemption - peace and joy now and immortality and eternal life in the world to come."
(Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "Redemption", April 2013 General Conference)

"My mother understood the value of teaching her children about standards, values, and doctrine while they were young. [...] she recognized that parents are entrusted with the education of their children and, ultimately, patents must ensure that their children are being taught what their Heavenly Father would have them learn. My siblings and I were quizzed very carefully by our mother after we had been taught away from the home to be certain that correct lessons were reaching our ears and shaping our minds."
(Elder L. Tom Perry, "Mothers Teaching Children in the Home", April 2010 General Conference)

"Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today's world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred responsibility. While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to 'train up a child in the way he [or she] should go' (Proverbs 22:6), ultimately this responsibility rests with parents"
(Elder L. Tom Perry, "Mothers Teaching Children in the Home", April 2010 General Conference)

"Parents should be vigilant and spiritually attentive to spontaneously occurring opportunities to bear testimony to their children. Such occasions need not be programmed, scheduled, or scripted. In fact, the less regimented such testimony sharing is, the greater the likelihood for edification and lasting impact."
(Elder David A. Bednar, "Watching with All Perseverance", April 2010 General Conference)

"Teach yourself and teach your families about the gift of the Holy Ghost and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. You will do no greater eternal work than within the walls of your own home."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "These Things I Know", April 2013 General Conference)

"The main effects of these depreciating attitudes about the sanctity of marriage are the consequences to families-the strength of families is deteriorating at an alarming rate. This deterioration is causing widespread damage to society. I see direct cause and effect. As we give up commitment and fidelity to our marriage partners, we remove the glue that holds our society together."
(Elder L. Tom Perry, "Obedience to Law Is Liberty", April 2013 General Conference)

"We live in a very dangerous world that threatens those things that are most spiritual. The family, the fundamental organization in time and eternity, is under attack from forces seen and unseen. The adversary is about. His objective is to cause injury. If he can weaken and destroy the family, he will have succeeded."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "These Things I Know", April 2013 General Conference)

"Family time is sacred time and should be protected and respected."
(President Boyd K. Packer, "And a Little Child Shall Lead Them", April 2012 General Conference)



Position Statement

I know that family is extremely important. I do not have children yet but I support the rest of my family in teaching there kids and I strive to support my family especially in the gospel and teaching there kids the gospel and how to live a gospel centered life. Also I try to stay close to my family and often think about the things that I have learned from them also many times I either don't have my phone with more or I turn it on silent because I don't necessarily want others to distract me with I am with my family the only time I do have the volume on is when I know that I have an important call coming that I need to talk to the person. I know that the family is important in Heavenly Fathers plan and that I can be together again with the ones who have gone before me and that I have in this life if we all do our part and strive for no one to get left behind.

(Photo from beknownretreat.com)

Inicio

I am starting this blog as part of an assignment for school but I am hoping that it will become more then that.

This blog is meant to be a collection of quotes from the living Prophets and Apostles most gathered from the most recent General Conference but I hope to continue this through out the years and to use for my personal study and I hope it will help inspire others as well.

For my school assignment I will be starting this blog with 15 topics which are: Family, Atonement, Agency, Pornography, Individual Worth, Visiting/Home Teaching, Education, Inspiration/Personal Revelation, Self-Reliance/Provident Living, Discipleship, Adversity, Consecration, Personal Conversion, Service, and Divine Nature.

I am sure that with time I will add to this starting list at least for a couple months I will be focusing on this starting subjects.