‘A Way of Life’ Archives
Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ
A Way of Life, Robert D. Hales Some wonder, why is belief in God so important? Why did the Savior say, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent”? 2 Without God, life would end at the grave and our mortal experiences would have no purpose. Growth and progress would be [...]
That Your Burdens May Be Light
A Way of Life, L. Whitney Clayton Life presses all kinds of burdens on each of us, some light but others relentless and heavy. People struggle every day under burdens that tax their souls. Many of us struggle under such burdens. They can be emotionally or physically ponderous. They can be worrisome, oppressive, and exhausting. And they can [...]
Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit
A Way of Life, Vicki F. Matsumori At the end of the day, a pair of missionaries starts toward home when one suddenly turns to the other and says, “I feel we need to stop at this one last place.” A home teacher is prompted to call one of the families he visited just a few days before. A young woman plans on attending a school friend’s [...]
To Acquire Spiritual Guidance
A Way of Life, Richard G. Scott What can you do to enhance your capacity to be led to correct decisions in your life? What are the principles upon which spiritual communication depends? What are the potential barriers to such communication that you need to avoid? President John Taylor wrote: “Joseph Smith, upwards of forty years ago, said [...]
Remember Who You Are!
A Way of Life, Elaine S. Dalton Together we have shared many choice spiritual moments. We have borne testimony in camps around campfires, in chapels, and in firesides. We have been warmed by the fire of our faith. We have climbed mountains and unfurled golden banners—from Brazil to Bountiful—signifying the commitment deep within our hearts [...]
Never, Never, Never Give Up!
A Way of Life, Mary N. Cook Have you ever been afraid and discouraged as you’ve faced a challenge that seemed far beyond your ability? Have you ever wanted to give up? Imagine how Joshua, the successor to the great prophet Moses, must have felt, knowing that he was to lead the children of Israel to the promised land. At times I’m sure he [...]
Be of a Good Courage
A Way of Life, Ann M. Dibb I would like to begin this evening by briefly reviewing the historical context of our theme, Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Moses was the mighty prophet who led the children of Israel out of the [...]
Our Path of Duty
A Way of Life, Keith B. McMullin The duty of which I speak is what we are expected to do and to be. It is a moral imperative summoning forth from individuals and communities that which is right, true, and honorable. Duty does not require perfection, but it does require diligence. It is not simply what is legal; it is what is virtuous. It is not [...]
O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One
A Way of Life, M. Russell Ballard Autumn is a particularly exciting time for the fly fishermen, for this is the time trout are driven by an almost insatiable hunger to feast in order to fortify their bodies against the scarcity of winter food. The goal of the fly fisherman is to catch trout through skillful deception. The adept fisherman [...]
Help Them on Their Way Home
A Way of Life, Henry B. Eyring I was a young bishop when I began to see clearly why the Lord wants us to strengthen children when they are young and rescue them quickly. I will tell you one story of a young person who represents many whom I have tried to help over the years. She sat across from me at my bishop’s desk. She spoke to me [...]
A Testimony And The Holy Ghost
A Way of Life, Jay E. Jensen As a young elder I had been in the mission field about one year, and while reading scriptures and words of the latter-day Apostles about revelation and the Holy Ghost, I had a stunning awakening. I did not have a testimony of my own, specifically of the Father and the Son. I went on my mission living on the [...]
Will We Stay With The Lord?
A Way of Life, Neil L. Andersen The Lord Alerts Us to Dangers Ahead The Lord has not left us alone in our quest to return to Him. Listen to His warning words alerting us to the dangers ahead: “Take … heed, watch and pray.” 1 “Beware lest ye … be deceived.” 2 “Be watchful and careful.” 3 “Beware lest ye also … fall [...]
Temple Mirrors of Eternity: A Testimony of Family
A Way of Life, Gerrit W. Gong My parents, Walter and Jean Gong, were married three times: a Chinese ceremony for family, an American ceremony for friends, and a sacred ceremony in the house of the Lord for time and eternity. Our Primary children sing: “I love to see the temple. I’m going there someday.” 2 Our youth pledge to [...]
Our Very Survival Depends on Trust and Obedience to Counsel
A Way of Life, Kevin R. Duncan The winter of 1848 was difficult and challenging for the pioneer settlers in the Salt Lake Valley. During the summer of 1847 Brigham Young had declared that the Saints had finally reached their destination. “This is the right place,” 1 said Brigham Young, who had been shown in a vision where the Saints [...]
Serve with the Spirit
A Way of Life, Henry B. Eyring I hold in sacred memory two priesthood bearers who had qualified for the Spirit of God to go with them on the errand to which the Lord called them. They had found the restored gospel themselves in America. They were the Lord’s servants who first spoke of that gospel to two of my European ancestors. One [...]
The Power of the Priesthood
A Way of Life, Boyd K. Packer This “dispensation of the fulness of times” 9 opened with the appearance of the Father and the Son to the boy Joseph Smith. 10 Next the angel Moroni showed Joseph where the plates containing the Book of Mormon had been buried. 11 Joseph was given power to translate them. 12 During translation Joseph and [...]
The Right of Choice
A Way of Life, Thomas S. Monson As I’ve contemplated the various aspects of choice, I’ve put them into three categories: first, the right of choice; second, the responsibility of choice; and third, the results of choice. I call these the three Rs of choice. I mention first the right of choice. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father [...]
Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life
A Way of Life, Robert D. Hales Recently I received a letter from a friend of over 50 years who is not a member of our church. I had sent him some gospel-related reading, to which he responded: “Initially it was hard for me to follow the meaning of typical Mormon jargon, such as agency. Possibly a short vocabulary page would be [...]
Stay on the Path
A Way of Life, Rosemary M. Wixom At age seven, Joseph Smith contracted typhoid fever, and an infection settled in his leg. Dr. Nathan Smith was pioneering a procedure by which the infected leg could be saved. Without anesthesia, Dr. Smith would need to cut Joseph’s leg and actually remove portions of the infected bone. Joseph declined [...]
Because of Your Faith
A Way of Life, Jeffrey R. Holland When I was called to serve a mission back before the dawn of time, there was no equalization of missionary costs. Each had to bear the full expense of the mission to which he or she was sent. Some missions were very expensive, and as it turned out, mine was one of those. As we encourage missionaries to [...]
“Remember This: Kindness Begins with Me”
A Way of Life, Mary N. Cook A few weeks ago I learned an important lesson from a Laurel who was the youth speaker in my ward. I was touched as she confidently taught and testified of Jesus Christ. She concluded her remarks with this statement: “When I make Jesus Christ the center of my life, my day goes better, I’m kinder to my loved [...]
Guardians of Virtue
A Way of Life, Elaine S. Dalton There are times when words cannot express what we feel. I pray that the Spirit will witness to your hearts your divine identity and your eternal responsibility. You are the hope of Israel. You are elect and royal daughters of our loving Heavenly Father. Last month I had the opportunity to attend the [...]
A Living Testimony
A Way of Life, Henry B. Eyring In the hour we have been together, the Lord has deepened your belief in Him and strengthened your testimony. You have heard more than words and music. You have felt the witness of the Spirit to your heart that there are living prophets on the earth in the Lord’s true Church and that the path to happiness [...]
At Parting
A Way of Life, Thomas S. Monson Now, before we leave today, may I share with you my love for the Savior and for His great atoning sacrifice for us. In three weeks’ time the entire Christian world will be celebrating Easter. I believe that none of us can conceive the full import of what Christ did for us in Gethsemane, but I am grateful [...]
An Ensign to the Nations
A Way of Life, Jeffrey R. Holland I have been so moved by every note of music sung and every word spoken that I pray I can be able to speak at all. Before leaving Nauvoo in the winter of 1846, President Brigham Young had a dream in which he saw an angel standing on a cone-shaped hill somewhere in the West pointing to a valley below. When [...]
The Miracle of the Atonement
A Way of Life, Elder C. Scott Grow While preparing my talk for this conference, I received a shocking phone call from my father. He said that my younger brother had died that morning in his sleep. I was heartbroken. He was only 51 years old. As I thought about him, I felt impressed to share with you some events from his life. I do so with [...]
Called to Be Saints
A Way of Life, Elder Benjamín De Hoyos Some years ago while serving in the office of public affairs of the Church in Mexico, we were invited to participate in a radio talk show. The purpose of the show was to describe and discuss the different religions of the world. Two of us were assigned to represent the Church in responding to [...]
What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?
A Way of Life, Elder Lynn G. Robbins “To be, or not to be” is actually a very good question. 1 The Savior posed the question in a far more profound way, making it a vital doctrinal question for each of us: “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27; emphasis added). The first-person [...]
The Lord’s Richest Blessings
A Way of Life, Carl B. Pratt I am grateful for righteous ancestors who taught the gospel to their children in the home long before there were formal family home evenings. My maternal grandparents were Ida Jesperson and John A. Whetten. They lived in the small community of Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The Whetten children were [...]
“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”
A Way of Life, D. Todd Christofferson Our Heavenly Father is a God of high expectations. His expectations for us are expressed by His Son, Jesus Christ, in these words: “I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48). He proposes to make us holy so that we may “abide a celestial [...]
