More Quotes from
Church Leaders
Service
"To serve others willingly and unselfishly
should be one of our greatest virtues. It is not even a matter of choice.
It is an obligation, a sacred command....
"Therefore, let us serve one another with
brotherly love, never tiring of the demands upon us, being patient and
persevering and generous."
-Ezra Taft Benson
"Let us here observe, that
a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has
power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation;
for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment
of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of
all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that
God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life....
"It is in vain for persons to fancy to
themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who
have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtain faith in
God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they, in like
manner, offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain
the knowledge that they are accepted of him."
Joseph Smith
"We have covenanted in the waters of baptism
to love and serve [the Lord], to keep his commandments, and to put first
in our lives the things of his kingdom. In return he has promised us eternal
life in his Father's kingdom....
"The law of sacrifice is that we are willing
to sacrifice all that we have for the truth's sake – our character and
reputation; our honor and applause; our good name among men; our houses,
lands, and families: all things, even our very lives if need be....
"We are not always called upon to live
the whole law of consecration and give all of our time, talents, and means
to the building up of the Lord's earthly kingdom. Few of us are called
upon to sacrifice much of what we possess, and at the moment there is only
an occasional martyr in the cause of revea1ed religion.
"But... we must be able to live these laws
to the full if we are called upon to do so."
Bruce R. McConkie
"It is time to give ourselves to the Master
and allow him to lead us into fruitful fields where we can enrich a world
filled with darkness and misery."
Mary Ellen Smoot
"The Lord said, speaking of His servants,
'Their arm shall be my arm.' [D&C 35:14] Have you thought about this?
To me this is one of the most sacred and significant and personal commissions
I can read about in the holy records or elsewhere. The Lord says this arm
of mine is His arm. This mind, this tongue, these hands, these feet, this
purse – these are the only tools He has to work with so far as I am concerned....
So far as you are concerned, your arm, your resources, your intelligence,
your tongue, your energy, are the only tools the Lord has to work with."
Marion D. Hanks
"Energetic, purposeful work leads to vigorous
health, praiseworthy achievement, a clear conscience, and refreshing sleep.
Work has always been a boon to man. May you have a wholesome respect
for labor whether with head, heart or hand."
Ezra Taft Benson
"To serve others willingly and unselfishly
should be one of our greatest virtues. It is not even a matter of
choice. It is an obligation, a sacred command.
"Therefore, let us serve one another with
brotherly love, never tiring of the demands upon us, being patient and
persevering and generous."
Ezra Taft Benson
"Love everyone. And if you love someone
who doesn't deserve it, God will certainly not be mad at you."
Mary Ellen Edmunds
"God's children need to be loved, and
to have someone to love... We have two great challenges, you and I, and
the challenge never ends as long as breath lasts: to choose him and to
love each other. Then we may be sure we will know him in this world
and at last in the kingdom which is not of this world."
Marion D. Hanks