BOOK OF MORMON
I would like to urge every man and woman . . . and every boy and girl who is old enough to read to again read the Book of Mormon during this coming year. This was written for the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ. There is nothing we could do of greater importance than to have fortified in our individual lives an unshakable conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the Living Son of the Living God. And, my brothers and sisters, that is the purpose of the coming forth of this remarkable and wonderful book. May I suggest that you read it again and take a pencil, a red one if you have one, and put a little check mark every time there is a reference to Jesus Christ in that book. And there will come to you a very real conviction as you do so that this is in very deed another witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. - From general session, Corpus Christi Texas Regional Conference, Jan. 7, 1996.
CONVERSATION
Cultivate the art of conversation. It is a tremendous asset. For me there is nothing more delightful than to listen in on the conversation of a group of bright and happy young people such as you. Their dialogue is witty. It is scintillating. It sparkles and is punctuated by laughing even when dealing with serious subjects. But, I repeat, it is not necessary in conversation to profane the name of Deity or to use salty and salacious language of any kind. And let me add that there is plenty of humor in the world without resorting to what we speak of as dirty jokes. I challenge each of you to avoid all such. - From Salt Lake Institute Fireside, Jan. 21, 1996.
LIVE HONESTLY
If you want to get ahead in life, live honestly with the Lord and then you will be more inclined to live honestly with others including honestly one with another. Pay your tithes and offerings. - From general session, BYU Married Students Regional Conference, Feb. 11, 1996.
MARRIAGE
Marriage is ordained of God, marriage between a man and a woman. It is the institution under which He designed that children should come into the world. Sexual relationships under any other circumstances become transgression. Any such relationship outside the bonds of marriage is totally at odds with the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. While speaking of these matters, let me say that any young man who asks for sexual favors from a young woman whom he may be dating on the basis that he loves her, is saying in the strongest terms that he does not love her. Such an expression is one of lust and not of love. - From Salt Lake Institute Fireside, Jan. 21, 1996.
POWER OF THE GOSPEL
How thankful we ought to be, every one of us, for the power of the gospel in our lives to help us to stand a little taller, to be a little better, to be kinder, more generous, more willing to do good, more happy to forget ourselves and serve others. - From general session, Corpus Christi Texas Regional Conference, Jan. 7, 1996.
PROFANITY
You can't use that filthy, dirty language that's so common in the high schools and other schools - you can't do it - if you believe you're a child of God, without betraying your birthright. - From Parowan, Utah, Youth Fireside, Jan. 13, 1996.
RESERVOIR OF TRUTH
The Church is the great reservoir of eternal truth from which we can constantly and freely drink. It is the preserver of standards, the teacher of values. Latch onto those values. Bind them to your hearts, let them become the lodestar of your lives to guide you as you move forward in the world of which you will become an important part. - From Salt Lake Institute Fireside, Jan. 21, 1996.
STRENGTH OF THE FAMILY
We are a church which bears testimony of the importance of the family, the father, the mother, the children, and of the fact that we are all children of God our Eternal Father. Parents who bring children into the world have a responsibility to love those children, to nurture them and care for them, to teach them those values which would bless their lives so that they will grow to become good citizens. If there is less trouble in the homes there will be less trouble in the nations. I want to emphasize that which is already familiar to you, and that is the importance of binding our families together with love and kindness, with appreciation and respect, and with teaching the ways of the Lord so that your children will grow in righteousness and avoid the tragedies which are overcoming so many families across the world. - From general session, Veracruz Mexico Regional Conference, Jan. 28, 1996.
TEMPLES
I have in my heart a great burning desire, my brothers and sisters, to make it possible to have a temple where every faithful Latter-day Saint can come and receive his or her temple blessings, and have opportunity to extend those blessings to his or her forebears. - From Devotional, Los Angeles Temple Workers, Dec. 10, 1995.
WIVES
Your wives are indispensable to your eternal progress. I hope you will never forget that. There are a few men in this Church, I'm glad there are not very many, but there are a few, who think they are superior to their wives. They better realize that they will not be able to achieve the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom without their wives standing at their side equally beside them. Brethren, they are daughters of God, treat them as such. - From priesthood leadership session, Veracruz Mexico Regional Conference, Jan. 27, 1996.
My brethren, you will never have in all of your lives a greater asset than the woman into whose eyes you looked as you joined hands over the altar in the House of the Lord. She will be your most precious possession in time or eternity. Respect her as your companion. Respect her and live with honor together and there will be happiness in your lives. - From general session, BYU Married Students Regional Conference, Feb. 11, 1996.
