Itimacy...

 Photo: Mike Lewis

Many youth have been led to believe that sexual intimacy is “not that bad” as long as it does not involve the act that could cause pregnancy. That is false. Sexual intimacy in any of its forms, outside the covenant of marriage, is serious sin. Serious sin is addictive. It forges binding habits that are difficult to sever. If you have broken such laws, seek help from your bishop or stake president since such transgression requires a confession both to the Lord and to such a judge as a necessary step toward forgiveness. These sins can be avoided by not permitting anyone to touch the private, sacred parts of your body and by refusing to do that with anyone else.

-Elder Richard G. Scott

The Fruit of a Rightious Life...

Photo: Lydia Stewart

Peace is the precious fruit of a righteous life. It is possible because of the Atonement of the Savior. It is earned through full repentance, for that leads to refreshing forgiveness. Repentance opens the doors of enlightenment and aids inspiration.
Elder Richard G. Scott

True Repentance...

Photo: Lydia Stewart

 “True repentance is not only sorrow for sins, and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the necessity of turning away from them, a discontinuance of all evil practices … a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good … to make restitution, so far as … possible, for all the wrongs we have done. … This is true repentance, and the exercise of the will and all the powers of [the] body and mind is demanded, to complete this glorious work of repentance.”
-President Joseph F. Smith

"I testify that Jesus Christ paid the price and will satisfy the demands of justice for all who are obedient to His teachings. Thus, full forgiveness is granted, and the distressing effects of sin need no longer persist in one’s life. Indeed, they cannot persist if one truly understands the meaning of Christ’s Atonement.

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I invite you with all the love of my heart to repent and come back. Decide to do it now. That journey is not as difficult as it seems. You can cast out guilt, overcome depression, receive the blessing of peace of mind, and find enduring joy. Pray for help and guidance, and you will be led to find it."

-Elder Richard G. Scott

Scriptures, A Healing Balm...

Photo: Lydia Stewart

Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment.  When our commitment is diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance. Commitment and repentance are closely intertwined.

-Elder Quintin L. Cook

Be Patient...

Photo By Douglas Stewart  (Huntington Beach, California)

Be patient with yourself.  Perfection comes not in this life, but the next.  Don’t demand things that are unreasonable, but demand of yourself improvement.

-Elder Russell M. Nielsen

The Pain We Face…

The Savior is not a silent observer. He Himself knows personally and infinitely the pain we face.

-Kent F. Richards, Of the Seventy

You can always turn back…

Photo: Ben Romney, Europe

“If you are headed down the wrong road, no matter how far you’ve gone, you can always turn back.”

Laura Resau, “The Indigo Notebook”

Qualifying for the Lord's Spirit...

"Qualifying for the Lord's Spirit begins with a desire for that Spirit and implies a certain degree of worthiness. Keeping the commandments, repenting, and renewing covenants made at baptism lead to the blessing of always having the Lord's Spirit with us."

Julie B. Beck, "And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit," Ensign, May 2010, 11

Progress...

Photo: Ben Romney, Europe

Progress means not just changing, but changing for the better. If no set of moral ideas were truer or better than any other, there would be no sense in preferring civilized morality to savage morality, or Christian morality to Nazi morality.

"We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. "
— C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Repentance

Photo: Ben Romney, Europe

Highlights from “Repent . . . That I May Heal You” by Elder Neil L. Andersen

The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to “re-turn” toward God. It is the beckoning of a loving Father and His Only Begotten Son to be more than we are, to reach up to a higher way of life, to change, and to feel the happiness of keeping the commandments. Being disciples of Christ, we rejoice in the blessing of repenting and the joy of being forgiven. They become part of us, shaping the way we think and feel.

Repentance is turning away from some things, such as dishonesty, pride, anger, and impure thoughts, and turning toward other things, such as kindness, unselfishness, patience, and spirituality. It is “re-turning” toward God.

Our weekly taking of the sacrament is so important—to come meekly, humbly before the Lord, acknowledging our dependence upon Him, asking Him to forgive and to renew us, and promising to always remember Him.

The scriptures do not say that we will forget our forsaken sins in mortality. Rather, they declare that the Lord will forget.

They were not back alone. Repentance not only changes us, but it also blesses our families and those we love. With our righteous repentance, in the timetable of the Lord, the lengthened-out arms of the Savior will not only encircle us but will also extend into the lives of our children and posterity. Repentance always means that there is greater happiness ahead.

Elder Neil L. Andersen

Being Temperate in All Things...

Photo: Ben Romney, Europe

Highlights from "Being Temperate in All Things" by Elder Kent D. Watson

Being temperate is to use moderation in all things or to exercise self-control.

Being temperate means to carefully examine our expectations and desires, to be diligent and patient in seeking righteous goals.

A temperate soul—one who is humble and full of love—is also a person of increased spiritual strength. With increased spiritual strength, we are able to develop self-mastery and to live with moderation. We learn to control, or temper, our anger, vanity, and pride. With increased spiritual strength, we can protect ourselves from the dangerous excesses and destructive addictions of today’s world.

We all seek peace of mind, and we all desire security and happiness for our families. If we look for silver linings in this past year’s economic downturn, perhaps the trials some have faced have taught us that peace of mind, security, and happiness do not come from buying a home or accumulating possessions for which the debt incurred is larger than our savings or income can afford.

When our hearts are stirred to anger by disputation and contention, the Savior taught that we should “repent, and become as a little child.” We should be reconciled with our brother and come to the Savior with full purpose of heart.

Brightly Beams Our Rather's Mercy

Photo: Ben Romney, Europe

Lead Kindly Light

Photo: Ben Romney, Europe