Commonplace Book

"When we think of the resurrection of our Redeemer, I am reminded that the purpose of his life was to prepare us all, to make a path that we could all walk, that would bring us eternal happiness in his presence as well as in the presence of one another."
(George Albert Smith, Closing Address, April Conference 1950. Emphasis added) 

"The change we need will come less by activism, and more by actively seeking to understand each other."
(Sharon Eubanks, By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God, October Conference 2020) 

"There can be no certain protection to the people of the world in the future except by keeping the commandments of God and the counsel He has given to His children through His servants the prophets."
(George Albert Smith, Pres Smith's Leadership Address, Church News, Deseret News, 16 February 1946) 

"Social media is awash with hate. The language of politics has become ad hominem and vile. We seem to have forgotten ... that evil speech is a plague. It destroys relationships, rides roughshod over people’s feelings, debases the public square, turns politics into a jousting match between competing egos and defiles all that is sacred about our common life. It need not be like this." (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Words That Heal, Tazria-Metzora 5780, April 22, 2020) 

"People have a hard time changing their minds. Once their minds are made up, they are relatively impervious to argument, evidence, and persuasion."
(Robert J Samuelson, Goodbye, readers, and good luck — you’ll need it, Washington Post, September 13, 2020) 

"No generation has ever lived without facing uncertainty. … We must not let the things we can't do keep us from doing the things we can do."
(Elder Richard L Evans, The Power and Privilege of Repentance, April Conference 1950) 

"Thy servant has sought thee earnestly; now I have found thee; ...and I will do well to hearken unto thy voice, therefore let thy servant rise up and depart in peace."
(Abraham 2:12-13) 

"I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not"
(Luke 22:32) 

"Faithfulness is neither foolishness nor fanaticism. It is trusting and placing our confidence in Jesus Christ as our Savior."
(Elder David A Bednar, We Will Prove Them Herewith, October Conference 2020)

"My beloved brethren and sisters and friends: I have in my pocket a wonderful talk; one I have been three months preparing. I find it necessary, however, to deprive you of the great pleasure of hearing it at this time because it has already been given. President McKay gave half of it, and Bishop Wirthlin and Brother Lee used most of my scriptures. I am very happy, however, to be in harmony with them."
(Marion D Romney, The Atonement of the Savior, October Conference 1953. This is how he began his conference address) 

"The only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through His prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; … as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith’ (D&C 21:4–5). There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory’ (D&C 21:6)” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 84–85). 

"I don't know what the Lord's eternal timetable is, but I am sure that He is happy to have it modified by the acts of men in the use of their free agency in bringing themselves to repentance. I feel sure that there is no dire prediction of any of His prophets that He would not be happy to have set aside by the repentance of His people."
(Elder Richard L Evans, The Power and Privilege of Repentance, April Conference 1950) 

"Where there is selfishness, natural differences of men and women often divide. Where there is unselfishness, differences become complementary and provide opportunities to help and build each other. Spouses and family members can lift each other and ascend together if they care more about the interests of the other than their own interests."
(Henry B Eyring, The Complementarity of Man and Woman, An International Interreligious Colloquium Vatican City, November 18, 2014)

 "In this church we ask for faith, not infallibility."
(Jeffrey R Holland, For Times of Trouble, BYU Devotional, March 18, 1980) 

"Those who think they know are at a disadvantage, as their assumptions put up a barrier between themselves and the truth. It's the ones who understand their own ignorance who will learn the most."
(Horoscope, August 8, 2020)